Page 115 of Adrift

“You coming?” Easton turns back to trail.

“No, I’ll stay and keep an eye on Haley and the fire. Let my foot have a little time to rest.”

They wave, and I spend some time staring at the jungle. Fuck, Dante and I aren’t that different. He has his sister and hismum. I have my sister and my mum. Granted, my dad wasn’t a thief—just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I should get back.

When I do, Haley has the kitten in the raft. She’s drying the rubber creases down with one of the sponges. “Hey, do you want to help me get the roof back on?” she calls to me.

I look over my shoulder at the jungle, but it’s still going to be there after we get the raft set back up. I’m a full believer that Easton is right. I don’t want to sleep on the plastic anymore, feeling it move every time someone rolls over. Sure, it’s like sleeping on an air mattress. An air mattress with a two-year-old and a box of biscuits. “Let’s get this done.”

“It’s not going to be fun.” Haley pulls the ropes down over one side as I hold it on the other, and it pops off like it’s the wrong size lid on a takeaway container. The plastic of the raft is showing some age. Just like we all are.

“We need a new plan of attack.” I’m practically growling the third time the roof comes unseated.

“Yeah, we do. You go on the inside.” Haley points.

“With the demon kitten?”

“You’re my big strong man. I think you’ll survive, my love.”

Fuck, I roll over the entrance into the raft with the little fuzzball who is running around and bounding off the sidewalls. It sees me and gives a hiss but then turns back to bat at the tassels of one of the cushions. I can’t help but smile. It’s such a normal cat thing, a normal home thing. Cats chasing tassels. My heart squeezes.

“Do you have it?” Haley asks.

“One minute.” I pull the plastic roofing taut. “Yeah.”

“Great, that worked. Let’s do the other sides.” She lifts the unconnected bit of the roof and smiles at me. “How’s Mr. Nibbles?”

“Well, he’s a she, and I don’t think that’s a good name to give a demon kitten. She might take it to heart and nibble us to death in the middle of the night.”

“She would never.” Haley gives her best shocked voice. “She’s a good kitten.”

“You’re a good kitten.”

She clears her throat, and I picture the blush on her cheeks I can’t see. “Sorry if we woke you up. Well, I know we woke you up when the water flooded the raft. But the before part.”

“Never be sorry for waking me up like that, Haley.”

She moves down the side of the raft.

“Pull tighter.”

“Got it. Two down, two to go. I sound like a football announcer.” She laughs.

“An American football announcer.”

“What’s your favorite team?”

“Which type of football?”

“Both.”

“Right, well, I guess the Ravens.”

“You’re just saying that because you know I’m from Maryland.”

“You got me. But my favorite club is Aston Villa. Man, there is nothing better than going to the pitch with all your mates. It’s brilliant. I fucking love it. We get tickets in the standing zone. A couple of pints before the match. Damn, I miss them.” I tap the side of the roof. “This one’s good.”

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