My Dinosaur Era Chapter 33

 

open my eyes, vision slow to focus

edges of ginny come into view, standing above me

she’s smiling, holding something

rub my eyes, she’s holding a cup

hey, you, she says

mmm, hey, I say

pull myself to upright

I brought you some coffee, she says

what time is it, ginny, I say

six thirty, she says

since when do you get up at this time, I say

do you want the coffee or not, she says

sure, sure, I say

I just slept so beautifully, woke up at five feeling perky, she says

blimey, scientists need to study this phenomenon, I say

I’ve cleaned the bathroom, she says

you do know that we are in a hotel, I say

I am well aware of that, yet, I have my own standards, she says

you are funny, I say

how did you sleep, she says

pretty good, I think, I say

ok, good, let’s go eat some breakfast, she says

babe, chill, will you, I have literally just woken up, I say

drink your coffee, have a shower, you smell funny, she says

funny how, I say

you smell of me and you, it’s weird, nice but weird, she says

 

at breakfast, more coffee, a pint of orange juice

scrambled eggs, yogurt

sausages did not appeal today

ginny is still bouncing, I have never seen her fully refreshed

it is unnerving 

yet, I like it

no shades at the table today, her eyes are lit up

phone buzzes, patrycja

is ginny ok, she says

yes, why, I say

she has been texting me since five, has she gone crazy, she says

haha, no, she is fine, all good energy, I say

ok, good, see you soon, she says

who was that, says ginny

patrycja, she thinks you are losing your mind, I say

I wanted to talk to someone and you were asleep, that's all, she says

she is not used to this hi-energy ginny, nor am I, it’s good though, I say

I do feel different today, I did sleep well, which is a miracle in itself, but I don’t think it is that alone, maybe just being on holiday, no, I’m usually a bitch on holiday, hmm, dunno, maybe I am going mad or something, she says

eat some food, you loon, I say

she spoons some of the scrambled eggs I brought from the serving area

my eggs always taste better, huh, I say

yes, yes they do, timmy, she says

grinning, egg stuck to her lip

I was looking up san sebastian this morning, the beach is like a million times nicer than brighton, she says

cos it’s sandy and the weather is generally better, I say

yeah, mainly that I guess, ooh, and guess what else there is, she says

her voice so shrill now that people are looking over, ears twitching

go on, I say

there’s only a funicular railway, a really long one too, she says

I have literally never seen you so excited, I say

don’t you think it is exciting, she says

of course, it sounds fabulous, I say

you think I’m silly but you know what, I don’t care today, she says

and so you shouldn’t, I say

 

outside the hotel, the sun is still new in the sky

ginny stops, looks over her shades

oh my god, she says

I follow her line of sight

on the other side of the street are patrycja and petula

both are wearing fifties style sun dresses

patrycja in bright orange, white polkadots

petula in pink, tiny printed cherry pattern

I can feel ginny gasping next to me

are we in a film, ginny says

we cross the road, the two women smiles as we go towards them

oh my fucking god, what are you doing, says ginny

we decided to play dressing up this morning, says petula

she giggles, her eyes bigger than yesterday

patrycja smiles, she’s pleased with herself

bringing great hilarity to the morning

I want a dress, says ginny

I think mine are too big, says patrycja

I look a mess next to you two, it’s not fair, she says

we can find you a dress in san sebastian, says patrycja

ok then, says ginny

you both look amazing, I say

petula smiles and twirls her dress from her thighs

they do, and so will I, says ginny

neither of us have noticed till now what is behind them

a decent sized, very new looking, campervan

black, shiny

patrycja sees me looking at it

welcome to my home, she says

wow, you live in this, I say

yeah, for a year now, she says

it looks very new, I say

yes, only three years old, my big baby, she says

hey, ginny, have you seen patrycja’s home, I say

where, says ginny

this, I say

the van, you live in here, says ginny

patrycja nods, smiling, proud

it’s a beauty, says ginny

so shall we go, I say

soon, we have to wait for one more, I am giving someone a lift, says patrycja

oh, who’s that, says ginny

my husband, well, he was my husband, he’s not now, says patrycja

your what now, says ginny

patrycja smiles, puts her hand on ginny’s shoulder

he’s a good guy, you’ll like him, says patrycja

he’s what, your friend now or something, says ginny

yes, of course, he’ll be here soon, he is always late, I told him seven so he’ll manage to be here soon, says patrycja

a man emerges from behind the van

oh, you come at last, congratulations, says patrycja

sorry, sorry, sleep, sleep, hey, all these people, cool, it’s giovanni, gio, call me either, all good, says gio