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"I'm disappointed in you, Jonas."A wonderful sentiment to hear first thing in the morning.The deep set scowl directed at said man was just icing on the cake. Jonas stared down at the older woman with one half lidded eye as he tried in vain to rub the sleep from his other."Good morning to you too, Mum. I missed you.""Oh, come off it." Lilian Taylor pushed past her son, waltzing into the apartment like it was her own."Come in, we have so much to talk about," Jonas said while closing the front door. He didn't bother to lock it, his mother wouldn't be staying for long.He followed after her as she made her way to the kitchenette and took a seat at the off white folding table in the center of the room. Lilian made a sweeping gesture with her hands."Aren't you goin' to offer me a cuppa?"The former diver sighed. "Mum, would you like some tea?""No thanks, I just wanted you to remember your manners." She smiled charmingly at him.Jonas resisted the urge to outright scowl at his mother. Instead, he went about making himself tea and breakfast so he could glower at his English muffins."James called me," the woman stated, "imagine my surprise when he said that my only son was back home and was avoiding me."Jonas cursed Mac and his odd bond with Lilian. He wouldn't put it past the New Zealander to be hiding out at the elder Taylor's."I'm not avoiding you, Mum. I haven't gotten around to seein' you.""Oh, but Lori has?""Lo-Lori? What are you two doin' seeing each other?" Jonas whipped around to look at his mother."If you must know she had a long layover at Heathrow going home. She called askin' if I wanted to have dinner, and you know as well as I do that I can't say no to that girl.""Mum-""You shoulda never let that one go, Jonas. Not many women can stand a sourpuss like you," Lilian admonished."I am not a sourpuss," Jonas turned back to the counter to finish spreading raspberry jam over his muffins. "And stop talking to my ex wife!""Can't do that, dear. She's takin' me to see Kinky Boots in November when I'm stateside. That reminds me, if you're still around, can you take me to the airport?""Christ, Mum," Jonas whined."Don't whine," Lilian scolded, pointing a well manicured finger at him."I didn't whine.""Yes you did, now shut up and sit with your mother."With a derisive snort, Jonas brought over his food to the table and sat across from his unwanted, unexpected, and uninvited guest. He refused to look into her blue-grey eyes and have his soul exposed to her. If Jonas couldn't get away with hiding anything from poor marks at school to the crumbling state of his previous marriage, he had no chance keeping in the mess that his emotions were in after everything.Lilian sensed this, she wasn't his mother for nothing. Even while he sat with his shoulders hunched and eyes focused on his food, dead set on not speaking to her, she knew he needed to let it out. And if it couldn't be Mac or Lori, Lilian would have to do.She reached over to pat his hand as she rose from her seat. "You know what? I'm feelin' thirsty, I'll just make meself some tea, hmm?"By the time Lilian made her tea just to her liking and returned to the table, her son finished his food and was using his pinky nail to scrape out a seed from his teeth. In the back of her head she could hear her former daughter-in-law griping about the bad habit."How are you feeling, my love?""Just fine," Jonas grumbled before taking a pointed sip of his tea."I saw you on the telly, nasty business that lot was in. You go lookin' for trouble and this is what happens. A thirty meter shark older than Christ himself rises up to turn you into supper."He sighed. "They weren't looking for the Megalodon, the bastard just showed up.""Like the same creature that stopped you from savin' those two blokes five years ago?" Lilian asked bluntly."Get out," her son growled."Not 'til you answer my question.""We're not playing this game, you want to know anything else, pick up the London Evening Standard."Jonas abruptly stood up from his chair, knocking it back in the process as he stormed out of the kitchen. For the first time since he checked into his lovely Airbnb with nothing but the clothes on his back and a six pack of San Miguel, he sincerely regretted booking an apartment with no bedroom to retreat to. He settled for flopping back onto the messy king sized bed against the farthest corner from the kitchen."Enough of this, Jonas." Lilian got up from her seat and followed after him."I feel the exact same way, Mum. Feel free to let yourself out now, you know where the door is." Jonas slung an arm over his eyes so she wouldn't see the way he squeezed them tight to the point of seeing bursts of light."Jonas." She crossed her arms as she dropped herself none too gracefully at his side. "Jonas, speak to me."He remained resolutely silent."You know I heard about those poor men that died. One of them was married, was going to consider adoption when he returned home."A wave of nausea and guilt hit him like a tidal wave. Now instead of his eyes, he was clenching his jaw and fists. Fucking Toshi. Toshi Tanaka left to die at the bottom of the Mariana Trench because he had balls of steel and could write a book on altruism that would have Ayn Rand rolling in her grave."Mum," Jonas muttered. He wondered for half a second if that bitter taste in the back of his throat was bile or the physical manifestation of self hatred. Maybe both."Darling, I want you to understand that I know without a doubt that you did your best for him." She ran a comforting hand over his free arm before speaking again. "James told me what you said. That this Toshi man chose your lives over his. There was nothing you could do. He chose his fate. He chose to save his friends. We can't forget that.""I could've saved him," Jonas whispered in spite of the voice in his head screaming for him to keep quiet.A list of alternative courses of actions that could have saved the younger man appeared in his mind like a digital catalogue. If he didn't need more than one finger to count how many options he had, well no one else needed to know.
"Under normal circumstances, yes. You could have, except those last two times were not ordinary at all.""Mum, stop," he begged."No, you need to hear this. You might not have rescued those three men, but you saved so many people. I know you know that. For God's sake, love, you never left a person behind before that submarine incident."Jonas sucked in a shaky breath through his teeth. He woke up less than twenty minutes ago, but he felt physically and emotionally drained like he was back on Mana One that first day. This was not how he pictured his morning going.Then the arm shielding his eyes was slowly lifted away. He turned his head and looked with glassy eyes at his mother as she took hold of his hand. Her delicate fingers went to work uncurling his fist before placing his lax hand on her lap, petting his palm like a Pomeranian."You've always been so good at your job, love," Lilian spoke softly. "There's something I want you to take from this. Are you listenin'?"He nodded, grimacing when a tear slipped from his eye down his temple."You spent five years tryin' to process losin' your two friends. No one believing you 'cept for James and I. And then years later, when people needed you--your ex of all people--you pulled yourself up by your bootstraps and stopped being a sodding bastard long enough to save two people and kill a primeval fish that coulda eaten hundreds of 'em." The white haired woman shook her finger at her son. "That's what you did. When Jonas Taylor was needed, he didn't sit on his arse getting pissed. He saved more people than he lost. And if you can't find comfort in numbers, then we'll stop using them altogether, yeah?"The corner of Jonas's mouth quirked up for a fraction of a second. "You barely made any sense.""Piss off," Lilian retorted. She stood up and dusted off invisible dirt from her skirt.They were both surprised when he chuckled, that suppressed laugh he did that showed off his immaculate teeth and made him look ten years younger.
"Maybe you were right." He grinned. "All I needed was a visit from my mum."Lilian scoffed, "Obviously."He reached over to grab her hand, his thumb smoothed over wrinkles and glided over her expensive rings. Lilian stared down at him, unsure of how she should react. The last time he held her hand was when he was fifteen and trying to show his support during her nasty divorce with his father. Touching someone's hand was just something Jonas Taylor did not do lightly."Thank you for visiting me, Mum," the ex diver said with nothing but sincerity in his tone."There's nothing to thank, this is what mummies do for their children. I know you'll get through this." She bent down to kiss his forehead, a fond smile formed at the coral lip print left behind. "Want to have lunch with me tomorrow? We can go to that Indian place you love.""As long as I don't have to wake up before ten I'm in.""Lovely. Well I must be going, I have clients to meet with and appointments I shan't be late to."Lilian walked over to the front door, picked up a purse Jonas never realized she brought with her, and blew a kiss."I'll see you tomorrow, darling.""Bye, Mum."Jonas was left alone, but he didn't feel like it.
"I knew it," Jonas declared as he wrenched open the car door, "I knew you were with my mum."Mac shrugged. "Who needs a hotel when you have hospitable friends in town, brother?""How long have you been in London?”“Just three days.”“Uh huh, and how long did you wait to tell Mum about me being home?”“Baggage claim,” the dark haired man replied cheerfully.Jonas rolled his eyes and got a slap on the thigh for his lack of respect. He tilted his head to the right to give his mother a half hearted glare. She simply beamed at him as she drove off.Twenty minutes later, they were seated at a round table drinking Chai and nibbling on naan. Despite the tumultuous start, Mac and Jonas fell back into that natural, smooth exchange between old friends. Jonas found out that the younger man was working at a sea turtle rescue and rehab center in Australia."And you? What're you doing with that compensation cash Morris's people gave you?" Mac inquired."I was hiding in my Hobbit hole until you two decided to spoil my quality alone time."Lilian scoffed. "You don't need alone time, dear. What you need is to be surrounded by people who love you.""Yeah? And when are those people coming?" Once again, Jonas was smacked on the leg."Come on, JT," Mac punched the British man good naturedly on the arm. "Once you get some food in your stomach, you'll realize your mum and I are great company.""All I know is if you steal my tandoori chicken again, your fork is goin' in your eye." There was no bite to Jonas's threat, they all knew it."You still think I stole your chicken? I told you, it was your mum and Lori!""And I told you neither of 'em like spicy food, so why would they take my chicken?""Because they were setting me up!" Mac hollered. His cheeks darkened when he realized a few patrons were looking in his direction with judgment in their eyes. He cleared his throat before he gave an imploring look to Lilian. "It's been six years, tell your son it wasn't me.""Oh, love, but then we won't be able to have this same conversation for another six years." The elderly woman smiled wickedly against the rim of her cup.Jonas's eyes widened a fraction at his mother. "You and Lori stole my chicken? You said it was Mac!" He glared at the other customers when he noticed them leering. "Excuse us, we're having a private conversation. Shove off.""Honestly, Jonas, I'm more surprised that you've been holdin' this small transgression against James for years.""You said he ate my chicken!""Sure, blame the brown guy," Mac said through a mouthful of naan."Yet you believed me while your lovely ex wife and I were giggling? If you don't go back to your old job, don't apply to Scotland Yard. It's for the greater good.""Unbelievable." Jonas turned to the younger man. "Sorry, mate.""For all that shit you put me through, I am going to steal your chicken," Mac declared."I don't blame ya."He didn't expect to literally bump into DJ and his new girlfriend Xia, but that's just the way God liked to mess with him."Jonas!" DJ exclaimed while pulling the slightly shorter man into a hug."How ya doin', Deej?" Jonas returned the hug, if with a little less force. "Who's your friend?"The aforementioned woman gave him a smile that was hard for Jonas not to mirror. "Xia. I guess you don't recognize me from Sanya Bay."
"I'm sorry?""I was the bridesmaid that fished you out of the water," she teased, pink tongue sticking out between her teeth as she directed another bright smile at him. Jonas wondered if she was completely Chinese, or if she was half sunshine.He searched his memory for her face or voice which only managed to give him a headache. And for a moment, the white Brit cursed himself for not committing any faces from the wedding party to memory considering they rescued them from the water."Ah, sorry, but I promise to now," Jonas replied apologetically."Good enough for me." Xia nodded in satisfaction."So what're you two doin' in London?""Well I work at a hospital here, but I live in Cambridge," the Chinese woman explained."And I've got an interview tomorrow at this robotics company downtown." DJ shrugged. "Nothing revolutionary like Mana One, but at least the pay's just as good and I'm not miles away from shore."
"Fair point," the ex diver commented."What about you? I'm surprised you're not eating mangos in Thailand right now. Isn't that what you and Suyin were supposed to do?"Jonas stiffened up like a statue. He didn't know DJ well, but he couldn't see the man in front of him being cruel enough to bring up the Zhang. His brain told him it was all innocent, just two not-friends-but-more-than-acquaintances trying to catch up. Unless Suyin was angry with him and told DJ what he did…Xia, bless her heart, picked up on Jonas's discomfort and her own boyfriend's cluelessness and started questioning the older man about tourist attractions that she should take DJ to. Jonas was relived for the change in topic and offered a few local sights that he'd want any non Brit to see for themselves. It didn't last long, after five minutes the sole white man of the group gave the other two a weak salute before beating a hasty retreat.He returned home with a pack of beer and guilt gnawing at his empty stomach.Three months and several tempestuous nights out with his mother, Jonas was staring at his bank statement and debating on whether he should invest his "Please Don't Sue Morris Enterprises" money in bonds or real estate."Mum, if I wanted to invest my money in real estate, you'd help me right?"He looked across the wrought iron table at his mother, engrossed in her own papers for her successful realty business. Lilian had a way with people he never had. Then again, she's told him since birth he got his social skills from his father."Of course, darling. Why?""'Til I get a job, I figured I might as well do something smart with my money.""That reminds me." Lilian pushed her reading glasses up. "James called. He sends his love, not that he phrased it that way." She shook her head, clearly annoyed. "Men. As I was sayin', he told me of a job opportunity I know you would be just perfect for."Jonas didn't bother hiding his skepticism. "Uh huh, doing what?""Usin' that paleobiology degree I paid for to teach down there. James said there was a position available at the local uni, and that the board is lookin' for someone to fill that slot, and I suspect you'd fit right in.""No.""Why not? You haven't even given it a proper thought," Lilian protested."Don't need to. I'm not the teachin' type. I've got no business holin' up in a classroom with a bunch of wanks who think paleontology and archaeology are the same thing. I'm dealing with enough mental stuff as it is, I don't need to add unnecessary stress to the list.""Fine, fine," the older Brit threw her hands up in defeat."Besides, if I do dust off my degree you so kindly funded, I'd prefer to get your moneys worth out of it.""Oh lucky me.."Jonas decided after waking up at four AM covered in sweat and being on the brink of tears that sleep was overrated. Especially if he was going to be having weird, fucked up dreams that only vaguely made sense. He'd give up each one of his vices if it meant he could end the nightmares.Nightmares where he's having a drink with Mac, and when he turns to talk to his best friend, the man's missing half of his leg, but continues talking about football like he isn't slowly bleeding out.Jonas has one where Lori is among the horde of reporters who bombard him with
questions once he lands in Sanya Bay, and then when she opens her mouth to ask him a question, chum spews from her mouth.Weird dreams of saving Suyin from the shark cage, but once he pulls her to him she turns into a werewolf and bites his face off.He dreams about saying goodbye to the crew of Mana One as Jack Morris, Nikes and all. He never remembers how the dreams end after he gets onto the helicopter.Even Xia isn't exempt from his bizarre dreams when his subconscious conjures up her and DJ's wedding day (the only part of the dream he can report to a flushed couple during lunch). When she throws her bouquet up in the air, his mind's eye pans up where instead of calla lilies soaring towards the crowd of women--Jaxx, Lori, and Suyin present--it's a Megalodon pup ready to devour them.Suffice to say, Jonas hasn't slept well since the nightmares started coming. It was hard to swim away from the Meg when said creature was drinking your tea and eating your friends.Lilian managed to convince him to tell her about his dreams after the third time he showed up late to one of their mother-son dates with bags under his eyes and thicker facial hair than he usually let it get. When she announced that there was a perfect solution, Jonas half suspected she'd tell him all he needed was to move back in with her.
That wasn't what she had in mind at all.Of all the times to go to Australia, he chose the time when she would be there."'Come down here,' you said." Jonas rammed into his old friend until Mac nearly fell off the sidewalk. "'We'll have a good time,' you said." When the younger man returned to his side with a grin, he repeated his previous attack. "'No, I haven't spoken to Suyin in months,' you said!"Mac rolled his eyes. "In my defense, you didn't ask me if she and Mei were going to be here.""You coulda warned me that they'd be here.""Now why would I do that? You never would've come if you knew Suyin was going to be here.""Exactly.""Stop griping or I'll call your mother."The Brit promptly shut his mouth, knowing all too well that the Kiwi would snitch on him. Dejected, Jonas did a parody of a frog march down the sidewalk to Mac's apartment. The latter insisted on him staying at his place as an indirect thank you to Lilian for letting him stay with her."Honestly, Jonas. What's the worst that could happen?" Mac asked as they entered the swanky lobby. "So Suyin looks at you and you spontaneously burst into flames. It happens to the best of us. It would happen if you walked into a church.""Do you ever shut up?" Jonas snapped."Only during The Walking Dead," the Maori man chirped.After a rowdy dinner that actually involved food throwing and a fork getting stuck in the panels of an air vent, Jonas reclined on the couch while an episode of Miss Fisher's Murder Mystery played out on the screen parallel to him. He'd convinced Mac to decline Suyin's offer of meeting up for drinks earlier, but he was powerless to stop Mac from scheduling for all of them to visit the rehab center to help release turtles back into the water.As he rolled on his side to face the back of the couch, he vowed to go out kicking and screaming. There was no way he was going to see her without putting up some fight for the sake of his dignity.In the end, Mac didn't have to fight Jonas to freshen up and see the Zhangs. By the time Mac woke up, Jonas was chugging coffee and mumbling bits of Mandarin he learned via YouTube."Do you know what the problem is?" Jonas questioned while pouring a steaming cup of coffee for his dear friend."That no one says 'good morning' anymore?""My divorce has made me afraid of romantic failure, especially when we factor in the decayed state of my parents' marriage when they finally decided to call it quits."Mac accepted the mug offered to him, but had to shoo away the speedy hands trying to add too much sugar and milk to his drink. "I could have told you that, mate. Pretty sure your mum has, I know she and I have talked about it.""Good, good." Jonas nodded, his head bobbed like a dashboard ornament. "I've never appreciated your friendship with my mum, but reflecting on it, it's quite sweet and works out great for me.""Uh huh.. say Jonas, what time did you go to bed?""Never did.""Beautiful," Mac commented. He took a healthy sip of coffee to wake him up. Call it Men of Colour's intuition, but he had a feeling he'd need all the energy he could get before they go to the center."But back to what I was saying, Mac. Ever since Lori left me, I've been so afraid of messing up and getting my hopes up that the next missus will leave as soon as I go all crazy again. Of course, we all know that a Meg is what attacked the sub years ago, so I wasn't cracking under pressure. At least I don't have to worry about that.""Of course. We just have to worry about what zero sleep and-how many cups of coffee have you had?""Four.""Thank you. What four cups of coffee and no sleep paired with your PTSD will make you do today… this is going to be fun. Especially since you realized that you have a fear of commitment because of the chance that things will go wrong, and once again you'll be left alone with no one but me and your mum blowing up your phone.""I resent that." The British male pouted before drinking his coffee, he made sure to slurp obnoxiously and smack his lips when he pulled the mug away. "DJ talks to me, and Lori checks up on me occasionally. Jaxx even offered to make me a LinkedIn page.""Ooh, you've got the social life of a Kardashian," Mac teased.As it turned out, four cups of toasted coconut coffee and no sleep equated to Jonas passing out in the car while his best friend drove. His heavy snoring never ceased, even when Mac drove over a particularly deep pothole. When they reached the rehab center, the latter spent six minutes trying to coax the other man awake.Mac leaned against the passenger side door, his shades helped to hide his annoyed eyes. They were already ten minutes late because Jonas insisted on going through Mac's entire closet to find an outfit appropriate for Mac when he himself was dressed plainly in board shorts and a University of Edinburgh shirt."Get up, Casanova, the turtles won't wait forever..""Do you need assistance?"Suyin appeared at the curly haired man's elbow, dressed in a ruby red romper and nude pink caged flats. Her right brow was quirked up while her lips were slowly turning upwards. Beside her, Meiying rapidly lost interest in holding Suyin's hand to peer into the car at her old companion."Hello, ladies," Mac greeted, his tone lost all its previous irritation. "We keep you waiting long?""No.""About twenty six minutes, we came early," Meiying chimed.The Polynesian man chuckled, he turned to his former coworker only to laugh harder at her embarrassed expression. "It's usually a good thing if kids tell the truth, Yin.""You say that because you don't have to give a fake apology to your ex's girlfriend because your daughter said she isn't as fun to talk with because she doesn't have a Masters."Once more, Mac was glad he had on sunglasses so Suyin wouldn't see the way his eyes widened comically at her statement. He looked down at the little Chinese girl engrossed with lightly slapping Jonas awake."You're kidding.""I'm not," the mother replied."I did," her daughter commented.Her mother muttered about the young girl becoming sassier the older she got while Mac did his best to deliver an appropriate admonishing look."HEY, CRAZY, GET UP!" Meiying shouted with a particularly sharp slap to the man's stubbly cheek."Jesus, Mum, I'm up!"Jonas lurched forward in his seat and proceeded to fight his seatbelt. When he heard bell like giggles, he let his eyes and brain catch up with each other until he could focus on the raven haired girl looking at him with a shit eating grin and a quick flash of a taffy pink tongue from where she used to have her upper left canine."Good dreams, Crazy?""It's nice to see you too." Jonas looked up at the woman he'd dreaded seeing. "You as well."Meiying happily launched herself into his arms to wrap herself around his torso to get a much needed--and much appreciated--hug. Jonas slid out of the car with the child dangling from him like a koala on a tree and looked into the face of her mother.She didn't look happy to see him, but then again she didn't look like she wanted to rip off his balls and wear them as earrings either, which was always a plus.Suyin looked as lovely as always in Jonas's humble opinion too."I hope you've been doing well," she stated right before turning on her heel to the building, effectively making the others follow her lead."One of you is going to have to tell me the whole story," Mac whispered to his best friend before jogging after the Chinese woman to open the doors.Once inside, Mac got them through security with ease and personally distributed the guest passes to his little group. He gave them a tour of everything from the labs to the holding tanks. The entire time, Mac kept up his jovial tour guide image and Meiying weaved her way between volunteers and doctors alike to see turtles being cleaned and checked over.That left Jonas and Suyin giving their attention to anything and everything but each other. Not that it was a difficult feat when there were turtles to be fed and questions to be asked."Oi," Mac whispered while he elbowed the Brit in the ribs. The Zhangs were off having a bathroom break, giving the two men time to have a private conversation. "You gonna, I don't know, speak to Suyin? Or are we just going to have to keep up this tense atmosphere all the way to the beach?""We have nothing to say to each other." Jonas crossed his arms over his chest.The younger man rolled his eyes. "And the Pope's Buddhist.""Coulda sworn he was Jewish.""JT," Mac sighed exasperatedly."What do you want me to say, Mac?""You could start with-""Is it time to release the turtles yet?!" Meiying jumped on Mac's back, nearly sending the man backwards.In an instant, the two men conjured up smiles as they looked over at the eager child."That depends, are you ready?""Absolutely!"As it turned out, by God's grand design--or Mac's meddling, jury's still out on that one--the trucks available for returning the turtles to the ocean could only hold two people.
"Unless you want to risk injuring yourself in the back of the ute," Mac said in his best lecturing tone, complete with a wagging forefinger."So our best option is to split up in pairs to get to the beach," Suyin replied."I pick Mac!" Meiying's hand shot up like a freshly fired bullet. "I pick Mac, I pick Mac! Mummy, that means you have to go with Jonas!""Funny how that worked out," Jonas commented dryly.And so Jonas and Suyin ended up waving at the possible co-conspirators from inside their own truck with a fully grown turtle tucked away safely in the back and two buckets with a younger turtle each stuck between Suyin's feet. As Jonas followed after Mac, he cast his gaze to the silent woman less than a foot away. The fingers on his left hand twitched at the thought of turning on the radio to give him anything else besides the road and Suyin's perma-frown to focus on."Having a good time?" he asked instead."I am, ever since Mac told us where he was working, Mei and I have been dying to come down here.""It's unfortunate your ex husband couldn't make it."Suyin's perfect brows furrowed at his response as she cocked her head to give him her full attention. "Why is that unfortunate?""Well I'm sure Meiying would've wanted to do something like this with her dad.""Not if his flexible girlfriend tagged along."Jonas managed to hide his bewildered expression with a well timed cough at the reveal. "He's still with the Pilates instructor?""Come on, Jonas. Would you be done with a Pilates instructor so quickly?" Suyin found herself teasing him, her brown eyes shined with something akin to mischief."Can't imagine myself with a Pilates instructor, yoga's more my speed.""Shocking."The rest of the drive was enjoyed in relative silence, occasionally broken up by the sound of Suyin snapping photos of the landscape. And maybe Jonas hoped that one of the pictures in her phone's gallery was of him. It would explain why he saw spots out of the corner of his eye after her flash went off."I'm uh, glad Mac invited you here. And Mei.""Colour me surprised," Suyin responded followed by another flash. At least she was on his good side."Well he's been drillin' in me that human interaction is important, and I don't mind your company." Jonas flushed after a noticeable amount of time passed after his slip of the tongue. "And Mei's!"Suyin snickered but chose not to comment.With a light hope he hadn't had since his caffeine high wore off, the former diver found himself smiling and returning quip for quip with the same woman he would've cut off his own hand to avoid seeing once they arrived at their destination. He'd even gone as far as tug at one of her locks when she "accidentally" spilled turtle water on his crotch when she lifted one up to inspect for a "leak".One simple conversation and they were play-flirting like middle schoolers. Who would've thought?Their reunion with Mac and Meiying involved many shared looks between the curly haired man and the nine year old. They knew that they missed something on the ride to the beach. It was a matter of encouraging the interaction, or being nosy.
"Mummy, give me and Mac the baby turtles, and you and Jonas can stay with the huge one!""Bossy," Jonas laughed, even as he reached for one of the pails to give to Meiying."Not bossy, firm," the woman at his side corrected while handed a bucket to Mac.The co conspirators scampered away, shouting promises to return promptly after they made sure the baby turtles were safe from seagulls and curious beachgoers.Jonas leaned back against the tailgate, and a second later Suyin copied him."And then there were two," she said aloud. A small smile tugged at her lips."Fate's a bitch.""Fate or Mac?""Both." The British man rapped his knuckles against the trunk. "Do you happen to know the name of our overgrown friend in the back?""That would be Hugh Jackman," Suyin replied.Jonas chuckled while shaking his head at the oddly appropriate name. When no one was looking, he stuck his hand close enough to pet the animal and nearly lost a finger. Hugh Jackman really was Wolverine."Mac never said how long you're going to be here for," the younger woman commented."One way trip, Mac and my mum convinced me to play things by ear.""Sounds nice.""And you?" Jonas hoped his tone was more curious than hopeful."We're here for another four days, and then we're heading home."The ex diver hummed in acknowledgment. A second after, Meiying announced her return followed by Mac. He instructed their ragtag team on how they'd work in tandem to transport Hugh Jackman with a wooden plank and tarp to the ocean. Inspiring speech included. Together, they got Hugh Jackman onto the tarp covered plank, wrapped the tarp that they had on him in the truck to protect him from the sun (and biting Jonas), and more or less waddled their way from the parking lot to the beach. They thanked God that Hugh Jackman was light enough for three adults and a determined nine year old to carry.They made their way down to the water with all forty fingers in tact, not that Hugh Jackman didn't try to relieve Jonas of his pinky, and set the board down halfway to the ocean. Meiying was tasked with removing the tarps while the adults kept the creature suspended."Okay, folks, we're going to get Hugh Jackman to the water. Worst case scenario is we lose our grip and drop him directly on JT's crotch and he takes a bite out of the English prick." Mac grinned supportively at them."It'll be the most action I've gotten all year," Jonas commented dryly.Like before, the four of them carried the turtle across the sand until they were just a foot away from where the waves lapped lazily at the shore. In sync, they lowered to their knees in order to put Hugh Jackman down who eagerly waved his limbs as if he could get traction mid-air to get closer to the water. When he finally touched down on the moist sand, Hugh Jackman wasted no time in dragging his body to the ocean."Come on, Hugh Jackman!" Meiying cheered as she jumped around, kicking up sand in her carefree enthusiasm. Her black, daisy print summer dress made her look like an excited witch."You can do it, Hugh Jackman!" Mac clapped."We believe in you, Hugh Jackman!" Suyin exclaimed."Thanks for not making anymore Wolverine movies, Hugh Jackman!" Jonas yelled, "Best of luck in all your endeavors, mate! Try not to get any barnacles on your arse!"The fanfare only increased when Hugh Jackman was bathed in a wave that washed over his head from snout to tail.Meiying gasped before grabbing Jonas's hand to tug him down to her level. "Jonas, did you just see that?! Hugh Jackman just dove deeper into the water!""Sure did, kid," Jonas laughed.They waited until the tenacious turtle swam away with utter confidence from them to go to their pails to release the smaller creatures as well. Mac deemed them too young and little to venture the same path as Hugh Jackman, and instructed his friends to remove their shoes so they could directly deposit said turtles into the water where the waves would not crash into them and push them back towards land.With a turtle each, they assisted Orla, Barry, Hazel, and Demeter to the water with a barrage of encouragements. Jonas had to admit that pride bloomed in his chest when Orla drifted from his fingers and followed after Meiying's Demeter."Okay, who wants to build sand castles?"After an hour of constructing everything from sand forts to sand historical landmarks ("It looks like a dick, JT." "Shut up, it's Big Ben."), they walked along the beach until they reached a restaurant next to a fishing pier that promised tiger prawns and crisp fries.About halfway back to where they'd released the turtles, Meiying dramatically dropped to the ground, taking her mother with her, and declared that she was too full to go on a second longer. Mac, ever the enabler of children, threw himself down right beside her."Leave us, Mummy," Meiying wailed, "we’re dead weight!""Tell my wife.. I love her."Jonas pressed his heel down on Mac's stomach. "You don't have a wife.""Catfish someone using my face, marry her online, and then tell her I loved her before I died.""Will do, you crazy Kiwi."The Chinese woman jerked her chin forward before raising her brows in a silent question to continue their journey back to the truck. With a shrug, Jonas followed her lead, stepping over the bodies of the fallen. They'd get up on their own eventually.The pair walked away, the desire to be in a car with air conditioning winning over their newfound wish to also make the beach their new beds and rest after one too many pieces of calamari."Today's been fun," Jonas commented, "could hardly remember what that was like.""Try having a child, every day's an adventure," the shorter of the two quipped.Jonas's steps faltered as he suddenly imagined making pancakes for Meiying on a relaxing Saturday morning. It was too domestic, too sweet, too unattainable."I'll have to take your word for it," he managed not to stutter out.Suyin stopped a few paces later to pick up an intact seashell she deemed a lovely souvenir then immersed herself in finding more to give as gifts. Her companion busied himself with twiddling his thumbs until he found them no more appealing than sticking a jellyfish in his shorts. He elected to assist Suyin in her endeavor, and graciously accepted the ones she handed him to keep for himself.With a pocketful of shells and sand alike, they decided to wait out Mac and Meiying's food coma by sitting down and enjoying the view of the waves beating against the sand.If Jonas's heavily included the younger woman's side profile, well, that was his little secret."Jonas," said woman spoke up."Thinking about that seafood pizza still?" he teased."No, I-I wanted to ask you something.""Oh, all right. What is it?""Why did you disappear?" She scooted over until her body was positioned to face him head on, chin raised and eyes alight with a determination he recognized from their days on Mana One.
"Beg pardon? I don't know what you're talking about." Jonas was stalling. He knew it. She knew it. Hugh Jackman knew it."When we got back to land, why did you leave? We were at the hotel, you said you were going to come with us to help us pack up our things at Mana One, and then you up and left." Suyin raised her brows in an expectant manner. "Why?""I-" Jonas's mouth hung upon as he tried to find the words to articulate everything he felt the last time he saw her. He scrubbed his hand over his mouth, his stubble grated against his palm. "Your ex was there. When we got to land, he was there looking for you and your child together.""And? I would have been pissed if he didn't come to Sanya Bay after it made the news that his daughter and the mother of his child were previously in danger.""I get that," Jonas replied. He had just a smidge too much pride to admit that he didn't know that before."I talked to Anthony, I had to. You know we were together for ten years. We owed it to each other to talk after everything.""Well that's what I was afraid of," the Brit responded."Open communication?"He shook his head fondly. "No, actually I was a bit concerned that-ahh, that there would be.. ugliness.""As in?""As in your ex husband would not appreciate a gweilo planning a holiday with you and Mei.""It's not for that asshole to decide who I spend my time with," Suyin hissed at the idea of having to report to her ex husband than at Jonas's concerns."You say that now, but what if I came back to you and said, 'Okay, when should we book that trip to Thailand?'" Jonas questioned. "And then your ex pitched a fit over it?""In the words of your ex, 'Tough shit, buddy.'""I can't imagine you saying that.""Oh, you would've been in for a treat if you had stayed, Jonas."Despite his previous mortification to actually be having this conversation, Jonas let out a short, low laugh. He couldn't deny that he didn't know the younger woman well enough to claim she couldn't cuss up a storm, and he hoped that he never gave her a reason to do it at him."So.. why is he still in Taipei with Polly Pilates instead of watching Disney movies with you and Mei?"Suyin snorted indelicately. "That asshole wanted us to move there too. Said something along the lines of having the three most important girls in his life all together." The stare sent to her older companion was deadly like a California wildfire. "I'd sooner rip off my own arm before I willingly moved to the same city as my ex and his half wit honey bunny.""Wow, harsh words," Jonas commented."Oh please, my daughter may not be allowed to speak so poorly about a grown up, but I can openly say that my ex husband's mistress has about the same level of intelligence as a sloth.""What a shame."Suyin drew her legs up to rest her chin on her sandy knees, letting the irritation from talking about her ex and his paramour leave her body as she stared off to the side. That left Jonas computing their conversation, not that there was much to go over. He had acted out of cowardice, which resulted in him missing out on what could have been a memorable vacation with a gorgeous biologist and her precocious child with whom he'd both formed strong attachments to. Now, his conniving mother and best friend were trying to turn his life into The Parent Trap, sans white twins."I'm sorry," he said right before the urge to throw himself on the nearest grill forced him to look anywhere but at the face now staring at him."I'm sorry?"He hated how cute she looked with her face slightly scrunched up in confusion."It's okay, but y'know, I am. Sorry. For disappearing, and ignoring your calls and emails." Jonas slowly inhaled then let it whistle out from his pursed lips. He hated breathing exercises. "I wanted and didn't want to talk to you. Because call me craz-actually, don't, please. Uh, it might sound like a dumb and cheesy thing to say, but those few days we were together, I felt a connection to you.""I-" The younger woman's face was flushed from more than the Australian sun."If all you wanna be is friends because of the shit I pulled, I'm fine with that. Can we just start over? We'll be two heroes with plenty of "Please Don't Write A Tell All Book About Jack Morris And His Involvement In The Meg Attacks" money."The smile that formed on her face was soft and tentative, but no less lovely to the ex diver. "Okay, let's start off at me saving your ass from that hammerhead.""Perfectly acceptable," he laughed."So what are you going to do, Jonas?" Suyin asked."It's still summer," Jonas replied while fiddling with the drawstrings of his shorts, "if we hurry, we can still make it to that vacation.. if you're still interested.""Are you actually coming?”“I’m better now, I can make it.”“Good, I am too." When Suyin caught him staring she sighed. "You're not the only one who feels like they didn't do everything right."Jonas was ashamed to admit that it never occurred to him that the woman at his side felt anything remotely close to what he did after the Meg attacks. That she too felt like she made nothing but mistakes that could have been avoided so everyone from her father to Jack Morris could still be alive.She and Meiying deserved a proper vacation, and maybe he did too."Wherever you go-" Jonas ignored the way his palms started to sweat. "I promise I'll follow this time."Something akin to contentment flickered in Suyin's brown eyes. Jonas would swear he was seeing things if her smile didn't read as shy but pleased. He kind of wanted to kiss her in that moment, to see if he could make that smile grow, warp with delight. The moment passed like waves rolling back from the beach, but he knew that desire would inevitably come back.Jonas just barely missed getting sand in his eyes when an overexcited Meiying appeared. He noted that his dear old friend was not too far behind, close enough that he could hear them, but far enough that the illusion of Most Likely Not Capable of Eavesdropping is possible. The Brit didn't want to think about how long they were standing within hearing distance."So I hear we're thinking about going on a trip!" Meiying plopped down between the pair and rested her back against her mother's legs, small feet coming up to prop against Jonas's. "Where are we going?"Suyin looked embarrassed at her daughter's forwardness. "Nine year olds..""They hear everything," Jonas laughed.