Page 36 of Somewhere Only We Know

‘Jeez. You look rough.’ Colin grinned and did a pointy finger dance while swinging his hips. The move rang a very alarming bell. ‘Worth it though, eh?’

‘I’m not sure yet. Did I dance on the table last night?’

‘Dancing queen …’ Colin sang in falsetto and I clamped my hands over my ears.

‘Oh God.’

I had a vague recollection of playing a drinking game too. What had possessed me? I’d let my hair down for the first time in ages. The kids had been so friendly and welcoming and fun. It had brought back fond memories of Brontë and Harry having their friends around in the summer and dancing and singing under the fairy lights in the garden. I’d missed their laughter, the fast-paced banter, the in-jokes and the internet memes they would chant before collapsing in fits of laughter. ‘I don’t normally drink. Well, not much anyway.’

‘If you say so.’ He winked.

I squinted at him through barely open eyes. ‘Why are you in my room?’

‘It’s time to rise and shine. There’s a wake-up rota. It’s my turn today. Did you like my wake-up Maggie May song?’

‘Loved it.’ I slid my hand under my pillow to check the time on my phone, but it wasn’t there, which was worrying. I sat up again and patted around a bit more. No sign. Damn it. I was always meticulous about having my phone with me, keeping it charged, in case Brontë ever needed me. Less important now, obviously. ‘You’re very young to know Rod Stewart songs.’

‘I looked it up on Spotify after you sang it last night. Here’s the cat. Morning, Bob.’

The cat who’d scratched me yesterday streaked around Colin’s legs and ran underneath my bed.

‘Ah, he’s climbed into your suitcase. Your phone is down there too, by the way.’

‘Thank goodness.’ I sighed with relief as Colin passed the phone through the mosquito net to me. ‘Not about the cat; it’s a vicious thing.’

It would have to stay there for now. I didn’t have the energy for a battle.

Colin turned to go. ‘Breakfast in fifteen mins. Don’t go back to sleep, okay?’

‘Okay.’ I closed my eyes.

‘Breakfast!’ Someone thumped on my door. Not Colin this time; a girl.

‘Shit.’ I rolled myself out of bed, staggered to the door and opened it.

‘Morning, Magster, ready for your first day at kindergarten?’

She wore a long skirt, flip-flops and a T-shirt with the One World logo on it.

I rubbed my eyes. ‘Remind me who you are again?’

‘Naomi!’ she giggled.

‘Why do you look as if you haven’t got a hangover?’ I said, running my fingers through my hair and getting stuck in a matted bit at the back. Why was everyone so young and full of energy? I needed someone as old and haggard as me to even things out.

‘Because I haven’t.’ She looked puzzled. ‘It was a quiet one last night, we were all back by eleven.’

‘Right, right.’ My mouth felt like I’d swallowed gravel. ‘I might skip breakfast. Just have coffee.’

She sucked in a breath. ‘Not a good idea. We’re going on a walk this morning to where the elephants bathe. The kids are super-excited. You’re gonna need energy. Also, they don’t have coffee here, only tea.’

‘No coffee? You’re kidding.’ I could have wept.

I swallowed down two headache tablets with the dregs of the water in my bottle and blinked at my phone. It was completely out of charge.

I plugged it in to give it a quick blast in case there were any important messages from Kat or the office, grabbed my toiletries bag and headed to the bathroom to work a miracle.

I’d managed to go to the loo, brush my teeth and scrape my hair into a bun, when there was a soft knock on the bathroom door.