‘I really am sorry, Lily,’ I tell her. ‘That’s shit.’
‘What about insurance?’ Sonya asks, evidently deciding that she can’t ignore the issue any longer.
‘I think you can only claim if someone is taken ill or dies,’ Lily tells her. ‘Two people not speaking to each other isn’t covered, surprisingly.’
The conversation is interrupted by Lily’s mobile ringing, so I continue into the kitchen, hanging up my coat and storing my still soggy umbrella next to the others in the bucket we keep for this purpose to stop them from making puddles on the floor. I’m thoughtful as I fill the kettle and flick the switch. Do I know any couples that could help Lily out? The obvious one is Priya and Martin, so I pull out my phone to call her. She’s always busy so my plan is to leave her a voicemail but, to my surprise, she picks up.
‘Not a chance,’ she tells me when I’ve explained the situation. ‘There’s no way I could get two weeks off at such short notice, and teachers aren’t allowed time off at all during termtime, so Martin hasn’t a hope either.’
‘OK. It was worth a try.’
‘Sorry. I’m trying to think if I know anyone who might be suitable, but I think everyone’s going to be in the same boat, especially as most people have already taken time off over Christmas, and they’re probably feeling poor as church mice as well.’
I sigh as the kettle boils and I pour water into three mugs. ‘You’re probably right. Poor Lily. She’s going to lose her deposit if they don’t find anyone.’
‘I think I’d be inclined to get Robert and Fliss into a room and not let them out until they’d either resolved it or one of them was dead.’
‘Bit extreme, Priya.’
‘But effective. If they resolve the issue, the holiday goes ahead. If one of them dies, then Lily can claim on the insurance and they get the money back.’
‘From what I’ve heard, it would most likely be the latter, but I think even getting them into a room would be unlikely. Isn’t there someone she could sue?’
‘I don’t think so, unless the holiday was mis-sold in some way, which it doesn’t sound like it was. If they don’t go, they’re the ones in breach of contract, not the holiday firm. They could try suing Robert and Fliss, but I don’t think they’d get very far with that either, and the cost would probably be greater than the price of the holiday. Sorry.’
‘It’s OK. Thanks, Priya.’
As I carry the mugs back into the office, it’s clear from Lily’s expression that her phone call didn’t solve her problem either.
‘No joy?’ I ask as I set her mug down on her desk.
‘Nope,’ she says morosely. ‘That was Amy, telling me that Fliss is still prepared to come as long as Robert isn’t there but, as I pointed out, that would still leave us a person short.’
Sonya’s face lights up. ‘I assume this person would need to share a room with Fliss?’ she asks.
Lily looks nonplussed. ‘Yes. Why?’
‘Which means it would need to be another woman, really. I’m guessing this Fliss wouldn’t be open to sharing with a man.’
‘I don’t know her well enough, but I think that’s fair.’
‘OK. Then we’re agreed that the solution to your problems could potentially be a woman, roughly your age, who would jump at the chance of getting away from an English winter to sit on a beach in the Caribbean.’
‘I guess so. Why, do you know someone?’
Sonya’s grin is so wide I think her face might be in danger of splitting in half. ‘As a matter of fact, I do. And the best part, Lily, is that you know her too.’
‘Do I? Who is she?’
‘Tori.’
6
‘So,’ I tell Rosie and Priya over a hastily arranged glass of wine after work. ‘I might be popping over to Jamaica for ten days next month.’
Rosie almost drops her glass in surprise. ‘What?’
It doesn’t take me long to explain Lily’s predicament and Sonya’s suggested solution.
