Page 78 of Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon
‘Josie, darling, please.’
Yes, it’s close. It sounds like her mum’s voice. But why would her mum be talking to her while she’s asleep?
So it’s a dream.
It’s comfortable inside this dream. Whatever is happening in it. Not much. It isn’t easy to observe your own dreams. It feels kind of weird, actually.
She feels someone taking hold of her hand. Now that’sreallyweird.
A thumb is being rubbed over her thumb.
‘Darling,’ comes the whisper.
That’s definitely her mum. But what does she want in this dream?
‘She’s not waking up,’ she hears the voice – her mum – say. ‘Why isn’t she waking up?’
I’m not waking up because this is a dream!
She hears other noises now. A beeping. Rustling. Sounds that are further away from her than her mum’s voice. This dream feels really real.
Her brain starts whirring. Maybe it’s not a dream. But if it isn’t, where is she?
An image flashes into her brain. She’s driving round a bend on that windy road to Woy Woy.
Black spots in front of her eyes. She can’t breathe.
A car, coming the other way.
Back. Back, back, back.
An argument with her parents. What was it about?
She can remember how it felt but not what they said.
Brett.
Was the argument about him?
‘Josie, darling, please wake up,’ her mother is whispering.
‘Josephine.’ It’s her father’s voice on her other side. ‘We’re sorry.’
Sorry for what? What’s happened to her?
Now she has to find out.
But she’s tired. Really, really tired.
It would be easier to go back to sleep.
She feels pressure on her shoulder.
‘Josie,’ says an unfamiliar voice, ‘we need you to wake up.’
Who is that?
It’s curiosity that makes Josie blink her eyes open to see an off-white ceiling and a neon light. Someone gasps.
