Page 6 of Away in a Tentacle Lair
“Kai Briareus,” I interrupt, shoving my outstretched hand under his nose.
“Leo Rowland.”
“That's a very stuck-up name!” I giggle. “Leonard Rowland.”
My fake posh accent is totally off, but I can't help it.
“Someone went without oxygen for too long,” he retorts.
He's probably right, I am fucking giggling.
“Just because I can hold my breath doesn't mean my brain wasn't getting oxygen,” I defend, knowing it's a lost cause. I was born in the ocean, and I could swim before I crawled. Mum did the whole submerged baby thing where she ducked me under and expected me to hold my breath instinctively.
“Could you breathe now, please?” Leo urges.
“Sorry. I'm so used to holding my breath.” I giggle again.
What is wrong with me?
“You're a proper water baby, huh?”
“After Mum died, being in the water made me feel closer to her.”
“Maybe you know what sea creature is protecting the reef then?”
Seriously?
I confess that my mum's death traumatised me so much I'd push myself to sit underwater for over ten minutes, and he asks about the wildlife out there. I stand up quickly, scraping the chair back loudly enough to have my cousin running over.
Chapter five
Leo
“I'm sorry.”
That will never be enough.
He turns to walk off, but I do a stupid thing and grab his arm. I've dug myself a massive hole now; I might as well keep going.
“That came across as insensitive. I just… I wanted to offer you a change of subject in case the memory hurt. But really, I wanted to change it for me. I am so bad in these situations.”
“I told you my mum died, and you want to know about the seaside?”
“My parents are both safe and healthy. I've never experienced any loss or trauma. I'm not qualified to give sympathy in these situations. But I realise my reaction was wrong. Please, let me try again.”
“Fine.” Kai dropped back into his chair. “I miss my mum, but I have a large family, so I’ve never felt alone. I just wish I didn't remember her bleeding out under the water as my final moment with her.”
“I'm so sorry to hear that.” I give my best sympathetic face.
“No. Stop that. That face is terrifying,” Kai laughs. “But seriously, I've only brought this up because it was the research centre who killed her.”
“The whole centre?” I frown. “I find that hard to believe. Please convince me otherwise.” I hope that was a suitable response.
“It was one of their boats. Struck her on the head and left her to drown. Being pinned underwater reminded me of that moment. Being too scared to surface because there was something on the surface that killed my mum.”
As terrible as the event was for him and his mum, it isn't the conspiracy theory I expected—just a horrible and regrettable event.
“I'll mention what happened today to one of the management team,” I promise.
