The tears that had remained unshed throughout the seemingly interminable drive from Alnburgh prickled at the backs of her eyes as she bounced across the field towards the cluster of ancient caravans and camper vans and pulled up alongside Rainbow’s bus.The painted flowers were peeling and a peace symbol over the back wheel had lost one of its three prongs so that it now looked ironically like the logo of an executive car manufacturer, but otherwise the place in which she’d grown up was pretty much unchanged. It even smelled the same, she noticed as she got out of the car and breathed in the scent of Calor gas, frying onions and wet grass.On legs that felt as weak as a foal’s from being in the car for so long, she walked round to the front of the bus and knocked. The windows, as always, were clouded with condensation, but through it she could see movement. The next moment Rainbow flung open the door, her faced wreathed in smiles.‘Summer—you’re here!’Her voice was warm and filled with pleasure, but not undue surprise.
