ALANA'S MISTAKE ✔

Chapter 29

Alana felt much better with some breakfast in her stomach and the wind rushing through her hair as they drove down a long, open road. After she had been sick in the bathroom Noah had helped her back to her feet and they had gone downstairs to have the usual Saturday morning feast. She had eaten much less than she usually would, just a few bites of Noah's blueberry pancakes, some buttery scrambled eggs and a thick slice of brown toast.

The sun streaming through the windows had served to lift her spirits. In the warm light of day it all didn't seem quite so utterly hopeless as it had last night. Somehow with the morning sun it seemed like nothing too sinister could happen. They were here, they were together. Elias was somewhere else and hopefully he would stay there. She presumed Riley had woken up in one of the band member's beds by the looks of things when Alana had left. Good luck to her. I hope she has as much fortune as I've had on that front.

Once they had finished breakfast Noah suggested a day trip in the camper van. Both Snow and Alana had jumped at the chance. Some time away from the city was probably just what she needed, thought Alana. And distance is no bad thing at the moment...

Noah looked slightly surprised. She would usually have put up lots of resistance before he managed to get her in the van. She would've wanted to stay in town, go to an art gallery or some kind of arty festival, somewhere with lots of people. But today a trip to the middle of nowhere would suit her just fine. She would take the boredom and isolation any moment of the day right now, in fact boring isolation was great.

So they sat in the van, Alana in the passenger seat with the window rolled down all the way, her bare arm resting on it. She wore her golden curls down, letting them flow along her neck, and no make up apart from a splash of mascara and some lip gloss. Noah always said he liked her best without make up but she never quite believed him.

Noah looked sun-kissed and content, behind the wheel of his beloved camper van. He never looked happier than driving it. She used to think it was ridiculous, that he could love a camper van so much. But now she couldn't help thinking that she should have done this more often before now, even if it were just to see the smile on his face.

Noah had single-handedly brought this vehicle back from the dead. It was a mouldy shell when he towed it home from a local garage and parked it up on their driveway. Alana hated it, the rusty old thing sitting there making the place look ugly. Noah often teased her for not having enough vision to see how good he would make it. 'Artists are supposed to have vision aren't they?' he would say.

She would roll her eyes and resent how many hours he spent working on it, tapping away endlessly. It took months and months but in the end he was right. The van had come out a beautiful, retro little number with shiny headlights and creamy leather seats.

Snow sat just behind them in the back, looking out the window, following the scenery with her eyes. Alana handed back a drink to her and she took it, saying:

'I'm so glad you're here, Mummy.'

She smiled and showed her white teeth, scrunching her eyes and nose.

'Me too,' said Alana, before sitting back and breathing in the fresh, sea air.

Noah rested a hand on her shoulder and she closed her eyes, trying her best to forget her recent troubles and somehow enjoy this moment. It was hard, though, to clear her mind of Elias who she now knew she utterly despised, and Riley who was hardly any better with her traitorous moves last night.

After about an hour of driving they arrived at a large area just opposite the sea, where they parked the van. Snow rushed out as soon as they came to a standstill. Alana jumped out after her, scolding her a little for moving off so fast. Snow sulked for a short time but couldn't keep it up because she was just too delighted to be near the water, the waves, the sand.

Noah helped Snow take out her little surf board. Then they all helped her wriggle into her tiny black wetsuit with pink stripes down the sides. She looked like a baby seal and she couldn't waddle off fast enough towards the sea, surf board under her arm.

Noah and Alana followed, hand in hand, unable to stop themselves laughing at their exuberant daughter who was already splish-splashing in the surf. They both sat down, close to where Snow was, on a yellow and blue striped towel that Noah had tucked under his arm.

Snow climbed onto her board, chest down, and showed them how she could ride the waves all by herself. Not standing up, because she wasn't allowed to do that without daddy by her side. But lying down was fine for her right now.

The three of them stayed there all morning, basking in the sunlight and drinking tea from a big tartan flask. The entire beach was all theirs the whole time, with no one but a few couples walking their dogs for miles around.

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