‘Shit,’ Keera says. ‘I honestly didn’t hear him telling her to come to Corfu.’
It’s Rose and India’s turn to stare.
‘I heard Dan on the terrace last night leaving the message,’ Keera admits. ‘I walked onto the terrace when I got back from Corfu Town and he was there, he didn’t know I was there and I overheard a lot of it.
‘I’m so sorry, India,’ she wails. ‘I didn’t know how to tell you, I knew it would be hurtful. He was apologising to Julia for being with another woman – he didn’t name you, which is handy! And I sort of understood where he was coming from. But running off? What sort of an idiot is he?’
India’s mouth trembles and Keera puts an arm around her friend.
‘Shit,’ says Rose in the most un-therapist way possible. ‘We can only assume that this is the reason he’s gone. Lydia went to clean his room this morning and he was leaving it with his rucksack – but without his suitcase. She didn’t think anything of it but nobody’s seen him since.’
‘What an idiot!’ says India. ‘Running away from your problems never works. Wherever you land, there you still are with all your damn problems.’
‘Excellently put,’ Rose says.
India leans back against the wall.
‘Is it my fault?’
‘No, it’s not your fault, India,’ says Rose briskly, sounding more like her old self. ‘Dan is an adult and if he wants to sleep with you, then that’s his business. Nobody died, right?’
Keera grins.
‘Well, there’s that,’ she says. ‘I like that as a therapy quote. We could have wall hangings with it on:At least nobody died.’
Rose smiles.
‘The problem is that we don’t know where he is and he’s not answering his phone. Now Julia’s here and, unless Dan has been lying through his teeth, she has some mental health issues, which is what worries me. She’s clearly vulnerable and I am assuming she has a mental health team. But who knows what’ll happen when she finds out that he’s left.’
‘Or when she finds out who he has a thing going with,’ says Keera and then claps her hand over her mouth. ‘Sorry,’ she says. ‘I’m nervous. My mouth just says stuff.’
‘What if she does find out? What if she …’ India’s voice tails off.
‘You are not responsible for what Julia does or doesn’t do,’ says Rose sternly. ‘The same as with Dan. Julia is an adult. But she won’t find out because we’ll make sure she doesn’t,’ adds Rose.
‘I only heard some of the message but he didn’t use your name, India.’
‘It’s my fault for sleeping with him,’ India says mournfully.
‘It’s not,’ Rose and Keera say at the same time.
‘This is not rehab,’ says Rose. ‘It’s not ideal to have people having relationships on the retreat, but I can’t stop people being people. I need to talk to Julia but I wanted to see you both and find out if you knew anything.’
She gets to her feet.
‘Rose, stop,’ says a voice.
It’s Adriana, with Christos following her. ‘Please, hold on. Another problem. I am so sorry, Rose.’
‘What is it?’
Adriana turns to Keera. ‘Your mother is here too.’
Keera feels the world turn. ‘I wasn’t imagining it! I thought I saw her in the taxi.’
She and India peep out of the door.
Dr Bobbi has opened a huge suitcase on the reception floor and is rummaging through its contents looking for something. Finally, she triumphs and holds up a small electric fan. She gets to her feet and comes up against a tall blonde.
