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Authors: Katy Colins
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suddenly sprouted green fingers.’
Trisha shook her head. ‘Not me, I can barely keep cacti alive. I have been reading a lot more and catching up with friends now that I have more time on my hands.’ The way she said this was as if it was more a chore than a freedom. ‘I’m sure I’ll find my feet soon.’
She smiled brightly and began flicking through one of our brochures when a thought suddenly came to me.
‘Trisha, what are you doing on the twenty-seventh?’
She looked up. ‘Nothing. Why?’
‘How about coming out of retirement for a while?’
CHAPTER 7
Nescience (n.) Lack of knowledge; ignorance
‘So, did you say a fond farewell to lover boy?’ Shelley pretended to smooch a cushion as she watched me repack my backpack in my small lounge.
‘Hmm, more of a see-you-in-a-few-weeks-oh-colleague,’ I replied, thinking how tense the past two weeks of work had been. I’d purposely tried to avoid any conversations about India, knowing I’d overstepped some invisible line between us. ‘I don’t get it. OK so yeah, I did spring this whole travelling to India idea on him, thanks to you.’ I shot Shelley a look. ‘But
he
was the one who said he thought I should go. That it was for the best
we
had a break from each other.’ My stomach skipped remembering the look in his eyes as he’d told me that, disappointment etched on his tired features.
‘Well, he’s probably feeling slightly jealous.’ Shelley shrugged.
I looked up at her. ‘What do you mean?’
‘He loves to travel; you knew that from the moment you met him.’ I thought back to the collection of postcards sent from exotic destinations all around the world when I first stepped foot in Trisha’s travel agency. I’d nosily read these postcards written by a guy called Stevie, Trisha’s godson, without knowing Stevie was Ben Stevens. ‘He’s probably just sulking that he can’t go to India with you,’ she offered.
‘Maybe,’ I said slowly. It was true he probably did feel like his wings had been clipped since taking on the business. There were times when I’d spot him looking through our brochures and gazing at pictures of idyllic beaches and remote jungles, but whenever I asked him about it he would snap his head up, plaster on a smile and tell me he didn’t regret a thing about starting the business. I just wished that he’d added ‘with you’ on the end of that sentence.
‘Right, I reckon we finish up here and head to the pub,’ Shelley said jumping to her feet.
‘I dunno, I’ve still not checked I’ve got everything I need.’ I nodded at my half-filled bag.
‘Pfft, we’re going for two weeks. All you need is a couple of pairs of knickers, a toothbrush and your passport.’ Our passports had been returned just this morning, complete with Indian tourist visas; I could have cried with happiness when Kelli signed for them. ‘Come on, Miss Spontaneous, let’s go and have a drink – get us in the mood for tomorrow’s journey!’
Walking into the dim light of my local pub, hearing the jingly tones of the fruit machine and breathing in stale cigarette air masked by bleach, I remembered why I hardly ever came here. But it was cheap, close to home and the locals were friendly enough. With Shelley putting our order in at the bar, I sat down on one of the grubby seats and got my phone out. Trisha had been thrilled to be back working in the shop whilst I was away, and Ben had seemed pretty happy too. It solved the problem of finding a temp and meant I knew everything would be looked after in Trisha’s very capable hands. I know I was only going to be away for two weeks, but a lot could change in that time. I was just scrolling through my emails, making sure I’d forwarded everything I needed over to the pair of them, when someone called my name.
‘Georgia?’ I looked up to see Mike, Marie’s boyfriend, grinning down at me.
‘Oh hi! How are you?’ I said, smiling at his paint-splattered overalls. ‘You just
Trisha shook her head. ‘Not me, I can barely keep cacti alive. I have been reading a lot more and catching up with friends now that I have more time on my hands.’ The way she said this was as if it was more a chore than a freedom. ‘I’m sure I’ll find my feet soon.’
She smiled brightly and began flicking through one of our brochures when a thought suddenly came to me.
‘Trisha, what are you doing on the twenty-seventh?’
She looked up. ‘Nothing. Why?’
‘How about coming out of retirement for a while?’
CHAPTER 7
Nescience (n.) Lack of knowledge; ignorance
‘So, did you say a fond farewell to lover boy?’ Shelley pretended to smooch a cushion as she watched me repack my backpack in my small lounge.
‘Hmm, more of a see-you-in-a-few-weeks-oh-colleague,’ I replied, thinking how tense the past two weeks of work had been. I’d purposely tried to avoid any conversations about India, knowing I’d overstepped some invisible line between us. ‘I don’t get it. OK so yeah, I did spring this whole travelling to India idea on him, thanks to you.’ I shot Shelley a look. ‘But
he
was the one who said he thought I should go. That it was for the best
we
had a break from each other.’ My stomach skipped remembering the look in his eyes as he’d told me that, disappointment etched on his tired features.
‘Well, he’s probably feeling slightly jealous.’ Shelley shrugged.
I looked up at her. ‘What do you mean?’
‘He loves to travel; you knew that from the moment you met him.’ I thought back to the collection of postcards sent from exotic destinations all around the world when I first stepped foot in Trisha’s travel agency. I’d nosily read these postcards written by a guy called Stevie, Trisha’s godson, without knowing Stevie was Ben Stevens. ‘He’s probably just sulking that he can’t go to India with you,’ she offered.
‘Maybe,’ I said slowly. It was true he probably did feel like his wings had been clipped since taking on the business. There were times when I’d spot him looking through our brochures and gazing at pictures of idyllic beaches and remote jungles, but whenever I asked him about it he would snap his head up, plaster on a smile and tell me he didn’t regret a thing about starting the business. I just wished that he’d added ‘with you’ on the end of that sentence.
‘Right, I reckon we finish up here and head to the pub,’ Shelley said jumping to her feet.
‘I dunno, I’ve still not checked I’ve got everything I need.’ I nodded at my half-filled bag.
‘Pfft, we’re going for two weeks. All you need is a couple of pairs of knickers, a toothbrush and your passport.’ Our passports had been returned just this morning, complete with Indian tourist visas; I could have cried with happiness when Kelli signed for them. ‘Come on, Miss Spontaneous, let’s go and have a drink – get us in the mood for tomorrow’s journey!’
Walking into the dim light of my local pub, hearing the jingly tones of the fruit machine and breathing in stale cigarette air masked by bleach, I remembered why I hardly ever came here. But it was cheap, close to home and the locals were friendly enough. With Shelley putting our order in at the bar, I sat down on one of the grubby seats and got my phone out. Trisha had been thrilled to be back working in the shop whilst I was away, and Ben had seemed pretty happy too. It solved the problem of finding a temp and meant I knew everything would be looked after in Trisha’s very capable hands. I know I was only going to be away for two weeks, but a lot could change in that time. I was just scrolling through my emails, making sure I’d forwarded everything I needed over to the pair of them, when someone called my name.
‘Georgia?’ I looked up to see Mike, Marie’s boyfriend, grinning down at me.
‘Oh hi! How are you?’ I said, smiling at his paint-splattered overalls. ‘You just
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