Twenty-one
Christmas Day in Australia was very different to Christmases at home. For a start, lunch was chips, eaten on Bondi Beach.
‘It’s not quite a turkey dinner, is it?’
Beth wasn’t sure if Michelle was saying she was disappointed or pleased at the change. ‘It’s … weird,’ she agreed.
James handed her a stick of sunblock. ‘Can you write something on me?’
‘I’m eating my chips. What do you want me to write?’
‘Like everyone else.’ He pointed at several hundred people swarming around the beach.
Beth looked. People had written messages such as ‘Merry Christmas’ all over their bodies in white or fluorescent colours.
Taking the sunblock, she wrote ‘I love Beth’ on his back.
‘What did you put?’
‘Just “Merry Christmas”,’ she giggled.
Michelle giggled too. ‘It looks good, James.’
Beth noticed several groups of revellers had brought along small artificial Christmas trees, they were dotted around the beach, stuck in the sand. ‘We should have brought a tree.’
Turning the front pockets of his shorts inside out, James laughed. ‘Um … how were we meant to carry the flamin’ thing?’ Then, from his back pocket, he produced a small box. ‘I may not have got you a tree, but I didn’t forget the present.’
‘Oh no. We agreed we wouldn’t. We both have no spare money.’
‘It didn’t cost much. I just wanted to get you something. I didn’t wrap it … but here you go.’
Beth was a bit embarrassed that she’d not got him anything, but she was still delighted to receive the present. Opening the box, she found a lovely silver watch inside. ‘Oh, it’s gorgeous. I can’t believe it didn’t cost much.’
‘It’s fine, sweetheart.’
Lisa gave her opinion. ‘Of course ‒ it’s got no numbers on it.’
‘I know.’ Beth squinted at the plain watch face in the bright sunlight. ‘I’ll, um, just have to get used to …’
‘Asking people what the time is!’ Lisa mocked.
‘Shush. It’s the thought that counts.’ To James, Beth said, ‘Thank you so much. I’ll treasure it.’
Once back at the hostel, Beth tried to call home. Her mobile phone company would have charged a fortune to call from abroad, so both she and Michelle had left them at home. Queueing up at the payphone, Beth had her dollar coins at the ready.
She soon discovered that no one was able to get through to the UK.
Toby was the first to give up. ‘It’s just a recorded message about the lines all being used up. It says we have to try later.’
He was followed by one of the lads from James’s room, who also slammed the phone down and complained about the message.
Then, it was Beth’s turn. Although, by now, she wasn’t too hopeful, she still carefully pressed all the digits, with her fingers crossed. But no, of course not. She got the exact same message. There were no free lines to the UK. She wouldn’t be chatting to her mum and dad or nanna tonight.
Returning to their room, Beth discovered that, even though it was tiny, Michelle had invited people back. She had produced a bottle of tequila, and was suggesting they all do slammers and Lick-Sip-Sucks.
It wasn’t something Beth would normally do, but she was upset at not being able to speak to her family, so she decided to give it a go.
The first time she tried the tequila, she was shocked. It seemed to take her breath away.
‘Try one with lemon and salt next,’ Michelle instructed.
‘I don’t know.’
‘Please?’ Lisa begged. ‘Let’s have some real fun?’
‘Oh, all right then.’ Beth copied James and licked some salt off the back of her hand, downed a shot of tequila and finished up sucking on a lemon wedge.
‘Hey, over here,’ Michelle called, waving her camera.
They turned their heads and grinned. Michelle took a photo of them with their lemon smiles.
The more shots of tequila Beth downed, the more her head spun. But it was all such great fun, and Lisa seemed to be having a wonderful time.
By 10 p.m., Beth was wasted. Her lips had gone numb and she was finding it incredibly hard to hold a sensible thought in her head.
Turning to James, she babbled, ‘I think I need my … bedbunk.’
‘Pardon?’
‘I know. I know. You’re going to say it’s too late, but I’m …’
‘Too late? You mean too early, right?’
Beth shook her head. ‘See, I can’t even speak properly. I’ve got to …’
Michelle was concerned. ‘You’re not going to hurl again, are you?’
‘No. Absolutely not. I just need a teeny lie down.’ Beth hiccupped and began making her way unsteadily over to her bed.
‘I think we should leave her to sleep. Shall we move this party to the garden?’ Michelle suggested.
And that was that. Within seconds, the evening was over for Beth. As her head hit the pillow, she began to drift off. James kissed her gently on the tip of her nose. ‘Sleep here, love. I’ll try and check in on you later, OK?’
‘Thanks. Oh yeah, James …’
‘Yes.’
‘Merry Christm …’ She was asleep.
Michelle placed the bin next to her bed. ‘Just in case she doesn’t make it to the sink this time.’
Then they were gone. Their party continued in the garden, long into the night. Dreaming of Lisa’s place; Beth slept through it all.
The next morning Beth went to find James. ‘Morning. How’s your head?’
‘Not too bad. Yours?’
‘A bit sore actually. Do you fancy coming to the payphone with me? I want to try calling home.’
Miraculously, there was no queue, and Beth made an excited lunge for the phone. Lining her coins up along the top, she dialled the number. As soon as someone picked up, the coins began to drop. It was frightening to watch how quickly the money disappeared.
‘Hello? Hello? Is that you, Beth?’
‘Yes, it’s me, Mum. Merry Christmas.’
‘And to you. How are you?’ She heard her mum turn and shout, ‘Quick, Don, it’s Beth. She won’t have long.’
Gabbling, ‘I’m fine. I’m OK,’ Beth tried desperately to beat the clock. The coins continued to drop at speed.
Due to the time delay, there were a few seconds when both women spoke over each other. Beth forced herself to stop talking and heard her mum say, ‘We’re all OK here too. I’ll hand you over to Dad.’ Then there was the sound of the phone being shoved towards Don, followed by his familiar voice, ‘Hello, Betty-Boo.’
‘Oh, Dad. It’s great to talk to you.’
‘You too. Are you being careful?’
‘Yes, yes.’
‘You’re being sensible at all times. Promise?’
‘I promise.’ There were only a couple of coins left. ‘Dad, is Nanna there?’
‘Yep, she’s just coming to the phone. Hurry up, Mother, she wants to speak to you.’
Beth’s heart was racing. She now had one dollar left to fall and no more change to call them back. ‘Nanna? Nanna, are you there?’
She heard more muffled sounds of the phone once again being handed over.
‘NANNA?’
The last coin dropped. How much time do I get for one dollar?
‘… Hello, darling. Merry Christmas.’
Beth gave a sigh of relief. ‘Oh, Nanna, it’s you. Hello. I love you all so much.’
‘We all love you too. Have a wonderful time and don’t worry about us. Will you try to call again for Hogmanay?’
‘Yes, I promise I’ll do my best. It’s brilliant here. I’ve met someone, and I can’t wait to tell you all …’ The line went dead.
She stamped her foot. ‘Why does it have to cost the earth to talk to them?’
‘Um … derr … they’re a bloody long way away, idiot.’ Lisa didn’t appear to be as sentimental as Beth.
‘Sorry you’re upset. At least you got to speak to them and they’re all fine.’ James was much more comforting. Taking Beth into his arms, he gave her a warm hug.
A guy appeared behind them, he was a friend of Toby’s, whom they vaguely knew. ‘Sorry to butt in,’ he said, ‘are you still using the phone?’
‘No, mate. You go ahead.’ James gently manoeuvred Beth out of the way.
‘Wait! James, it’s your turn first.’ She stepped back towards the payphone. ‘Don’t you want to call home?’
‘No, it’s fine.’
‘Sorry?’
James nodded his head towards the payphone. ‘You go next, mate. I’m OK.’ He began leading Beth towards the kitchen, and asked, ‘Would a bit of breakfast cheer you up? I’ve got some Cornflakes.’
Beth was confused. ‘Don’t you want to call home? It’s Christmas Day there!’
‘Umm …’
‘Won’t they be wondering how you are?’
‘They …’
‘What’s up?’
‘Nothing!’
‘So, why don’t you want to call home?’
‘I’ve already spoken to them, that’s all.’
‘When?’
‘Last night.’
She stopped abruptly. ‘You called your family, last night?’
‘That’s what I said.’
‘And you spoke to them?’
‘What is this? The Spanish Inquisition?’
She hesitated. ‘No, sorry. I just … I didn’t see you use the phone.’
‘I just nipped out of the room. It was before we went outside.’
‘Outside?’
‘The party in the garden. Blimey, Beth, it’s all questions from you this morning.’
‘Sorry.’ She could see he was getting pissed off. ‘Were your family OK?’
‘They were fine.’
‘Really?’
‘I just said so. They were fine.’ He waited a second, and then asked, ‘Right then, Cornflakes?’
‘Um …? I suppose so.’ Why don’t I believe him?