Page 101 of In the Same Boat

‘Hank…’ Mum says.

‘I thought, before you left, you might like to nip out to sea, properly, to see the sights,’ he explains. ‘But I appear to have lost the key.’

‘You’ve lost the key?’ Mum repeats back to him.

‘Unfortunately, yes,’ he replies, shrugging like it’s just one of those things.

‘How do you lose the key?’ I ask.

He just shrugs again.

‘It was there the last time I looked…’

‘You don’t have a spare?’ I check.

‘Usually, yeah… but I can’t seem to find it.’

‘You’ve lost both keys?’ Mum shrieks.

Yep, that’s when you know you’re really, really in trouble.

Before Hank can answer, the door slides open behind us and Nico appears on deck, pulling a T-shirt properly over his head, hair tousled like he’s been asleep.

He looks at me first, then Mum, then his dad, then the open water all around us.

His expression changes as he realises what’s going on.

‘Dad,’ he says slowly. ‘What are you doing?’

Hank exhales, long and slow, as though he’s trying to compose himself. But then he just starts ranting instead.

‘Everybody was leaving,’ Hank blurts. ‘Just like that, both of them, going home, and I knew I needed to do something to stop them, so… I drove us out here… just to talk… and I’m not sure where I put the key…’

I cock my head curiously.

‘I’m not sure a hostage situation is the way to win anyone over,’ I point out, angry and sarcastic.

‘I had to stop you running away,’ Hank replies. ‘Both of you. And you, Nico, you need to speak up, say how you feel…’

‘Dad, I’m with them. Taking us hostage isn’t the way to figure things out,’ he replies.

‘But no one is being honest,’ he says.

I notice Mum snort next to me.

‘Turn this boat around,’ she tells him calmly.

‘I can’t.’

‘Hank…’

‘I told you, I hid the key, and I can’t find it,’ he insists.

‘Dad…’

‘I just wanted everyone to stop and talk,’ Hank says. ‘That’s all.’

You can tell from the look on his face that he’s now realised this was a terrible plan. But he’s started it now, so he’s got to commit.