Read Online Five Go Glamping by Liz Tipping - Free Book Online Page B

how I could have made such a balls-up of everything. I considered how I would tell Connor and wondered if it was better not to tell him until after I’d had the disciplinary hearing as I still had the tiniest glimmer of hope I wouldn’t be sacked – although I knew that outcome was unlikely. I opened the kitchen drawer where I kept my notebook and turned to the front page where I’d written my plan. I couldn’t see how I could salvage any of it.
    I put it away and poked my head round the door of my bedroom where Steph and Sinead had slept and were now starting to stir. Suddenly, Steph sat bolt upright, whipped her de-puffing eye mask off and yelled at the top of her voice, ‘Let’s go glamping, bitches. First stop – off licence!’ This frightened the life out of Sinead, who woke up and started screaming.
    This at least made me laugh and gave me a little hope that the weekend might be fun after all.

Chapter Seven
    ‘What time did Kirk say he’d be here?’ asked Steph, laden down with carrier bags full of Crabbie’s alcoholic ginger beer from her trip to the off licence.
    ‘Perhaps he’s got stuck in traffic,’ suggested Sinead, joining me to peek out of the blinds.
    My doorbell rang. It was Kirk and he was in floods of tears, clutching Brian Harvey so hard that I thought he might asphyxiate him. I took Brian Harvey from him.
    ‘He’s left me,’ he said. ‘Gav has finally left me!’
    Sinead hugged Kirk. We had all seen it coming but it still was obviously a shock for Kirk. I patted him on the arm and while I was sad for him, it was probably the best thing that could have happened.
    ‘Well, aren’t we all a fine lot,’ said Sinead, sighing as she pulled away from Kirk. Kirk stopped crying for a minute.
    ‘What with Kirk and Gav and Fiona’s work woes, this break is exactly what we need’ she announced.
    ‘Oh no, what’s happened to you?’ Kirk said to me. I told him all about work and how I might not have a job to go back to and Kirk started snivelling again and that made me feel all teary too.
    Steph stood beside us all. ‘Come on you lot, the sooner we get to this bloody festival, the sooner we can all get pissed and party. And there will be no work woes and no crying and we will all have the best time ever.’
    Sinead nodded meekly.
    ‘So we are all agreed?’ Steph said. Me and Kirk nodded.
    ‘Okay, then,’ said Steph. ‘Let’s go.’
    *
    ‘What is that bloody noise? It sounds like a police siren. Are we being pulled over?’ said Steph, glancing in her rear view mirror and then tutting. It wasn’t a police siren, it was Kirk wailing. We’d been on the road for an hour and Kirk had not stopped crying at all. Sinead and I had fought over who was sitting in the back. We both wanted the back seat so we could play with Brian and Sinead let me have it, but God, was I regretting it now. The wailing stopped for minute and Kirk spoke through his sobs.
    ‘How could he leave me? He said it was me or the dog. He must never have loved me.’
    ‘It could be a blessing in disguise.’ Sinead said wistfully. She’d said this lots of times since we set out. A few times to me and a few times to Brian. I had the feeling she wasn’t really paying attention, like she had her mind on other matters like what was inside Crazy Trousers’ crazy trousers.
    ‘Well at least you’ve got a job,’ I said to Kirk. I was trying to be sympathetic but after an hour or so on the M5, I could have done with a little bit of space to think about my own problems.
    ‘At least you’ve got a boyfriend,’ said Kirk.
    ‘Will you all please be quiet? I’m trying to concentrate. Pull yourself together, Kirk,’ said Steph.
    It was the worst thing she could have possibly said as the sobbing turned to police siren wailing again. I pulled my notebook out from my rucksack and stared at the front page.
    ‘Please tell me you haven’t bought your planning book with you,’ said Steph.
    ‘No,’ I said, closing the