by CJ Morrow
‘I wish this had happened at the services,’ Gemma said as they stood on the windy embankment watching cars hurtling past. ‘This is playing havoc with my hair and at least we’d have been able to coffee ourselves up to cope with it.’
To Lily’s eye Gemma’s hair was still rock solid. Her own hair, however, was not. She cursed herself for not having her work hair that would have withstood a hurricane. Friday’s beautiful blow dry was now a distant memory, not helped by having to hurriedly wash her hair and not dry it this morning. She fished in her handbag for a hair-scrunchie while Gemma fished in hers for a cashmere shawl which she draped elegantly around herself while Lily and Tess shivered.
‘The AA said an hour max,’ Lily said, grateful that she had her card with her.
‘I should join,’ Tess said, half-heartedly. ‘Especially now I officially have a crappy breaking down car.’
‘I leave that to Joseph. Thank God your brother has some uses.’
But it was another two and a half hours before the AA man arrived – they’d been informed via two phone calls that a lone female took priority – and they weren’t alone so they would have to wait. During that time they had been beeped and waved at numerous times, offered a lift by a car full of teenage boys – even though they had no space - and by a car transporter. When the AA man did turn up it was Gemma who marched straight over to him and began talking the instant he opened his door.
‘I’ve told him what the problem is,’ Gemma said, hustling Tess and Lily away. ‘Give the man the keys, Tess.’
‘I can hear it,’ he said, five minutes later. ‘But I don’t think it’s anything serious.’
‘Oh good. Thank you. Thank you.’ Tess looked as though she might kiss him.
‘Well, what is it? We need it sorting out. We’re on holiday, you know. We can’t spend two weeks wondering. You need to sort it out now.’
‘Don’t be so rude, Gem.’ Tess smiled at the AA man but he didn’t smile back.
‘You’ll need to empty the boot,’ he said, heading for his van.
‘And what will you be doing?’ Gemma called after him.
‘Paperwork,’ he shouted back without even turning around.
Tess opened the boot and Lily helped her pull out the assorted bags and stack them on the verge while Gemma stood and watched.
‘Aren’t any of these yours?’ Lily asked. ‘Because I know none of them are mine.’
Gemma forced a straight-line smile at Lily but said nothing.
‘There’s the noise,’ the AA man said, he was back clutching a clipboard.
Lily leaned in and picked up a cerise leather holdall. It buzzed as the contents knocked together. She put it down and began to unzip it. God only knew what was inside.
‘That one’s mine,’ Gemma said, snatching the bag. ‘And it’s private.’
‘And it’s buzzing,’ Lily said while Tess winced.
‘I think that’s the cause of your problems.’ The AA man didn’t bother to hide his amusement. ‘Shall we check?’
‘There’s no need. Thank you very much, patrolman,’ Gemma said, snatching the bag and getting into the front seat again.
Patrolman? Who the hell calls anyone patrolman? Lily laughed out loud when she heard it. Tess started to load the boot back up while Lily signed the paperwork. It appeared that Gemma was not going to help with the luggage. Again.
‘I don’t know if I can get on with your sister-in-law,’ Lily whispered as they slammed the boot down together. ‘She’s a bit lady muck from turd hall. Maybe if we stop at the next services I could hitch a lift home.’
‘Please don’t. Please. I know it wasn’t what we planned but I was put on such a spot. She was on my doorstep at one in the morning, wailing and performing like only Gemma can. But I was already awake and expecting her because my brother had rung. I hate it when they fight; I always seem to be in the middle of it. I don’t know why.’
‘Because you’re too nice. But why did she have to come with us?’
‘I offered her my place while I was away.’ Tess shook her head slowly. ‘But she wasn’t having any of it. You’ve seen what’s she like. My mum calls her Madame in a French accent.’
‘Why French?’
‘I don’t know, but it always makes us laugh.’
‘I want to know what’s in that bag.’
‘I dread to think.’ Tess shuddered.
They clambered back into the car. Gemma acknowledged their presence with a quick nod while staring straight ahead and clutching the offending bag tightly to her chest. Tess’s seat pushed up against Lily’s legs again causing immediate pain.
‘Before we go anywhere I want to know what’s in that bag,’ Lily said.
‘It’s private.’
‘We have a right to know.’
‘No you don’t.’
‘Yes we do. We stood on that windy embankment for hours and I’ll probably never get a brush through my hair again, so I want to know why we had to suffer that.’
Tess started the car.
‘Don’t drive off yet, Tess,’ Lily snapped quickly followed by, ‘sorry.’ She placed a hand on her friend’s shoulder; it was both conciliatory and restraining. ‘Give me the bag,’ Lily said. She leant forward and pushed her arm between the front seats.
‘It’s not what you think,’ Gemma hissed.
‘Give it.’
‘Have it.’ Gemma flipped the bag at Lily and it hit her full on the nose.
‘Ouch.’ But Lily had her prize; she pulled it back into the rear seat and began rifling through the contents.
‘Tongs and heated hair rollers and straighteners and a hairdryer and brushes and serums. How the hell did you get all this in this bag? No wonder it was clanking and buzzing.’ Lily eyed Gemma’s rigid bob again – low maintenance? ‘Oh, is this the culprit?’ From the bag Lily pulled out a long plastic handle with a bobbly pink roller-ball on the end and flicked the on switch. It immediately started vibrating. Lily laughed. Tess sniggered.
‘Don’t be so smutty.’ Gemma’s voice was high and loud. ‘It’s a cellulite massager.’
‘Of course it is.’ Lily switched if off, stuffed it in the bag and pushed the bag back at Gemma as Tess put the car in gear.
Lily sucked her lips together and tried not to snort as Tess drove off.
Gemma never said another word for the rest of the journey. Even when, despite the satnav, they got lost and stopped twice to ask for directions, she sat silent, tight-lipped and stoic, her hands clasped on the bag on her lap.
They arrived at the cottage just after five and it was raining heavily, the clouds so low and thick that it felt like night. They sat and stared at the front door through high-speed windscreen wipers; none of them relished the prospect of getting out.
‘Shall we wait until it eases off?’ Tess said, turning the engine, and with it the wipers, off.
‘Yeah. I hope it won’t be too long; I’m dying for the loo and all this running water is making it worse. And I’m starving.’ Lily flumped back in her seat just as Gemma’s stomach growled its agreement.
‘Excuse me,’ she whispered.
‘Don’t worry, Gem,’ Tess said. ‘We all feel like that.’
Gemma turned her head away but not quickly enough for Lily to miss that she looked as though she might cry.
‘Do you think it’s going to let up?’ Lily asked. ‘What do you think, Gem?’
Gemma shrugged her shoulders but continued to look away.
Lily stared at the cottage; it was pretty; white walls under a dark grey slate roof, a neat little window on each side of a green door. But it looked tiny. It was enclosed on all sides by tall trees in full foliage that together with the rain turned daylight into twilight.
They waited another fifteen minutes during which time the rain got heavier and the windows misted over completely. Lily drew a smiley face in the condensation and Gemma neither moved, nor spoke.
Suddenly, when no one expected it, the rain stopped and the sun c
ame out, filtering through the leaves, dappling the car in sunlight. Tess turned around and beamed at Lily before opening the door. Lily needed help getting out once Tess had pulled the driver seat forward. She stood in the fresh air shaking her legs, urging the blood back into them. By the time they reached the front door Gemma was already waiting, silent and sentinel and still clutching the buzzy bag.
Tess pulled her phone out and flicked through her messages. ‘The key is on the upper right hand window ledge,’ she read out.
Finally Gemma spoke. ‘There is no upper right hand window.’ She sounded so damned imperious. ‘Do they mean the upper right hand ledge of the right hand window?’
Lily and Tess exchanged silent glances.
Tess ran her fingers along the top of the window. ‘Urgh, here it is,’ she said, waving a dripping key about.
They fell through the front door into the kitchen, which opened out across the back to a dining and sitting area. The floors were slate and the walls were white, colourful rugs hugged the floor, colourful furniture spread around the room. The bedroom was the first door to the right of the front door, and the bathroom was at the end. They all ran towards the bathroom but it was Lily who won the race. Gemma’s face was crestfallen and for one mad moment Lily almost offered Gemma the chance to go first. Then stopped herself.
When she came out of the bathroom Gemma darted straight in.
‘I suppose we’d better get the cases in,’ Lily said, feeling sick with hunger now.
‘Done.’
‘Oh you didn’t do that on your own. You should have waited. I would have helped.’
‘I helped,’ said Gemma, fresh from the bathroom and smelling divine.
‘Great,’ Lily said as Tess darted into the bathroom. ‘Nice perfume.’
‘I saw a pub at the end of the lane, it does food too. Shall we go and eat now? I’m beginning to feel faint for lack of food and I’m getting a migraine.’ Gemma patted her fingers over her brow.
‘Yeah, let’s leave the unpacking ‘til we come back,’ Tess said, returning from the bathroom.
The end of the lane was a soggy fifteen minute walk, but at least it wasn’t actually raining and only the ground was wet with the occasional heavy drip from the trees above. The pub was as old as the cottage with a giant oak door that, judging by how hard they had to push it, had swollen in the rain. But once inside they were thrilled; the place was busy but not heaving, the aroma of hot food was alluring and the cheery welcome they received from a waitress already clearing a table for them was so inviting.
They flopped down into their seats at the same time pulling off their jackets.
Tess studied the black board specials while Gemma perused the main menu, but Lily just sat and took in the ambience – it was lovely. The walls were old stone, the tables and chairs were oak and tapestry, there was a real fire and, even though it was summer, the way it was smoking suggested it had just been lit.
The waitress took their drinks order – Lily and Tess had the recommended local cider and Gemma chose tonic water – while they deliberated over their food choice; although they were all so hungry that they could have eaten anything and everything from the menu.
‘That’s good,’ Lily said, after drinking half her cider down in one go. ‘What are you having?’
‘Haddock from the specials menu,’ Gemma said.
‘Me too,’ laughed Tess.
‘That’ll be three then,’ Lily laughed. Whether it was the prospect of food, the comfort of the pub or the potency of the cider, she didn’t know, but for the first time since Friday evening she was beginning to relax.
They followed their excellent fish dish with a sticky meringue, strawberries and clotted Devon cream.
‘I love Eton Mess.’ Tess licked her spoon.
‘I love pub grub,’ Lily said, finishing off her fourth cider. ‘It’s so satisfying.’
‘And calorie laden,’ Gemma said, pushing her barely touched meringue around the plate before giving up and moving it to the side. ‘I wish I could be like you, Lily, and eat whatever I want without caring about weight gain.’
Tess shuddered.
‘Are you implying I’m fat?’ Lily, subdued by the cider, was not as insulted as she should have been.
‘No. No.’ Gemma actually sounded flustered.
‘Good. Because I’m not. I’m sturdy. You can ask my mum.’ Lily burst out laughing and Tess joined in, a look of relief on her face.
The plates were cleared away, more drinks were bought and a pub quiz started.
‘What shall we call ourselves? What’s our team name?’ Tess asked, wielding the pencil.
‘Escapologists,’ Gemma said. ‘Because we’re escaping.’ She laughed rather too loudly and several people stared at her.
‘I’m not escaping anything,’ Tess said, softly.
‘No, course you’re not. You’re our…’ Gemma fumbled for the right word. ‘Carer,’ she said, finally.
‘Ooh, thanks.’
‘I’m making up for you, Tess because I’m escaping two things; Will and my work situation.’
‘They’ll both work out,’ Tess said, patting Lily’s arm.
The quiz was a riotous mix of general knowledge, which Gemma seemed to have an abundance of, and local knowledge which none of the girls had. But they laughed and enjoyed themselves, clapped vigorously when the prize money went to a local and Gemma declared herself migraine free.
They stumbled out of the pub into a pitch black, cool damp night.
‘Which way?’ Lily said before giggling.
‘That way,’ Tess said, pointing up to a clear sky where stars blinked at them. ‘Twinkle, twinkle.’
‘Shush,’ Gemma said. ‘We should have brought torches.’
‘Phones,’ Lily and Tess chorused.
‘What?’
‘Torch app.’
They tottered down the lane by the light of their phones, Lily and Tess giggling, Gemma expressing concern about her shoes and potholes.
‘It’s very secluded down here,’ Tess said, giggling again.
‘Good. Makes it harder for anyone to find us.’ Gemma’s response was quick and snappy.
‘Well, I don’t have anyone looking for me,’ Lily giggled.
‘Shush, don’t speak too loudly. Someone might be listening.’
‘Who? We just said it was secluded.’
‘Well, someone might be following. Or waiting. Come on.’ Gemma stood between them and grabbed first Lily’s and then Tess’s arm and quickened the pace until they were almost running.
They fell through the front door, still laughing and giggling, kicked off their shoes and queued for the bathroom.
‘It’s nearly midnight,’ Gemma said when she came out of the bathroom. She was the only one who had changed for bed, removed her makeup and cleaned her teeth.
‘I’m sorry about the bag, Gem,’ Lily said, feeling warmer towards Gemma now. The effects of the cider?
‘Forget it.’
‘No, I was mean. But I was annoyed after we stood on that motorway getting blown about.’
‘And ogled,’ Tess added.
‘And beeped,’ Lily said.
‘Well, it’s over now. I’m ready for bed.’ Gemma gave a curt smile.
‘Me too. And I can’t be arsed to find my PJs.’ Lily kicked her shoes out of the way and started pulling her jeans and top off. Gemma looked away and Tess giggled.
Lily threw her clothes on the kitchen floor and padded towards the bedroom in her underwear, but Gemma had beaten her to it. The cases were stacked neatly in the corner and Lily looked around the room and frowned.
‘There are only two beds,’ she whined.
‘No, there are three.’ Gemma pulled back the duvet of the bed furthest from the window. ‘I’ll have this one.’
‘I can only see one more bed,’ Lily frowned.
‘It’s here.’ Tess sounded forlorn. ‘I’ll take it.’
Lily padded round to Tess’s side and tucked in
between the second bed and the window was a low put-you-up bed. There was no space to walk down either side of it and it was at least a foot shorter and lower than the other beds.
‘It’s too short for you,’ Lily said, looking up to Tess who was at least four inches taller.
‘Yes, I thought so too,’ Gemma said from beneath the covers which she’d already pulled up around her as she nestled down into her bed.
‘Well you’re not that much taller than me,’ Lily said. She didn’t feel quite so disposed towards Gemma now. ‘And you’re the gatecrasher, after all.’ Lily watched Tess’s face screw up in what looked like pain.
‘Yes, that’s true.’ Gemma paused. ‘But I’m the one who paid for the petrol, didn’t I Tess?’
Tess nodded slowly.
‘And I paid for tonight’s dinner and plentiful drinks, in case you hadn’t noticed.’
Lily thought about it for a moment then realised that she’d been quite oblivious when the time came to pay the bill. She hadn’t even thought about who paid for it, or how. That cider must have been very strong.
‘And I’m a little older than you. And I do have a bad back as I said in the car; I’ve never been the same since Pixie-Bella.’ Gemma sighed.
‘Fine, I’ll sleep in the camp bed. Don’t you worry about it.’ Lily climbed onto the bed from the foot end and tottered along its length until she reached the pillow, then wriggled her way in under the duvet.
‘I don’t mind taking it, Lily,’ Tess said.
‘It’s fine. It’s not your fault.’
‘Maybe we could take turns,’ Tess offered.
‘Yes, maybe we could. All three of us.’ Lily hoped that Gemma was getting the message, but the gentle, rhythmic breathing that came from Gemma’s bed suggested she was already asleep.
Lucky Gemma.
Four
Lily slept the longest and the deepest, and had the worst hangover.
‘Urgh,’ she groaned, peering up at the curtains dangling just six inches above her head. The sunlight sneaked its way beneath them and hurt her eyes. ‘What time is it?’
No one answered.
Lily closed her eyes and groaned again. Her tongue felt like a dry sponge and stuck to the roof of her mouth. Someone in the room stunk; it made Lily gag.
