Page 91 of The Summer Island Swap
I’d managed. I’d had to. There were plenty of people worse off.
But now and then I cried at night, wishing there was someone I could ring who would tell me everything would be all right. Of course, after the last few weeks I realised that person, now, could also be Amy.
I stood up by Rick’s side and watched as Seagrass Island became closer. He kissed the top of my head. Margot began humming.
The three of us on this boat.
It was almost as if I were part of a happy family.
I relished a sense of… of belonging.
As we stepped off the boat Amy and Jackie came into view. Margot disembarked, keen to cuddle her favourite monkey. She neared Jackie and as soon as Margot spoke his name, Chatty reached out and moved onto her shoulder. Amy gave me a hug and introduced herself to Rick’s gran. Without thinking about Chatty, I whistled Mum’s favourite song. He stopped moving and turned his head in my direction. With a surprised look, Margot beckoned me closer. I reached out my arm and Chatty clambered across. His tail wrapped around my neck and he began grooming my hair.
‘It seems to me you belong here, Sarah,’ said Margot.
There was that unfamiliar word again.
‘Now that would be funny…’ said Amy and she laughed. ‘If me swapping a holiday resulted in my sister swapping her whole life. I guess it would serve me right though – losing my best buddy. I’d end up a sad crazy cat lady, living alone with Nelly.’
41
‘What was that all about? The looks Rick and Margot exchanged,’ Amy said as we walked up to the house, Chatty batting my ear.
What could I say? It’s actuallymewho’s considering moving out – not only of our home, but our home country as well.
‘When I talked about living on my own I sensed… I don’t know. Have I somehow put my foot in it? Don’t tell me Margot lives back in England with a load of cats.’
‘Not as far as I know.’
Jackie, Rick and his gran overtook us. I heard a piano and harmonica. Chatty stopped playing with my ear for a second.
‘Nia and Brandon thought a small welcoming party might be nice,’ said Amy. ‘So stop slowing down, sis. Let’s get ourselves a rum cocktail. Nia’s baked the tastiest looking peach cobbler muffins and mini banana fritters and—’
‘Margot’s offered me a job.’
Amy stopped in her tracks. We stood under the shade of a palm tree.
‘With Crocker & Crowley? In retail? But what about your luxury hotel plans?’ Her face turned serious. ‘Well done, that’s really great, but just because you’ve lost your job don’t rush into something you’ll regret. We can use some of my lottery money, for a while, to—’
‘No. Here on Seagrass Island…’
Amy’s eyes widened.
‘… As manager of the new luxury complex. She really thinks her family should give my idea a good go. I’ve got the experience they need. I’d be in charge of the website as well and…’ My excitement fluttered through the air like the butterflies in my stomach that became apparent every time I thought about Margot’s offer. Just imagine, me starting this business from scratch? But I couldn’t do it to Amy. What if she fell ill or suffered a broken heart or… We had no close relatives – there was no one else for her to turn to, back in England. ‘It’s ridiculous, right? Come on. Those cocktails sound good. It’ll probably be my last shot of rum for a while.’
Amy didn’t move.
‘What?’
Chatty squeaked as if to echo my question.
‘I recognise that tone,’ she said. ‘It’s the one you use if I suggest a film at the cinema that I’m desperate to see and you don’t want to but pretend you do.’ She stared at me. ‘So… you moving to Seagrass Island… living here with Rick…’
‘That wouldn’t be the reason,’ I said firmly. ‘It would be a bonus but taking Margot up on her offer would be about me and my future.’
‘So youarethinking about it.’
We stood in silence for a few moments.
