But India says nothing about Keera’s mom. Instead, she says: ‘Maybe worrying about other people is the problem. If your mom hates your hair, well, it’s notherhair, is it?’
Keera giggles.
‘I worry what people think,’ India confides. ‘All the people in my family are successful except me – I want tomake them proud of me but I don’t know how. Possibly, I shouldn’t even try.’
‘What do you do?’ asks Keera.
India grimaces. ‘I’ve sold clothes in posh boutiques, tried being an influencer, worked for an events management company – mainly jobs I got into because of my stepmum’s connections. Georgie, she’s so lovely. More like a mum to me than my real mum,’ India says, and feels a jolt.
She’s never thought of that before. But Georgie has the lightest touch and helps India in so many ways. Her mother lives a different life and left India with her father because floating around the world going to rock concerts wasn’t the ideal life for a ten-year-old.
‘OK, so you’re on the island to figure out what to do with your life, right?’
‘Not just jobs but a career, something I love,’ India puts in.
‘And to figure out if you can have a child on your own …’
‘Yes!’ cheers India delightedly. ‘I could, couldn’t I? I mean, who says I need a man? I am bad with men. I fall in lovesoeasily.’
India shudders thinking of how she’d see a guy for two, maybe three weeks and start planning a future. Was that her truth …?
‘We all worry about what people think, India. Plus, you’re not killing people or taking meth,’ says Keera, ‘so I wouldn’t call falling in love too easily a huge problem. Rose can figure it out, I’m sure. Give you a prospective boyfriend checklist and if they’re dreadful on paper, you don’t go out with them.’
India laughs delightedly.
‘You can watch out for red flags, yellow flags or greenflags,’ Keera says. ‘Red means avoid at all costs, yellow means watch out and green is “Yay!”’
‘I have definitely gone out with some yellow flag guys,’ says India. ‘A few self-absorbed idiots.’
‘Dan and his girlfriend’s relationship sounds like a yellow flag racing towards red,’ Keera says. ‘I wonder what the other three are in for?’
‘For Grazia, I’d say being married to Bernard’s the main issue,’ India jokes.
‘She looks as if she’s locked down all emotion.’
‘Bernard’s tricky. Telling us he’s asir? What’s that about?’
‘No idea what his problem is, apart from getting old and there’s no cure for that,’ Keera says. ‘Dianne holds her cards close to her chest, as my mom would say,’ she adds.
‘She’s sort of frozen,’ India says thoughtfully, ‘but furious at the same time? Scary too when she got angry with Dan. She clearly doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with her.’
Keera snorts.
‘Everyone has something wrong with them. Everyone.’
‘Do you think Rose can fix us?’ asks India wistfully. ‘I’d love to feel I know what I’m doing in life.’
Keera shrugs. ‘Don’t know. Rose’s book was amazing and she has all these fans who say she’s changed their lives. It’s just …’
‘A bit high speed?’ says India. ‘That’s what worries me too. Rose is going in deep – what if it’s the sort of programme that rips you apart in a week and then doesn’t put you back together?’
Keera shivers.
‘Rose is legit,’ she says. ‘She was brilliant on the TV.’
‘Yeah,’ agrees India. ‘She wouldn’t do that to us.’
They’re silent for a while.
