Each day’s hotter than the last. It hasn’t rained since that Saturday when Simon took her to the swimming cove down the cliff. There’s nothing to do all day except keep out of the way. She’s bored with sunbathing all by herself.
When she went round to babysit on Wednesday, Nina had chatted to her while she got ready to meet Matt.
‘Why don’t you get yourself a job? It doesn’t matter what, really. Just to earn some money and keep you busy while you work out what to do next. Don’t your parents mind you hanging about all day?’
Leah didn’t tell Nina that they had other things to worry about right now.
‘My childminder, Rita, might be able to help?’ Nina offered. ‘You could get more babysitting through her probably. You’re good with Ellie. What about a childcare course in September? At the college.’
Leah just shrugged. ‘I’ve had enough of learning things.’
Nina had looked sad when she said that.
Simon had got back about ten. He hadn’t wanted her to stay. ‘Mum left your money in the kitchen,’ he said. ‘You can go now I’m back.’
‘Do you want a coffee or something? I’ll make you one if you like.’
‘No. I’m tired. I’m going to bed.’
And that had been that. It was as if he’d forgotten all about their walk, the kiss. He didn’t even look at her properly. He smelt of woodsmoke and booze. She supposed he’d been out with those kids from school. End of term.
She heard Nina’s car about eleven. Early. Perhaps they’d had a row. Maybe he’s realized she’s not right for him after all. Too old and sensible. And who’d want to take on two children like that? When they could have someone young and exciting and free?
It’s too hot in the garden now. Leah swings her legs round off the sunlounger and goes into the kitchen to get a glass of water. She thinks about that cove again, where she swam with Simon. Why not? There must be a quicker way to get there, if she cuts across the fields. If she finds that path again, Simon’s Coffin Path. It won’t be spooky in the daytime.
She walks quietly upstairs to get a towel, grabs an apple from the bowl in the kitchen on her way out. No one sees her go.
She’s hotter than ever by the time she finds the right place, sweat trickling down her back. There’s the brief, terrifying moment when she has to get the rope and swing herself over the edge, lower herself hand over hand, but she does it. She almost wishes there was someone to see, someone to admire her. But of course there’s no one around for miles.
It’s hot even on the rocks today, hardly a breath of wind. She peers down to the swimming cove. It looks different. The tide is high, she supposes. You can’t see the sandy bottom like she could last time they were here. How will she get back out? Simon had to help her last time.
Leah steps back from the edge. She might as well make the most of the sun. She peels off her sticky T-shirt, her bra, her skirt and pants. She can get her all-over suntan at last. She dangles her legs down over the side of the rocks so her feet trail in the sea; it cools her down just enough. Then she finds a place to lie out flat on her towel.
No one can see her. No one knows she’s here. She’s free as the birds circling overhead, mewing in the high blue sky. She loses track of time. Dozes. Every so often she strokes her body with another layer of sun lotion, for a perfect golden tan.
Suddenly, a sharp sound like gunshot rips out, echoes and reverberates off the cliff. Leah sits up, grabs her T-shirt, scans the cliff face. What was it? She can see a small trickle of chalky rock crumbling down the top of the rough track. Is someone there? She waits, holding her clothes like a shield, but nothing more happens. The birds are wheeling overhead again, unperturbed.
It must have been from further away. Sound travels long distances over the fields.
She’s unbearably hot. The sea washes against the rocks, soothing and inviting. She knows how cold it will be, but she can’t resist. She works out the easiest place for getting in and out. There are only tiny waves: the cove’s sheltered from the wind. She can swim well enough. She steps down on to the lower platform of rock, slides herself over the edge. She gasps, then dips right in, lets go of the rock and starts to swim. With the sun full on her face, it’s just about bearable. To begin with, she stays close to the rocks. She turns on to her back. Paddling with her arms to keep herself still she scans along the cliff, checking that no one is watching her. She’ll stay in for the count of fifty, and then she’ll get out and warm up again.