Never walk alone- Walk on - 29. Chapter 29

They drove away from 'Belle Catherine' at six-thirty on Saturday morning. The day had dawned bright and clear with temperatures predicted to be quite hot during the day. The drive to the resort through rolling farmland was very easy, there being almost no traffic, and as it was so early, a filmy layer of mist still covered the fields of wheat, canola and lupins.
With it being a weekend right bang in the middle of the December holiday season, it was no surprise that the resort was busy, as the number of vehicles in the parking area attested to. Andrew had tried to reserve day rooms for them at the hotel, but they were unable to accommodate them due to the hotel being fully booked. They did, however, have a sumptuous breakfast in the buffet restaurant, scoring a table on the terrace overlooking the slope down to the river and the wheat fields beyond.

After breakfast they went straight to the spa area, aware that it was going to get very busy later in the morning once all the hotel guests were up and about, and the day trippers began arriving. By 11am, the spa area was rammed, and it was getting very hot, so they called it a day and headed back to the rental vehicle to drive back to Hermanus via the Hemel and Aarde Valley (Heaven and Earth Valley), where they stopped at for a salad lunch at Die Plaas Kombuis (The Farm Kitchen) and, not unsurprisingly, at HamiltonRussell for a few cases of their Pinot Noir, and at Southern Right for the Sauvignon Blanc, Andrew's two favourite wines. Gabriel purchased a case of each as well to take back home. They were back on board 'Belle Catherine' by mid afternoon.

The BBQ grill was put to good use that evening as well, this time with meat. Andrew had provisioned some well matured prime rib steaks on the bone, traditional chicken sosaties (Malay kebabs) and Karoo lamb cutlets.
To complete the carnivorous feast he rustled up a potato salad, a green salad with avocado and some herb garlic bread that he had in the freezer. Dessert would be fresh strawberries with ice cream.
Once again, the meal was a home run, their two guests savouring every mouthful. And Rascal was in his seventh heaven with all the meaty titbits he got and having a few bones to gnaw on.

After the children had been put to bed, the four adults, once again, sat chatting in the subdued light of the
cockpit and enjoying the company. Ryan made Irish coffees and later they drank freshly brewed coffee with liqueurs, the Amarula and the Ameretto getting the most attention. But the early morning departure meant they were in their cabins at a fairly decent time.

Ryan was the first to be up and about on Sunday morning, preparing for the trip back to Cape Town. Andrew followed him upstairs about thirty minutes later after having his shower and getting dressed. Between them they cast off and a fresh wind from the southeast assisted in getting the out of the small harbour without having to use the engines, so their guests and the children slept on undisturbed, and then Andrew began preparing for break-fast.
Maple syrup pancakes with pork link sausages and streaky bacon was the main course for breakfast, and there was fresh orange juice, fresh fruit salad, yogurt and cereals to start. He also had croissants, muffins and danish pastries to enjoy with tea or coffee.

They were well out to sea by the time Gabriel and Lucas appeared from their cabin, and the children all arrived soon after, all washed and dressed, which saddened Andrew a bit because he realised that his two eldest were growing up fast and taking some responsibility and initiative, having helped Jamie and Fiona get ready for the day.

'Belle Catherine' cruised steadily under her mainsail and genoa in the fairly stiff breeze and they all had breakfast at the cockpit table after Ryan had set the autopilot and the proximity alarm. Andrew cleaned up after breakfast and the twins helped him get the cabins tidied and cleaned while Ryan kept an eye on Jamie and Fiona who were playing games on the saloon TV. Rascal lay cuddled up and sleeping next to Ryan on the helm seat. Their guests were relaxing in the bow on sun loungers with a cooler box and a basket of snacks close by if they wanted some-thing to drink or a snack to nibble on.
At eleven o'clock, Andrew served tea and coffee with strawberry and cream scones and lunch was a cold menu, with gazpacho, smoked trout with apple, avocado, creamed horseradish and health bread and a caramel and peppermint tart.
The children all went down for a nap after lunch, while Gabriel and Lucas just chilled back in the bows under an awning.

Just before afternoon tea, Andrew and Ryan were both thrilled to see 'Lady Janice' appear off their bows heading in the opposite direction with her newest guests on board. She would be doing the same trip that 'Belle Catherine' had done with the Kinleys to Plettenberg Bay and back with the same stops in Mossel Bay, Arniston and Hermanus. The two sisters slowed and and then drifted within metres of one another accompanied by greetings and laughter across the gap between them. They had to admit that 'Lady Janice' looked very impressive at sea, having never seen her from that perspective. Andrew and Ryan launched the tender and Andrew took some video and photographs of the two boats at sea together for the first time to post on the website. Thirty minutes later, they separated again and continued on their way.

The wind picked up strength in the afternoon and by the time they rounded Cape Point, the southeaster was really letting itself be known. Ryan had to reef in both the genoa and mainsail, and even though she was carrying less sail, 'Belle Catherine' handled the conditions with aplomb. It had become quite rough as well, as the sea condition deteriorated, so Gabriel and Lucas kept to the cockpit, and Andrew confined the children and Rascal to the main saloon. The final run up the peninsula was exhilarating, to say the least, and it was a tired and very windswept group who finally disembarked in the marina at six-thirty. The guest transfer vehicle from Blue Bay was waiting and drove away with Gabriel and Lucas within fifteen of them tying up to the dock. They also had an invitation to dinner at the house on Wednesday evening, the day before they were due to check out.
While they were packing things away, Andrew answered has mobile when it rang,

"Hi Andrew, it's Darren, I just called to ask if you needed any help. Kerry and I havd just arrived back to the apart-ment from Durban and saw that 'Belle Catherine' was at the dock with all her lights on".

"Hi Darren. Thanks for the offer, but I think we're okay. Just packing things away", Andrew replied.

"Okay, that's great. Don't do too much, Kerry and I will sort her out in the morning. Our next trip is on Wednesday leaving at midday. So we can get her spruced up before the new charter arrives", he told his boss.

"Thanks Darren. That would be much appreciated. I had forgotten just how demanding these trips are. Ithink I'm getting old. I'm quite tired".

"It's no hassle at all, Andrew. We appreciate having had the three days off. Do what you can, or feel like, and leave the rest to us".

"Thanks Darren. We'll just get her tidied up and then secure her for the night. I would say another half hour or so. I'll leave a note to advise what's been done and what hasn't. Enjoy your evening".

"Thanks boss. You too. Say hi to Ryan and the kids as well"

"I will. And thanks again"

In the end, it was an hour before they drove away. Andrew, being Andrew, just could not leave 'Belle Catherine' in anything except a neat and tidy state. The deep clean would still need to be done, but he was happy that every-thing was neat and tidy and in its place when they left.

Pizza was on the menu for dinner, which they picked up on the way home and the family were in bed early.

On Monday morning they both went into the office for a while. Tuesday was a public holiday which meant a lot of the public had taken the Monday off as well to make it a long weekend, at least those who were not already on their Christmas break. 'The Cameron' was a hive of activity, the lodge being full, and Andrew's face carried a very happy smile as he walked through the lobby on his way to a meeting with Richard and James to go over arrange-ments for Christmas Day lunch and New Years Eve dinner dance, both of which were fully booked. As expected, all the arrangements were well in hand, and he and Ryan then drove to 'Blue Bay' for a similar meeting with Claude and Alfred. They had lunch on the patio with Claude, extended an invitation for him, François and Toby to come for dinner on Wednesday, then returned to the office to collect their things and tell Helen to go home and enjoy the public holiday. She would be going on her Christmas break at the end of the week when the office officially closed for the festive period and would be back in the New Year. The Devlin-Majors would be away with the Kinleys on board 'Lady Janice'during the week leading up to Christmas.

After leaving the office they went shopping for gifts for everyone and to get ingredients for dinner when Gabriel and Lucas came over. The public holiday was Christmas decorating day, and they had a great time with the children who helped decorate the tree and hang lights around the garden and pool. They had the children draw lots to see who of them would have the honour of placing the last ornament on the very top of the tree. Jamie was the winner and he then had to make a big decision. Andrew showed him the star and the angel and asked him,

"Jay, which one do you want to put on the top of the tree?"

"The angel, daddy!", he said without hesitation, and then adding, 'I want the angel, because it is mommy watching over us", startling both his dads and bringing a rush of tears to both of them. Andrew quickly gathered him up to hug him, and to compose himself, before helping him up the ladder to reverently place the angel in its appointed spot. Jamie looked very pleased with himself as he clambered back down.

Andrew also did some prep for the dinner. He had kept the menu fairy simple, but tasty.
A smoked snoek patè served with a grape, ginger and tomato compote, and melba toast to start, followed by a roast loin of lamb, roast potatoes, glazed butternut and creamed spinach for the entrée. Dessert was an Amarula spiked milk tart with whipped cream.
He got everything prepared except for the lamb and the potatoes which he would pop into the oven when he got home from the office. Before going to bed, he and Ryan set the table as well with a slightly festive theme.

As usual after the public holiday, the function business at the two lodges dropped off significantly, with those companies who shut down over the festive period now closed. The kitchens were still busy with some functions, particularly weddings, this being prime wedding season, but also with just the daily business of keeping their in-house guests cared for. But the frenetic activity that had preceded the holiday was no longer evident and so they were able to slip away just before afternoon teatime to finish up preparations at the house, and by the time their guests arrived everything was well in hand. Andrew had considered having the children at the table as well, but in the end they ate early and went to the boys bedroom to watch movies.

Claude had offered to drive Gabriel and Lucas to the house, which had been gratefully accepted, so the two couples arrived together. The evening was a huge success from Andrew's point of view.
Ryan checked on the children and found them asleep on Cameron's bed, so he quickly put them in their own beds before going downstairs again. Rascal and Toby had spent most of the evening under the table in anticipation of getting some scraps, which they did. They were now both curled up on Rascal's bed, also fast asleep.

Conversation had been animated, mainly focusing on the hospitality industry and the differences in approach between Europe and South Africa. There was also some discussion about the charter operations. English was spoken almost exclusively, although Andrew and Ryan heard them conversing in Fleminsh while they were in the kitchen getting dessert and coffee ready. They found out later that Claude and François were born in Lille, quite close to the Belgian border, so their grasp of Fleminsh was more than adequate. Needless to say, their two Belgian guests were very complimentary when Claude drove them back to the lodge.

The next morning they stopped at 'The Cameron' on the way to the airport to say farewell and to thank Andrew and Ryan for the wonderful hospitality. Larry was aware of his VIP's who were on their way and a suitable welcome was awaiting them when they arrived at Drakensberg Valley Resort.

The following morning early, Andrew and Ryan sitting on the balcony enjoying the beautiful Cape Town weather. Although the sun was well above the horizon behind them, the temperature was still pleasantly cool, although the forecast predicted it would become very much hotter during the day, peaking at just over 31°C by mid afternoon. But most importantly, there was only the merest breath of southeaster blowing. The water in the bay was mirror smooth, disturbed only by the two Robben Island ferries on their way to and from the island with their compli-ment of tourists.
Andrew's mobile buzzed on the table between the two loungers they were relaxing on and he glanced at the screen as he answered the call. It was Joan Kinley.

"Good morning lovely lady", he said in greeting. "Please tell me you have not already arrived? Ry and I were planning on being at Blue Bay to welcome you".

"Morning, Andrew my dear. No, we are still in the air, but approaching Cape Town. If you are able, you might want to step outside. Peter has a small surprise for you", Joan repled with a laugh.

"We're actually on the balcony at home, drinking coffee. What sort of surprise?", he asked.

"A rather noisy one! You'll see in a couple of minutes", Joan replied mischievously. "See you later".

A few minutes later, above the swish of the waves sliding onto the beach, they became aware of a throaty roar and seconds later, a large jet swept around the point between Bloubergstrand and Table view, banking sharply as it did so and seemingly heading staight at them.. It banked in the opposite direction and roared over the beach, parallel to Beach Boulevard and the house. They immediately recognised the distinctive livery of the Kinley Bombardier 7500 heading towards them at a very low level. Due to it being so low and the house being perched up against the side of the hill, they were almost at eye level with the jet as it roared past and they could easily distinguish Joan's face looking out of her window and the faces of the two pilots in the cockpit. They continued watching as the jet followed the beach all the way past Milnerton, before climbing away across the face of Table Mountain over the harbour, and disappearing from sight when it flew around the side of the mountain to begin it's landing approach from the south over False Bay. The Kinleys had arrived!

Less than an hour later, Andrew and Ryan were on hand at Blue Bay Lodge when the guest courtesy vehicle pulled up with Dan and Joan aboard after dropping the crew at The Cameron. The reunion was a very happy one with huge smiles and long hugs. Andrew and Ryan held the older couple in high regard, and the notion was returned by the older couple as well. Joan beamed as she walked into Andrew's arms. Claude stood just behind him, smiling and watching as Dan greeted Ryan as well.

"Andrew, my dear. It's so good to be back. This place is becoming almost like a second home to us now", she gushed. Andrew grinned at her..

"It's good to have you back. We always enjoy having you and Dan with us. I'm sure Claude would agree. Although you don't normally arrive in such a flamboyant way. That flypast was spectacular!"
Dan's deep laugh rumbled in as he turned to shake Andrew's hand

"That was all Peter's idea. He cleared it with me before requesting permission to do a low level flypast from the controller at the airport. And they were great. Only proviso was that we not fly over the nuclear power station and the city centre. And I must say, the views were absolutely spectacular".

"It certainly was a great way to start your stay", Ryan added. "But let's get you up to your suite so that you can relax and Claude and his elves can begin pampering you".

Joan linked her arm through Andrew's as they turned towards the elevator where Thomas was holding the door for them. The porter had arrived ahead of them with the luggage and was already taking the bags through to the bedroom under the watchful gaze of Gerrard, one of the two private butlers whom Claude had trained after he had been appointed general manager. He was the same butler who had cared for the Kinleys during their previous visits. He bowed as his VIP guests entered the suite.

"Mr and Mrs Kinley. We come back to Blue Bay. It is good to see you again". Joan walked right up to him and took his hands in hers.

"Gerrard, it's wonderful to be back. I'm so pleased that it is you who are going to be spoiling us again.", she replied, smiling broadly. They chatted for a while and Andrew heard her requesting Gerrard to arrange tea, coffee and cream scones, as the porter finished with the luggage and left after receiving a gratuity from Dan. Gerrard went to the house phone to place the order and then disappeared into the bedroom to begin unpacking the luggage. Joan turned back to Andrew and Ryan.

"Do you need to be anywhere this morning?, she enquired, sounding very imperious. Without waiting for a reply, she continued, "Dan and I have a business proposition for you. I've ordered some refreshments so please stay and we can fill you in on what we have in mind".

They made themselves comfortable in the lounge of the suite and Joan sighed as she gazed at the view of Table Bay and Table Mountain with the city nestled at its foot.

"This view just never gets old", she said. "I cannot think of any other that compares. Just awesome".

The two couples chatted for a while, just catching up on the other members of their respective families.
A soft chime announced the arrival of the refreshments which Gerrard wheeled in on a cloth covered trolley and then proceeded to serve each of them before placing a platter of scones on the coffee table between them before withdrawing back to the bedroom and shutting the door between the lounge and the bedroom. Dan scooted forward on his seat and said,

"Right, let's talk business. Firstly. What have you guys got planned for next week between Christmas and New Year".

"Nothing planned as such", Ryan replied. "We normally just take it easy, spend time with the family, and take 'Belle Catherine' out for a cruise. The office is officially shut for the festive season, but we always attend the New Years Eve dinner dance at the lodge where we didn't have Christmas lunch. This year we will be here at Blue Bay for New Year". Joan nodded

"Good, that works perfectly for what we have in mind. How would you and the family like to join us at a game lodge in Mpumalanga for a few days. We'll fly up in the jet on the 27th and will have you back in Cape Town on the 30th. We have purchased the game lodge and the surrounding bushveld and we want to join the Devlin-Major Portfolio. So we want you to have a look around and advise us on what needs to be done to match your standards".

Andrew glanced at Ryan whose look of surprise he was sure matched his own. Ryan had just recently mentioned that all the Portfolio lacked was a game lodge, and although there had been a measure of discussion between them on the subject, neither had done anything about it as yet. And now, out of the blue, that opportunity was being handed to them.

"Wow! Dan, Joan. Thank you for puting your faith in us and giving us the opportunity. We would love to have your game lodge in the Portfolio. Tell us more!"

"It's the same place we have stayed at every time we've been on safari", Dan explained. "So we've been there three times. The entire property consists of 48000 hectares of bushveld with two rivers running through it. It is home to the Big 5, lion, leopard, black rhinoceros, elephant and buffalo, but it is also home to white rhinoceros as well as several species of antelope, and smaller wildlife. The lodge consists of a main building housing the reception, a lounge, dining room, kitchen, bar and an outdoor deck with a swimming pool and fire pit with a BBQ. The deck overlooks a watering hole"
"Accommodation is in twelve individual tents linked to the main building by raised walkways. There are ten double rooms and two, two bedroomed family units. They are also raised off the ground, are well appointed and very comfortable. They do not have air-conditioning, but instead have overhead fan in each of the rooms. There is also no TV in the rooms, although there is one in the main building. The main reason for the lack of TV is that the entire lodge is run off solar energy which , at present, is not sufficient to power another twelve TV's. Another huge reason is the effect it would have on the tranquillity of the place. Water is pumped from the river to a facility that purifies it and then feeds into the lodge itself. A really big plus is that the property has its own 2200 meter airstrip and hanger. Which is long enough for the Global to take off from. That's really the jist of it"

"We love the place just as it is, Joan added. "So we don't intend making any massive changes. We just want it to be very comfortable and luxurious to compensate for the lack of amenities like TV's and air conditioning. It certainly has never bothered us when we have been there. The tents are all set between and under trees, so the shade keeps them quite cool. And, of course the fans are there as well"

"It sounds amazing! And I would be crazy not to be interested. It would fill a gap in what Devlin-Major offer. So yes, we will take you up on your offer", Andrew told them.

"Great!", Dan said. "I have some video footage that I took on our last visit. I'll make sure to have it available while we are on 'Lady Janice'. We can hook it up to the entertainment system and have a look one evening so that you can get some idea of the lodge itself and maybe throw around some ideas". Andrew and Ryan left a short while later with a growing sense of anticipation about the game lodge.

Two days later, ' a bit after 11.30am, Lady Janice' eased away from her berth with the Devlin-Majors, Kinleys and Major families on board, including Rascal. The boarding process had, however, not been without with a smidgen of controversy.
The two owners had decided that, in view of the imminent trip to the game lodge and the presence of their family on board as well, they would refund the charter fee to the Kinleys and treat the couple as their personal guests. As fate would have it, Andrew had done the transaction on his laptop, just as Dan and Joan were driving into the marina. Joan looked thunderous as the Blue Bay guest courtesy vehicle rolled to a stop alongside 'MY Lady Janice'. She stepped out of the vehicle and bore down on Andrew and Ryan who were waiting to greet them at the foot of the passerelle. She stopped in front of them and pointed an imperious finger.

"You two are impossible! Why on earth have you refunded our charter fee? No, quiet!", "she hissed, " I'm talking! I'll tell you why! Because you want to repay the invitation to the game lodge. Well let me tell you, that was never the intention!", she said, glaring at them. Dan placed his hand on her arm.

"Joan honey, give them a chance to talk". Andrew smiled at Dan in gratitude.

"Thanks Dan. I will admit, that was a part of it. It is also our way of thanking you both for all you have done for us. And", he held up his own finger when Joan made to interrupt him, "Now it's my turn to speak, we have our family on board as well. Mom and dad Major, the children, and Rascal. It was no longer an exclusive charter. That's why I did the refund! So that you could join us as our guests, not as paying customers".
Joan glared at them both and then sighed, her shoulders relaxed and she nodded.

"If that is the case, then I will accept your decision. I still cannot sah I am entirely happy with it, but I wil accept it. Thank you, both of you" She hugged them both and the tension in the air vanished.

"You're very welcome. Now that's settled, let's get you on board and we can get going", Ryan said grinning.

"Hold your horses", Dan told them, " I want to have a good look at this baby before we board!"

"You can go with Ryan, Dan", Joan said, "I'll go on board with Andrew and greet David and Janice. And I want to see the little ones as well. Shall we?", she said, slipping her arm through Andrew's so that she could remove her espadrilles and slip the deck slippers on her feet, before moving towards the passerelle.

Dan and Ryan strolled the length of the yacht, stopping every now and then as Dan asked a question or commented on something and Ryan replying or adding his own comments, and they finally boarded 'Lady Janice' about fifteen minutes later.
Joan was chatting animatedly with David and Janice in the main salon, while sipping strawberry juice and champagne. Rascal was ensconced on her lap and the children sat quietly between their grand-parents. Dan greeted them all and accepted a glass of the cocktail, before following Ryan up the stairs to the helm, from where he had requested to observe their departure. He was especially interested in the solar electric operation of the yacht, the quietness of the electric motors already impressing him.
As they approached the harbour mouth, Ryan who was at the helm, started the diesel engines and disengaged the electric motors on Michael's advice, just to give them that extra power to navigate the current that was flowing into the harbour due to the rising tide. Michael explained to Dan that the electric motors could have done the job, albeit with more effort, but that he preferred to have the power of the diesels in tight situations, and that the electrics were primarily for when they were cruising at sea and, in particular, for cruising at night. Half an hour later, they were sailing parallel to the Sea Point beachfront and the cruise began in earnest.