The Brothers....Their Story Continues

Chapter Fourteen

Kadir was up early the next morning, fixing the perfect breakfast. He had left his brother alone the night before, letting him cool off from the words that had been said. He wanted desperately to talk to him before Nicolette arrived, to smooth things over with him.  He was usually an early riser, but this morning he was either sleeping in, or avoiding Kadir and the subject he knew he would want to talk about. Efe could hear him working about in the galley, and he knew he was probably preparing one of his famous breakfasts, so he slowly opened the door to his cabin and looked out. The smell that was swirling around the living quarters of the boat were amazing, and they made him realize how hungry he was. The dinner he had the night before was a lot less than perfect and hadn't satisfied him at all. He stepped out and made his way to the galley, "Good morning Abi, everything smells great." Efe patted him on the back as he walked by and started up the stairs to the deck. " Efe wait, I need to talk to you, can you give me a minute." Kadir stood facing him at the bottom of the stairs. " Sure, what's on your mind,....if it's about last night, you don't need to say anything. I know you only said those things because you were upset with me." He laughed, " Let's just say, "It's water under the boat"  ok." He gently patted his kid brothers cheek, and started on to the deck. 

Kadir smiled slightly, but the encounter still sat heavy in his heart. Efe got busy prepping the boat for their departure, he wanted to be underway by midday. He was ready for some open air, the sea had always calmed his mind, and his heart. The trip to Sardinia would give them time to deal with what had been said, it would probably take a couple of days out on the open water to get there, he was sure all would be behind them by then. Kadir had set an amazing table, if he didn't know better, he would have thought they were in a fine dining restaurant. " Wow punk, you have out done your self with this breakfast, this woman must really de something." Efe looked around, slapping him on the back. Kadir smiled his dazzling Divit smile, " I don't know, but she really quirky and  different, she's funny....and talks a lot." His face lighting up just talking about her. Efe could tell he was quite smitten with her, and hoped she was as sincere as he was. 

His watch said 9:05, she was late. He strained his eyes to look down the pier, hoping to see her walking that way. Efe felt the pain from his brother, " Hey you know women, they like to be fashionable late,....she'll be here." The older brother assured him. He watched the long pier and within minutes he saw her rushing along past the row of other boats. " There she is, she's coming Abi, now please be on your good behavior." He begged with his eyes. Efe nodded, with a concerned look on his face, he didn't understand why he thought he wouldn't be. " You got it kid, don't worry." He gave him a wink. Kadir walked down the end of the ladder to help her aboard, " Hello, did you have trouble finding us." He asked as he firmly took her hand leading her up the ladder to the deck of the boat. She looked beautiful, her long blonde hair shining in the sunlight. She smiled, " No, I was still deciding whether to come or not to tell the truth, but I thought you owed me from yesterday." She said, looking around the boat. She raised her eyebrows when she saw the table, " So you did all of this, it's very nice, looks like you are trying impress someone." She slide in on the bench, taking a spot at the table. Efe came up from below, hesitating a second, as he listened to the conversation, " No, my brother is quite good at setting a presentable table for an invited guest, no matter who it is." He smiled looking directly at her. " Hello, I'm Efe, Kadir's brother, and you must be Nicolette." He extended his hand for a handshake. She froze, her eyes fixed on him, her heart beating loudly in her ears.

Efe had held his hand out to her for an awkward amount of time before she finally responded.        " Yes,....I am, Nicolette I mean, uhh, but you may call me Nicky, most of my friends do." She scanned over him, thinking, never had she seen such a handsome man. He was as close to perfect as she might imagine. He had on a loosely fitting t-shirt a pair of cargo shorts and deck shoes. His necklaces that he always wore, and a bandana tied around his neck. His long hair was always down, blowing in the wind, he was quite a sight to behold. Kadir was very much aware of the look she was giving Efe, but he kept busy chatting on about each dish that was on the table. Efe looked away from her, after the handshake, feeling uncomfortable with her continuous encounter with her eyes. He cleared his throat, " Yes Kadir has made a exceptional breakfast, I will make a plate and go below to eat, I have some navigation issues to work on." He wanted to leave the two of them alone for a while, and her incessant roving eyes were making him feel weird. Kadir objected at first, " No brother, sit down and eat with us, the maps can wait for a while." 

He's hook his head, "No, you two enjoy, I'll get us ready to shove off." He looked at Kadir with that look of insistence, grabbed his plate a went below to his cabin. Kadir thought it was strange, but then he never did claim to understand his older brother. " Ok then, let's eat, are you hungry." He smiled at her, but she was still in a state of unexpected infatuation, and could barely regain her composure enough to return the smile. Her mind was full of what she had seen, so their conversation wasn't as inspiring as the day before, as she kept reliving her introduction to Efe,  and the feeling she got from the touch of his hand. It had her feeling flushed and she was sure her face was color of the fresh strawberries he was placing on her plate. " These are delicious, the best I've had in a while,....you're not allergic are you." He asked quickly pulling them back away from her plate. " No,..I'm not, thank you." She responded with a nervous glance at him. She needed to regain so sort of normalcy, as her stomach was full of excitement from meeting the older Divit, it had really taken her by surprise. " Kadir, I need to visit the bathroom, may I go below." She asked, shifting nervously in her seat. He nodded, " Of course, it's the door at the end, on the right. Are you ok." She smiled, "Yes I'm fine, I'll be right back." She scooted out from behind the table and made her way down the stairs. 

Her heart was still beating fast, and she wondered where he was, as she passed through the galley and on towards the the door. Efe had finished his work on the maps, setting the coordinates for the departure. He opened the door to his cabin and much to his surprise he saw her standing there, " I'm sorry, are you looking for the bathroom,...it's that door." He pointed to the next door down. She smiled, " Well not exactly." Her voice wasn't much more than whisper.        " I was hoping to run into to you again." She moved closer to him, touching his arm, her eyes drilled into his. Efe stepped back, he thought about just slamming the door in her face, but he didn't want to make a scene, " Look, your date is up on deck, and probably waiting on you, I suggest you take care of your business and go back up top and finish your breakfast. Her smile vanished, and the humiliation from his words all but slapped her in the face. She turned quickly and walked away. Efe leaned against the wall of his cabin, " Damn it, that's the last thing I need.  I'm ready to get the hell out of here." He thought, knowing his brother would never forgive him if they hung around.

That was something he never wanted to do, .....to come between his brother and a woman, and would make sure that never happened....

She wasn't the type of woman that his brother needed, he knew that for sure.