Excerpt: Storms at Sea

As the plane started to circle Oliver Tambo airport on the outskirts of the Gauteng metropolis, Owen Rodgers leaned forward and checked seven-year-old Simon's seatbelt. He smiled down at his wide-eyed little nephew.

"You excited?"

Without taking his eyes from the window the child nodded fervently, his blond curls bouncing as if to endorse his enthusiasm.

"I just can't wait to see Granny! Will she be here d'you think?"

"Oh yes." Owen nodded with a grin. "Nothing on God's own planet could keep her from being here to meet her beloved son and grandson after not seeing us for over a year. She'll be here alright."

The little boy paused his bouncing and looked up, a troubled shadow crossing his usually brilliant blue eyes. "Will she recognise us though? Will she be able to see us?"

Owen shrugged. "I'm not sure Simon. We'll have to wait and see. I don't know how bad her eyes really are. That's why we needed to come. Granny won't ever tell us if she's not coping."

"I can't imagine her not being able to walk and talk and look at all the flowers, and read me stories and . . . "

"Hey! Stop that." Simon tapped smartly on the small clenched fist on the arm-rest separating them. "She's losing her sight - in fact hopefully she won't even go totally blind. But she's not going to become a cabbage and not be able to walk or talk. So you're not even to think that way okay?"

The little boy snatched his hand away and turned his head sharply back to the window. Owen sighed, then continued to talk to the back of the boy's head.

"Granny needs to have us there to cheer her up and put some spark back in her life. She's probably very sad and frightened right now. The last thing she needs is for us to let her know how worried we are. Understand?"

There was no indication that his words had even been heard.

"Simon!" Owen spoke more sharply than he intended. "Did you hear what I said?"

"Yeah yeah!" the child retorted. "I can't help hearing you. You're yelling at me again."

"I'm not . . . " Owen tightened his lips and pushed his head back against his headrest as he felt the plane rock from side to side as the pilot steadied the plane for landing. He didn't know what his mother would make of this precocious young boy. According to her, he was always a sweet child. Sure, life had dealt the kid a rough blow - but then it had kind of messed his own life up too.

He stared out the window as factory buildings came into view, and thought over the real reason for their trip to South Africa. His mother would agree with his plan. She had to. Otherwise he didn't know what would become of this child in the next seat.