Page 103 of One Summer

Caleb doesn’t look at me; he looks down at Ted and gently strokes his back.

I reach out my hand to do the same, and touch Caleb’s fingers, weakened by a rush of something more than gratitude.

JULY

Eighty-Six

Puffin

Caleb disappears. No warning, he’s just gone, and the house next door is left empty. Joshua decides it’s time to take the surf trip to Portugal that he’s been saving for all summer, so I can’t give him a piece of my mind, and I don’t see Betty, as she’s visiting friends in the Scillies – hopping from one island to another. I don’t see anyone except Edie, Ted, Nemo, Buttercup and my snakes. For four weeks, I feel completely and utterly alone.

One night, I drink a whole bottle of wine, after resolving to only have one glass. And then I open another.

This is not good. This is not healthy. I can feel myself slipping into depression.

Betty’s message, blurry on my phone screen through my hungover eyes, takes me a moment to decipher.

I’m back and you’re working too hard. Get your bum to the Puffin Spa at 10 a.m. It’s all booked and paid for. My treat. Don’t you dare say no. You need this. Make sure you bring a bikini. They have a hot tub.

I glance at the alarm clock. 9.33 a.m. I’m not going to even have a chance to make a cursory check on the snakes before I leave, but I topped them all up with fresh water and substrate last night.

Jumping straight in the shower, I wash my hair, and for the umpteenth time, I try not to think about what happened with Ted on the beach.

Caleb was just in the right place at the right time, or Ted and I were in the wrong ones. There’s no need to overthink it. Caleb did something heroic and it’s made me think I have feelings for him.

I don’t have the luxury of taking a slow walk across the island, as I don’t want to be late, miss my slot and let Betty down, so I jog, which would normally not be a problem, but today it sends a stinging pain right to the centre of my brain.

The spa reception is silent and scented with sandalwood. I’m greeted by a glamorous young woman with immaculate hair and nails, who tells me that the hot tub is ready whenever I am, and there’s a changing cabin outside where I can get into my swimwear. She also tells me that the other party hasn’t arrived yet.

‘Other party?’ I enquire.

‘Yes, this is a booking for two people.’

‘I didn’t realise,’ I say, figuring that Betty must be coming too, which would actually be quite lovely as she’ll do all the talking, filling me in with news of her Scillies jaunt, and I can just lie back in the bubbles and relax. ‘Betty booked for herself too?’

She squints at the screen and says, ‘We don’t have a name for the second party. Go on through and I’ll bring your welcome glass of fizz.’

‘No fizz, please,’ I say, putting my hand up as if the mere thought of alcohol hurts.

‘How about a green juice or a papaya smoothie?’ she offers instead.

‘A smoothie would be amazing.’

‘Great. You’re booked in for the detox package. Do you want me to talk you through the treatments you’ll have after you’re done with the hot tub?’

‘Whatever is fine,’ I say, itching to get into the warm water.

I haven’t been to a spa since my cousin’s hen weekend. The closest I’ve come to a massage is when Henny insisted on rubbing my shoulders, which felt like being jabbed with a fishing gaff.

She leads me through the building and into an outdoor area with a stunning view of the sea. The hot tub is steaming in the cool morning air and the swirl of water is so inviting that I can hardly wait to get changed and jump in.

A few minutes later, I’m easing myself into the water and trying out all the different corners to see which seat is the most comfortable, even though they are ostensibly identical, when a noise makes me look up.

Expecting to see Betty, I smile, a thank you on my lips, when I notice the person coming through the door is twice the size of tiny Betty. The person coming through the door is Caleb.

Eighty-Seven

Treat

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