Page 3

And he was right. There was an entire crew manning the ship. An experienced captain. Top-of-the-line navigation equipment.
You won’t have to keep watch.
She would just be a passenger, able to relax and enjoy the journey. It wouldn’t be like last time.
You won’t be responsible.
And then there was the destination: Antarctica. When she said the word out loud she expected to fall into a deep pit of grief. It had been a place that had achieved almost mythic status in her family growing up: the only continent her dad had left to visit before he died. But instead, she found herself smiling. Long-forgotten memories surfaced: how he’d spread maps out on their kitchen table showing her the various routes to the South Pole, how he’d sit on the end of her bed in the darkness and tell her about his desire to sail through the last truly untouched wilderness, past towering icebergs, spotting humpback whales and leopard seals, meeting penguins, and crossing over the Antarctic Circle to witness the midnight sun. His bookshelves had teetered under the weight of thick Shackleton and Scott biographies – had he been born in that era, she was sure he would have been one of the intrepid explorers himself. As a girl, she had absorbed his excitement, snuggling up to a cuddly penguin toy at night and dreaming of one day visiting ‘the Ice’.
She’d been sixteen when he died. After that, her mother had banished his vast library to the rubbish dump, and scrubbed all mention of sailing, boats or exploration from their home.
Olivia had never questioned it. Why should she? After all, his death had been Olivia’s fault.
She shook her head violently.
This time, you’re not responsible.She took a deep breath. It was time for her to move on.
Besides, they’d come to the perfect place to start anew. Everything about the small town of Ushuaia felt fresh and crisp. It sat perched at the end of a rugged, windswept archipelago made up of thousands of sparsely populated islands called Tierra del Fuego. The name translated to ‘Land of Fire’ – ironic considering it was so cold. The town itself was a quaint fishing port with a mish-mash of houses with brightly coloured roofs and steep streets leading down to the water. A watercolour stroke of dark green forest led to snow-covered mountains rising up behind and circling the town, giving it an intimate feel, despite its frontier atmosphere.
‘We have a couple of hours before dinner,’ Aaron said. He grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly. ‘Shall we head back to the hotel?’
‘Hang on – I want to get a picture.’ Olivia stopped by a wooden sign, a few steps away from the water.
She looked around for someone she could rope in to take the photo for them. But the square was empty. Strange. When she’d walked past before, it had been buzzing with tourists, all clamouring to get a shot.
There was only one man in the park, leaning against one of the spindly, windswept trees. His black jacket wasbuttoned all the way to his chin, a hat pulled down low over his brow. But his gaze caught Olivia’s, and she felt her heart leap into her throat. It was the way he was staring at her, at them.
She grabbed Aaron’s arm, but at the same time he took the phone from her and held it up, his arm outstretched. ‘Let’s get a selfie, shall we?’ He angled her phone so they could get both their faces in.
Olivia leaned in and smiled, putting the strange man to the back of her mind.
‘Ushuaia:el fin del mundo.’ Aaron read the sign aloud.
Olivia gave herself a shake.The end of the world.
And, hopefully, the start of a new chapter.
2
Olivia scrutinized the selfie, shaking off the sense of being watched. They looked good together, the cold air putting more colour in her cheeks than she’d had in months. She was so used to her complexion looking grey and tired, like too-weak tea. This was a photo worthy of her Instagram. Maybe Tricia would see it and stop sending her links to articles about ‘burnout recovery’ – pretty much the only communication they had nowadays. She knew her best friend was worried about her, but it wasn’t necessary. She had everything under control.
Instagram had become a showreel of her recovery. Maybe if she posted enough pictures, the fantasy would become a reality. Otherwise, it was just wishful thinking.
A notification popped up on the top of her screen. ‘Ah, it looks like our cold-weather gear is ready for pick up,’ she said. ‘Sara says we can drop by the office now.’
‘Can’t she get someone to deliver it? I’ve been running around all day. I’m shattered and with this dinner tonight—’
Olivia stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. ‘I’ll get it. Your turn to rest.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Of course. You’ve sorted everything on board the ship and I spent all morning relaxing in the hotel. It’s the least I can do.’
He lifted her fingers and kissed them. ‘You’re too good to me. See you later.’
‘I won’t be long.’
He walked off in the direction of their hotel, his hands in his pockets. Olivia could read the tightness in his shoulders. She knew how important this exhibition was for him. Even though he was riding high now, the market was fickle. He was convinced it could go away as fast as it came.