A small tear escapes from the corner of my eye. ‘I’ll never forget you, Jackson.’ I hand him a keepsake. A small rumbling laugh bursts from his lips as he takes the coconut bra from me and holds it up. ‘And I’ll never forget you, Maddie.’
8
Feeling lightheaded and exhausted in the most exuberant way, I race up to my apartment. My lovely, gorgeous apartment that I absolutely love. It looks even better in the daylight. The sun is beginning to stream in through the window and the view down to Gumbet beach is to die for. I’m immediately transported back to the scene of thecrime. Turgutries beach, the most adventurous, romantic time of my entire life. So much for my vow of abstinence. I close my eyes and see Jackson’s smiling face. I am reeling from the glorious encounter, floating on air, full of the joys, oozing positivity, unrecognisable from the woman I was yesterday.
I replay our goodbye scene in my head. Maybe I could go down to reception and find out which room he’s in and leave him a note so that we can at least stay in touch. Could we make a transcontinental relationship work? How would that even be possible? Maybe I should go to his room anyway and finish what we started on the beach. Maybe after my job at head office is finished, I could move to Australia.
A banging on the door pulls me from my thoughts.Gosh.He’s had the exact same thought as me. I knew we were on the same page. I just knew it. I could feel it deep in my bones.
When you know, you know.
‘Coming!’ I yell. ‘I was just on my way to…’ I fling the door open to see Erika, the flaming-haired boss lady from last night, standing there. She is dressed in her rep uniform, her vibrant hair pinned into a very glamorous updo, impeccable make-up and skin glowing like she’s come straight from a health spa.
‘On your way to what? The zombie apocalypse?’ She looks me up and down, bewildered. ‘I assumed when you didn’t turn up for our welcome party at Halikarnas, you must have had an early night.’
My hands fly to my half-wet, tangled hair tied up on top of my head. ‘I, erm, tried to find you but I got lost. I’ve just returned.’
She looks me up and down, aghast. ‘You got lost? Where did you end up? Behind enemy lines?’
I glance down at my filthy streaked legs. She makes a good point.
‘Well, you’ve got two minutes to get onto the minibus, or it’ll go without you. We’ve all got to be at the Sunrise Five Diamond Beach Hello conference centre for the welcome meeting in twenty minutes.’
Shit.
‘I’ll see you down in reception,’ I shriek.Two minutes? Two minutes to get ready for my first day at work!
Erika folds her arms and waits at the door.
Shit. Shit.
‘Do I at least have time for a shower?’
She shakes her head.
Triple shit.
‘Okay. One second while I throw my uniform on.’ I race into the bedroom and gaze longingly at the unslept-in bed. What I wouldn’t give to fall face first into it.
I can hear Erika pacing the lounge area. ‘Nice place. Mine’s exactly the same. We really lucked out this year, huh?’
‘Yes, I love it.’ My case is lying on the bed where I left it last night. My pristine LoveIt Holidays uniform lies neatly on the top, courtesy of my mother and her military-level skills with an iron. I yank my clothes off and hurriedly put new underwear on, shove my arms through the stiff multicoloured paint-splash short-sleeved cotton shirt and pull on the bright red pencil skirt. It’s all very tight-fitting for such heat. I slip on my regulation black court shoes which again are extremely impractical for the Turkish terrain that I’ve seen so far. Grabbing my new recruit matching red satchel bag, I check it is full of excursion papers, books of receipts, key safety information and leaflets about the company that I have read and committed to memory. I know every statistic contained in their last AGM report. If anyone asks about balance sheets, income statements and cash-flow for LoveIt Holidays’ financial year-end, I will provide. I came here to impress and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
‘I’m ready,’ I pant, racing back through to the lounge with a forced smile on my face.
Erika looks decidedly unimpressed. ‘Wait. Is that a school tie dangling from your hair?’ She wafts a hand in front of her nose. ‘And you might want to wash your face and brush your teeth. You stink of weed, stale wine and…’ She sniffs the air. ‘Kippers?’
‘Erm, seaweed, actually.’ I feel my cheeks flush. ‘I assure you, Erika. I’m not usually like this. I’m much more organised. Things just seemed to spiral out of control last night. In fact, I’ve never been late or unprepared before in my entire life.’
I fly to the bathroom to wipe my face and brush my teeth just as she yells through, ‘Time’s up, princess. That’s the bus beeping outside. Let’s go!’
I take one last look in the mirror. I tear the tie from my hair. It tumbles down in a raggedy, tangled mess. My face is ghostly white and haunted-looking from lack of sleep and God knows whatever was in those pipes of shisha tobacco. I have a metallic taste in my mouth. Oh yeah. And I have a black eye emerging.What the hell?
We pass through the lobby where the receptionist greets Erika with a warm and friendly smile before she raises her eyebrows at me in an obviously judgemental way. I nod curtly as I hand her my room key. Erika instantly picks up on the hostile vibes.
‘This is Banu. She is the only one who knows how to run a hotel efficiently,’ Erika explains, pushing through the doors into the searing heat and blinding sunlight. ‘So, whatever she did just let it go.’
‘She gave me the slutty St Trinian’s costume to?—’
