Page 45 of The Beach Holiday

Hester looked at me and squinted her eyes. ‘’ang on a minute, you’ve been here for five minutes and now you’re trying to tell me what to do!’

I cleared my throat and glanced at Avril. She was looking at me with wide, encouraging eyes.

‘I’m not telling you what to do, I’m offering some sound advice. It’s easy to become locked in your own rant and train of thought but there is a solution. He’s wanting more food. He’s a growing boy, so instead of trying to fight him and everyone else on the matter, just make more food. When you make sourdough, make two loaves, when you’re making the sugar buns, make extra. It’s a simple solution. There is usually a reason behind a behaviour. I’m sure he isn’t doing it to upset you.’

Hester was quiet and Avril nodded and smiled.

‘She’s right,’ Avril said. ‘If the boy needs more food, we make more food. That will solve this little problem, for it is a little problem.’

Hester took a deep breath and let it out in one angry yet defeated sigh before she stepped away and back to her hut, where the little girl who had the doll on the beach climbed into her lap.

Avril turned to me and grinned.

‘See, this is why I need you. There are so many mixed emotions and dynamics all the time. And then with Camp Z on top, knowing you can be there to take care of any...’ Avril paused ‘...issues, is a weight off my back.’

‘What will I be expected to do over there?’ I asked tentatively, the assertiveness I had felt moments earlier now fading away as the looks on the faces of the men came flooding back.

‘Just be there really. Not all the time, but once or twice a day, check on them, feed them, and make sure they have water. Check none of them have died,’ she added nonchalantly.

I sucked in a breath. ‘And have they, any of them? Died?’

Avril shook her head but it didn’t feel real. Surely I wasn’t equipped to deal with any more death on the island.

‘You’ll be fine.’ She winked at me. ‘Look how you deal with situations. Sadie, start believing in yourself.’ She squeezed my arm, her little trademark power touch. I knew why she did it, to reinforce her words. But they were powerful enough to be believed.

We watched the mothers as they began talking animatedly, obviously discussing me and what had just happened.

‘Is she always like that?’ I asked. ‘I feel kind of bad now.’

‘Well, she shouldn’t be threatening little kids like that. And yes, she can be a pain in the rear end sometimes. She tried to hit him with a stick!’ Avril said her voice tight and strained.

‘What? That’s not good.’

‘Thank you for remaining so calm. Hester takes her baking very seriously.’ There was a hint of laughter in her voice. ‘Anyway, I’m glad that’s sorted. We’ll meet after lunch, right?’

‘Okay.’ I felt a swell of dread. But I kept up the inane grin so that Avril would think I was keen and willing.

‘Oh, and later, you’ll have your first assignment,’ Avril called as she wandered off, leaving me wondering what it could be.

Hester glared over my way; Star gave me a sympathetic smile. So Hester was the feistier of the two. I smiled back.

I could still feel the pressure of the notebook against my back under my T-shirt. I walked quickly back to my cabin and closed the door. I took my backpack and added it to my one pillow for extra back support, then sat on my bed. I laid the book out in front of me and could see for the first time, the wordstravel journalvery faintly written on the front.

Oh my God, for the first time in weeks I felt a genuine tingle of excitement. This was Ula’s travel journal, the woman who had been living alone for a long enough time that her hair had begun to turn to dreads and she no longer knew how to have a proper conversation. Somewhere within these pages was her story, if not all of it then some of it. I would finally be able to get some answers to some basic questions.

I opened the first page and there, on a brittle-looking page with writing that had begun to fade were the first words.

We arrived! We absolutely did it!

33

NOW

I take myself off to the bench for one final time. Jane is sitting in the usual place. She has the coffee and pours it out for both of us.

‘I’m leaving tomorrow,’ I say. I can feel Jane nodding.

‘We’ve had some good chats these last few weeks, haven’t we?’ I say and I am smiling.

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