Sun, Sand & Sequins. Coleen McLoughlin

There will be new towels in your room tonight. And please, with our apologies, you must come for dinner at our restaurant tonight, free of charge.”

      “Well…” Mum wavered. She’s always a sucker where food is concerned.

      “My wife, she makes the best bacalhau in Castelo do Sol,” Mr Santos said, taking Mum’s hand. “You will taste it tonight.”

      João appeared at Mr Santos’s side, looking nearly as worried as his dad. I so wanted to see his gorgeous white smile again.

      “Let’s stay, Mum,” I begged. “Mr Santos is doing his best to help us.”

      “I don’t know, Coleen…” Mum began.

      “What’s bacalhau?” Em asked.

      “Codfish,” said Mr Santos.

      “Like cod and chips?” Em said, brightening. Cod and chips was her favourite.

      “More like your fish pie, maybe,” Mr Santos explained.

      Em beamed. Fish pie was her next favourite.

      “You will fix the shower for us this afternoon?” Mum checked.

      “Claro que sim,” Mr Santos nodded, shaking her hand vigorously. “For sure. And the towels too. Tonight, eight o’clock, you will eat for free in our restaurant. You will not regret it, Senhora.”

      “Right,” said Mum, making a decision with the deepest sigh you ever heard. “We’ll stay tonight. But if things don’t improve, Mr Santos, we are leaving in the morning.”

      I almost cheered and hugged her on the spot. We were staying! Well – for now at least…

       Three

      Once Dad had got the soap out of his hair in mine and Em’s shower, we all got ready for the beach. “What am I going to wear for swimming?” I asked Mum as we left our keys with a very relieved Mr Santos and headed down the dusty street towards the sea. I’d taken off my hoodie, my overskirt and my white T-shirt, and with my yellow vest and pink cropped trousers I almost felt like I was in a new outfit.

      “We’ll buy you something to swim in, love,” Mum said, sounding mellow as the lovely sun warmed her shoulders. “This place looks like it might have some nice shops.”

      It did. Out on the seafront, rows of little boutiques faced the beach with the most adorable – and expensive – beach outfits you ever saw. For visitors with a little less cash, there were kaftans and bikinis, sunhats and flip-flops all lined along the front, where colourful gypsy ladies had set up market stalls while their husbands tipped black hats over their eyes and snoozed away in the sun. I picked out a brown and white striped swimsuit and a brown straw hat, which I clamped straight on to my head.

      Maybe losing my luggage wasn’t such a bad thing after all, I mused happily as we headed down on to the sand. Kicking off my trainers, I tied the laces together and slung them around my neck, loving the feeling of the boiling hot sand between my toes.