Trouble at sea

THREE minutes,” the man in the suit announced to the room, his clipboard clutched in his hands. His words triggered a wave of panic among the entrants to Sunnywade’s Grand Summer Talent Contest 1967.

SOPHIE sat in the beachside café sipping a chilled lemonade as the cool Aegean sea lapped the blond Cretan sand. The first time she’d sat here, she had just broken up with Ryan. Or, rather, Ryan had b

Sunning herself on a lounger, Claire wriggled her toes and wondered whether to put on some more suncream or have a dip in the pool. “Laura, do you fancy a swim?” She nudged her friend who was engrosse

SOMETIMES it felt as if I was the only competent one in the family. Take our big American trip, for instance. Everyone – my husband and all the kids – had been bungling it from the start. I suppose th

Emily looked out of the window as the plane began its descent, frantically sucking a Polo as her ears complained about the drop in pressure. “You suffering?” the man in the next seat asked, looking co

YOU’LL never guess what I found. From our childhood,” Carly said. “You’ll have to give me a clue,” Juliet said. “Well, it’s something we used to wear all the time.” “Legwarmers? Shell suit? Day-Glo so