anchors.

their

⚓. their

"When do you leave?"

"Viviane..."

"When do you leave?" She repeated through gritted teeth.

He sighed in pain and regret, "Tonight."

She held back a sob, focusing on her anger and his betrayal, "You said no more. You said you were going to give up."

"Baby doll, you know we need the money."

"Don't! Don't try to justify it!" Viviane stood up abruptly. "What the heck are we, Kai? We were moving on. Dare I say it even - progressing. Now we're just aimless!"

"Viviane, we do have a direction. It's for the future." Kai used his coaxing, comforting tone, a gentle arm around her.

"Please, Kai, don't do this! I just lost my mother, I can't lose you too! If you have any consideration for me or any feelings for me, you won't fight." Viviane went through a whirlwind of emotions – sadness, desperation, disappointment, anger...

"You're being selfish. I'm doing this for you. For us." Kai raked a hand through his sandy blonde hair in frustration.

She spoke barely above a whisper, "After all this, am I not allowed to be selfish for once?"

Kai gulped down his guilt. "Viviane..."

"Stop it! Stop saying my name!" She screamed through angry tears. "I'm terrified!"

"Baby doll..." He pulled her closer, his hands on her waist. "Remember what I told you, the morning of that storm?" Her breath caught in her throat when remembering. "I will win for you, Viviane. I have something worth living for. You."

"Didn't stop Mama from dying," she muttered bitterly.

"Your mother didn't have a choice. But I do. This is my last fight, and I'm going to bring home me and that money." He was determined.

And even though she knew his mind was made up, she said, "I'd rather be poor and drowning in debt than see you..."

"Don't finish that, Viva. Remember what your mother said. She wanted you to hope for the best."

She sighed, and reluctantly, despite her incessant mind, her heart prevailed in doing so. She allowed herself to hope.

⚓⚓⚓

"Hey Viviane?"

"Hmm?"

"I like you. A lot."

This made Viviane look up in surprise but she quickly returned his smile. "I like you a lot too."

She went back to reading her magazine, lying her stomach across the towel on the sand.

"Hey Viviane."

"Yes, Kai." She answered, bemused at how much of a child he was sometimes.

He leant down and kissed her nose, "I see a ship."

Viviane snorted, "Is that all you wanted to tell me?"

"Well, she's called Charlotte." He grinned down at her, as her smile faltered at the mention of her mother's name but then brightened.

"Let's go!"

"Somebody is finally becoming wild!" He teased, but she whacked him and told him to shut up. Hearing all their racket, Edward came out and shouted at them.

"Where are you two niños going?"

"We're not kids anymore, Papa!" Kai gave him a goofy grin. Edward froze, taken aback by the grown up man before him and suddenly felt proud to have shaped him.

Kai's realisation sunk in just then, "Uh, sorry, Edward-"

"It's nice to know I'm like a father to you, Kai." Edward's smile radiated to Kai's sheepish gaze.

"Hey, Edward, who owns Charlotte?"

"I do, of course. And by the way, Kai begged me to buy her." Viviane looked at the two men excitedly. She turned to Edward and before she could utter a word, he nodded his head, "Yes you may go for a spin. Just don't crash my ship."

"We would never, sir!" They said at the same time, mock saluting him.

Viviane looked at Kai with nervous, apprehensive eyes. "You know how to sail this thing right?"

"Baby doll, I was born ready to sail! Literally," he explained in deadpan, "I was born on a ship."

She laughed. "Besides, we can just keep the anchor in until we're ready to sail free."

Edward interjected with an unfortunate shrug, "Slight problem – this thing is way too old to move."