happy about you travelling so far and being away for such a long time. Don’t you have to have regular check-ups?’ I say, feeling panicky … and, if I’m being totally honest, perhaps a teeny-weeny bit jealous. I’d love to take off on a road trip to wander around vineyards and suck on hookah pipes. Maybe after the regatta!
‘Dr Sanghera was very enthusiastic, wasn’t he, Nancy?’
‘Ooh, yes dear – said the sun, sea air and sense of adventure will do us both the world of good. Which reminds me, we must get some of that spray-on sun cream. I’ll put it on our list. Have you seen it, Georgie? It’s very good.’ I nod politely, but the panic increases. What if something happens? ‘It saves on all that rubbing in and messy hands palaver. Just one spray and away you go.’ Nancy makes big eyes and waves a flamboyant hand in the air.
‘But what if you need medical assistance?’ I turn back to Dad, keen to check that he’s at least considered the risks.
‘Darling, we have it all covered – we got a superb insurance policy through the bank, and they do have doctors in other countries, you know. Besides, it’s not as if we’re going to the Gobi desert!’ Thank God.
‘And what about Dusty? Have you thought about her?’ Ha! I bet they haven’t. And on hearing her name, Dusty bombs over to me for a quick cuddle. I duly oblige by running my hand over her head. She thanks me by resting her chin on my knee and wagging her tail.
‘Of course we have! And it really wouldn’t be fair to keep her cooped up inside Daisy for such a length of time and then subject her to all that heat, so she’s staying with Len and Beryl next door. Len likes a good stroll around the park of a morning, so Dusty will get her walks, and she often pops into theirs in the afternoon for a snooze on the sofa, so she’ll be right at home with them,’ Dad says in a very cheery voice. ‘Nancy, can you add that to our list please, love? We mustn’t forget to stock up on those treats Dusty loves.’
‘Right you are, George, and we’d better get a dozen boxes and leave some money too so they can replenish when stocks run out.’ Nancy reaches across to the coffee table for her notepad with the fridge magnet on the back. ‘And I’ll get some packs of cooked chicken for Beryl’s freezer. We can’t expect her to cook from scratch every day for Dusty, like I do.’ Hmmm, so they have it all worked out then, it seems.
Dad turns to me. ‘Georgie, we’ll be fine sweetheart. Please try not to worry, we’ll keep in touch.’ He leans across the sofa to pat my arm.
‘But this means you won’t be here for my birthday,’ I say, feeling a bit dejected, especially after all the birthdays he missed in the past; but then I quickly realise that I’m a grown woman, and not the child I was when he went to prison. Besides, I have Tom now, too, and my birthday surprise to look forward to – very exciting! I wonder what it is …
‘Well, you could always come and join us for a weekend if you don’t mind mucking in, and there’s plenty of room inside Daisy, plus the weather on the Med is glorious this time of year,’ Dad says jovially, and I shrivel a little inside. I can’t imagine Tom has ever shacked up in a clapped-out old camper van covered in yellow daisies. ‘It would be so much fun, especially now we have the awning. You know, it clips onto the side of the van just like a huge tent. And we can always take extra air beds and sleeping bags for the pair of you, save you having to lug them all the way over.’ Oh God. I know he’s trying to be kind, but … And I can just picture Isabella’s face on hearing about our camping trip.
It’s Tom who jumps in. ‘Mr—’ he manages, before Dad interrupts.
‘Tom, how many times have I said … it’s George to you, son, no need for such formality.’ Dad smiles warmly and a pang of guilt hits me. He means well. I’m being mean – it could be fun, sleeping in a field or in a layby
‘Dr Sanghera was very enthusiastic, wasn’t he, Nancy?’
‘Ooh, yes dear – said the sun, sea air and sense of adventure will do us both the world of good. Which reminds me, we must get some of that spray-on sun cream. I’ll put it on our list. Have you seen it, Georgie? It’s very good.’ I nod politely, but the panic increases. What if something happens? ‘It saves on all that rubbing in and messy hands palaver. Just one spray and away you go.’ Nancy makes big eyes and waves a flamboyant hand in the air.
‘But what if you need medical assistance?’ I turn back to Dad, keen to check that he’s at least considered the risks.
‘Darling, we have it all covered – we got a superb insurance policy through the bank, and they do have doctors in other countries, you know. Besides, it’s not as if we’re going to the Gobi desert!’ Thank God.
‘And what about Dusty? Have you thought about her?’ Ha! I bet they haven’t. And on hearing her name, Dusty bombs over to me for a quick cuddle. I duly oblige by running my hand over her head. She thanks me by resting her chin on my knee and wagging her tail.
‘Of course we have! And it really wouldn’t be fair to keep her cooped up inside Daisy for such a length of time and then subject her to all that heat, so she’s staying with Len and Beryl next door. Len likes a good stroll around the park of a morning, so Dusty will get her walks, and she often pops into theirs in the afternoon for a snooze on the sofa, so she’ll be right at home with them,’ Dad says in a very cheery voice. ‘Nancy, can you add that to our list please, love? We mustn’t forget to stock up on those treats Dusty loves.’
‘Right you are, George, and we’d better get a dozen boxes and leave some money too so they can replenish when stocks run out.’ Nancy reaches across to the coffee table for her notepad with the fridge magnet on the back. ‘And I’ll get some packs of cooked chicken for Beryl’s freezer. We can’t expect her to cook from scratch every day for Dusty, like I do.’ Hmmm, so they have it all worked out then, it seems.
Dad turns to me. ‘Georgie, we’ll be fine sweetheart. Please try not to worry, we’ll keep in touch.’ He leans across the sofa to pat my arm.
‘But this means you won’t be here for my birthday,’ I say, feeling a bit dejected, especially after all the birthdays he missed in the past; but then I quickly realise that I’m a grown woman, and not the child I was when he went to prison. Besides, I have Tom now, too, and my birthday surprise to look forward to – very exciting! I wonder what it is …
‘Well, you could always come and join us for a weekend if you don’t mind mucking in, and there’s plenty of room inside Daisy, plus the weather on the Med is glorious this time of year,’ Dad says jovially, and I shrivel a little inside. I can’t imagine Tom has ever shacked up in a clapped-out old camper van covered in yellow daisies. ‘It would be so much fun, especially now we have the awning. You know, it clips onto the side of the van just like a huge tent. And we can always take extra air beds and sleeping bags for the pair of you, save you having to lug them all the way over.’ Oh God. I know he’s trying to be kind, but … And I can just picture Isabella’s face on hearing about our camping trip.
It’s Tom who jumps in. ‘Mr—’ he manages, before Dad interrupts.
‘Tom, how many times have I said … it’s George to you, son, no need for such formality.’ Dad smiles warmly and a pang of guilt hits me. He means well. I’m being mean – it could be fun, sleeping in a field or in a layby
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