I am making my way gratefully to my room when there is a loud knock on the door. I groan and go to look through the peephole. Valentina is standing on the other side, looking impatient. She had been with us in the suite but had gone to take a call and was only now returning, half an hour later. More strange behaviour. This is the first time I am alone with her since this morning, and I have a lot to talk to her about. I open the door to let her in.

"Oh…Hi Linka!" Her expression becomes cheerful when she sees me. "What's been happening?"

"Nothing much," I shrug, stepping back to allow her into the suite. "Hey, I never asked you: how was work today?"

"Oh, you know…the usual. Boring meetings all day," she pouts.

"Oh, really?" I had wanted to give her the chance to come clean but it appears she isn't going to take it.

"Yeah. Swamped." She starts to make her way to the living room but I grab her arm and pull her back.

"Valentina, why are you lying?"

She frowns.

"Lying? I'm not lying; I was-"

"I saw you in the café this morning!" I exclaim, cutting her off.

"No, you didn't!" Valentina looks at me so incredulously that I start to think maybe I imagined the whole thing. But, no! I definitely saw her!

"Yes, I did!" I insist. This is not me being crazy or strange. She was there. In the café!

"It must have been someone else, Linka. As soon as I left you guys I went to a meeting," Valentina claims. "Why would I lie?" I don't know, I have to admit to myself. But I do know it was her. I guess I have plenty of time to figure out why she would deliberately abandon us to sit around doing nothing. But right now there is a more pressing issue on my mind …

"Ok, you're right, I must have been mistaken," I concede. "Look, there's something else I wanted to talk to you about."

"Yes?" There is a faint trace of a smile on Valentina's face.

"This Laura girl…" I hesitate.

"Isn't she great?" Valentina now breaks out into a full grin. "I knew you would all get along so well!"

"Well, that's the thing…" I start. "I don't think she's…I'm not sure it's working out."

"How do you mean?" Valentina's grin fades. I pause, considering my argument.

"Well…she spent all her time with Wheeler, and made no effort to talk to the rest of us. And now…well, you saw for yourself. I think her behaviour is unprofessional," I say finally. Valentina snorts with laughter.

"Oh, Linka! Not everybody is like you: working, working, working all the time! I am not employing her. She's just helping out in her spare time!"

My argument crumbles at these words. I hadn't really thought of anything beyond Laura's lack of professionalism as a reason to get rid of her. I had assumed Valentina would support me, not defend her. Surely, even if she doesn't share my work ethic, she can see that what Laura is doing is wrong?

"You don't think they're acting inappropriately?" I am inwardly pleading with her to agree with me. It can't just be me who is finding the whole situation distasteful, can it? Because if it is, that means I…no, that can't be! That would just be crazy.

"I don't think I understand you Linka," Valentina frowns.

"Laura and Wheeler!" I cry. "Do they have to be so obvious!" I lower my voice, glancing nervously at the living room door.

"I didn't realise it bothered you so much," Valentina says, arching an eyebrow.

"It doesn't," I say, somewhat testily. This is the reaction I was afraid of: that she would think I was reacting to everything oversensitively because I was jealous. That's a ridiculous idea, though. "It's just…irresponsible. I mean she's supposed to be looking out for us, not-"

"Bozhe moy!" Valentina interrupts me, laughing. "You're taking this too seriously, Linka! Everyone is on holiday here. No one is working. Well, apart from me…Irresponsible?" She laughs again. "You're all adults, not children playing with scissors! You guys don't need supervision. I just thought it would be nice if you had someone your own age to show you around!" She cocks her head to the side and gazes at me intently, a grin playing on her lips. I recognise that look. She is trying to read my emotions. Well, there is nothing to hide, I think irritably. Suddenly I want nothing more than to collapse into the warmth of my bed, with nothing but the darkness for company. I don't want to see or hear anyone for a very long time. It seems that no-one understands me and I feel very alone.

"Well…anything else?" Valentina inquires. "No? Good…Well, I'm actually heading off to bed now. I just came back to say goodnight to everyone."

"Goodnight," I say shortly, turning away from her.

"Night night!" she calls cheerfully, from over her shoulder as she heads to the living room. I find her behaviour surprisingly cold; normally she can see when something really bothers me –which the Wheeler and Laura issue does, but only as I'm sure it bothers everyone else– but she's either become inept at reading emotions or is deliberately ignoring my feelings.

As I move to open the bedroom door, I notice that my hands are trembling. Anger, I rationalise. It must be. Anger because I'm the one who's always had to deal with the consequences when people around me are unprofessional and irresponsible. Sooner or later – I just know it– Wheeler is going to get us all into trouble doing something stupid to impress Laura. Well, I won't cover for him anymore. I don't care what he or Laura do. As Valentina said, we're all adults. And, I decide, it won't be my problem when Wheeler inevitably breaks Laura' heart. I know him and he's just an irrepressible flirt. But out of sight, out of mind. As soon as we got back to Hope Island, it will be as if she never existed. Poor girl.

I enter the room and prepare for bed, suddenly and inexplicably feeling much better.