by Jenni Nolan

Created on: August 10, 2010

'Colin, is Daisy awake yet?'
'No, not yet so be quiet,' he whispered, reaching for the last of the bacon.  'Why?'
Poppy flopped down at the table.
'Have you been crying?'
She turned to him and pulled him close.
'Col, it's Jay.  Mum's just told me.  He's been found dead.'
Colin looked at her in confusion, as if he couldn't quite grasp what she was saying.

'Dead?  Jay?'
'Yeah.  An overdose apparently.'  She gripped his arms.  'Col, I need to tell her.  The police need to speak to her, we've got to go home.'
'Woah.'  Colin sat back in his chair dumbfounded.
'Why're you two sat here looking so serious?'
Daisy walked out onto the balcony and sat down at the table.  'Awww Col, you've not saved me any bacon,' she said, looking at his face.  'Colin, what's wrong?'  'Poppy, have you been crying?'  She slammed her palms down on the table.  'Will someone tell me what the hell is going on!'
'Daisy, we need to tell you something.  Something terrible's happened.'
'What?'
'It's Jay babe.  He's been found dead.  An overdose.'
Colin went to hug her, but she pulled away confused.
'Is this some sort of sick joke?'
Poppy shook her head.  'Mum just told me.  Daisy, it's true.'
Daisy stood up and leaned on the balcony, looking down at the pool.
'You're being serious.  He's really dead, isn't he?'
Poppy came up behind her and pulled her into her arms.  'Yeah, it's true.'
'I want to go home,' she whispered into Poppy's hair.
'Jack's gone to get us tickets on the next flight back.  We're going home,' she said, stroking her hair.  'We're going home.'

*

Daisy sat staring out of the window, at the clouds passing beneath them.  She could see the tips of some mountains, topped with snow, peaking through the clouds, and she wondered if anyone actually lived down there.
Colin sat next to her, squeezing her hand every now and again.  She'd tried acting normal around them.  She didn't want to spoil the holiday.  Poppy thought she was in some sort of shock, but the truth was, she felt relieved.  Relieved that Jay was dead.  She had been waiting for the moment when she felt like she'd moved on since the day she'd packed her things and left, but it hadn't come.  She'd always felt like she was just pretending.  Pretending she'd left him, and that she'd go back to him.  But now he was gone, it all seemed so real.  She really wasn't going back to him.  She really was living life for herself again.  She would never have to put up with him hitting her ever again.
She turned to Colin and smiled.
'I'm okay, you know,' she said, squeezing his hand.

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