Us, Colliding

CHAPTER TEN

Late morning, the next day, Neri came over unannounced.

One minute the house was silent, cool and empty and the next it was taken over by her breezy presence.

In all honesty, she'd almost given me a heart attack - I was lying in my room, staring at nothing and thinking about the previous evening with Hanu and the next I heard someone opening and closing cupboard doors, the fridge slamming and then the soft sound of music from my dad's Alexa speaker.

My first thought was that we were being robbed, and then I realised how dumb that was - what kind of a burglar puts music on while they steal all your stuff?

I think I already knew it was Neri.

I peered into the kitchenette to find her perched on the end of one of the breakfast bar stools, nodding her head to Girls Like You by Maroon 5 and Cardi B.

"Oh hey!" She smiles, she waves a spoon at me and I gawp at her in disbelief.

"...hi," I manage as she shovels a huge spoonful of coco pops into her mouth, dribbling milk down her chin in the process, attempting to catch it and then laughing around her mouthful.

I can't help but smile and I shake my head at her, walking into the kitchenette and grabbing a wad of kitchen roll.

I pass it to her.

"Your face!" Neri snorts, cleaning up "you're so cute!"

I scowl and she laughs more.

"What the heck are you doing here?" I ask, grabbing more roll and wiping up a spot of milk from the bar which she's missed.

Neri shrugs, "eating coco pops?" She says as if I asked her the most preposterous question ever known.

"Obviously," I say, "but what are you doing in my dad's house?"

"Ooh, your dad gets these for me -" she gestures to the pack of cereal, "we can't usually get them so when he orders from the mainland he gets me some boxes and I have a key, so I come over when I'm craving."

"My dad supplies you with coco pops?"

"Uh-huh, I flipping love them," she takes another huge spoonful and deposits them into her mouth.

"Clearly," I say.

"Nice pyjamas," she waves her spoon at me and I realise I'm still dressed in my Pusheen sleep set, I'm instantly uncomfortable.

"I mean it," she says, tilting the cereal bowl to her mouth and downing the excess milk. This girl, seriously.

"I love Pusheen," she says, "I have this tee which says "so lazy, I can't move" and it's got Pusheen on it being chubby and adorable."

I desperately want to cover myself up. I may as well be naked, stood there in shorts and a spaghetti-strap top.

"What's that noise?" Neri asks, dispersing my thoughts, at first I hear nothing but after a few moments, I hear a low, persistent rumble.

"Oh, it's my phone!" I say, I dart back to the bedroom and grab my device hitting the green answer button before I miss the call.

"Mum!" I say, "I didn't hear my phone!"

"I'd rather not see the side of your head, My," my mum chuckles and I realise I've accepted a FaceTime call. Crap.

Gingerly I move the phone to face me, and there she is, my mum, sat in her tent, her pineapple hair piled high and her brilliant white teeth blinding me.

"Ah!" She gasps, "did I get time all confused? Is it early there? I thought I was midday? I timed this especially!"

"It is midday!" Neri appears behind me with another bowl of cereal and she sits heavily on my bed.

"Oh, hello!" My mum calls, she attempts to peer behind me but I move, blocking Neri from view. I'm not sure why.

"Myra Dove! Why on Earth are you still in your jimjams when you should be out enjoying the sunshine with your friend?!"

"I was tired," I shrug, a lie- I've been avoiding the beach in case I bump into Hanu.

"No excuse! I thought you'd be tanned, you're as pasty as the day you were born!"

I roll my eyes, "I'm just having a lazy day, I am on holiday..."

"Hmm," my mum scowls disapprovingly, "well, I hope your father is looking after you."

"He is, I'm fine, I'm having a good time..."

"Good, and who's your friend?"

Neri waves her spoon in the background, "I'm Neri!" She smiles, "nice to meet your Mrs Dove."

"Neri! What a beautiful name! Well, call me Tiffany, lovely, or Tiff."

"Oh wow, ok!" Neri is smiling broadly now and the two of them begin discussing Sulani life while I sit there feeling weird and awkward.

I barely know Neri myself and here she is making idle chatter with my mother, who does that?! I am torn between admiration and irritation.

Somehow they've got talking about my dad which I'm not sure is such a good thing.

The way my mum speaks about my dad is anything but kind, and Neri and my father are pretty much best friends.

I listen as Neri describes my father as a "man of the island" and how he rescues turtles and nurses the feral cat population back to health, neutering strays when he can and finding good homes for kittens on the mainland after a rabies shot, full vaccinations and microchipping.

I had no idea he did any of this stuff. Neri knows more about my dad then I do, but that's because my mum never wanted me to have a relationship with him, until now, it seems.

My mum nods enthusiastically and I glance at Neri uncertainly. How does she do this? How does she have such an easy way with people?

She's like the sunshine.

"Well, it's been lovely meeting you," my mum smiles, "I can tell you're looking out for Myra and it sounds like Pete is doing a better job over there than he ever did here."

"Lovely meeting you too, Tiff," Neri smiles, "I hope we can do this again sometime!"

My mum nods and blows a kiss to me, "speak soon honey, stay safe."

I nod, "Bye Mum."

I expected her to flip over Neri's comments about my dad, the way my mother speaks about him you'd imagine a monster and anytime I've tried to ask her about him previously she's completely flipped at me. It's why I was so unsure about coming to Sulani in the first place.

Why would she fly me off to another country to be with a man who was so evil?

I stare at my phone for a moment and begin wondering if I'll ever understand my mother and the way she goes about things.

I realise that don't think I will.

Probably ever.