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Chapter Twelve

Another Worry

‘Where’s Anastasia?’ Elaine cried, sitting bolt upright and waking Ian. They were both immediately out of bed. She wasn’t in the room and Elaine rushed into the bathroom, followed by Ian. She was sitting on the floor, surrounded by the contents of Elaine’s handbag and playing with her mobile phone. ‘That’s naughty,’ Elaine said, taking the phone from her. Anastasia looked hurt.

‘She’s only playing,’ Ian said.

‘It’s not your phone,’ Elaine said sharply, checking to see what damage had been done.

Ian began collecting together the contents of Elaine’s handbag and returning them to the bag. Seeing her playthings disappear, Anastasia screamed.

‘Stop it!’ Elaine shouted, her nerves frayed from tiredness.

‘Come on,’ Ian said, taking Anastasia’s hand. ‘You can look at the photos on Daddy’s phone while Mummy showers and dresses.’

He took Anastasia into the room, sat her on their bed and gave her his phone to play with while he made coffee. He had a coffee ready for Elaine when she came out of the shower. ‘Thanks, love,’ she said gratefully. ‘Sorry I snapped.’

‘It’s OK.’ He hugged her. ‘We hardly got any sleep last night. It will get easier.’

Elaine nodded and, cupping the mug in her hands, sipped the coffee, thankful that Ian was understanding. It wasn’t like her to be so short-tempered.

Showered and dressed and partially rejuvenated by coffee, Elaine chose some clothes for Anastasia to wear and helped her into them while Ian got ready. She praised Anastasia at every opportunity, told her she loved her, then found the words for restaurant and breakfast in their phrase book and tried to explain they were going to the restaurant for breakfast. Anastasia looked at her blankly. Elaine had big concerns about going to the restaurant but as Ian said, they couldn’t stay holed up in their room all week, and Anastasia wasn’t interested in what room service had to offer. He said that if she wouldn’t sit at the table or caused any trouble, they’d come straight back to their room.

Ten minutes later they were ready and went down in the lift. There were two couples and three business people already in the restaurant and Ian and Elaine went to their usual table. Anastasia climbed onto a chair, but at her age she could barely see over the table. ‘That’s not going to work,’ Elaine said, immediately growing anxious. The waitress came over, said something they didn’t understand and returned with a child’s bolster seat. ‘Thank you so much,’ Elaine said. Of course a hotel restaurant would have a child seat. She should have realized that.

The waitress left them to study the menu, which at breakfast was the same every morning. ‘Something quick,’ Elaine said, glancing at Ian. At present Anastasia was sitting still, watching the other guests and what was going on around her, but how long that would last was anyone’s guess. When the waitress returned to take their orders Elaine asked for croissants, and Ian scrambled eggs on toast.

‘What for the child?’ Elaine asked, pointing to the menu and then at Anastasia. This waitress spoke some English but not as much as Maria had.

‘She have breakfast?’

‘Yes, please. What?’

The waitress understood and pointed to cornmeal porridge and orange juice on the menu.