The California Club by Belinda Jones Page A

watched TV for a while and then sat out on the balcony in the dark, listening to the rustle of the palm trees and deep breathing of the sea, wondering what the next two weeks hold for us all.
    It was so unexpected, being given a wish. I mean, I always thought if a genie wisped out of a lamp I'd ask for a million pounds, true love and an end to period pain but this wish was different. What would we most like to happen during our time here? If I had to guess, I'd say Zoë's would involve sex and a celebrity – her two favorite things; Sasha, either surgery to reduce her attractiveness or maybe a surprise Prozac prescription; Elliot's dream would definitely be a theme park with no lines; Elise … probably something simple like, 'Make Elliot's friends go away.'
    I'd love to be a fly on the wall and see how she is with him when we're not around. Maybe she saves all her bristling for us and is sweetness and light when they're alone. I wonder what they're doing now? Lying in each other's arms, feeding each other chocolate-dipped strawberries, no doubt.
     
     
    ‘Are you indecent?'
    There's a rat-a-tat on the door and Elliot strides in, hair still wet. Dimples dimpling.
    I do a quick check that my pyjamas aren't offering an impromptu peep show as he darts for the window.
    'Get ready for some California sunshine!' he cheers, unhooking the white plantation shutters.
    He laughs at my blinded-by-the-light pose and then does a double-take at the body on the put-me-up bed.
    'Oh my god! Check out Zoë's maracas!'
    'Elliot!' I exclaim. It's not like him to be so crude. I make a move to redress Zoë's modesty but before I can get there he reaches down and picks up two hand-painted maracas, giving the rattling beads a rhythmical swish. 'I meant that literally! Where'd she get these?'
    'Mmmmfff,' Zoë stirs.
    'Zoë?' Elliot leans over her.
    She squirms away. 'Don't make me eat the worm again!'
    Elliot's eyebrows raise.
    I make a silent prayer that it's a tequila worm she's referring to and suddenly feel a bit guilty for letting her out of my sight.
    'Wow. She's out of it! What time did you lot get to bed?’
    ‘Sasha was about ten,' I begin. She raises a slender arm and flickers her fingers in acknowledgement. 'And I watched Frasier re-runs till midnight.'
    'Does your set rise up out of this box here?'
    I nod.
    'How cool is that?' Elliot grins.
    'As for Worm Woman,' I continue with our alibis: 'no idea.'
    Elliot looks back down at Zoë and frowns. 'What's that black line between her eyebrows?’
    Freeing myself from the bed, I scuttle over and gasp. 'It's the Frida Kahlo monobrow!'
    'The what?' Elliot laughs, stepping back and stumbling over a giant paper-wrapped roll. 'Where'd all these Mexican blankets come from? Did Helen—'
    Suddenly Sasha sits bolt upright in bed as if she's been yanked up in traction. 'She couldn't have!'
    I immediately get Sasha's drift and spin around. 'Where's her purse?'
    Sasha locates it in one leap. 'Passport!'
    We all crowd round, scrabbling through the pages and discover the word MEXICO, freshly stamped.
    'She must have gone shopping in Tijuana!' Sasha reels.
    'I can't believe she left the country while we were sleeping,' I gasp.
    'Zoë?' Elliot gently shakes her.
    She opens one blurry eye. 'Si?'
    We chuckle at our somnolent signorita.
    'I think we should let her sleep,' Elliot decides, tucking her maracas in beside her like a teddy bear. 'You two coming to breakfast?'
    'Can you wait five minutes while I have a shower?' I ask.
    'No problem,' he obliges. 'Sasha, you okay? You look a bit queasy.'
    'Yeah, I'm not hungry, I think I'll get some air down by the sea and then meet you back here.'
    I experience a flicker of concern but decide not to hassle her.
    'Five minutes …' I repeat but as soon as I step into the marble vastness of the bathroom I realize I've been a little optimistic with my timing – it takes five minutes just to reach the shower and when I pull the glass door shut behind me I discover it