‘I’m really thirsty. Is there any water?’
Amelia passed along a half empty jug with chunks of ice and fresh lime. Stella filled her glass right up to the top and drank the lot in one go.
‘I needed that.’ She wiped her mouth with the back of a hand and topped herself up again.
Meanwhile, Jon stretched over, grabbed the wine bottle and poured what was left into his own glass. Stella and Louise exchanged glances.
Louise wasn’t a big drinker and Stella suspected he’d had the lion’s share of the bottle to himself. This didn’t bode well for the rest of the afternoon and evening; Louise wouldn’t be impressed if he got stupidly drunk again.
The group had ordered a variety of dishes and Stella helped herself to a soft, rice-stuffed tomato with aromatic mint, some creamy courgette fritters, a portion of freshly caught sea bream and a serving of the most delicious-looking Greek salad, with crumbly feta, crisp cucumber, green peppers, red onion and tangy black olives.
Louise wanted to hear about the snorkelling and Stella described the clever octopus. Lily’s eyes were wide with excitement.
‘Can I borrow your snorkel?’ she pleaded. ‘Amelia, you can have a go, too.’
Once everyone had finished and the bill had been paid, the girls scuttled off, soon to be followed by Will.
‘I guess I should have a swim.’ Louise wiped her mouth on her table napkin and left it, crumpled up, by her empty plate. ‘I’m feeling so lazy.’
She rose, taking her black bum bag from the back of the chair and fastening it round her waist. Appalled at the thought of being left behind with Jon, Stella quickly stood up as well.
‘I’m coming.’ She cleared her throat and tried to sound nonchalant. ‘Jon, what about you?’
‘No. I think I’ll have some coffee first.’
Stella glanced at him and immediately wished she hadn’t. His reproachful stare made her feel guilty, angry, trapped and tearful, all at the same time.
It was over in a few seconds, but Louise must have noticed because she nudged Stella on the way out.
‘What wasthatabout? He looked like someone on death row.’
Stella desperately wanted to unburden herself, but it wasn’t the right time.
‘I’ll tell you later – when we’re on our own.’
She couldn’t disguise the catch in her voice.
‘You all right?’ Louise asked, studying her friend’s face anxiously.
‘Sort of – well, not really. Just when I thought things were getting a bit easier, the house starts falling down.’
* * *
After spending a couple more hours on the beach, they took a small taxi boat back to Porto Liakáda, a journey of only about fifteen minutes. Will was the first to spot the rising and falling footpath they’d walked along earlier, which appeared to be clinging to the mountainside as if for dear life.
To the left were miles of deep blue sea and in the far distance, the outline of an island. The skipper informed them it was called Gavdos, which sat on the very edge of Europe.
Jon was silent on the trip, staring out to sea with a haunted, melancholy expression. It was getting on for 6p.m. and as the boat approached the harbour, they could see the bars and restaurants were already filling up.
‘We’d better stop at the supermarket and buy something for supper,’ Louise said.
Stella suggested they eat in one of the restaurants instead, but Lily and Amelia were tired and grumpy and wanted to shower and chill at home.
They were appalled at the prospect of having to walk back to the villa, and Stella didn’t fancy listening to them moaning all the way either. So it was agreed the girls would go on ahead while the women, plus Jon and Will, stocked up on provisions.
‘That’s not fair,’ Will said with uncharacteristic belligerence. Louise fixed a pair of gimlet eyes on him, which did the trick.
It was dark in April’s supermarket. Stella’s eyes took a few moments to adjust and she stumbled straight away on something just inside the door and almost fell.
