They ordered their drinks and settled back onto their sun-lounges. Natalie found herself thinking over Faye’s midlife crisis. Is that what was happening to her? She was a wife, a mother, a daughter, a teacher, all things she’d felt she’d been mildly successful at to this point – well, maybe not the daughter part – and yet she found herself wondering if that was it. Surely there was more to life.

“Are we going to yoga again this afternoon?” Dot’s question broke through her thoughts.

Faye lifted the brim of the hat she’d placed over her face. “Are you kidding?”

“No.” Dot sat up. “I enjoyed it, didn’t you, Natalie?”

“Yes, but—”

“See, Faye.”

“I’m not going.” Faye settled back under her hat. “Don’t let me stop you two though.”

Dot had convinced them to go to the free sunset session of yoga the previous afternoon. Natalie had not done yoga before, another thing she’d never found time for. The room was tucked away in a quiet corner of the resort and she’d soon relaxed and enjoyed herself, but their session had ended rather abruptly and she wasn’t sure she could face the instructor again.

“I don’t think I’m in the mood now.” Natalie tried to let Dot down gently.

There was a snort from beneath Faye’s hat.

“Oh, I’d rather go with you girls than on my own.” Dot pouted. “Bother you, Faye.”

The hat flew up again. “You don’t seriously want to go back after what happened?”

“It was nothing abnormal.”

Natalie chewed her lip to stop from laughing. The class had gone well until Faye and Dot had been so fully relaxed that Dot had dozed off and Faye had let one rip, at which point they’d gathered their belongings while the rest of the class, all much younger women, avoided eye contact. They’d bolted from the room, collapsing in hysterical laughter as soon as they made it outside.

“No, me farting and you snoring is par for the course but not usually in a full class of lithe young things.” The hat went down again.

“It was rather funny.” Dot began to laugh.

Natalie joined in and from under the hat came the strangled chook sound that had startled Natalie the first time she heard it but she now understood was Faye’s happy laugh.

“Your drinks, ladies.” They composed themselves as the young man handed out their cocktails. “Are you heading downtown to watch the Staircase to the Moon tonight?” he asked.

“It’ll be our only chance,” Dot said, giving Faye a hard stare.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Faye replied.

“I’d like to see what it’s all about,” Natalie said.

“It’s pretty spectacular,” their waiter said. “And also popular, so don’t forget to book a space on the bus.” He flashed them a big smile. “Enjoy, ladies.”