"Fucking hell," I groaned, shading my eyes from the blazing sun shining brightly through the window. I had to admit, waking up to the crisp Cyprus sunshine was a refreshing change from the dark, gloomy, grey clouds of Bristol. I lay away for a few moments, allowing myself to wake up properly before I tossed aside the thin sheet I had slept with.
I heard no movement from the spare bedroom where Zoe slept, so padded my way through the apartment to shower, returning to my bedroom not long after to slip into some shorts and a vest shirt. It felt good to put summer clothes on, a big change from wrapping up in several layers like I had been doing for the last few months.
"Morning," I greeted Kieran as I walked into the kitchen, he was busy over the cooker, doing up some breakfast with the radio on in the background. Rather loudly, until he heard me. When he attempted to lower the volume, he knocked over a glass and swore, making me laugh as I remembered just how clumsy he could be.
"Great, you're awake," his Irish accent filtered round the kitchen, I stifled a yawn, pulling up a chair to sit at the breakfast bar. I helped myself to some coffee and a plate of rather delicious looking food was placed in front of me a few seconds later. Kieran took his sets opposite me. "Thought I'd do you up some breakfast,"
"Thanks," I took a bite out of a slice of toast. "Where's Mum? I thought she'd be the one fussing about me this morning,"
"Popped out to get some milk," he shook the empty carton. "Your lovely friend is with her as well,"
"Jesus. I thought she'd still be asleep,"
"Been up early I think. So how's life treating you back in wonderful Bristol?"
"Shit," I laughed at the basic answer I'd given, deciding to continue. "Work sucks sometimes, there's not much to do, so I basically spend my weekends getting pissed and the weather is fucking awful,"
"Love life?" He asks, I pause. "Sorry, it's none of my fucking business."
"It's okay. I guess Mum told you about Lucy?"
"She may have mentioned it once or twice," he confirmed with a gentle, almost sympathetic smile. He knew I hated sympathy. "Are you alright?"
"That my girlfriend cheated with some guy for weeks? Yeah, perfect." I finish and realise that sounded worse than I intended it to be. "I'm fine. It did hurt for a bit but fuck it,"
"Love eh?"
"I didn't love her," I responded quickly, placing my fork down on the table and pushing my plate a little to the side. "She was nice, we had fun but...it wasn't like before. You know,"
"Ah dear Emily," he said fondly. He always did like Emily, Mum too. I would always make jokes about how they loved her more than they loved me. She became part of the family, made to feel like she belonged but it soon went disastrously wrong. "One day, you're gonna find someone who will make you as happy as your Mother makes me."
"I think I already let that one slip,"
"I used to think I was destined to be alone forever, then I met your wonderful Mother and now look at me,"
"It's great to see you two so happy, you know." I genuinely smiled. "I've missed you both."
"We've missed you too, kid. Place isn't the same without you."
"So what are we doing tonight?" Zoe questioned, pulling several bikinis out her suitcase. I laughed as i looked on from the edge of the bed I was sat on. Zoe had taken enough to last her two months by the looks of it. Never mind two weeks.
"Jesus Zo, do you think you've brought enough?" I picked up one of her bikinis, twirling it around my finger before putting it in the neat little pile of clothes she'd removed from her case. "I guess we could hit the beach today, I mean, we need to make sure you get use out of all these,"
"Sunbathe all day, drink cocktails then get hammered tonight?"
"Sounds good to me. I need to work on this tan," I groaned, glancing down at my legs. Rainy Bristol did absolutely nothing for them, that's for sure.
"Yep, you won't pull with those legs, Naomikins."
"Zo!"
"Sorry," she giggled, dodging the pillow that I just tossed in her direction. "It just slipped out."
"You really have been spending too much time with Cook," that wasn't entirely true but I said it anyway, knowing that when we returned home, I'd be doing everything possible to make sure they spent more time together. "And my legs are fine thank you very much,"
"Uh huh. I'm sure they'll attract plenty of attention at the bar tonight. Might even get us free drinks like last week."
"Eurgh, he was a total sleaze," I scrunched her face at the reminder of the unwanted attention we received last weekend at our local bar. He guy jumped from both of us all night, giving out any old pathetic, washed up chat line he could think of. Zoe went along with the fun, purely because it meant keeping our money firmly in our bags. "Anyway, what bar?"
"Saw one when I was out with your Mum earlier, Ekon or something,"
"That sounds shit,"
"It looks nice and they're doing half price cocktails tonight, so it can't be all bad."
"Yeah I guess but if it's shit, I'm not staying," I insist.
"If it's shit, we'll go somewhere else,"
It was another hour into the morning before we arrived at the beach. Unsurprisingly it was rammed full of happy holidaymakers but Zoe luckily managed to find two empty sun loungers that just so happened to be perfectly positioned quite close to a nearby drinks bar. It was only a little after eleven in the morning but since I was on holiday, I told myself I had every right to enjoy every moment. If that meant drinking cocktails at the beach before lunch then so be it. I purchased two, taking our place on the beach. I adjusted the sunglasses on my face and laid back, sighing quite contently. I needed this break.
Two weeks. No pressures from work, no stress about my social life. Perfect.
I enjoyed this beach and had spent a lot of my time down here during previous visits. Sometimes just happily sitting most of the night, occasionally with a bottle of vodka for company, there was something quite soothing about spending a night here, when it was quiet.
"I love it here," I broke the silence, sipping my sex on the beach cocktail through the fancy straw that was popped in my glass by the barman who also let me leave with a wink or two.
"Remind me again why you agreed to stay in Bristol," Zoe laughed, applying some oil to her legs.
"It's home," I shrugged. "I can't follow Mum and Kieran forever,"
"They'd be happy to have you here and you know it,"
"You trying to get rid of me Zo? Get rid of me and move Cook in,"
"Oh fuckoff, Campbell." She smiled, feeling her cheeks go red. I knew she hated how that happened. Cook pretty much fancied her from the moment I introduced them to one another, at that time, Zoe was caught up in some rather messy complicated relationship but now she wasn't and her feelings were rather obvious to me.
"I'm being serious, Naoms. I could see you living here,"
"Maybe one day," I'd thought about it, some nights I'd agonised over it. There were times I didn't really have much left back in England, especially when a Emily left. Now things were different. I've got a job, friends, a flat and as much as I had complained about all of them at one time or another, I couldn't really see myself without any of it. "I'm not gonna fuck off and leave you behind,"
"Who said anything about leaving me?" She said, open mouthed. "I'd be fucking moving out here with you given the chance,"
"Wouldn't go anywhere without you Zo,"
"Nice to know," she smiled, finishing off her drink before looking out into the sea, a thoughtful look on her face. "Fancy a swim?"
"You go ahead," I nodded towards the water. "I'm gonna go get another drink,"
"Great," Zoe beamed, handing her glass over. "Same again then,"
I made my way back to the bar, unwillingly getting myself involved in a ball game with a group of shirtless guys on the way. I merely laughed off the attention and wolf whistles before propping myself up on the stool as I waited to be served. A different guy from before was now serving and as I silently expressed my happiness that I wasn't going to be leered over further, I felt someone tap my leg. I gazed down, seeing the most adorable looking little girl looking up at me, her eyes were teary and I immediately noticed how her bottom lip was trembling.
"Hello," I spoke gently, forgetting about the bar as I crouched down to be on the same level as the little girl. "Are you lost?" Her head nodded slowly, her eyes searching around the busy each before settling back on me. I told myself not to panic, even though in my head I totally was. I was probably the last person anyone would want in this situation. "It's okay, we'll find your Mummy and Daddy in no time,"
"Olivia? Olivia, thank god," before I could react, a woman appeared and scooped the little girl up into her arms, hugging her tightly whilst placing a kiss on her head. I stepped back, my instant sense of relief slowly turning into confusion. I'd slowly registered the voice in my head, I knew it, I'd heard it before, albeit many years ago. "I told you to stay with me, it's too busy," she placed the little girl back to her feet, clutching her hand as she took a few steps forward towards me.
That's when she stopped.
That's when I knew.
"Well if it isn't Katie Fitch herself,"