The Gap Year

Chapter 29

As the plane door opens I felt the silky ribbons of heat gently unroll throughout the cabin like the streamers round a May fair pole.

As my turn in the queue of bobbing bodies arrived I closed my eyes and stepped out on to the metallic stairway, the fading drum of the planes engines splashing a cocktailled scent of heat and plane fuel around me. A deep sigh. As my shoulders dropped, relaxed, I realised that i've spent these past three days in England, and now transit, coiled like a shivering anxious spring and only now breathing in the islands permanent smell of thyme and saltwater and suncream can I bounce back outwards relieved that for the foreseeable weeks I can begin to enjoy the remainder of my time here, secure in the knowledge that I will definitely be going to start my dream career in the autumn.

But I shan't get carried away with such idealistic daydreams that this place might actually be perfect after all, for as luscious as it is to step back out in to the Mediterranean after the constant rain of England's damp squibbed August, the whitewashed gateway stands in front of me like a laughing mouthed entrance of a fairground ghost ride. The arrivals hall and the epicentre of Hells furnace - baggage reclaim.

'Emma, thank God you're back!' The familiar drawl screeches at me and I'm surprised that he recognises me out of my aertex. God he better not dare ask me to go tend to the Gatwick flight or I will have to accidentally drag my suitcase over his sweaty trainer foot.

'I really need to speak to you.' His eyes look desperate, pleading almost.

'It's wonderful to see you too Dave.' Despite his obvious distress I'm still loathe to grant him with any emotion other than insincere glee, 'Don't you worry, I'm still going to be a doctor, if that's why your panicking?'

'What? Why would I care about that?' Touché Dave, here I was thinking that you'd softened in my absence.

'I just wouldn't want you worrying that I might want to do this job permanently, that's all.'

'Shut up Emma, as if I give a flying hoot about what you do or don't do. But what I do need is for you to ring Liam and get him down here now?'

'Liam? Why do you need him to come to the airport?'

'Because I've got a problem, you div!' He was hissing, now pacing up an down like a flea riddled donkey.

'What sort of problem?' I whispered.

'A medical problem obviously. Why else would I want to see a doctor?'

'Well maybe you can just tell me. You could be my first patient?' I grinned, watching him squirm and enjoying his discomfort a lot more than any future healthcare professional should ever admit to.

'Shut up Emma, you might have some big shot idea about becoming a doctor one day, but right now you work for me, so get me Liam down here now otherwise you are straight back on a flight out of here, and as far as I'm aware only the Belfast flight has got seats available!'

'The Belfast flight?' I whimpered.

'Yes the Belfast flight.'

'I'll go call Liam right now.' I staggered out of arrivals desperately seeking a signal.