Nick pulls the boys aside for a talking-to and I get a chance to concentrate.
‘What did you do today?’ I ask her.
‘A meal, then cocktails.’ It is seven o’clock in Hong Kong. ‘We’re going out to a bar in a bit – there’s a party.’
‘It’s going well?’
‘Brilliant. See the room?’ She swoops her laptop up and swerves it round. Green-painted walls, piles of her clothes, her backpack, a lamp and a mirror. Her face again.
‘Is Dawn staying there?’
‘Yeah, next door. She’s sleeping. Heavy night.’ Lori laughs.
Isaac yelling afresh at Finn makes further conversation impossible. I twist round. ‘Isaac, do you want to talk to Lori or do you want to go to bed?’
‘Talk to Lori.’
‘Right. Two minutes.’ I swing him up and plonk him on the chair directly in front of the webcam. ‘And then Finn two minutes,’ I say. Finn nods.
Isaac goes through his list, then Lori tells him about the aeroplane she’s been on, the snakes she’s seen and the flying squirrels.
‘Time’s up,’ I say.
Isaac and Finn swap over and Finn shows her his scooter, then asks Lori when she’ll be home.
‘A few weeks,’ she says.
‘I miss you,’ he says.
‘I miss you, too, but it won’t be long. Have you got any new certificates?’
‘Yes!’ He flies out of the room.
Nick sits down. ‘Missing anything apart from us?’
‘My bed,’ she says. ‘They’re all like concrete here.’
‘We like the blog,’ Nick says.
‘It’s fun.’
‘And the photos,’ he says. ‘Lovely stuff.’
‘Here!’ Finn is holding his latest swimming badge. He waves it at Lori.
‘Awesome,’ she says. ‘You’re a champion, Finn.’
A howl goes up from Isaac who, down on the floor, has managed to clout his head on one of the chair corners. Lori pulls a face, ‘So, I’d better go.’ She smiles, a dimple on each cheek.
I pick up Isaac so his face is against my shoulder and rub the back of his head with my hand. It comforts him but it also muffles the crying.
‘Anyone special on the scene?’ I say, before we get to goodbyes.
Lori grins. ‘Maybe.’
‘Dawn?’ I say.
‘Maybe. It’s-’ Then she’s tongue-tied.
‘Jo,’ Nick chides me, ‘leave her be.’
‘Only asking.’
‘Digging.’
‘I’m going now,’ Lori says. ‘Happy Christmas.’ She waves both arms and Finn copies her. Isaac digs deeper into my neck.
‘Bye-bye, Isaac,’ she calls. He glances back to the laptop, shakes his hand.
‘Happy new year,’ Nick says.
‘Love you,’ I say. ‘Have fun.’
‘Will do. Love you too.’
She waves again, blows kisses and cuts the connection.
‘You going to have a nap?’ I murmur in Isaac’s ear. He shakes his head.
