In Over Her Head

by Melody Fitzpatrick

  “Oh … thanks.” I nod, feeling more and more dubious with her every word.

  “Oh, no need to thank me, Hannah. It was my pleasure. Maybe you can do a favour for me one of these days.”

  “Well, at least it didn’t last long.” A.J. grins. “It was great that you made the shoot today, Hannah.”

  “Yeah … you’re right. It didn’t last long,” Piper says, raising an eyebrow. “It’s like, all of a sudden, you’re better. How’d that happen?”

  I shrug. “I dunno.”

  “Well, I hope you’ll be okay for tomorrow. Patrice said he needs his shining star in tip-top condition, and apparently, that’s you.” A pained smile forms on Piper’s lips.

  “We’re all stars, Piper.” I laugh, embarrassed.

  “Oh, I so know that, and I’m totally not threatened. It’s just that you have that little TV thing of yours back home, and well … you know how it is; it’s probably written into your contract that you get more screen time than anyone else. I mean, how else would you explain all the attention Patrice is giving you over everyone else?”

  “Yeah, he does focus a lot on you, Hannah,” A.J. says frowning. “Is it in your contract?”

  “I don’t think so,” I answer truthfully. “My contract is the same as everyone else’s.”

  “Well, I’m sure it will all work out exactly as it should.” Piper’s eyes sparkle with delight. “After all, tomorrow is another day!”

  9

  New Discoveries

  “Okay, gang!” Patrice says, his eyes wild with excitement. “This is it! We’re here!” He spreads his arms wide.

  Piper leans in and gives A.J.’s arm a squeeze.

  Grrr! I wish she would just keep her hands to herself!

  “So, guys, there have been some major discoveries in these parts over the past few years, but no one has searched this spot exactly. Captain Steele and our team of experts have calculated that after three hundred and fifty years’ worth of ocean movement, the treasure — including Queen Isobel’s jewels — may be in this very area. Exciting, no?”

  “Hannah!” Henry nudges me with his elbow. “Just think, right now we could be floating over millions and millions of dollars in sunken treasure! Pretty cool, huh?”

  I nod. “Oh my gosh, Henry, it’s awesome!”

  “Piper didn’t spike your hot chocolate with Gravol this morning?” He laughs.

  “I don’t think so.” I giggle. “Actually, I made it in and out of the shower, got through an entire breakfast, and then to the morning meeting on time and all Piper/problem-free.”

  “The day is not over yet,” Henry warns, smiling mischievously.

  “What could she do now?” I whisper. “We’re in shallow water, Henry. No waves mean —” I hold up my wrists to show him “— no wristbands! Even if she took them, it wouldn’t matter. I don’t need them.”

  Piper glances over at my wrists and smiles, sending an uncomfortable shiver down my spine. Is it just my imagination, or is she up to something?

  * * *

  As the morning goes on, I can’t help but be impressed by how Patrice just knows how every shot should be set up, exactly where each camera should be, and a million other things he has to juggle and make decisions about at any given moment in the day. This is so different than being on camera back at the TV station, not that being on TV anywhere isn’t fun, ’cause it is, but for some reason, this just seems extra cool! Despite everything that’s happened, I’m really glad I came. Actually, I think this was meant to be!

  “Okay, kids, we’re ready in five!” Patrice says, joining us in the gear room. “Our lighting is perfect, the underwater camera crew is in position, and the excavators are already down there blowing sand around. The only thing left is to get you kids down there with your metal detectors so you can find some treasure!”

  “Ready!” Piper calls.

  “Ready!” Henry calls.

  “Me, too, I’m ready.” A.J. says.

  “Hannah?” Patrice snaps his fingers. “Let’s go.”

  “I’ll just be a sec.”

  “What’s wrong? What are you looking for?”

  “My mouthpiece for my regulator. It was here earlier. I saw it. I know it was here,” I say, looking through my gear bag.

  “We must have another one?” Henry asks.

  Patrice nods at his assistant. “Sarah, there’s a box of mouthpieces in the storage room — second shelf on the left. Run!”

  “I’m sorry, Patrice. I know I can find it,” I cry.

  “Where do you think you left it?” Piper asks sympathetically.

  “I don’t know. It was here yesterday,” I answer, frantically searching the pockets of my gear bag.

  “Let’s all help Hannah look,” Piper suggests, her smile sugary sweet.

  “Wow, Piper. What a good friend you are,” says Henry, flatly.

  “Where is Sarah?” Patrice looks down at his watch and scowls. “She should have been back by now! I’m sorry, Hannah. Everyone is geared. The cameras are rolling and we need to start filming, with or without you.”

  “What! I’m going to miss the dive? Patrice! I’ll keep looking.”

  Patrice shakes his head again. “Let’s go.” He motions for the group to follow him out to the dive deck.

  Suddenly, Sarah comes running into the gear room, exasperated and out of breath. “They’re gone, Patrice!”

  “Did you look in the middle of the second shelf? I know they’re there!”

  “They’re not on any shelf. They’re gone.”

  Patrice shakes his head. “Come on, kids.” He waves for them to follow him out to the dive deck. “I’m sorry, Hannah. We’ll have more brought in tomorrow.”

  I shrug, trying to hold back my tears.

  “Hannah, you should go to the middle deck and watch with the rest of the crew.”

  “Okay,” I say, trying to crack a smile, but it’s impossible. Then I make my way to the middle deck.

  “Cameras in position,” Patrice says into his mouthpiece. “Piper, are you ready for your shot?”

  “Of course!” she cries, deliriously happy. “Oh wait,” she exclaims, turning her eyes up to where we’re standing on the middle deck.

  “Massimo, will you take special care of Hannah today?”

  “Of course,” Massimo answers, smiling.

  “Maybe you can teach her how to make one of your Massimo Specials.” She throws him a devil­ish wink.

  Massimo’s smile disappears.

  “I know how much she loves them,” Piper adds, grinning as she turns and walks to the edge of the dive deck.

  “And … action!” Patrice calls out.

  Piper sits down at the edge of the dive deck, puts in her mouthpiece, gives a huge, smiling thumbs-up to the camera crew, and pushes herself off.

  “That was wonderful, Piper!” Patrice calls! “Okay, A.J., you’re next!”

  “Don’t be glum, bella,” Massimo says, as we watch the others, one by one, descend into the water.

  “I just can’t believe this is happening. I’m finally not afraid, I’m not seasick, and then I go and lose my mouthpiece!”

  “Are you sure you lost it?” He cocks an eyebrow.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, Hannah. I don’t know what to tell you, only that jealousy is a terrible thing.”

  “I know that, Massimo, first-hand.”

  “Now who would you have to be jealous of, bella?”

  “Um … Piper.” I look at him strangely, wondering why he would ask such a silly question, when the answer is obvious.

  Massimo laughs and slaps his leg. “You are a funny girl.”

  “What is so funny, Massimo?” I frown, a little annoy­ed that I just confided something very private and he finds it hilarious.

  “Oh, be
lla, why on earth would you be jealous of that girl?”

  “Well, let’s see … for starters, she’s perfect, and amazing, and A.J. has a crush on her.”

  “Ah, A.J.; that boy has your heart, I see.”

  “He used to. I’m not so sure anymore.”

  “He’s a good boy,” Massimo says, grinning, “but that Piper, she doesn’t deserve your envy.”

  “I don’t know about that,” I say.

  “Hannah, you are a smart girl. I’m surprised to hear you talk this way.”

  “Well she’s just good at so many things, like for instance, she skis and snowboards and sails and scuba dives, and can cook a full turkey dinner with dressing and gravy and homemade apple pie and —”

  “Cook a turkey dinner?” Massimo holds his hand up. “The girl can’t even boil water.”

  “But she told Gabby …”

  “I’ve known this family for years and have spent the last six months aboard this boat with that child, and I guarantee you, she has no interest in cooking.”

  “How do you know?” I ask.

  “One day I asked her to turn on the burner for her father’s tea. She stared at the stove for a moment and then stomped her foot and shouted that making tea was not her job; it was my job, so I should be the one doing it. The poor girl didn’t even know how to turn on a burner.”

  “Really?”

  Massimo nods. “I told her it was easy, just to turn the bottom knob. But she said, ‘I have never touched a stove in my life, and I’m not going to start now!’ I told her she should learn, that cooking is a beautiful thing and she might enjoy it. She said that being part of the Steele family means she doesn’t need to learn to cook; she has people for that.”

  “People, meaning you.”

  “Yes.” Massimo smiles. “People, meaning me.”

  “Rude!”

  “So is that it? Any other reasons why you think Miss Piper is so wonderful?”

  “Well, she’s won Junior Miss Maple Ridge a bunch of times.”

  “True,” Massimo says, nodding, “but her father is head of the committee, so that might have something to do with it.”

  “She can fish.”

  “Ha!” Massimo laughs. “I asked her once if she’d like to help me catch some fish for dinner. She said fishing was a disgusting sport, and she didn’t know how anyone could do it.”

  “Really? Wow.”

  “I don’t lie, bella.”

  “Well, she reads these great novels like Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre, and she’s like a total straight-A student.”

  “Straight As? No, my dear. Her revolving door of tutors would say otherwise. And as for novels, I’ve never seen her with one. I know she likes Archie comics, though.”

  “I don’t get it, Massimo. Why does she lie so much?”

  “It’s a lot of pressure trying to be perfect.”

  “Why does she need to be perfect?”

  “Have you met her father?” Massimo frowns.

  “Oh yeah.” I nod.

  “He pushes her too much. Anything less than the best is failure in his eyes.”

  “What about her mother?”

  “Her mother is an Olympic gold medalist, and even worse than Captain Steele, always insisting Piper try harder, work longer, make more sacrifices, and so on, and so on.”

  “Where is she now?”

  “She’s in Rio coaching the women’s Olympic sailing team.”

  “Wow! That’s why they must push her so hard; they’re getting her ready for the Olympics.”

  “Exactly. It’s too bad that the poor girl is sick of sailing.”

  “But she’s won all of those races and she coaches a team … or is that a lie, too?”

  “No, that’s true. She is a very talented sailor, but I think she is just tired. The pressure to never lose can be exhausting.”

  I shrug. “Yeah, I thought it was kind of weird that she goes to bed so early.”

  “And she’s up early, too: 4:45 a.m., when she starts her two hours of training before breakfast.”

  “Yikes. That’s intense.”

  “It is when she does it. Lately, she has been a little off her game.”

  “Urgh. Sounds like a hard game.”

  “And the diet they have her on …” A sad expression registers on Massimo’s face. “It’s very strict. I feel so bad for the poor girl that sometimes, in the morning, I sneak a cup of hot chocolate onto her dresser. A nice little treat for when she wakes up.”

  “She drinks it?”

  “Of course! Have you not tasted Massimo’s hot chocolate?”

  “Yeah.” I smile.

  “It’s yummy.”

  “Listen, don’t waste any energy feeling jealous of that girl. Trust me; as wonderful as it looks from the outside, you wouldn’t want her life.”

  “I’m starting to see that.”

  “So, enough talking, I have a job for you,” Massimo says, reaching into his pocket.

  “Sure, what else have I got to do?” I laugh.

  “Take this to Piper’s room, would you?” Massimo pulls a cellphone out of his pocket and places it in my hand. “Just put it on her dresser.” He winks. “Oh, and you’ll need this.” He reaches into his other pocket and pulls out a key. “She keeps her room locked.”

  “Are you sure she won’t mind me going in?”

  “Bella, I have to make lunch. Please, as a favour to an old man.”

  I grin. “You’re not that old.”

  He laughs. “Just go!”

  The closer I get to Piper’s room, the more uneasy I feel. What if she flips when she finds out I was in her room? That would mean drama, and drama equals strikes, and I only have one left.

  But, on the other hand, I don’t think Massimo would ask me to do anything that would get me into trouble, and really, I’m doing her a favour by returning her phone, right? Plus, I hate to admit it, but I’m super curious to see her room.

  I turn the key, push open the door, and step inside. Her room is exactly like mine, except it’s neat as a pin, which is so not exactly like mine. Neatness — probably another one of her father’s rules.

  On her bed I see a ball of yarn connected to what looks like the start of a very badly knit scarf. On her nightstand is a book — A Beginner’s Guide to Knitting.

  How could she have knit her entire class mittens, when she can barely knit a scarf?

  Call it nosiness, or maybe just plain curiosity, but I open the book. On the inside cover, written in beautiful cursive, I read:

  My darling Piper,

  Since you were a little girl, I’ve dreamed of teaching you how to knit. Your schedule is just so jam-packed, there never seems to be any time. I hope you are finding a few moments to relax, and when you do, please give this a try. Wouldn’t it be fun to knit together? I think so, and I hope you do, too!

  Love and kisses,

  Grandma

  Just as I am about to close the book, the captain’s voice booms across the loud speaker: “Hannah Smart, please report to the bridge immediately!” Startled, I drop it on the floor.

  What? Does he know I’m in Piper’s room, going through her things? How could he? OMG … he’s the captain! He knows everything! I may as well pack my bags right now!

  I place the book in exactly the same position it was before, and head for the door. After I’ve relocked it, I remember the phone. Crap! How could I have forgotten to do what I came here to do in the first place? I unlock the door and place the phone on top of a small stack of Betty and Veronica comics on her dresser. Beside the stack of Betty and Veronicas is a dirty mug with chocolate sludge in the bottom (the only thing out of place in the room). Beside that is a cute little stuffed bear wearing an adorable little sailor’s uniform. It’s so precious I can’t help but pick it up.


  “Hannah Smart, REPORT TO THE BRIDGE IMMEDIATELY!” the captain’s voice blares over the intercom, scaring the begeebers out of me again. Of course, the bear goes flying.

  I hear footsteps outside the door.

  Is it the captain? No, he’s up on the bridge. Piper? She couldn’t be back already! Whoever you are please just keep walking, just keep walking …

  Thank goodness, they kept walking.

  I run to the other side of Piper’s bed, grab the bear off of the floor, and sprint back to her dresser. I place it exactly where it was before, beside the dirty mug. I turn to leave when I notice a clear piece of plastic sticking out from his uniform.

  Great! I broke the bear!

  When I check under sailor-bear’s shirt, I find out that he’s not broken after all. That piece of plastic is nothing other than my missing mouthpiece, attached to his belly with — you’ll never guess, or maybe you will … my missing wristbands.

  10

  An Unbearably Happy Turn of Events

  “Yes, Captain Steele,” I say, tearing onto the bridge.

  “Hmm … promptness is not your strong suit, is it?”

  “I’m sorry, Captain. I was running an errand for Massimo and …”

  “Hannah, stop making excuses! Understand that you are in control of your own life, and also that your decisions have an impact on others. Think about that the next time you decide to dilly-dally when your superior has summoned you, and furthermore … blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah —”

  “— Captain, if you wouldn’t mind,” Val daringly interrupts him mid-blah. “Patrice wanted me to get this shot right away.”

  “Far be it from me to stand in the way of …”