Page 210 of The Moon Sister
Chikhwawa, Malawi
Dear Ms D’Aplièse,
Thank you for your application for the position of Conservation Officer at the Majete Wildlife Reserve. We subsequently emailed you an invitation to attend for interview in London at 13.00 on Friday, 7th March, but we have received no response. Please inform us by the latest Wednesday, 5th March, if you are still interested in the position and let us know whether you will be attending the interview, the details of which can be found in the attached document.
Sincerely yours,
Kitwell Ngwira
Majete Park Manager
I gulped and climbed out of bed to pull my ancient uni laptop out of my drawer. I’d completely forgotten about the email I’d fired off in frustration, and I’d had no reason or inclination to check my emails since I’d arrived back home.
Not only did I find two emails asking me to attend the interview in a week’s time, but also emails from Maia, Star and CeCe, and three from Charlie.
Putting off opening Charlie’s messages, I opened those from my sisters first. CeCe’s email was the most surprising of all of them.
Hi Tiggy
Ally told me you got hurt and were home at Atlantis. I hope you get well soon. I know you always Hated being ill. Maybe you hard I moved to Australia. I love it hear and am painting again. Im living with my Granpha and my friend Chrissy. Theirs lots of animals hear if you want to come and visit.
Lots of Love
CeCe xx
‘Wow, CeCe,’ I murmured to myself, ‘you did it, you found your home.’
I took a deep breath and turned to Charlie’s emails. Each one was a couple of short gentle lines asking me how I was, the last requesting my permission to book me in for various scans and tests at Inverness hospital in mid March, after my sojourn at Atlantis.
In other words, Charlie presumed I would be returning to Scotland.
‘It really is best you don’t go back, Tiggy,’ I told myself. ‘I’m sure Cal wouldn’t mind adopting Alice, and packing up your bits and pieces to send them on . . .’
So, not wanting to appear rude and ungrateful for all he had done for me, I typed him a quick reply before I changed my mind.
Dear Charlie,
Thanks for your emails. I’m doing well and resting lots. Thanks for suggesting you book me in for the tests, but it’s probably easier if I have them here in Geneva. As you know, the medical care here is excellent.
Hope all is well with you,
Tiggy
‘God,’ I murmured as I pressed ‘send’, hating myself for sounding so cold and formal, but anything else was a road to nowhere and – for Zara’s sake if no one else’s – I would not be a home wrecker.
‘Right, Tiggy,’ Ma said as she appeared back in my room. ‘I have just spoken to Charlie and he thinks it a good idea for you to take a walk outside.’
‘Oh.’ I winced again at the email I’d just sent. ‘Good.’
‘But he is not yet happy to let you climb all those stairs. So, Claudia and I have decided you must use the lift.’
‘The lift? I didn’t know there was one!’
‘Your father had it put in not long before he . . . left us, as he was struggling to mount the stairs himself,’ Ma explained. ‘So,chérie, let us wrap you up in some warm clothes and I shall take you downstairs.’
Once I was bundled up to Ma’s satisfaction, I followed her along the corridor, fascinated to see where this lift was. I headed for the stairs that led down to the next floor where Pa’s bedroom was, but Ma stopped me.
‘The lift is here,chérie.’
