to shag my little sister.’
He finished his wine with a gulp.
‘Anyway, Robin, she needs a holiday. So I was wondering … Maybe you and Lucy could take her somewhere? I’d love to plan something with her but I’ll be tied up with the builders for who knows how long. She really needs to get away.’
The builders were meant to arrive the first week in January to start the renovations. Rachel had done all the designs and Sarah was supposed to keep the team of builders under control. It was their way of paying for their share of the house since they hadn’t had as much cash as Catherine to contribute towards the purchase.
As she waited for her brother’s answer she realised she was holding her breath. She also knew that, if it were up to Robin alone, she’d be breathing fine.
‘I’m not sure that’ll work, Sarah. There’s Lucy to think about. It’s not that she doesn’t like Sissy. She’s just not completely comfortable with her yet. Give her some time to get used to Sissy.’
‘Robin, I don’t want to tell you how to run your life.’
She was definitely going to tell him how to run his life.
‘But she’s had over a year and Sissy shouldn’t need to be got used to. She’s a person. She’s your sister. If Lucy wants to be part of your life, she’s going to need to let Sissy into hers.’
He leaned back in the kitchen chair. ‘I know, and she will. She’s never been around someone with Down’s before. She just needs some more time. But I don’t think a week away together at this point is going to make them bond.’
Nor would keeping them apart. ‘So you won’t do it?’
‘Please, Sarah, try to understand. I know Lucy does your head in but I do love her. What if you and I at least take Sissy away for the weekend? You could get away for just a day or two, couldn’t you? Or I can take her myself if you’re busy?’
He looked so guilty that Sarah started feeling bad, but no, if she let him get off easily then he’d never force the issue with his girlfriend. If Lucy was going to be in Robin’s life then she had to accept them all. That was the deal.
‘It’s not the same as a proper holiday, Robin, and you know it. It’s been over a year since she’s been away.’
‘Look how well that turned out,’ he said.
Sarah grimaced at the memory.
Majorca had seemed like a good idea. Sissy would live on a sun lounger if she could get someone to deliver her toast to her, and though Sarah wasn’t much for the sun, she did love the warm weather. Robin had their mum’s paper-white skin but wanted to eat his way across the island.
They had walked out to the beach after lunch on their first day, laden with towels and sun cream and snorkelling gear. There hadn’t been many other people there but all the sun loungers were taken.
‘We’ll have to sit on the sand,’ Sarah said.
‘I don’t like the sand,’ said Sissy.
‘Neither do I but there aren’t any free chairs. It won’t matter too much. You’ll be in the water anyway.’
‘C’mon, Sissy, let’s swim,’ Robin said. ‘Race you in!’
Sissy ran into the sea, whooping as she went. As Sarah watched them she thought there was no doubt that they were all related. Robin had the same runner’s build and thick dark blond hair as Sarah, with Sissy’s round face and vivid green eyes. Their mum was never really far away.
She spread their towels on a patch of sand near some steep rocks. The hotel sat directly on the cove, which was just a few hundred metres across. The hot sun was tempered by a breeze off the water that blew snippets of laughter and conversation from the swimmers. Sarah threw herself onto her tummy with one of the Artists & Illustrators back issues she’d brought with her. A week of doing nothing but this! Bliss. She looked forward to these holidays as much as Sissy did.
She read the same paragraph again and again till the David Hockney article blurred. The next thing she knew she was being levered over onto her back.
‘Sissy, you’re soaking wet! And your hands are freezing.’
Laughing, she dripped seawater on Sarah’s face. ‘Come swim with me.’
‘Your lips are blue. Warm up in the sun first and then I’ll go in with you.’
She sat up. The sun had shifted position. ‘How long have you been in the water? I was dead tired.’
‘It’s nearly five now,’ said Robin, checking the watch in his bag. ‘Have you been asleep all this time? You should cover up. You look burned.’
She pulled the towel around her shoulders. They were already going stingy.
‘There are loads of restaurants along the beach,’ said Robin. ‘We should check one out for tea later.’
That was fine with Sarah. A few glasses of wine would take the sting out of her sunburn.
But they couldn’t agree on a restaurant. Sissy was happy with any place that served prawns. Sarah didn’t want to spend a fortune on their first night and Robin had his heart set on a restaurant directly on the water. Nothing made them all happy.
‘But we’re paying for the view,’ Sarah complained as Robin loitered in front of one beachfront bistro. ‘The food probably isn’t even good.’
‘There wouldn’t be anyone inside if the food wasn’t good.’
‘Maybe they’re all suckers like you, here for the sunset.’
‘And the prawns.’ He pointed to the menu. ‘Look, Sissy, they’ve got prawns.’
‘I want to go here,’ Sissy said. Robin smiled.
Sarah shot him a look over their sister’s head. Dirty tricks.
She was wrong about the wine. It just made her tipsy and aching. But she was right about the food. It was expensive, with Robin gorging on the ceviche like he was the king of Atlantis.
They went to bed with full tummies and empty wallets.
‘Are you awake?’ Sissy whispered into Sarah’s ear the next morning.
She could see daylight through her eyelids but she knew better than to open them. Her only chance of any kind of lie-in at all was to play dead.
Tap tap tap. ‘Sarah, are you awake?’ She didn’t bother whispering this time.
Sarah kept her eyes screwed shut. ‘No. I’m sleeping. What time is it?’
‘The sun’s up. You’re not sleeping. You’re talking.’
‘Thanks to you.’
‘You’re welcome.’
They were on the beach before most
