Page 69 of The Trip of a Lifetime

‘I asked the driver, and the buses to Quebec City leave every hour,’ Erin told Martha.

‘Okay, so we should really get straight on another one?’ Martha asked.

‘Unless you want to rest for a bit then yes, I think we should. Forward momentum and all that.’

‘I want to sleep for a week but I can see that it would be best to keep going while we have transport easy and available to us.’

‘We could try for a lift share and save the bus fare,’ Erin suggested, but Martha shook her head.

‘Let’s just keep going. I think we should get as far as Quebec City before we try for lifts. We have the lead, let’s keep it that way,’ she said.

Erin looked at her drained expression, the way her backpack was slipping from her shoulder, and the obvious tiredness in her eyes. She was seventy years old. It was only a few days ago that Martha had been ill. Erin wondered if she should get the medic to take a look at her. The thought of something happening to her nana was unthinkable.

It was three and half hours to Quebec City. Erin was determined they should rest for a bit when they arrived.

They settled back on the bus and Erin could see from the map that the route took them alongside Lake Ontario. Not that she could see it from the window. All she could see for miles were other cars, trucks, lorries and buses on the highway. She turned her attention back to her journal and started doodling thoughts about Sam. That would pass the time nicely, she thought.

‘So, you are happy to break away from the pack?’ Martha suddenly asked her.

‘What?’ Erin looked up from her journal.

‘I did wonder if you weren’t so keen to leave Sam behind,’ her grandmother continued with a ghost of a smile on her lips.

This bus had a toilet on board and Erin was relieved to see that Noah had disappeared into it.

‘I don’t know what you mean,’ she said.

‘Oh, come on, Erin. I’ve seen the way you look at him. I’m not judging. He does actually seem like a nice man. Is he a nice man?’

Erin thought for a moment that she might deny it but really, what was the point? She wasn’t a child.

‘He is a nice man. He’s lovely. What happened back at the hotel at the start was a silly nothing that I have forgiven him for. He was so there for me when we got left behind. He showed his true self then. Caring, kind and…’ Erin trailed off.

‘Gorgeous?’ Martha offered, and Erin laughed.

‘Yeah, that too. Can you believe he lives in Marlow, not far from me.’

‘We all know where he lives after your back and forth at the dinner table,’ Martha said, and Erin widened her eyes. ‘You probably didn’t notice but everyone else did. You know, I was saying to Harrison when we had breakfast the other morning that I thought there might be something going on between you two.’

‘When you had breakfast with Harrison?’ Erin asked and watched as her grandmother’s cheeks went a pretty shade of pink.

‘Well, yes, but only because we were waiting for you. We wanted to make sure we both heard the tracker.’

‘You had one each.’

‘I know, but…’ It was Martha’s turn to trail off and Erin picked up on it immediately.

‘In his room or yours?’ she said.

‘In both,’ Martha said, and her voice came out in a squeak.

‘Nana! Are you saying…? Actually, I don’t want to know what you’re saying. Sam and I have shared a kiss… well, three, technically. It sounds very much like you and Harrison have visited several more bases than that.’

‘Oh, Harrison and I slept together in 1976, Erin. Been there, done it, got the T-shirt.’

Erin opened her mouth to say more but noticed Noah behind her grandmother with a grin on his face and his camera up to his eye.

‘Don’t mind me,’ he said and Martha groaned.