give me reason not to be. I’m not cold like my mum, I’m not a bully like my sister and I’m not a horrible cow like my auntie. Perhaps I’m not as nice to my Auntie June as I could be, but this level of dislike comes after years and years of her actively despising me, and for no good reason.
The plan is to get comfortable by the pool, do a bit of work and then try and swim off the dinner I ate out of manners last night. I hadn’t bargained on babysitting two young boys but they’re good kids, I’m sure keeping an eye on them won’t affect my plans.
Chapter 8
Finally connected to the beach house wi-fi, my phone springs back to life. After a day of peace and quiet from my best friend (who is also my calendar, camera, alarm clock, emailing device, web browser… oh, and it can make calls too) normal service has been resumed. There are several emails from my assistant, Dalia, filling me in on every little thing that has happened in the office as well as a few from Savannah and Molly who are already seeming pretty stressed out trying to get on with our latest project without me. Molly hinted that my boss was unhappy with me taking vacation days (that I was owed, might I add) while we’re in the middle of a new movie. If only they knew what a rubbish time I was having, I’d much rather be at work.
I have only just made myself comfortable next to the pool, but I know that I’ll get my work done a lot easier if I type on my iPad instead of my phone. I drag myself to my feet and begin (what feels like) the long journey up to my room – then again, running up two flights of stairs will do me good, I can practically feel the bolognese making itself at home on my hips.
When I finally reach my room I am a little taken aback to see my uncle already in there.
‘Can I help you?’ I ask bluntly.
‘I was just…’ My uncle’s voice quickly changes from a hushed tone to an awkwardly loud one. ‘…making sure that spider hadn’t come back.’
‘What?’ I ask, but as I notice him looking over my shoulder I turn around and see my Auntie June standing behind me.
‘You’re with Mia,’ my auntie says, like I’m not even there. ‘Again.’
‘Spiders,’ my uncle laughs with a shrug of his shoulders.
‘You’re
that
scared of spiders?’ my auntie asks me in disbelief.
‘Oh, if there’s a creepy crawly around I feel like I can’t rest until I know someone has squashed it,’ I reply, making my uncle look even more uneasy.
‘Anyway, we’re heading out now. You will take proper care of the children, won’t you?’ my auntie asks again.
‘Yes, yes,’ I reply. ‘I thought I’d take a nap while they play in the sea. Sound good?’
My uncle laughs at my blatant attempt at humour but my auntie looks disturbed.
‘Mia, you don’t take your eyes off them,’ she says sternly.
‘I won’t,’ I reply sincerely.
‘Come on, Steve,’ my auntie instructs her husband before they leave my room together.
‘Unbelievable,’ I say to myself before grabbing my iPad and heading back downstairs.
I am only back in my seat by the pool for a few minutes before my sister wanders in with Josh and Max.
‘Now, be good for Mia,’ my sister instructs the children. ‘And you be good for the kids,’ she warns me.
I find it funny that no one trusts me with these children, and yet they will leave them with me anyway because it suits them.
‘Right, who fancies a cigarette?’ I ask Josh and Max the second my sister has closed the door behind her. The boys laugh, which says it all about my sense of humour. ‘But seriously, are you guys OK to amuse yourselves while I do some work?’
‘Can we go in the pool?’ Josh asks.
‘Can you both swim?’
The boys nod.
‘Are you sure?’ I ask. ‘Because your mum will like me even less if you die.’
Both Josh and Max simultaneously talk me through their swimming achievements to date.
‘OK then, but only if you stay in the shallow end. I’ll be sat right here so
The plan is to get comfortable by the pool, do a bit of work and then try and swim off the dinner I ate out of manners last night. I hadn’t bargained on babysitting two young boys but they’re good kids, I’m sure keeping an eye on them won’t affect my plans.
Chapter 8
Finally connected to the beach house wi-fi, my phone springs back to life. After a day of peace and quiet from my best friend (who is also my calendar, camera, alarm clock, emailing device, web browser… oh, and it can make calls too) normal service has been resumed. There are several emails from my assistant, Dalia, filling me in on every little thing that has happened in the office as well as a few from Savannah and Molly who are already seeming pretty stressed out trying to get on with our latest project without me. Molly hinted that my boss was unhappy with me taking vacation days (that I was owed, might I add) while we’re in the middle of a new movie. If only they knew what a rubbish time I was having, I’d much rather be at work.
I have only just made myself comfortable next to the pool, but I know that I’ll get my work done a lot easier if I type on my iPad instead of my phone. I drag myself to my feet and begin (what feels like) the long journey up to my room – then again, running up two flights of stairs will do me good, I can practically feel the bolognese making itself at home on my hips.
When I finally reach my room I am a little taken aback to see my uncle already in there.
‘Can I help you?’ I ask bluntly.
‘I was just…’ My uncle’s voice quickly changes from a hushed tone to an awkwardly loud one. ‘…making sure that spider hadn’t come back.’
‘What?’ I ask, but as I notice him looking over my shoulder I turn around and see my Auntie June standing behind me.
‘You’re with Mia,’ my auntie says, like I’m not even there. ‘Again.’
‘Spiders,’ my uncle laughs with a shrug of his shoulders.
‘You’re
that
scared of spiders?’ my auntie asks me in disbelief.
‘Oh, if there’s a creepy crawly around I feel like I can’t rest until I know someone has squashed it,’ I reply, making my uncle look even more uneasy.
‘Anyway, we’re heading out now. You will take proper care of the children, won’t you?’ my auntie asks again.
‘Yes, yes,’ I reply. ‘I thought I’d take a nap while they play in the sea. Sound good?’
My uncle laughs at my blatant attempt at humour but my auntie looks disturbed.
‘Mia, you don’t take your eyes off them,’ she says sternly.
‘I won’t,’ I reply sincerely.
‘Come on, Steve,’ my auntie instructs her husband before they leave my room together.
‘Unbelievable,’ I say to myself before grabbing my iPad and heading back downstairs.
I am only back in my seat by the pool for a few minutes before my sister wanders in with Josh and Max.
‘Now, be good for Mia,’ my sister instructs the children. ‘And you be good for the kids,’ she warns me.
I find it funny that no one trusts me with these children, and yet they will leave them with me anyway because it suits them.
‘Right, who fancies a cigarette?’ I ask Josh and Max the second my sister has closed the door behind her. The boys laugh, which says it all about my sense of humour. ‘But seriously, are you guys OK to amuse yourselves while I do some work?’
‘Can we go in the pool?’ Josh asks.
‘Can you both swim?’
The boys nod.
‘Are you sure?’ I ask. ‘Because your mum will like me even less if you die.’
Both Josh and Max simultaneously talk me through their swimming achievements to date.
‘OK then, but only if you stay in the shallow end. I’ll be sat right here so
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