it’s the solstice we’re talking about, remember? The sun wouldn’t dare not to shine.’
‘But isn’t it traditional to watch the sunrise, not the sunset?’ Sam frowned again. ‘On the news they always show everyone at Stonehenge getting excited about the sunrise.’
‘Well,’ said Hope, ‘folk can still come to do that, but I think Tess’s right, a party in the evening as the sun is setting will be every bit as fun to celebrate, won’t it?’
‘Absolutely,’ I agreed.
Truth be told, I didn’t actually know all that much about the solstice, aside from the fact that it happened in June and that, after the bank holiday weekend, it seemed like the most logical date to pick for the next event.
‘Right then,’ said Hope, ‘hands up who wants to have an evening summer solstice celebration on the beach?’
We all raised our hands.
‘So, let’s get on with organizing it then,’ she announced.
Sam was quick to temper her keenness to forge ahead.
‘Let me speak to the council on Monday,’ he said. ‘Just to make sure we won’t be falling foul of any rules or regs we don’t know about.’
‘Oh yes,’ Hope relented, sounding a little deflated. ‘I suppose we should check.’
We sat quietly for a few minutes, finishing our breakfast and soaking up the sun.
‘Right,’ I sighed, as I stood up and brushed the sand off my legs, ‘I’d better get going.’
It was time to leave the lovebirds in peace and face my fears.
‘Got any plans?’ Sam asked, squinting up at me.
‘Just the one,’ I told him. ‘I need to make a quick phone call.’
At least I hoped it would be quick.
‘I need to tell my boss why I won’t be showing up at work for the next few weeks.’
‘I had kind of assumed that you were self-employed,’ said Sam, ‘as you’ve decided to take so long off.’
‘No,’ I said, ‘afraid not.’
‘So, what is it that you do, Tess?’ he asked.
‘Obvious, isn’t it?’ Hope cut in. ‘She’s the ultimate party planner. She’s most likely got A-listers across the globe clamouring for her attention. Am I right?’
‘Ha,’ I said, ‘not quite.’
‘Will your boss be pissed off that you aren’t going back?’ said Sam.
‘Yes,’ I breathed, ‘just a bit.’
‘In that case,’ said Hope, ‘you’d better come back to the pub later. You might need a pick-me-up.’
‘Thanks,’ I said. ‘I’m probably going to need something.’
*
The dreaded call went every bit as badly as expected, helped in no small part by the fact that I had to wait so long to make it after I had turned my phone on. I had almost reached the point of thinking that it was never going to stop pinging, buzzing and announcing messages, mails and notifications, when it finally stopped and the cottage fell silent again.
I plugged in the charging cable and stared at the screen, wondering whether I should first read some of what had been sent in order to gauge the reaction I was likely to get, but then decided against it. There was precious little signal in the cottage as it was, so I wasn’t going to risk losing it by trawling through Dad’s many messages.
With a heavy heart, I dialled the number of the house phone. Even if Joan answered, I was going to have to ask for Dad. My feelings towards him might have changed since I’d started reading Mum’s diary, but he was my boss as well as my father and therefore entitled to a first-hand explanation about my prolonged absence from work.
‘Tess,’ he said, sounding a little breathless when he answered after the second ring. ‘I was hoping you were going to call.’
That was something, I supposed.
‘Are you back?’ he asked. ‘I’ll come around.’
That put me on the back foot a bit. He never came to the apartment.
‘No,’ I said. ‘No, I’m not back.’
‘Still travelling, are you? Well, I need to bring you up to speed. You could call in here? That would be easier.’
‘I’m afraid I can’t do that,’ I said, biting down hard on my lip, ‘because I’m not coming back today.’
‘You’re coming back in the morning and going straight to the office? I suppose I could email you, but I’m not sure that’s . . .’
‘No,’ I interrupted, ‘no. I’m not coming back tomorrow either.’
That seemed to knock the wind out of his sails. Bearing in mind the prestigious projects I’d got pencilled in, of which he was no doubt thinking, I wasn’t surprised.
‘Look,’ he said, ‘I know I was wrong to ignore you when you said you needed a break. Joan