by Lacey London
I giggle at his appalled expression and pull the sheets up to my chin. ‘Don’t worry! I’ll clear it all away.’
Reaching up, I pull him down onto the bed and wrap my arms around his waist. His dark curls flop into his face as I nuzzle my nose into his warm neck. Resisting the urge to fall back into a delicious sleep, I force my eyes open and clear my throat.
‘So, less than twenty-four hours to go!’ I say happily, my eyes glinting with anticipation. ‘Are you excited yet?’
Oliver shakes his head dismissively, but I notice a slight smile in his eyes before he corrects it with a scowl. ‘To be completely honest, I’d rather stay behind with Noah. It sure doesn’t take five of us to represent the company.’
‘Oh, don’t be such a spoilsport.’ Resting my chin on his chest, I look up at him and grin widely. ‘Just think of the sunshine…’
‘The sun shines fine here.’ He retorts quickly, not missing a beat.
‘In London?’ I reply with a scoff. ‘We haven’t seen the sun for months!’
Choosing to ignore me, Oliver closes his eyes.
‘The beaches in Mykonos are said to be incredible…’ I whisper, trying to win him over with his love of the beach.
‘We have beaches here, too.’ Defiantly sticking out his chin, Oliver strokes Pumpkin’s head as she curls up next to him. ‘We don’t need to jump on a plane to go to the damn beach.’
Biting my lip, I rack my brains for something he can’t argue with. ‘You will get to see your mum. That’s pretty exciting.’
‘I guess…’ Reluctantly nodding, he rhythmically runs his fingers along my spine. ‘I’m starting to forget what she looks like.’
There’s a short silence, which I worry Oliver will fill with a rant about Stelios and I try to move the conversation along.
‘Plus, we have five whole days on a beautiful Greek island to enjoy.’ Inhaling deeply, I drag my bare legs over the sheets and sigh. ‘How long has it been since we had a holiday?’
Drumming his fingers on my back, Oliver looks up at the ceiling. ‘We went to Chester when my dad and Courtney visited a few months back.’
‘City breaks don’t count! When did we last have a proper holiday?’ I ask, rolling onto my back. ‘When did you last feel hot sun on your skin? When did you last feel sand between your toes, or swim in an ocean that’s as deep as forever?’
Oliver appears deep in thought and pulls me towards him as I speak.
‘It’s been years since we last left the country.’ I persist, casting my mind back to our visit to Florida. ‘Travel is good for the soul. Leaving yourself behind and forgetting your responsibilities, even just for a short while, brings you back to life.’
Planting a kiss on my forehead, Oliver squeezes me tightly and laughs. ‘You make it sound so romantic.’
‘It is romantic!’ I cry, glad that he’s finally showing a tiny bit of enthusiasm. ‘Sun, sea and sand await…’
A loud bang from the living room snaps us out of our bubble and Oliver takes it as his cue to leave. ‘Until then, you have a dog that needs feeding, a child who needs bathing and a husband who wants the bedroom clearing of your sh… belongings.’
Giving him a salute as he tosses me a dressing gown and disappears into the living room, I enjoy the tingle of adrenaline in my stomach. That magical holiday feeling is slowly taking over my ability to function like I usually do and as such, my daily tasks are requiring extra effort.
Allowing myself a final stretch before jumping to my feet, I slip on the dressing gown and jump over a pile of discarded bikinis on the carpet.
‘Alright!’ I say brightly, following in Oliver’s footsteps and striding into the living room. ‘What would everyone like for dinner?’
‘Pizza!’ Noah yells, looking up from his football sticker book and grinning. ‘The answer is always pizza!’
Knowing that once he goes to my mother’s tomorrow he will be force-fed her homemade health-driven meals until we collect him after our trip, I peek at Oliver and smile when he nods in agreement.
‘Pizza it is.’ I flash Noah the thumbs-up sign as Oliver grabs his car keys.
‘I’ll go get it.’ Oliver sighs, ushering Pumpkin onto the balcony. ‘By the time I get back, I want that damn bedroom clean!’ With a friendly wink, he tugs on his jacket and walks out of the apartment, leaving Noah and I alone on the couch.
‘When I don’t tidy my room, I have to give up one of my toys for a day.’ Noah says, smiling mischievously. ‘Are you going to have one of your toys confiscated?’
Tickling him under the chin, I take a sticker of a Manchester United player and place it in the corresponding space. ‘Are you looking forward to going to Grandma’s tomorrow?’
Nodding enthusiastically, Noah brushes his curly hair out of his face. ‘Grandad is taking me to watch football and Grandma is taking me fossil hunting.’
‘Fossil hunting?’ I repeat, pointing to another sticker as he scours the page for the correct space.
‘We’re going to climb the mountain and crack open the rocks to find dinosaurs.’ He says seriously, keeping his eyes fixed on the sticker book as he speaks.
‘Wow!’ Knowing that fossil hunting is probably the least weird and wonderful activity my wacky mother will have planned for him, I breeze straight past it. ‘Are you going to miss us while we’re away?’
Considering my question for a moment, Noah shakes his head firmly. ‘No.’
‘No?’ I gasp in mock horror. ‘Why?’
‘It’s only five days.’ He replies, reaching up and kissing my cheek. ‘Don’t be sad.’
‘I’m not sad.’ Resting my chin on his head, I shuffle closer to him. ‘I’m just going to miss you a little bit, that’s all.’
‘You’re going on holiday with Dad and I’m going on holiday with Pumpkin.’ He looks up at me and blinks his big eyes repeatedly. ‘We’re all going to have fun.’
Smiling down at him, I wonder when my baby boy became so grown up. ‘You’re such a clever boy, Noah.’
‘Of course, I am.’ He replies confidently. ‘I’m six.’
Giggling at his response, I hug him closely as Pumpkin tears back into the apartment and dives onto the sofa next to us.
‘Are you looking forward to going to Grandma’s house?’ I whisper to Pumpkin, who has rested her fluffy snout on my lap. A happy wag of her tail confirms to me that she is. ‘Maybe you will be lucky enough to go fossil hunting, too.’
‘Pumpkin has to come.’ With a serious expression on his face, Noah pats Pumpkin’s head. ‘She has to protect us from the dinosaurs.’
‘Did you hear that, Pumpkin? You’ve got an important job to do.’ Sliding off the couch, I wander over to the computer desk and sit down in the leather office chair. ‘Perhaps you will need a security guard uniform…’
‘Grandma’s already got her one.’ Noah says proudly. ‘It has a badge on the front and a real torch.’
Not doubting him for a second, I decide not to question it. Noah could tell me my mum is teaching Pumpkin how to read tarot cards and I’d still believe him.
Leaving him to his football stickers, I wiggle the mouse to bring the computer monitor to life and spin around in the chair. Almost immediately, our plane tickets flash up on the screen and I feel my lips stretch into a smile. Quickly running my eyes over the details, I click print and sit back as the printer springs into action. The steady sound of the machine is quietly mesmerising as I watch the tickets magically appear on the paper in front of me.
It’s hard to believe this time tomorrow we shall be in Greece and it’s even harder to believe we’re going to be child-free. This shall be my first visit to Mykonos and to be discovering the island from Stelios’s lavish mansion is just the icing on the cake. For weeks I’ve been fawning over images of whitewashed buildings and iconic blue doors online, just wishing to dive into the screen and lose myself in the beautiful pictures.
Tearing myself away from the computer, I walk into the bathroom and set the
taps running on the bathtub. Hot water splashes into the bath, causing a babbling pool to form in the bottom of the tub. Scouring the cabinet, I select one of my favourite bath bombs and drop it into the water. The pretty sphere melts into the bubbles, creating a beautiful rainbow of colour as the tub rapidly fills with frothy suds.
Leaning against the sink, I listen to the sound of running water and check out my reflection in the mirror. My blue peepers are carrying some rather large bags and my pale skin is crying out for a hefty dose of sunshine. These days, I don’t really pay much attention to my appearance. Unless Oliver and I are going on a rare date or meeting friends for a quick cocktail, I only look in the mirror to apply a quick slick of mascara and a dab of lipstick. Finding the time every morning to paint my face on is near impossible. Cooking breakfast, walking Pumpkin and responding to emails take priority over contouring my tired face into oblivion. I’m starting to realise being a mother, a wife, a company director and a dog owner does that to you.
Reminding myself I shall soon be on a plane out of here, I smile cheerily and pop my head back into the living room.
‘Noah, it’s time for your bath.’
‘Can’t I have my bath after dinner?’ He asks, already knowing the answer is going to be no. ‘I want my pizza first.’
Pretending to chew over his request for a few seconds, I inhale sharply before speaking. ‘I’m afraid not. Bath, pizza and then early to bed.’
‘But it’s the school holidays!’ Putting down his sticker book, he slides off the couch and groans. ‘Why do I have to go to bed early tonight?’
‘Because Grandma will be here to pick you up very early tomorrow and I want you to have a good night’s sleep.’ Ushering him into the bathroom, I check the water temperature before turning off the taps. ‘The sooner you get in there, the sooner you will be eating pizza.’
With a final smile, I fold a towel and leave it next to the tub before slipping out of the bathroom.
‘I’m going to finish my packing.’ I yell over my shoulder, as Pumpkin follows me across the living room. ‘If you need me, just shout.’
‘Mum…’ Noah’s voice travels after me as I pluck a pile of fresh laundry from the armchair.
Trying to juggle the stack of clothes, I walk back to the bathroom and push open the door. ‘Yes?’
‘Don’t forget to pack a sun hat.’ Placing a blob of bubbles onto his nose, he blows them into the air and laughs as they fall around him like snow. ‘You don’t want to get sunstroke.’
I smile back at him, wondering where he gets his random snippets of wisdom. ‘When did you become so smart?’
‘When I started school.’ He replies, squirting shampoo into his hands and lathering up. ‘School makes everyone smart.’
Proudly watching him wash his hair, I silently remark at how much Noah has grown up over the past twelve months. I must admit we did have some teething problems with his behaviour before he started school, but since his sixth birthday we really seem to have turned a corner. He’s finally settled into his own personality and becoming a fine young man in the process. His manners are impeccable, he always wears a smile and he looks more like Oliver than Oliver himself.
‘Pizza will be here soon.’ Noah warns, shaking the excess water out of his hair. ‘You better hurry if you want to finish your packing before Dad gets home.’
Playfully splashing water at me, he giggles as I hide for cover behind the laundry.
‘You’re the boss, Noah. You’re the boss…’
Chapter 3
‘And here are his pyjamas and an extra coat…’ Hurriedly handing over yet more bags to my mother, I give her a strained smile and nervously squeeze my hands into tight fists. ‘Oh, and you should take his scarf, because you never know with the weather here, do you?’
‘Clara, just relax!’ My mum laughs and shakes her head gently. ‘It’s the height of summer!’
Not feeling reassured, I read over my checklist for what feels like the hundredth time in search of anything I might have missed.
‘Do you have a lead for Pumpkin?’ I ask, heading into the kitchen to retrieve one.
‘Yes.’ She replies quickly, whistling for Pumpkin to join her and Noah by the door. ‘We’ve also bought her a harness and some new bowls. Pink, to match her collar.’
Smiling thinly, I try to ignore the growing nausea in my stomach. ‘What about Noah’s toothbrush? I don’t recall packing one…’
‘I saw you put it in here earlier.’ Tapping one of the bags, she purses her lips and exhales loudly. ‘You’re becoming hysterical, Clara. I can always pick up anything you have missed. You’re only going for five days.’
Not taking my eyes off my checklist, I tap my foot impatiently and frown.
‘Well, I think that’s everything.’ She says confidently, ruffling Noah’s hair as she picks up the collection of bags at her feet. ‘Are you ready to go, Noah?’
‘Do you have to go right now?’ I stammer, before he can reply. ‘Why don’t we have a coffee first? Or a quick bite to eat?’
‘Noah, give your mom a hug.’ Oliver instructs, dragging our suitcases into the living room and placing them next to the couch. ‘I think she needs one.’
I feel my cheeks flush as Noah tugs on his backpack and wraps his arms around my waist.
‘Don’t worry, Mummy.’ He says softly. ‘Pumpkin and I are going to be just fine.’
‘Make sure you’re a good boy for Grandma and Grandad, okay?’ Holding him closely, I kiss his chubby cheeks and force myself to smile. ‘I’ll bring you back a lovely present.’
Noah’s eyes light up at the mention of a gift and he claps his hands together. ‘Can I have a unicorn? Oh, please can I have a unicorn?’
‘Erm…’ I laugh lightly and look up at Oliver. ‘I’m not sure there are any unicorns in Greece, Noah.’
‘Or a seahorse?’ He asks excitedly, a huge grin on his face as he jumps up and down on the spot. ‘If you can’t find a unicorn, may I have a seahorse?’
‘I’ll… I’ll try my best.’ Giving him a final cuddle, I usher him towards my mum as she pushes open the door. ‘Go on. Grandad will be waiting for you.’
‘Have a good time, buddy.’ Oliver says, giving Noah a high-five as he takes Pumpkin by the lead. ‘Enjoy the fossil hunting and make sure you cheer on the reds at the football…’
As Oliver says his goodbyes to Noah, my mum holds out her arms for a hug.
‘Have a great trip!’ She whispers into my ear. ‘Don’t worry about Noah and Pumpkin. They’ll be having more fun than you guys.’
Nodding in response, I smile as Pumpkin licks my hand and stares intently at her lead, itching to get going.
‘Alright!’ My mother trills, leading the way out into the lobby. ‘Let’s go!’
‘Bye!’ Waving manically as they disappear into the lift, I feel a lump form in my throat and try to shake it off.
‘Am I pathetic for not wanting to leave him for a few days?’ I ask Oliver, my voice starting to crack with emotion.
‘I don’t know.’ He replies with a sigh, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. ‘We’ve never left him before, so I’m not sure how we’re supposed to feel. Why don’t you phone Gina and ask…’
‘Whoop! Whoop!’ A familiar voice yells, causing Oliver and I to exchange confused glances. ‘Let’s get this party started!’
Stepping into view, Gina leaves Marc to carry their cases down the staircase and dances along the lobby. ‘We’re free! We’re free of kids for five whole days! Quick! Somebody pinch me!’
Oliver laughs and kisses my forehead. ‘I think that answers your question, Clara.’
‘I think it does…’ I reply, suddenly feeling less guilty for leaving Noah behind.
Wearing a tiny orange playsuit with a pair of matching neon sandals and a huge straw hat, Gina comes to a stop in front of us and jangles her impressive collection of bracelets.
‘Crack open the bubbles!’ She sings, spinning around on the spot. ‘This
holiday starts right now!’
Pushing her way into the apartment, Gina makes a beeline for the fridge and plucks a bottle of fizz from the rack.
‘The cab will be here in thirty minutes!’ I giggle, hopping onto a stool as Gina grabs a selection of glasses from the cabinet.
‘Exactly!’ She replies, cheering as the cork pops with a bang. ‘We have loads of time!’
Not being convinced, I watch Oliver help a flustered Marc into the apartment with the cases.
‘What the hell do you have in there?’ Oliver asks, kicking a case with his foot and steadying himself on the doorframe. ‘Madison?’
‘I think the kids are the only things Gina didn’t pack.’ Panting for breath, Marc groans and pauses to regain his composure. ‘I’m going to go back for the others…’
‘There’s more?’ I exclaim, looking at the huge leopard print suitcases in shock.
‘One simply cannot be expected to manage five whole days with just two suitcases, darling.’ Gina teases, as she fills four glasses with pink bubbles.
‘Of course not, darling.’ Tapping my glass against hers, I take a sip and swoon at the taste. ‘Why isn’t Marc using the lift?’
‘He’s trying to get some last-minute cardio in.’ She explains, rolling her eyes and checking out her reflection in the bottle. ‘I’ve been teasing him about his dad bod.’
Hiding my smile behind my glass, I look up as Oliver joins us at the kitchen island.
‘So, how does it feel to be child-free, Gina?’ He asks, brushing back his hair and resting his elbows on the counter.
‘A-ma-zing!’ She immediately replies, beaming brightly. ‘It feels absolutely bloody fantastic!’
‘Aren’t you going to miss them at all?’ I ask, taking another sip of sparkling wine. ‘Not even a little bit?’
‘Miss them?’ She cackles, adjusting her tanned cleavage. ‘You’ve got to be kidding me! Those three gremlins are going to be causing havoc while we’re away.’ Pausing to refill her glass, Gina shakes her black bob. ‘Anyway, it’s about time Marc’s parents stepped up to the plate. They’re always dodging grandparent duties.’