My eyes travelled back up to his face and I saw that his cheekbones stood out like saws above his dark beard, which made his lips seem very full and pink in comparison. When I actually dared to look him in the eyes, I saw that they were a really amazing blue.
I decided he reminded me of a werewolf. After all, tonight was a full moon. He was so skinny and tall that I felt like a plump pygmy next to him.
‘Merry Christmas,’ he mumbled.
‘Yeah, merry Christmas.’
‘I’ve seen you before, haven’t I?’ he said. ‘You were the girl lying asleep that morning on the beach.’
‘Probably. I’m there a lot.’ I shrugged casually as his weird blue eyes swept over me.
‘Don’t you have a room?’
‘Yeah, but I like sleeping outside.’
‘All those stars, the vastness of the universe . . . it puts things into perspective, doesn’t it?’ He sighed heavily.
‘It does. Where are you staying?’
‘Nearby.’ The Werewolf waved his hand vaguely at the rock behind him. ‘You?’
‘There.’ I pointed back towards the Railay Beach Hotel. ‘Or at least, my rucksack is,’ I added. ‘Bye then.’ I turned towards the hotel, doing my best to try and walk in a straight line, which was hard enough on sand, but with two beers inside me, almost impossible. I could feel the Werewolf’s eyes upon me as I reached the veranda and allowed myself a quick backwards glance. He was still staring at me, so I grabbed a couple of bottles of water from the fridge and scurried upstairs to Jack’s room. After fumbling to unlock the door, I crept onto the balcony to try and spot him, but he’d disappeared into the shadows.
Perhaps he was waiting for me to go to sleep, and then numb my senses by sticking two enormous fangs into my neck so I wouldn’t scream as he sucked my blood dry . . .
CeCe, that’s vampires, not werewolves, I told myself with a giggle, then hiccuped and drank a bottle of water straight down, irritated with myself and my pathetic body for not being able to cope with two small beers. I staggered to the bed, feeling my head spin when I closed my eyes, and eventually passed out into oblivion.
*
Christmas Day was painfully similar to last year here with Star. The tables on the veranda had all been pushed together, and a parody of a roast lunch had been laid out, as if it was possible to recreate the essence of Christmas in thirty-four-degree heat.
After lunch, feeling bloated from the stodgy European food, I took a swim to work the feeling off. It was almost three o’clock, around the time that England would be waking up. Star was probably spending it in Kent with her new family. I emerged from the sea and shook the water droplets off me like a dog. There were lots of couples lying lazily together on the beach, sleeping off their lunches. It was the first Christmas in twenty-seven years that Star and I had spent apart. Well, if the mystery man was a werewolf, then I was a lone wolf now, and I just had to get used to it.
Later on that evening, I was sitting on the corner of the veranda, listening to music through my iPod. It was of the crashing, banging variety, which always cheered me up when I was feeling low. I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned round to see Jack standing beside me.
‘Hi there,’ I said, taking my earphones out.
‘Hi. Can I buy you a beer?’
‘No thanks. Had enough last night.’ I rolled my eyes at him, knowing he’d been far too drunk to notice what I’d had.
‘Sure. Look, Cee, the thing is that, well . . .’ He pulled up a chair and sat next to me. ‘Nam and I have . . . fallen out. Can’t remember what I did wrong, but she kicked me out of bed at four this morning. She didn’t even turn up today to help with the Christmas lunch, so I don’t think I’ll get a warm welcome back tonight. You know what women are like.’
Yeah, I am one, remember? I felt like saying, but didn’t.
‘So, the problem is, I’ve got nowhere to kip. D’you mind sharing the bed with me?’
Yes, I do mind! I thought immediately. ‘Really, Jack, as long as I can leave my rucksack in your room, I’m happy to sleep on the beach,’ I assured him.
‘Seriously?’
‘Seriously.’
‘Sorry, Cee, I’m completely knackered after all the preparations for Christmas and the extra work over the last few days.’
‘It’s fine. I’ll just go and get what I need and leave you to it.’
‘I’m sure we’ll be able to find you somewhere tomorrow,’ he called to me as I walked away, feeling the beach was a much better option than sleeping in the same room as a snoring man I hardly knew. Now that would give me nightmares.
I collected my makeshift bedding, then stuffed the rest of my possessions into my rucksack. Tomorrow, I really needed to find myself a place to stay until I left for Australia in two weeks’ time.
On the beach, I made my bed under a bush and, on a whim, I dug my mobile out of my shorts and dialled Atlantis.
‘Hello?’ The phone was picked up after a couple of rings. ‘Hi, Ma, it’s CeCe. I just wanted to wish you and Claudia a happy Christmas.’
‘CeCe! I am so happy to hear from you! Star said you’d gone away. Where are you?’
Ma always spoke to us sisters in French and I had to adjust my brain before I could answer her. ‘Oh, you know me, Ma, on a beach, doing my thing.’
‘Yes. I didn’t think you’d last long in London.’
‘Didn’t you?’
‘You’re a free spirit, chérie. You have wanderlust.’
‘Yes, I do.’ At that moment, I loved Ma just about as much as I’d ever loved her. She never judged or criticised, just supported her girls.
I heard the sound of a deep male cough in the background and my ears pricked up.
‘Who’s there with you?’ I asked suspiciously.
‘Just Claudia and Christian,’ said Ma.
In other words, the Atlantis staff.
‘Right. You know, Ma, it was really weird, but when I got to the airport in London three weeks ago, I’m sure I saw Pa. He was walking back the other way and I tried to run and catch him, but he’d gone. I know this sounds stupid, but, like, I was sure it was him.’
‘Oh chérie,’ I heard Ma sigh deeply down the line. ‘You are not the first of your sisters to say something like this to me. Both Ally and Star told me that they were convinced they had heard or seen him . . . and perhaps you all did. But not in reality. Or at least, not reality as we know it.’
‘You think we’re all seeing and hearing the ghost of Pa?’ I chuckled.
‘I think we wish to believe we are still seeing him, so perhaps our imaginations conjure him up. I see him all the time here,’ Ma said, suddenly sounding very sad. ‘And this is such a difficult time of year for us all. You are well, CeCe?’
‘You know me, Ma, never had a day’s illness in my life.’
‘And happy?’
‘I’m fine. You?’
‘I’m missing your father, of course, and all you girls. Claudia sends her love.’
‘Same to her. Okay, Ma, it’s late here, I’m getting my head down now.’
‘Keep in touch, won’t you, CeCe?’
‘Yeah, course I will. Night.’