Page 37 of To Hell With It
‘Is your passport up to date?’
For a moment, I thought that was my get-out but then I remembered I had renewed my passport a few years ago when Una last tried to get me to go on holiday with her, and I'd done it just to shut her up.
‘I’ll give you some time to gather your thoughts,’ Una said.
‘Don’t bother.’
‘Then we’ll book the flights.’
* * *
My phone pinged with an email four minutes after I’d waved Una off and got back inside the house. That was how long it took to drive from Anickuna Cottage to hers. I lay on my bed and sunk my face into my pillow. I could still smell Jack. I could still taste him. I would never wash my sheets. I opened Una’s email.
Flight detailshere.
You can fly from Dublin (I’ll drive you there and pick you up).
You will need one of those big travellers’ rucksacks (which means you can pack both your salmon-pink jumpers, and probably have space to buy some more over there, imagine!).
There’s a hostel twenty-five minutes from the airport in Auckland (linkhere). You can get a bus (five-minute walk from hostel) from Auckland, which will take you straight to Puke Town (it takes five-and-a-half hours but you don’t have to change buses).
If it all goes tits up, then you can get the bus back to Auckland and change your flights using thislink.
What do you think? I’ll be with you every step of the way – it’d be like I was right there next to you…
(PS: the flight is in ten days.)
ChapterTwenty-Two
When Jack’s text arrived I was about to climb into bed. It lit up my phone the same way it lit up my world. His name stared back at me in capitals. I opened his message and it was one of those moments when everything stops, including your breath, and you can’t quite catch it again.
Hey, how’s it going? x
‘Fuck.’ I whispered. ‘Fuck, fuck, fuck.’ Louder that time. ‘Jesus.’
I typed, then deleted, then typed, then deleted.
Hey!
Hi, I’m all good, how’s it going for you?
Hey stranger…
Hey Turbo!
Hi, Jack, good to hear from you…
I think I’m in love with you
I miss you.
I wish you were here.
Fuck, penis, turbo, too big, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, trees, trees, trees…
I’m missing you.
I had a great time, thanks again for the hospitality…
