Page 49 of Seashells at The Summer Hotel Lovely Bay
Nina and Robby had been in and out from the hotel lobby to the pool and back up to the room all day long. She’d thought that she was much better, but once she was properly up and about, the most jarring thing was not the coughing but the near total exhaustion. Most of the aching body pains and sore muscles had gone, but the tiredness and the simple act of walking the few steps to the pool wiped Nina out. As she sat reading her book under the umbrella, she couldn’t quite compute how a short walk from the room to the pool could take it out of her. The influenza strain she’d picked up had obviously been an all-singing, all-dancing one.
She was sitting on the sunbed in the shade in a slight breeze, watching the goings-on in the pool and reading her book. Shepicked up her phone, had a little scroll through Instagram, looked at the Lovely Bay community page, and then checked her emails. Her phone pinged with a message from Ella.
Ella:Hi, sorry to hear you’ve been sick in Thailand. Birdie told me when I popped in for a coffee earlier! Can’t believe you ended up in hospital!!! How are you feeling?
Nina:OK at the moment, but yeah, unbelievable, really.
Ella:Sounds awful!
Nina:I’ve been better lol.
Ella:I bet you can’t wait to get home???
Nina:Yes, ha. How are you?
Ella:Good. BTW that couple from Pretty Beach, are coming back for a second viewing. So, whatever you said, it worked. I wanted to touch base to say thanks. x
Nina:Oh wow, that’s good news then!
Ella:What kind of feeling did you get from them, just out of interest?
Nina:Quite positive, but they thought the price was too high.
Ella:Yes, they’ve said that.
Nina:You’re going to take them for another viewing are you?
Ella:Yes, one of them is away in Vietnam at the moment, but they want another look.
Nina:Great! I wouldn’t mind coming with you.
Ella:Didn’t know if you would or not once I heard what’s gone on in Thailand. Anyway, let me know when you get back.
Nina:I wouldn’t mind.
Nina remembered the funny pair from Pretty Beach and how nice they’d been.
Ella:OK then, I’ll text you closer to the time. We’ll see how you’re feeling, and if you’re up for it, maybe you can come. See how you go.
Nina:Yeah, great, thx. I’ve cancelled all my work, well, not cancelled, rearranged it, so I’m off for a few weeks when I get back to make sure I fully recuperate.
Ella:Good idea. How is the cough and everything?
Nina:Much better, it’s mainly the tiredness getting to me now.
Ella:Well, at least you can relax there. Anyway, see you when you get home. Rest up.
Nina:Thx for asking. Appreciate it. See you. Can’t wait to get home.
30
Nina felt zapped and drained as she sat next to Robby in the airport lounge by the window, watching the planes come in and out to land. Her eyes followed the tail of a Thai Airways plane and watched as it taxied along the runway and then took off into the sky. She picked up the coffee Robby had got her from the bar, took a sip, and put it down with a little sigh. Getting to the airport and going through the motions had zapped her of what little energy she had. She wasn’t a happy bunny.
‘Do you want me to get you anything else?’ Robby offered.
Nina shook her head. ‘No, I'm okay for the minute.’
‘You sure? I could get you some scrambled eggs or something.’
