Page 103 of Washed Up

‘Okay this just gets weirder.’

‘Take care of her for me, sis,’ was all Bobby had said, giving her a squeeze.

Now, as he made a mini speech of sorts from the top of the ferry, Frankie slipped up beside her friend and put an arm around her shoulders. Sally leaned into her, a little sob escaping from her throat.

‘What is it about us and watching men leave?’ said Sally, a bitter edge to her voice.

‘I don’t know,’ said Frankie, giving her friend a squeeze. ‘They should be watching us leave.’

‘I actually can’t believe he’s going,’ replied Sally, deep pain in her voice.

‘I’m so sorry, Sal. Hey…’ Keep it casual. ‘Is it, you know, serious between you two?’

‘Bit late to ask me that now,’ said Sally with a kind of half snort, half sob.

‘I know. But I mean, is it though? Do you have feelings for him? Because, you know, it seemed like you guys were just mucking about?’ said Frankie gently.

Sally was silent for a long while. ‘I thought we were, too,’ she said, eventually. ‘You didn’t think I’d be stupid enough to go there again, did you?’ But when she turned to Frankie, her eyes were filled with tears.

Frankie dithered for a moment, wondering whether she should ask the captain to wait, whether she should tell Bobby to take another boat, to stay one more night, but it was already too late. Bobby waved and saluted from the top deck as they chugged out of the harbour.

‘I think he’s still my annoying big brother,’ said Frankie.

‘That much is true,’ said Sally.

Lily came up beside them and the three women watched the boat all the way back to Guernsey. All the way to St Peter Port, where they could just about see it navigating its way in amongst the ferries and sailing boats that bobbed in the harbour mouth. No one spoke. No one knew what to say.

Then, ‘Right, time to get back to work,’ said Sally as brightly as she could manage.

Lily and Frankie exchanged a glance.

‘I’ll cover for you today,’ said Frankie, wondering where that had come from in her brain.

‘Honestly, I’d rather be busy,’ said Sally.

‘But, sweetheart,’ began Lily. ‘I couldn’t even think about work today and I’m not…’

‘Not what?’ said Sally.

‘Not in love with him, I think she was going to say,’ said Frankie.

Sally stared at them. ‘I’m not in love with your stupid brother,’ she said, eyes wide.

‘Are you sure about that?’ said Frankie, tilting her head to the side.

‘Yes, I’m bloody sure.’ Sally looked back out to sea. ‘I’m not in love with him.’

‘You said that already,’ said Lily, putting a hand on her shoulder.

‘Well, then,’ said Frankie.

‘Well, then,’ said Sally with another of those too-bright smiles. But her eyes were somewhere far away.

When Frankie turned to head back up the harbour, Jake was nowhere to be seen. Her heart gave a little lurch, but she swallowed it down fast.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

It was nearly time for dinner and still, Frankie had heard nothing from Dylan. Frankie had been helping out in the hotel anyway that afternoon, definitely to help her friend through the day, and definitely not so she’d have a way to save face if Dylan didn’t show for their pseudo-date or whatever it was. She could hardly blame him if he didn’t. He must be in a lot of pain. She cursed herself for not having guessed something was going on the moment he turned up. Clearly, she didn’t know him as well as she had thought. Clearly, Sally had been right all along when she said you couldn’t fall in love in just one day.