I nodded, and he took the board back off the rack, lying it on the sand. ‘Lie down,’ he instructed.
I hesitated, before lying down on the board as if I was going to paddle out. Then he was next to me, leaning on the sand.
‘OK, pop up.’
So I did. And he watched. Inches away from me. Then hishands were on my shoulders, gently repositioning me. And there was that current. The one that I knew so well but still seemed to shock me. I inhaled. Desperately trying to hold on to the moment and concentrate at the same time.
He guided me through the movement. One hand on my shoulder, while another moved to my hip, and I had to bite my lip to distract myself from the craving in my abdomen. ‘Do you feel how your weight shifts?’
I nodded, swallowing hard.
‘When you come out of the bottom turn it is about connecting your upper body to your lower body.’ The hand that was on my shoulder joined the other one on my hips. He turned me slightly and then put his hand on my stomach. ‘The core. The power comes from here.’
My breath was shallow. ‘I think I get it.’
‘Good,’ he replied and let go. But the feeling didn’t disappear – my skin was still alive, almost vibrating from where he’d touched me.
‘I better go. Before my mum and dad get suspicious.’
‘OK. Just remember that the storm is coming. Be safe.’
‘I will.’
I walked away, with my skin still burning from his touch.
Mum and Dad were outside eating breakfast when I got back to the mobile home. My hair had already dried in the sun so it couldn’t give me away.
‘Morning, Margot,’ said Mum. ‘Did you go for a walk?’
‘Yep, just down to the beach. It’s a really nice morning.’ I kept my voice cheery.
‘It really is. We are planning a trip to Saint-Jean-de-Luz for lunch after the girls’ lesson – would you like to come? Or have you other plans?’
‘Sure,’ I said. I didn’t have any other plans; Delphine had cancelled our extra training because of the imminent storm. ‘But there’s a storm coming. Did you know?’
‘It says that it’s not due until this afternoon, so weshouldbe OK.’
‘She’s really coming?!’ I heard Wren shout from inside.
And that made me smile.
It was hot in Saint-Jean-De-Luz. Like really hot. The humidity was making my T-shirt stick to my skin and I noticed Rue fidgeting with her splints even more than usual.
Saint-Jean-De-Luz was just how I’d remembered it from when I’d come here with Felix and we’d had such a lovely day. And as soon as Felix came into my head, so did the guilt of all the thoughts I’d been having about Antoine. I’d been so sure at the beginning that it had been true passion with Felix. He’d been so nice to me. And maybe that’s what made me confused. Theo had never been like that, and it was intoxicating. Just being with him made me feel so good about myself. And then I felt selfish. Like I’d somehow used him. But I hadn’t. Not intentionally. I didn’t trust myself to think about Antoine when I was with my family. It felt wrong, having those thoughts. So I pushed them both out of my head.
Dad gave Rue a piggyback through the town, all the way to the little pizzeria that Felix and I had eaten in.
And after we ate, Mum’s phone rang.
‘No caller ID. Hospital?’ Mum mumbled at Dad, and my stomach lurched, as it did every time the hospital phoned. Because it never meant something good.
I looked over at Rue to see if she’d noticed, but she was busy showing Wren something she’d drawn on a napkin. Mum stood up and I watched her walk outside into the humidity. Dad followed her and I just studied the two of them, trying to work out what was being said.
Mum put her hand over her mouth, and I still couldn’t tell. She didn’t look upset. Maybe Rue didn’t need to have her operation because they’d got some test results back and she’d been miraculously cured?
Now Dad had his arm on Mum’s shoulder. She was still on the phone, and it looked like she was asking loads of questions. She wiped sweat from her forehead, then hung up the phone and just looked at Dad.
Then they hugged. And I still had absolutely no clue what was going on.
