* * *
Stella woke with a start. Even in a villa this size, it was hard not to miss the thump of the large wooden door slamming shut. She’d left the blinds open and a glimmer of moonlight filtered through the trees outside the patio doors. Stella heard Chloe and Amber giggling together, followed by lots of shushing as they clattered across the entrance hall to the stairs. Lying there listening, Stella suddenly felt very awake. They sounded happy and tipsy. Oh, to be young. The voices faded as bedroom doors closed.
It was just gone 1.30 a.m. Apart from Chloe and Amber returning, it was utterly peaceful, far enough away from the centre of Capri town to be undisturbed by music and voices from the bars and restaurants. Fully awake now, she stared in annoyance at the shadowed ceiling, her mind whirring. Her thoughts returned to what she’d been thinking about earlier. She’d have loved to have gone out with them tonight, but she knew they didn’t want her tagging along. Should going clubbing really be her scene any longer? The years had flown by. Her twenties were a fading memory, and when she did go out, she was conscious of being older than most of the people she was out with. Was it desperate to be clinging on to her youth, still wanting to enjoy the things she’d done when she was a lot younger? With Chloe at university and Jacob at his dad’s every other weekend, she was able to go out and enjoy herself without being plagued by guilt. She felt young. She was free and single. Why the hell could she not enjoy herself?
Sleep must have eventually overtaken Stella’s thoughts, although she woke early with a foggy head. It was strange how she’d coped with broken sleep in her twenties with two babies, yet in her late thirties being woken in the middle of the night left her feeling groggy. Or perhaps it was from too much gin and tonic the night before. Either way, being here with an eighteen- and a twenty-one-year-old was making her feel her age.
She showered, did her make-up and dressed in a maxi dress, another new one from her pre-holiday shopping spree. She felt the pressure of her Lottery win more at home than she did here. It felt okay in a place like this to splash out. At home, she was conscious of how the money would change her life and the impact it would have. She also had the stress of having kept it secret from almost everyone.
By the time she emerged, the table on the pool terrace had already been laid for breakfast. She was even up before Fern. She settled herself in one of the chairs that faced the pool. There was never time to contemplate anything at home; life was constantly busy, with work, socialising, the kids… Here, she felt relaxed and spoilt, something she could get used to.
‘Buongiorno,’ Violetta said as she appeared on the terrace and set a caffe latte in front of Stella, along with a plate of fresh bread rolls and little pots of jam.
‘Oh, that’s a lovely sight.’ Stella smiled.
Violetta nodded. ‘I bring more when everyone else is up.’
‘Thank you.’
‘You’ll be eating out today?’
‘I think that’s the plan. Anywhere you can recommend?’
Violetta suggested a few places and left her to drink her coffee. Stella relished the peace. Hands down it beat sitting in her kitchen munching marmite on toast and burning her mouth on a scalding coffee before sitting in rush-hour traffic heading into the centre of Bristol.
Voices from somewhere in the garden made her turn. She was surprised when Amber and Chloe wandered onto the terrace instead of Fern.
‘Didn’t think I’d see you two quite so early.’ Stella peered at them over her sunglasses. ‘I won’t say bright cos you both look like shit.’
Chloe pulled a face and Amber sank down in the chair opposite, her fake-tanned face somehow managing to look pale. Sunglasses shaded her eyes and she was either pouting or trying hard not to puke. Stella had a sudden wave of relief at not being the one to suffer the after-effects of a night out. Focus on the positives, eh, she thought wryly.
‘We wanted to ask you something,’ Chloe said with excitement as she grinned at her mum.
‘Oh God, here we go.’
‘No, it’s something great, isn’t it, Amber?’
‘Yep, although it would still be great in a couple of hours. You didn’t need to drag me out of bed,’ Amber groaned.
‘We met some guys last night,’ Chloe continued, ignoring Amber’s obvious lack of interest.
‘Oh really,’ Stella scoffed.
‘No, it wasn’t like that. We just chatted to them most of the evening. Had a few drinks, went dancing. They took us to this totally amazing proper local place with live music. It was like the best night out ever, wasn’t it, Amber?’
Amber grunted.
Stella raised an eyebrow. ‘Do you actually remember anything?’
‘I drank a few too many limoncello cocktails…’ Amber mumbled.
‘So that’s a no then.’
‘Mum,’ Chloe said, trying to regain her attention. ‘I didn’t drink as much as Amber and remember everything. They were super nice and they’ve invited us on their yacht.’
Stella raised an eyebrow. ‘You’re not going to go sailing on some strange bloke’s yacht, Chloe.’
‘Not just us.’ She gestured between herself and Amber. ‘They invited all of us. You, me, Amber and Fern.’