ME: Yep. Living. Surfing. Hanging out with French boys
PRIYA: “hanging out”
ME: Ha! That too … But P, maybe you and Cal could come and visit? It might be nice for us to start over, somewhere that doesn’t have memories everywhere?
PRIYA: A summer holiday in France? I’m down. Starting over? Down for that too :) It’s nice to have you back
ME: It’s nice to be back :)
And I still had some left-over bravery when I’d stopped messaging Priya. So I sent another message.
ME: Hey Ari. Staying in France a bit longer while my parents come back early for Rue’s surgery. Competing in a surf qualifier tomorrow (yes SURFING). Found something out here that I thought I’d lost forever. So it turns out you and Theo might have done me a favour. And I forgive you. Not because it’s OK, I’m just too busy catching waves to carry that shit around with me. Take care of yourself. M
I typed out exactly the same message to Theo and hit send on them both before I could overthink it or change my mind. And when I did, it was like a ton of bricks had been lifted right off my shoulders.
39
Lili’s mum’s house was perfect.
It was right on the beach. Just ten minutes from the campsite.
There were flowers in little baskets beside the door, and wind chimes hung over the surfboards that were propped up against the wall.
I inhaled, taking it all in. This was going to be my home for the next couple of months. And it was nice to see my new room with Mum, Dad, Rue and Wren, like they were leaving a part of themselves with me. Wren bounced on what was going to be my bed and Mum and Dad asked Lili’s mum a million questions. And when we left, they seemed happy.
Back at the mobile home that evening, Mum laid the table with little tea lights.
‘Look, Margot, isn’t it beautiful?’ Wren asked.
I looked again at the table and saw that it had been decorated with shells too, dotted all over the white plastic.
‘We did it for you!’ Wren said.
Mum came down the little metal steps carrying bowls ofspaghetti and Dad followed with more. They set them down on the table, pushing candles and shells gently out of the way to make room.
I couldn’t help feeling sad. Our last night. The last time I’d see my family in I didn’t even know how long.
‘Thanks for dinner, Mum,’ I said.
‘I thought you should eat pasta, give you energy for tomorrow. Oh, Margot, are you sure this is what you want?’ Mum looked at me with worry all over her face.
‘I’m sure,’ I said. And I was even more sure after seeing the house on the beach just then. It feltright.Like this was where I was supposed to be.
‘I’m sorry.’ She shook her head. ‘It’s all just a lot.’
‘I made you this.’ I turned to see Wren standing beside me holding a folded piece of paper. She handed it to me, and I opened it out. A map of the campsite that she’d drawn.
‘A map, so you won’t get lost when we’re gone,’ she said.
My eyes filled with emotion, and I hugged her. ‘Thanks, Wren, I’ll use it every day.’
‘And here, you can have this!’ Rue said, pushing a shell towards me from across the table.
‘A shell. Thanks, Rue.’ I smiled.
‘Not just any shell. Aluckyshell,’ she corrected.
I held it in my fist, then slid it into the pocket of my shorts. ‘Thanks, Ruthie.’
