She’s just an idiot who can’tdolife.
She feels like crying again. She cried so much on the beach that her eyes are still puffy. It’s like simply being here has broken some wall inside her and let all her feelings come out.
Doodling a bit on her pretty notebook, she’s well aware that simple stuff like pretty notebooks make her happy.
Also, neat clear pencil cases for her handbag where coloured pens can sit brightly, all organised.
And make-up. She loves make-up and beauty products. Would spend vast sums of money on them if she allowed herself to.
Does that make her shallow?
Should she only be happy when there’s world peace?
India never thought she was shallow before.
To banish these annoying thoughts, she lies back in her chair and lets the heat wash over her, the sound of crickets making their strangely rhythmic noise, and she drifts into dreams.
Dan wakes India up by taking the chair beside her again.
‘Hi,’ he says.
‘Shi— Sorry.’
India rapidly sits up in her chair, entirely discomfited. Was she asleep? Those damn crickets or cicadas or whatever made her sleepy with twinging their little legs. Their constant drone is much better at curing insomnia than counting sheep.
The heat makes her sleepy too.
The sun’s high in the sky, glittering off the azure pool, bouncing into her face.
‘I must have dozed off,’ she mutters to Dan.
She realises that everyone else in the group is trailing in.
Sir Bernard is a bit red-faced and has obviously been sunbathing. Grazia is the same caramel colour as ever.
To India’s astonishment, Grazia smiles at her.
India lets her fingers flutter aHello.
She feels guilty for bitching about the older woman now. Who the hell is she to make random judgements of other people? A woman too. So much for being loyal to the sisterhood.
Sweat breaks out on India’s face.
‘You OK?’ asks Dan, passing both a glass and a blue ceramic jar of water to her.
‘Yes. No – I don’t know,’ she whispers back.
Rose has arrived.
The group has loosened up, Rose sees.
India was half asleep in the sun.
Dan was comfortable enough to wake her up, which says he noticed that she patted his arm during his painful storytelling.
‘Everyone ready?’ she calls.
Keera’s adjusting her baseball hat and settling herself in on the other side of India.
