Page 20 of It's All Sun and Games

My phone dings with another email. Oh my gosh, she’s asking if I want to meet up. She says, if I want to, she will pick me up from the airport, we can go for a drink and a chat, and then she’ll take me to the resort where I’m staying with work. Oh, what a sweetheart.

The butterflies in my stomach kick off at the idea of finally meeting Andrea in person. For some reason, it fills me with a mix of excitement and nervousness. After all this time, I never thought our paths would cross, especially after our exchange trips were cancelled. This is my chance to right a wrong, to finally meet her – just years and years late.

A gentle knock interrupts my thoughts. It’s Mum, bringing me that cup of tea she promised me.

‘Thanks, Mum,’ I say, reaching for the cup. ‘I just had another reply from Andrea – she offered to pick me up from the airport. She said we could go for a drink, hang out, and then she’ll take me to the resort.’

My mum’s eyes light up.

‘Didn’t I always say she sounded like a sweet girl?’ she muses, a hint of ‘I told you so’ in her voice. ‘Are you going to accept her kind invitation?’

I pause for a moment, considering the offer.

‘Yeah, why not?’ I reply with a shrug. ‘I mean, she seems lovely, and she says she’ll pick me up from the airport, which saves me having to figure out public transport. And even if she’s a nightmare, and we don’t get on at all, well, it will only be a couple of hours, and it will be great practice for dealing with Liz later in the day.’

Mum just laughs.

‘And there’s always pushing her in the sea,’ she adds sarcastically, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. ‘If you survive the plane.’

It’s impossible not to laugh along with her.

‘Honestly, he’s my dad, and I love him, but I don’t know how you haven’t pushed him in the bloody sea yet,’ I joke, shaking my head at the thought.

‘Which reminds me,’ she says, reaching into her pocket, eventually retrieving a small packet which she offers to me. ‘These are for you. Your Auntie Irene gave me them when I was worrying about the dentist. They’re supposed to relax you.’

I take the packet from her, examining it curiously. Auntie Irene, who isn’t really my auntie, is all about the herbal remedies.

‘Did it help?’ I ask, intrigued by the prospect, and desperately hoping for a solution to my irrational fear.

‘It really did,’ Mum confirms with a nod. ‘Just take one an hour before you fly.’

‘Thanks, I’ll give it a go,’ I reply gratefully, tucking the packet into my bag. ‘And I’ll tell Andrea that I’d love to meet her.’

‘That’s the spirit,’ Mum says, her smile warm and encouraging. ‘Maybe this could be the start of a new you – one who takes chances?’

‘Hmm, maybe,’ I say, returning her smile.

Perhaps I should take her advice. Maybe I do need to be more bold, to take more chances – I might even impress Rick in the process.

Yep, I should listen to my mum. Well, it’s that or listen to my dad and push people into the sea willy-nilly. Somehow I can’t see that being all that well received by anyone.

9

Ding!

As the seatbelt light switches off, I eyeball it suspiciously.

Looking out of the window confirms that not only are we safely on dry land but that the sun is shining – something that was not happening in the UK this morning.

Then I realise that there is a hand on my arm, lightly shaking me, which must have been what woke me up.

I turn to the woman next to me, opening my mouth to speak, but I don’t know what to say.

‘We’ve landed,’ she tells me. ‘In Bari.’

‘Oh, great,’ I say.

There’s something about her tone… something that makes me think she knows more than I do.

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