Page 76 of Girls Just Want to Have Sun

‘It’s you,’ I say, grinning from ear to ear as she leaps into my arms. ‘Hello there. How are you?’

‘Mammy, it’s the woman!’ she screams at the top of her lungs. ‘It’s her!’

I see a glamorous woman approach, battling her way through the children to scoop me into a hug.

‘How did you find us?’ she asks, looking me over in wonderment. ‘We’ve been hoping to run into you so we could thank you properly for what you did. For saving Lucie’s life. You and your boyfriend.’

‘Boyfriend?’

‘Oh, I see. He’s your husband, is he?’ She winks at me. ‘I wouldn’t step over him to get to Ryan Reynolds if you know what I mean. What a pair of heroes you are.’

I nod vacantly.

Why am I not correcting her?

I imagine being married to Matteo. I’d get nothing done on a daily basis. It would be one continuous loop of wake up and make love. Wake up and make love. Wake up and make love. Over and over for eternity.

‘Why do you look all funny?’ Lucie is asking me, an inch from my nose, her small hands ruffling my hair. I must get a grip.

‘I was performing at the festival last night,’ I say, shaking myself out of the trance. ‘I haven’t been to sleep yet.’ Not the most professional thing to admit. It causes a flurry of admiring comments from the children.

‘Oh, you’re the singer for tonight?’ Lucie’s mother says. ‘What a coincidence! Connie, is it? I’m Martha. I own the place with my husband Rody.’ She turns to the children. ‘Okay, you lot back to the kitchen for lunch.’ She looks back at me. ‘You wantto do a quick soundcheck before you go back to bed?’ Martha laughs. ‘Oh, to be young and in love.’

I blush. I should correct her. I really, really should. But before I know it, Rody is bounding over to scoop me up in a bear hug.

‘Thank you,’ he booms. ‘Thank you so much.’

‘Connie’s singing here tonight. Can you believe it? Is your husband coming? We’d love to thank him personally. Maybe have you over for dinner some time?’

My husband. Okay, this time I am definitely going to put her right. I open my mouth to speak when they are distracted by some squealing and fighting.

‘We’ll leave you to it,’ Martha says, grabbing her husband. ‘Don’t leave without giving us your number. Dan, can you sort Connie out, please?’

‘You’re like part of the family here,’ I say to Dan, smirking.

‘That’s because Iampart of the family here. Oldest son. Born and raised in Benidorm. In this bar, to be precise.’

‘One, two, one, two,’ says Dan, grinning at me as he hands me the microphone. ‘Fancy a duet?’

‘I haven’t warmed up my vocals. I haven’t slept for almost two days, I’ve done nothing but drink alcohol and eat pizza, but sure, yes, why not?’

Dan picks one of his favourite pop duets and sets up the backing track. Within seconds we are belting out a tune that brings the children hurtling back through the bar to see us performing together. I’m in surprisingly good form considering. I think the buzz of having just made love to Matteo must begiving my voice an extra edge as I out-sing Jolly Murs at the end, to the extent that he doesn’t look quite so Jolly any more.

‘I’m so sorry,’ I say. ‘That was very unprofessional of me. I’m not usually that, erm, loud.’

He is standing open-mouthed. ‘No. Don’t apologise. That was awesome.’

The children start barking requests.

‘They can be little tyrants. You best do at least one,’ Dan says good-naturedly.

It feels a bit weird being watched by the family, especially when Lucie comes over to take my hand and refuses to let go. Even Rody comes over to listen. He trades glances with his wife as I sing all sorts of snippets as the kids bellow song titles at me and it becomes a game of how quickly Dan can switch his backing tracks to keep up.

‘Okay, kids,’ Rody says. ‘That’s enough. I gather Connie here hasn’t slept for two days. I think we should let her get back home so she’s in a fit state for tonight.’

How embarrassing.

Before I leave, Martha and Rody take me to one side.

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