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‘Because it’s time for him to head off on the next leg of his big “round-the-world” adventure. We both knew from the outset that our relationship wasn’t going to be a permanent thing, just a bit of “fun in the sun”. Neither of us expected to… well, to fall in love.’
‘Where’s he heading next?’
‘Santorini was the last stop on the European part of his tour, so he’s now off to Thailand, stopping at Bangkok and Koh Samui, before taking the train to Malaysia and doing Penang, Langkawi and the Cameron Highlands, followed by a week in Singapore before finally ending up in… guess where?’
‘Where?’
‘Bali! Oh, Suzie, what I wouldn’t give to go with him. I could see Mum! It’s been over two years since I last saw her, and I really miss her. Did she tell you what she’s doing? When she’s finished teaching her kids to speak English with a distinct Norfolk accent, she’s heading off into the jungle to spend her time volunteering at a tiger sanctuary! I mean, wow! That would be a dream come true for me. Tom’s planning to stay on the island for a month, hiking, surfing, and learning how to play the rindik and cook the local food, just trying to get under the skin of the place. Would you believe that he’s promised to call in and introduce himself to Mum!’
The effusive excitement in Amber’s voice melted away the last fragments of anxiety that lingered in Suzie’s chest, and she couldn’t help but smile. Her sister had endured her fair share of relationship disasters, the worst one being the catalyst to her leaving Norwich to take up a spur-of-the-moment job a friend had told her about in Santorini, and she deserved to find someone who made her heart sing.
Unfortunately, the delight Suzie felt at her sister’s new-found romance was short-lived when she was reminded of the reason Amber hadn’t seen their beloved mum for so long. Amber had been planning to go to Bali last September; her flights were booked, her bags were packed, and her colleague Katerina had found someone to cover for her at the art gallery while she was away. She had been about to leave for the airport when Suzie’s world had exploded, and, without a murmur of complaint, she had changed her plans immediately, re-routing from Bali to London to help her little sister navigate the grenade-strewn landscape she’d found herself in.
‘Anyway, enough about me,’ said Amber, the habitual cheerfulness back in her voice. ‘Did you have fun at Rachel’s yoga class this morning? I bet she put you all through your paces!’
‘Yes, yes, she did, but…’
To Suzie’s horror, despite her best intentions to keep that day’s catastrophe to herself, her emotions bubbled over, and she burst into huge, racking sobs, hot tears trickling down her cheeks as she gulped in deep lungfuls of air to try and regain control of her swirling thoughts.
‘Suzie? Oh my God, Suzie, what’s wrong? What’s happened?’
The panic in her sister’s voice brought her to her senses and the whole sorry story about the rampaging horses and the loss of her tepee – and all her precious belongings – came tumbling out in one long sentence, culminating with the news that Rory didn’t intend to replace her home until the new year.
‘Oh, Suzie, that’s awful. I’m so sorry. Where are you going to live?’
‘Holly and Oscar have offered me one of the bedrooms at the Fox & Fiddle, but…’
‘But what?’
‘I’m not… I don’t…’
‘Do you want me to come over to Devon? I can speak to Katerina, grab the next flight out. I can be with you by tomorrow night, the next morning at the latest.’
Her sister’s generous offer caused Suzie’s tears to flow once again. Despite the imminent departure of the man who’d brought the smile back to her face over the last three months – someone she wasin lovewith – here was Amber, offering to drop everything and rush to her side to provide her with a shoulder to cry on.
Again.
She really was the best sister a girl could ask for.
But the guilt smouldered. It washerturn to be there for Amber, to repay the kindness and the non-judgemental support she’d received the previous summer, without which she knew she wouldn’t be where she was now.
Irrespective of her current setbacks, and even the devastating Blossomwood Bay fire, things could have been much,muchworse. As their mum had been unable to fly back from Bali, it had been Amber who had sat by her side as Suzie had endured the interviews and lengthy meetings that had inevitably followed the event that had changed her life. It had been Amber, too, who had dealt with the increasingly invasive media interest with her special brand of straightforwardness. Whereas Suzie had fallen apart, unable to perform even the simplest of tasks, like dressing, bathing, or making something to eat, without the gentle coaxing of her older sister. Her brain had turned to mush, her thoughts ricocheting from one thing to the next until she became completely disorientated, clutching onto her sanity by her fingernails.
Those two months had been the worst of her life, and that was from a woman who had lost her father at the tender age of eleven! But so had Amber – who had been in the middle of her GCSEs – and now was the time for Suzie to step up and return the favour, to be there for her sister whensheneededher. After all, what did she have left in Blossomwood Bay? So, before she could change her mind, she inhaled a deep breath and blurted out her suggestion.
‘Why don’t I come over to Santorini and look after the gallery for you while you go travelling with Tom? You’ll be able to visit Koh Samui – I know it’s on your bucket list – and then you can spend some time with Mum in Bali.’
There was silence at the other end of the phone and Suzie wondered if the line had been cut.
‘Amber?’
‘Oh my God, Suzie! Are you sure?’
‘Yes, I’m sure. When is Tom leaving?’
‘The day after tomorrow, but you don’t have to—’
‘Okay, I’ll see you then,’ she said firmly.
