‘I think I’m beyond help,’ I said, trotting along next to him. ‘Although the swimming and yoga must be doing something for me. I’ve been sleeping so deeply since I got out here.’
‘Me too,’ Tony said with a smile. ‘And I eat much more slowly, otherwise I can’t fit it all in. And I really want to fit it all in, as the food is so delicious.’
‘Maybe we’re slowing down without realising it then. By osmosis.’
Twelve
Sunday 11thAugust
I instinctively checked my phone again as I spritzed myself with sun cream. I couldn’t leave the bloody thing alone; it was like a physical tic. Checking and rechecking, then checking again. But nope, still nothing. An empty screen. Nothing to do or reply to. Ordinarily it was full of messages from Holly, Kat and Sara and the family, notifications of tags and mentions, and invites to parties. Lists of alerts to scroll through. But today, there was absolutely nothing, and I felt lost without its direction. I was used to being at the beck and call of my family and friends, waiting for the next favour to be asked, the next party to arrange, the next question to answer. But it seemed I was getting a collective break. Either that or I’d been forgotten. I hadn’t even had an update from Phoebe… beyond that one message a few days back.
Phoebe:For God’s sake will you please just have a holiday and enjoy it. I’d kill to switch places with you right now. DON’T MAKE ME COME OUT THERE.
I’d been expecting a piranha-fest of offers once people knew I was available again, but that hadn’t been the case so far and I didn’t know what to do with myself when everything went quiet. I rubbed the last two dollops of sun cream into my arms and put my purple bikini on. The birds were chirruping happily on the balcony, singing loud and proud to cover the incessant buzzing of what sounded like a drone overhead. I tried to spot it and was immediately distracted by the view, the vineyard stretching into the distance as part of a never-ending patchwork of fields. It was hard to care about work with the smell of coconut sun cream in the air and the sun on my face. Nero had found his way onto my bed and was asleep on his back, with his paws in the air, making the occasional squeak as he dreamt. That dog was a masterclass in relaxation. If I could get to ten per cent of his level of chill, I’d be a new woman.
I wandered downstairs for my fourth pool day in a row and walked straight into Paolo.
‘Ah!Buongiorno, Abi,’ he said, his face lighting up. ‘There you are.’
‘Here I am,’ I agreed, looking around, gingerly.
‘I’ve found her!’ he shouted towards the patio, as I walked through, cautiously. Who was he announcing my arrival to?
It was aB&B Assemblesituation. Dawn and Ellie, Ian and Cathy, and Tony were stood next to two rows of easels around the swimming pool, with Mia in the middle.
‘Good morning, Abi, we have been waiting for you,’ she said, smiling with relief.
‘Have you? Sorry, I didn’t realise…’ I had a flashback to my fifteen-year-old self, late for school again because I’d been smoking with the boys. I’d totally forgotten today was the start of Mia’s art classes.
‘It is our first painting session today – now,’ Mia said, sweetly.
Tony raised his eyebrows in mock disappointment, as if I should’ve known better.
I smiled and put my towel and bag on one of the chairs. I was wearing a see-through yellow dress over my bikini, so I wasn’t exactly dressed for the occasion, but I’d have to make the best of it.
‘Of course it is! I’m so sorry I’m late,’ I said, standing behind the last remaining easel, opposite Tony.
‘No problem, you’re here now. OK. Thank you all for coming, and for trying this with me,’ Mia said, shyly. ‘Unfortunately, the model we had booked has not shown up…’He’s probably waiting for a bus somewhere, I thought to myself. ‘So today we will work in pairs and paint each other. Is this good with you?’
We all nodded enthusiastically.
I looked across at Tony. ‘I guess that’s you and me then.’
‘I guess so. You lucky thing.’
There was no getting away from him. Mia handed each of us a pencil and a wooden palette. ‘All the paints are over here on this table, just add a little of whatever you need and mix them together,’ she instructed.
It had been a while since I’d painted a picture as opposed to a face, and I felt a frisson of excitement at the familiar weight of the palette in my hand. The smell and texture of the paints and the stillness in the air. The peace of painting. I was going to enjoy this.
‘Use your pencils to outline in the first instance if it helps. To get the shapes and perspectives right before you add the paint.’
‘Where do you want me?’ Tony asked, putting his hands behind his head, and flexing his muscles.
‘We paint each other at the same time, don’t we?’ I said, confused. ‘I wasn’t planning to paint you in the nude, if that’s what you mean.’
‘Spoilsport,’ he said, disappointed.
Tony started sketching from behind his easel. His eyes racing back and forth between me and his paper, concentrating on his masterpiece.
