be clear about one thing,” said Ben.
Gabi held her breath.
“No one under the age of eighteen touches my beer or my whiskey.”
“No, never. I would never … I mean, no, I don’t drink … Not really. Not at all. You know me, I –”
“No, Jinx – I don’t know you. And what’s your story with smoking?”
Jinx winced and shot Alex an uncomfortable look. “Well, I’ve been known to enjoy the odd Marlboro –”
“And you, Alex – do you smoke?” Ben looked at his daughter.
“I take the odd puff from Jinx’s cigarette.”
“Actually, she’s my Puff-girl,” said Jinx proudly, his smile breaking through the tension.
“Well, Val doesn’t allow smoking in the house, so you’ll have to smoke outside.”
Gabi’s jaw dropped open – Ben seemed more worried about where they smoked than the fact that they smoked at all.
“Um, who’s Val?” Alex asked quickly.
“Valeria. My girlfriend.”
“You have a girlfriend?”
“Yes. And I’m glad this has come up, actually, because Val’s coming on holiday with us,” answered Ben, unperturbed. “She’s the one who found the guest house with stabling.”
“Oh, fabulous – a potential stepmother! Valeria!” Alex’s voice had a biting tone. “When exactly were you planning to tell us about our extended family?”
Ben ignored her. “So, what do you say, Gabi?” he asked, running his fingers through his long curly hair.
“Er, I don’t smoke,” Gabi blurted out.
“No, I’m talking about Alex’s BF. He can only join us if you say it’s okay.”
Gabi stared at Ben. He sounded serious, as if he really would take or leave Jinx depending on her answer. On the one hand, that made her feel important and included in the decision-making, but on the other, it made her cross. Maybe he didn’t actually know what he was doing with this whole fatherhood business, and was hoping she’d make the decision for him.
“So … should Jinx come with us or not?” Ben repeated.
“Well, um, if Alex promises to keep her stuff tidy and not constantly expect me to clean up her mess, then I don’t mind if the singing tarantula comes along.”
“Ah – the singing tarantula! Your mom’s training you well.” Jinx pulled a face at her. “Thanks, Gabi!”
Alex nodded enthusiastically. “I’ll help with everything, promise.”
“Right, then, we have a horse for Gabi and a BF for Alex – whatever it takes to get my girls to go on holiday with me,” said Ben. “Let’s get moving! I want to get to Plett before dark.”
“A horse, a BF and a potential stepmother,” said Alex. “All I ask is that she’s cooler than Marcus.”
“Well, Val is … much younger than Marcus.” Ben’s green eyes glinted.
“I hope so! Marcus is practically on the waiting list for Shady Pines Retirement Home,” continued Alex confidently.
“Just remember, girls – and you too, BF, er, Jinx – that if anyone asks me about this – your mother, for example – I won’t lie. I’ll say that you both decided to bring along a school friend you bumped into at the petrol station.”
“That’s cool, Dad,” said Alex. “Mom and Marcus are playing old-age-home in Melkbos – what they don’t know can’t hurt them.”
“So, Jinx, you sorted for a lift?” Jinx’s brother shouted from behind the wheel of the Golf. Jinx responded with a thumbs-up, jogging back to grab his luggage from the crammed boot. The Citi Golf passengers wolf-whistled loudly as they drove off, leaving a trail of exhaust fumes behind them.
Ben threw Jinx’s backpack on top of the other bags in the Land Rover’s boot. Then he looked around for a spot for Jinx’s guitar.
“Careful with Lola,” said Jinx.
“Lola?”
“My guitar. Her name is Lola.”
5
And then they were four
The N2 was busy all the way – half of Cape Town seemed to be heading to Plett.
At about 5pm the GPS beeped and they turned right onto a gravel round that snaked along under huge trees. The horsebox hopped and bopped a bit at first, but the gravel road was in good condition and soon the Land Rover was dragging Briggs and his trailer smoothly through the forest.
Hitting the gravel road had made Alex sit up. She’d been asleep on the back seat, her head on Jinx’s lap, ever since the town of George, where they’d stopped at the side of the road for a late lunch.
“Ooooh! Eeeek!” she suddenly shrieked, startling Gabi, who was in the front passenger seat listening to her iPod. “We’ve left civilisation behind! Help! Where are the people, the shops, the tarred road?”
Jinx grinned.
“Plett is just around the corner, Alex. There’s always action there,” Ben reassured her.
“Yep, Puff-Girl, matric-rave Mecca is within spitting distance,” Jinx said comfortingly.
But Alex seemed genuinely upset. She sat bolt upright, like a meerkat, and desperately scanned the forested surroundings. “All I can see are bushes and trees! Where are we actually going? Oh, jeez, this is so not my scene.”
Gabi watched the GPS, fervently hoping they were near the guest house. She knew by the pitch of her sister’s voice that she was close to snapping. Again.
“I’m not a hundred per cent sure of the way myself,” said Ben, which wasn’t exactly reassuring to anyone. “Val gave me the GPS coordinates, but all I know is that it’s a guest house on a farm near Plett, and that was the turn-off. Look, according to our eye in the sky, we’re almost there.” Ben pointed at the black-and-white checkered flag in the centre of the GPS screen.
“Harkerville Forest … Harkerville Bos …” From the back seat, Jinx read the signposts as they passed by. “Hey, Jonathan Harker was the agent who killed Dracula in the first ever Dracula movie, 1931.” Jinx was a big fan of vampire movies and books.
Ben glanced at him through the rear-view mirror. “There was a remake of that in 1992 – Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Total classic,” he commented.
“Marcus would never have known that.” Alex sounded impressed, and Gabi felt relieved that Jinx and Ben had together managed to change the subject. She was feeling tired and
