SUNLOUNGER 2: Beach Read Bliss (Sunlounger Stories)

by Belinda Jones

  *

  Sue lay on her bed in the cabin for hours, her JoJo Moyes novel lying unread across her chest. She had the peace and quiet she had been craving, but now it felt unsettling. She finally dropped off about 1am, only to be woken by Nev two hours later.

  ‘Love?’

  Through the gloom she could see him standing there, swaying slightly. He put a tentative hand on her bed. ‘Susie?’

  He must be drunk, she thought. He hadn’t called her that for years.

  ‘Are you awake?’ he said in another stage whisper.

  I am now, she thought. In another life she would have probably found it funny, the middle-aged dad of two crashing round their bedroom in the dark like a teenager, but all Sue felt was sadness and a deep sense of fear. They had grown so far apart. Nev had become unfathomable to her. It was too far to ever get back.

  She shut her eyes and held her breath. Nev stood there for a long moment. ‘OK, love,’ he said.

  Moments later she heard him climb onto the bunk below. He let out a deep sigh and then there was silence.

  Next morning eventually came round. From the tiny shards of sunlight that had managed to force their way through the narrow slats in their blind, it was another beautiful day outside. Sue lay facing the wall and listened to her husband get up.

  ‘Breakfast?’ he asked. There was no Susie this time, or even love.

  ‘You go, I’ll be up in a while.’ There was another long silence. Sue could almost hear him shaking his head. Then he was gone, leaving her alone in her self-imposed prison again.

  Forty minutes later she emerged into the sunlight and the searing Technicolour of the sky and sea. It was almost overwhelmingly vibrant, unlike Sue who felt like she’d aged a hundred years overnight.

  Some of the party-goers were already up on deck, looking lively and fresh-faced as if they’d had eight hours sleep. By comparison Nev was sitting at one of the tables hunched over an orange juice. He looks how I feel, Sue thought wryly. She tried to catch his eye, but he quickly looked away.

  Someone whooped above her. Sue looked up and saw Dylan standing high up on the roof of the boat.

  ‘You’re crazy!’ Kylie shouted.

  ‘Gotta shift this hangover somehow!’ Dylan caught eyes with Sue.

  ‘Sue? You fancy it?’

  He winked at the others as he said it. Having a good-natured joke at Sue’s expense.

  Sue opened her mouth to demur, but at that moment she had the strangest sensation. It was like someone clapped their hands together inside her head and a voice said: ‘Sue! Pay attention! This is your life.’

  Everyone is expecting me to say no, she thought. I’m expecting me to say no. I always say no to everything.

  The others had already turned their attention back to Dylan. Sue was forgotten, back on the sidelines where boring, sensible people like her always sat. She was fed up with being sensible. If she didn’t do something about it, her life would never change.

  ‘Go on then,’ she said.

  Dylan glanced down. ‘Say again?’

  ‘I’m up for it!’ Sue said, louder this time.

  Dylan quickly recovered from his surprise. ‘Alright Sue! Come on then!’

  Someone else cheered. ‘Go Sue!’

  Across the deck Nev had stood up. ‘Love, I’m not sure that’s a good idea…’

  ‘Oh, don’t be such a killjoy!’ she smiled, enjoying the shock on her husband’s face. In front of everyone, she started to strip down to her swimming costume, at last not caring what people thought.

  ‘OK Dylan, I’m coming up!’

  What am I doing? she thought thirty seconds later, as she clung on the flimsy ladder, well aware her bottom was on show to the entire boat. Sue had a thing about her bum, even though Nev had always told her he loved it. Dear Nev, she thought with an unexpected rush of fondness. How have you put up with me?

  ‘You alright, Sue?’

  ‘Yes! Nearly there,’ she panted. The next minute a warm hand had enclosed round hers and was pulling her up. ‘Got you,’ Dylan grinned. ‘You OK?’

  ‘Fine,’ she said, suddenly horribly self-conscious to be standing up there next to this bronzed Adonis. Oh God, it was really high…

  ‘Don’t look down.’ Dylan waved his arm around. ‘Pretty awesome, hey?’

  The view was breathtaking. They could see for miles, as if they were standing on the top of a mountain range. Sue gazed across the empty expanse of blue. It was like she was standing on the edge of the world.

  Dylan had a huge grin. ‘I keep telling the others they’re missing out.’

  A grey bird swooped past and disappeared off into the distance. Sue suddenly felt a wonderful affinity with the bird, as if she could leap off and follow it. Up here, with the sun on her skin and the clean salty air in her lungs, she felt free.

  A chant started up below. ‘Jump! Jump! Jump!’

  Sue looked down at the deck. They all looked so small. She could see Nev’s concerned face. Her heart began to race.

  ‘You don’t have to do it,’ Dylan said kindly. ‘It’s a pretty major jump.’

  Sue gazed down into her destiny. ‘I’d better get on with it then.’ And before she could change her mind, she jumped off the edge.

  It felt like an interminably long way down. Sue screamed all the way and entered the cold water with a huge splash. There was a chorus of shouts and cheers. Nev and one of the others rushed to the side of the boat and pulled her out.

  ‘Sue! Are you OK, love?’

  ‘I’m bloody brilliant!’ she spluttered, not caring that her varicose veins were on show and her hair was plastered to her head. ‘I want to do it again!’

  Everyone else came rushing over. ‘Sue! That was amazing!’ Kylie said. ‘I didn’t think you had it in you.’

  She laughed. ‘Neither did I!’

  Someone pressed an ice-cold beer in her hand and then they all rushed back to the side to watch Dylan. Sue and Nev were left standing together. His mouth was still open.

  ‘I can’t believe you just did that!’

  Sue grinned. Forget all the money she’d wasted on expensive face creams and vitamins, she felt years younger. Lighter. Thinner even. ‘I’m not quite the boring old cow you thought I was.’

  There was a wry twinkle in her husband’s eyes. ‘Sue, I never said you were boring.’

  ‘Nev, I have been boring. And uptight and disapproving and everything else.’ She looked at her husband, really looked at him for the first time in how long – months, years? ‘I know I have these stupid high standards I expect everyone else to live up to. I’m sorry for being so horrible and short-tempered with you.’

  ‘I am perfectly capable of doing things,’ he said gently. ‘It’s just that you never let me.’ He wiped something from under Sue’s cheek, her mascara probably.

  ‘I know we have responsibilities,’ he carried on. ‘But we are still allowed to have fun as well. Life doesn’t have to stop when you get married and have kids.’

  There was a big splash in the water and more cheering. Nev glanced over. ‘I think you still win on style.’

  ‘I did a massive belly-flop, Nev!’

  ‘It was a beautiful belly-flop, Susie.’

  It was her turn to smile. ‘I like being your Susie. Do you think it’s too late to get her back again?’

  ‘It’s never too late,’ Nev said, and pulled her in for a kiss that would have had their kids screaming in disgust.

  ‘I can’t believe I’m saying this,’ she murmured. ‘I think this boat could actually turn out to be the best thing that could have happened to us.’

  There was a long pause. ‘Um, I’ve got something to tell you.’

  Sue pulled away to look at him. ‘What?’

  Nev took a deep breath. ‘It wasn’t an accident. I booked the Sapphire II on purpose.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ Sue couldn’t take it in. ‘Why on earth would you do that?’

  ‘I thought we needed to do something different
, take ourselves outside our comfort zone. I wanted to remind you how much fun we used to have together.’ He was looking really worried. ‘Are you really cross?’

  ‘The only person I’m cross at is me Nev.’ Sue gave him another smile. ‘This wake-up call has been a long time coming. ’

  The next time, they jumped off the boat together, holding hands. After all, they were a team. Afterwards Nev was as euphoric as Sue had been.

  ‘That was fan-bloody-tastic!’

  ‘I told you!’ Sue bobbed up and down in the water. ‘If the kids could see us now.’

  ‘They’d be very proud of their mum.’ He looked at her tenderly. ‘I love you, Susie.’

  ‘Oh Nev, I love you too.’

  He had a wicked glint. ‘Ibiza next year?’

  ‘Don’t push your luck!’ she laughed.

  With that, to loud cheers from the boat, they started snogging like a pair of teenagers.

  About the Author

  Jo Carnegie is the author of six published novels, including the popular Churchminster series, a riotous romp set in the Cotswolds. She is also a celebrity journalist, who counts the likes of Posh and Becks, Justin Timberlake and Daniel Radcliffe amongst her A-list interviewees. She lives in London and can be found on Twitter.

  Twitter: www.twitter.com/jocarnegie1

  Visit www.sunloungerstories.com to discover more about the Sunlounger stories and authors, pick up hot fashion and beauty tips and shop at the Travel Boutique.

  We have everything you need to make this your Best Summer Ever!

  Return to the contents list.

  How to Have Your Best Summer Ever!

  ***

  Lisa Dickenson

  DESTINATION: Australia

  How to Have Your Best Summer Ever!

  Blow your allowance on a rad holiday

  Take plenty of Polaroid’s for a fun, instant photo project

  Grab a mate who can drive and take a road-trip

  Be the coolest girl at the beach by perfecting this summer’s hair trends

  Learn to surf, keeping your tan topped and him interested

  Throw a beach bonfire bash and tell your crush you like him

  From Teen Girl magazine, July 1997

  When I opened my eyes, Leo DiCaprio was peeping at me from my handbag. He was all curtain-haired and broody-eyed; my teenage fantasy.

  ‘Morning,’ I whispered to him.

  ‘Morning,’ Katie replied from the other side of the room. It was ridiculous o’clock, and I rolled over to face my travel buddy, who was staring, wide-eyed, at the ceiling.

  ‘Have you been awake for long?’

  ‘Hours. At least it’s beginning to get light.’

  ‘Do you want a coffee?’

  She yawned a yes, heading to the balcony and throwing open the doors. I gawped.

  Directly in front of our Cairns hotel, the Kookaburra Kove, was the most stonking sunrise. The sky a blend of banana smoothie and blueberry yogurt, poured upon a sea that seemed calm and sleepy, yet was probably alive with the Great Barrier Reef’s school run.

  ‘Jen, look at that sun,’ Katie said. ‘Australian winter rocks.’

  My shoulders unhunched as we stepped out into the sunshine, which sank onto my skin like the cuddle from a warm koala. This was so different from England, so far away from Sam. I was relieved that my heart had decided that was a good thing.

  ‘I’ve never been this excited about swimming in the British sea,’ I said. Today we’d pre-booked a Barrier Reef catamaran cruise which included a taster scuba dive.

  ‘Me neither. I’m going to call Joe, tell him we’re here, I’m leaving him for the man on Kangaroo Dundee and that I won’t be coming home.’ She trotted inside to phone her fiancé.

  I brewed the coffee, then, pulling Teen Girl magazine from my handbag and giving Leo a lingering look, settled back on the balcony and flipped to the article that found him and me reuniting after all these years.

  ‘How to Have Your Best Summer Ever,’ I read the hot pink headline. ‘What do you think Leo, can we do this?’

  The magazine, its seventeen-year-old pages thin and fragile, was like a precious bible to me – only with advice on how to dress like Alicia Silverstone, and an article on twenty things I never knew about my boobs. I’d read that again at some point; I was interested to find out if any of them were still a mystery to me.

  Katie reappeared, looking over my shoulder. ‘How are you feeling?’

  ‘Jet-lagged, but excited.’

  ‘I mean about everything.’

  ‘Well… I’m not sure I could have had my “best summer ever” surrounded by everything that reminded me of summers with Sam.’ My voice wobbled and I took a deep breath, focusing on my yummy coffee. ‘I’m glad we have a plan, otherwise I’d just mope about in a daze and wonder what he was up to.’

  ‘Good. Well on that note, let’s start this rad holiday with the first snap of the photo project – us looking tired and rough. Or of this lovely sunrise. Your choice.’

  *

  The first thing I noticed as we stepped aboard the beautiful catamaran, which was as white as a Kardashian’s tooth, was how good-looking the staff were. It was as I was staring at my dream Leo DiCaprio-lookalike, circa 1997, that he caught my eye and wandered over.

  ‘Hey. How are ya?’ He took our names and introduced himself as Will, our dive instructor.

  We took our seats on deck and the catamaran, full of happy holiday-makers, bumped and whooshed its way over the water to the Reef patch we were due to explore. Sea sprayed over the sides, smattering our skin with salt crystals, and though I desperately wanted to admire the view, I couldn’t keep my eyes off Will.

  ‘Don’t you think he looks like Leo?’ I hissed to Katie.

  ‘A bit blonder. But yeah…’

  ‘I mean he’s just so—’

  ‘Shh.’

  ‘The ocean’s beautiful today, can’t wait to get you out there,’ Will said, striding over armed with equipment, to give us a safety talk as the catamaran glided to a standstill. ‘As this is your first dive, we all need to keep contact. So you guys’ll hold hands, then one of you will hold my hand.’

  ‘I’ll hold Jen’s hand,’ Katie shot-gunned, side-eyeing me.

  ‘Cool, so Jen – you’ll hold my hand, is that OK?’

  ‘THAT SOUNDS BRILLIANT.’ I looked down at my feet, the warm Coral Sea tickling my mint toenail polish. Bright sunlight bounced happily off topaz water and I inhaled deeply, then blew out all thoughts of Sam across the Pacific Ocean.

  ‘You nervous?’ asked Will.

  ‘I am,’ said Katie.

  ‘There’s nothing to be scared about. The fish are a friendly bunch. Ready?’

  A strong hand laced into mine, warm from the sun and toughened from working with water. Then Katie’s clammy, tiny hand gripped hold of my other.

  ‘Everybody sit on the edge,’ said Will, guiding us down while I tried to suck my stomach in and still look delicate. ‘After three, we’re going to slide off and the weights will help you sink down under the surface.’

  ‘Like how the Mafia kill people?’ gulped Katie.

  ‘Exactly like that, but those people aren’t given regulators and flippers.’

  ‘Then we win,’ I said, and Will nodded.

  ‘We win. Mouthpiece in.’ I stuck the salty plastic contraption in my mouth and stared at Will through my mask. I bet I looked really hot right now. ‘One…two…three…’

  We plunged into the water and turquoise and yellow was replaced with a deep, glowing blue. The blue that a mood ring would say meant you were in love. I felt both weighted-down and weightless, as I got used to the strange sensation of remembering to breathe underwater.

  Beneath my floating feet a swarm of Refresher-toned fish zoomed past. I shook the two hands that held me, pulling their attention as a couple more of the rainbow-bright fish skimmed over a layer of coral. They were the most beautiful colours in the world, like a nineties eye shadow palette.
<
br />   Will gently pulled our human chain down toward the fish, who carried on their merry way. We floated in this silent, subterranean world, soaking in the beautiful pastel coral, Nemo-style clown fish, rays and even reef sharks.

  Why oh why had I wasted so many summers being sensible?

  Eventually, Will signaled it was time to go up, and we broke the surface with a splutter.

  ‘DID YOU SEE…EVERYTHING?’ I cried, my lips stinging with salt, and the mask digging a pink stripe into my forehead.

  ‘It was amazing! Did you see that ray? It was SMILING!’

  ‘You liked those parrotfish, hey?’ Will asked me.

  ‘Where they the ones that looked like Fruit Loops?’

  He laughed and we drifted back to the catamaran, where all the groups of divers and snorkelers were climbing back on board. Will went to sign us back in while we dried off, and we met him again inside by the buffet table.

  ‘Here, you both deserve it,’ Will said, handing us large glasses of red wine.

  ‘Aren’t you having one?’ I asked, filling a plate with crackers and cubes of cheese.

  ‘I have to stick to juice until I’m off the clock, but you enjoy it for me. I can sit with you guys though, if you don’t mind? I’d love to hear more about England; my mum came from Cornwall.’

  ‘I feel a bit seasick,’ Katie said, taking a gulp of wine. ‘I might leave you guys to chat and go and have a lie-down on the top level.’

  ‘Oh no! I’ll come with you.’

  ‘No, you stay and chat, I’ll be fine.’

  ‘No way.’

  ‘Fine,’ Katie sighed. ‘Come on Will, Jen knows Cornwall really well; she can tell you all about it.’

  He led us up the steps to the top deck, then disappeared to find a pillow and blanket for Katie. She grabbed me by the arm. ‘I feel fine, you bozo, but that man is delicious, nice to animals, and his eyes are twinkling like hell for you. You will stop being such a good friend and ignore me, OK?’