Page 48 of No One Aboard

“I think,” he said in a faint mimic of his wife, “that is a great suggestion, Lila.”

Rylan, Tia, and Lila watched as Francis sliced open a fried egg. The yolk bled bright yellow over the plate. Francis dragged his potatoes through the mess and took another bite.

Rylan fiddled with his fork.

The boat hit a bump, and Lila’s spoon clattered to the floor. As she hurried to pick it up and wipe the yogurt off the wood, Francis kept chewing.

“Maybe we could keep sailing, but we could send a message to shore for MJ’s family,” Rylan suggested, hoping for a compromise.

Francis clicked his tongue. “I think that would put unnecessary strain on our vacation.”

“Unnecessary strain?” Rylan tried to make eye contact with Tia again, but she was already forging ahead. “MJ is dead. We are well beyondunnecessary strain.” She leaned over the tablecloth, her fists making towers around her plate of untouched food. “What would you have done if it was Mom that drowned? Or Rylan?”

“Tia.” Rylan stood with a start and tried to tug on one of her arms. “I’m not hungry. Let’s go to our cabin.”

She just had to pick at Francis, didn’t she? Rylan understood she was upset about MJ—he was too—but was shetryingto make their father snap? Was shetryingto repeat last summer? Look how well that had turned out for her.

“It’s all right, Rylan.” Francis waved a hand, and Rylan let go. Francis wasn’t even looking at him. He felt tiny. Like the sofa and the cushions he sat on were growing around him. Like he was being swallowed inside.

“You’re quite right, Tia,” Francis said, and his tone made Rylan’s hackles raise. “Life at sea is dangerous. Deadly, sometimes. I couldn’t have predicted an accident, but we always take into account some amount of risk.”

“This isn’t how normal people respond to a death!” Tia raised her voice, which wobbled ever so slightly.

“Tia, please,” Lila said, resting a hand on Francis’s thigh. “We understand you’re upset. This situation is very painful, and I’m sure your father has a good reason for it all.”

Tia blinked rapidly, looking to Francis. “Do you?”

Rylan felt the urge to lean over and grab her wrist, but he didn’t. He was the reason she was in mourning at all. He wished he could collapse in on himself. But more than that, he wished Tia would stay quiet.

Francis took a huge bite of meat and potatoes. He spoke around the food in his mouth.

“It’s simple, sweetheart. We’d have to go closer to land to radio the coast guard. It would stop the trip altogether and... well... I have a big surprise for all of you, and going back to land now would ruin the whole thing.”

Lila clapped her hands, but the line in her forehead deepened. “Oh, a surprise! How thoughtful, love.”

“Yes, I thought so too.” Francis leaned backward, hands behind his head, and finally swallowed his food.

“What surprise?” Tia whispered, shoulders drooped. She just seemed sad now. Rylan’s stomach lurched.

“Well, Tia... our destination. It’s a surprise.”

It was Rylan’s turn to gape at their father. “Wait. Our... destination?”

Francis dropped his crumpled napkin onto his empty plate, lips pulled wide. “That’s right, Rylan. Wearen’tgoing to Florida. We never were.”

Francis slapped the table so suddenly Rylan flinched.

“Now! Who wants mimosas?”

Chapter 25

Tia Cameron

Call sign: Thimble

Day 4 at Sea

Tia and Rylan shut themselves in their cabin. Tia leaned back against the closed door and slid to the ground until her knees propped up her elbows and her head was in her hands.