The Couple by Helly Acton

Author:Helly Acton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bonnier Publishing Fiction

Twenty

‘First pee, then panic,’ Millie whispers to herself on the chilly toilet seat with her thumbs tapping at her screen in a rush.

Millie:

Where are you?

Ping!

She lifts her head abruptly. That was from right outside.

‘Millie?’ Ben says through the door. ‘Are you toilet-texting me?’

‘No!’ she shrieks, turning the tap on and scrambling to finish up as quietly and quickly as she can.

‘OK. I have a surprise for you,’ he replies.

Millie’s heart sinks. Feeling strangely calm about a spontaneous night away is one thing, but morning surprises in her pjs are another level of unfamiliar, and she isn’t ready for that. Besides, shouldn’t they be packing by now? It’s almost lunchtime, and the car rental will be clocking up the late fees.

Surprise! The storm washed away the car.

Surprise! I’ve harvested fresh mussels for breakfast!

Surprise! Adrian found out and we’re both fired!

Millie stares at herself in the mirror, wiping smudges from under her eyes and using her fingers as a comb. There’s no time to wash it now. When she pushes the bathroom door open, she sees Ben standing with a straight back to the fireplace, holding a church leaflet to his chest.

‘Are you . . . here to talk to me about Jesus?’ she asks, her eyes narrowing.

He frowns and looks at the leaflet.

‘Ha, no,’ he says and laughs, and then switches on a serious face. ‘But you have sinned. Twice! One, you fell asleep before we could play Snap. Two, you took up so much of the bed with your extreme starfish pose that I had to sleep on the floor.’

‘I accept no responsibility for what I do in my sleep,’ she says, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment at the idea of him seeing her sleep. She flicks the kettle on. ‘So, what’s the big surprise?’

Ben steps towards her, smiles and holds out the leaflet. On the front cover in big letters is TENBY – Discover the Delights of Our Little Harbour Town. It’s Shrimply the Best!

Millie flicks through the leaflet and looks up at him.

‘Let’s go!’ he cries. ‘The storm has passed, it’s a beautiful day and you can see where your mum went on holiday.’

‘Hmmm,’ Millie says, weighing it all up in her head.

‘But that’s not actually the surprise,’ he says, leaning behind the armchair and dragging out a wicker basket covered in white ribbons and overflowing with an assortment of picnic foods. Millie’s eyes light up as she spots peanut brittle, caramel fudge, fresh pastries and bacon butties. There’s also a hot flask and a mini bottle of champagne resting on a tartan blanket inside, next to two tiny flutes.

He looks pleased to see her smiling.

‘When did you have time to do this?’ She laughs.

‘I woke up early, as anyone would with their head resting on cold, hard wood, not that I’m bitter or anything, then I went next door and Betty mentioned a place down the road that does these summer picnic baskets, and I got there just as they were opening.’

Millie loves Morning Ben, talking at lightning speed.

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