‘Wait! Girls, wait!’
Abby looked up in dismay, heart plummeting as she saw a figure in a kaftan running down the steps.
‘For God’s sake,’ she muttered under her breath.
‘Mum!’ called Ellie.
Both girls watched as Susanna made it to the platform, slightly out of breath.
‘It’s not like you to be up this early,’ said Ellie.
‘No, well, I happened to get up for the bathroom and I looked out of the window and saw you two heading down the steps. Thought I’d see what you were up to.’
Why can’t she just leave us alone for a bit?thought Abby angrily.
‘We’re going on a boat trip,’ said Ellie.
There was a lull where Abby knew that Ellie was waiting for her to extend the invitation to Susanna. She knew she should but she couldn’t quite form the words quickly enough.
‘I’m sure there’s room for you too,’ said Ellie.
Abby could feel her sister’s eyes boring into her. ‘Course,’ she agreed.
‘Well, only if I’m not in the way,’ said Susanna.
Abby gritted her teeth and held the boat steady as Susanna got in and went to sit on the bench next to Ellie. Abby stepped into the boat herself, then pushed them away from the rocks with an oar before starting to row out to sea.
‘It’s utterly glorious,’ breathed Susanna, transfixed by the early morning sun on the water.
For a moment Abby forgot her bad mood. Itwasglorious. A gentle breeze stroked their skin and filled their mouths and lungs with a holiday saltiness. The sea glistened, the odd lively wave slapping against the boat and splashing their arms and legs. The sun would dry off the water almost instantly. It was as if nature itself wanted to play with them. Abby continued to row, the water from the blades dripping and catching in the light with each stroke.
‘Can we swim?’ asked Ellie, entranced.
‘Course. I’ll stay here, though, with the boat.’ Abby waited while her sister took off her shorts and top, revealing the same yellow bikini she’d had on the day before.
‘Geronimo!’ shouted Ellie as she leaped into the sea. Abby held on to the oars as the boat settled and smiled as her sister’s head popped up from under the water, her hair slicked back.
‘It’s actually warm!’ exclaimed Ellie, and she started to swim out in long leisurely breast strokes.
‘Are you going in, Mum?’ asked Abby.
‘Oh no, not for me.’ Susanna settled herself onto the bench.
Abby suddenly felt the presence of her mother, just inches from herself, disproportionately irritating. Ever since Susanna had arrived in Elba, she was always there, everywhere Abby turned, and she was finding it suffocating.
Susanna caught the expression on Abby’s face. ‘Sorry if I barged in on something.’
‘You didn’t,’ lied Abby.
Her mother smiled gently. ‘Really? Only it doesn’t look that way. You should have said; I’d have stayed on the shore. Sat on the rocks and watched you both.’
Abby felt her ire rising. ‘That’s not what you wanted at all so don’t try and pretend it was. You were determined to come on this boat trip.’
‘Is that why you planned it early? So I’d miss it?’
Abby’s stomach twisted in shame. She couldn’t bring herself to deny it so she gazed out at Ellie, who had turned back and was swimming towards them again.
‘You don’t want me alone with Ellie. What do you think I’m going to do, Mum?’ Abby had a dangerous, goading note to her voice.
