The Diamond Princess

EPILOGUE

I look at Akhter's calm face, gently resting on his pillow. I think about how handsome my little adopted boy will turn out to be. Feeling a hand on my shoulder, I close the door quietly and spin round to Jonathon.

"You're worse than a camera crew, you little spy!" I whisper, bringing him to the kitchen. "What do you want?" He brings me a cup of hot cocoa and sits me by the window. I look out at the Diamond Princess resting in the harbour, taking a rest from all the repair work. I thank Jumpy again in my head, for if we had hit any other glacier, the Diamond Princess would have floated to the bottom of the ocean. Hearing some snuffles from the rug, I toss some fish over my shoulder. I always carry some in my pouch, and I don't want Squak getting any ideas about my cocoa.

"Happy Anniversary Eve!" Johnathon whispers. I smile, remembering how I had paid Aubur just so we could be together. "What do you want to do?" I look at him questioningly. "Just think about it, OK?" He wanders to the bedroom, obviously tired from checking, double-checking and triple-checking every single plan of every single part of the Diamond Princess. I think about it a while, then join Johnathon.

"A reunion."

"Wha- I was sleeping, can you repeat that?"

"Me and you and Akhter and Squak and Glaianna and Aubur."

"Oh, so a reunion?"

"That's what I just said, silly!"

"In my defence, I was sleeping, Dianne. So... what kind of a reunion?"

I think a while more before answering.

"A helicopter ride."

THE BEGINNING