‘Holy crap, Char. You look truly awful.’
The wraith-like figure put her hand on the door to steady herself.
‘I feel truly awful. Come in.’
The effort of getting to the door had obviously taken it out of her and Charlotte collapsed down on the bed, head in hands.
‘I think it’s food poisoning.’
Maddie sat down next to her and patted her on the shoulder.
‘Is that what they’re calling drinking your own bodyweight in wine nowadays?’
Charlotte attempted to lift her head.
‘How can you make a joke of it?’
Sofia stayed standing, warily gauging the exact green of Charlotte’s face on a posh paint chart. Somewhere around Minty Pallor, with a touch of Leaf Mould around the edges and definitely a hint of the Parsley Dip they’d consumed many hours ago.
A sudden attempt by Charlotte to sit up was followed by a low groan.
Maddie pulled her hair back from her friend’s face and gathered it in one hand.
‘Quick, Sof, she’s going to be sick. Get towels from the bathroom and wet them if you can.’
‘Can’t she make it in there?’
‘No time.’
Sofia rushed into the bathroom just as she heard the unmistakeable sound of someone being sick.
She glanced back to see that Maddie had managed to pull Charlotte forward so that there was now a multicoloured mess on the tiled floor.
Charlotte’s head was between her knees.
‘Nooo. Nooo. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.’
Maddie still had hold of her hair with one hand and was stroking her back with the other.
‘Shhhh. Don’t worry. Better out than in.’
Maddie beckoned to Sofia to lay the towels down.
‘Can you help me get her into the shower?’
Sofia nodded, but kept her head turned away and tried not to breathe in. If she caught a hint of the smell, she’d be off herself. Maddie seemed oblivious. She supposed endless exposure to elderly people and grandchildren could do that to you.
Once inside the bathroom, Maddie pulled Charlotte’s nightie over her head and coaxed her under the shower while Sofia hung back.
‘Don’t worry, I can take it from here. I know it’s not your thing. Go downstairs and explain that we need new towels urgently. And can you put the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on the door when you leave, please.’
Sofia caught a glimpse of Maddie gently soaping Charlotte’s body under the shower as she closed the door.
It was the owner Maria on the desk, a jolly dark-haired woman of around her own age. Sofia was glad that it wasn’t the trendy young receptionist, Elina, she had to explain it all to.
Maria threw her hands up in the air the moment she saw her.
‘Oh no. You have missed breakfast. You and your friends.’
