Clouds Below the Mountains (21 page)

Greg put his eyes up to heaven and jiggled Evan upon his knee. “They'll both try to be first up if I know my wife and daughter. This is Karaoke Kate and Sonya the Dancing Queen.”

Sonya giggled and grabbed the folder off her mother. “Mum doesn't need this really, you know what she'll be singing Dad.”

“Yes, I do. Doesn't she sing it at every Karaoke night on every holiday?”

***

“So, did you have a really bad day?”, asked Jenni, as she and Lucy sat at the bar where Miguel was working, with the rep' sipping on vodka and tonic, while Jenni toyed with her glass of orange juice. “From what I overheard when you were talking to your supervisor, you seemed to have been getting it in the neck at the airport.”

“Only because I was the one to stay behind and wait with the Manchester passengers,” said Lucy wearily. “Kath had the easy bit, because the Gatwick flight was on time. But I suppose we have to share the load, she would have stayed instead, if I had asked her to.”

“Well, I had a wonderful time with Miguel, but he's way out of my reach you know, totally different than Simon. There's no chance we could ever be more than just friends in the future.”

“Why's that?”, asked Lucy cautiously, sensing that the girl beside her was feeling a bit bereft. “Is he the son of a Spanish prince, who's run away to live with the poor people?”

“Nearly right,” said Jenni sadly, lowering her voice so that he couldn't hear her. “ His father is in to property in a big way, he has a mansion and servants too. Miguel will take over the business one day, but for now he's having a sort of gap year. He was privately educated and from what I've guessed, his family are loaded.”

“So, go for it,” said Lucy, whispering excitedly. “What's stopping you?”

“Oh, I don't know, Lucy, what could I possibly offer Miguel? His family would be shocked if they knew what type of background I come from. Brought up by a mother who changes her husband when she starts getting tired of him, a state education with a handful of G.S.E.'s and a couple of “A” level and don't forget I'm not an innocent little virgin anymore. Hardly the type of girl wealthy parents would want for their son. Anyway, they've probably got their eye on a suitable Spanish senorita for him already.”

“I wouldn't sell yourself short if I were you,” said Lucy, putting an arm around Jenni. “What is that saying about love conquering in many different ways?”

***

“Seeing as yer not feeling well, yer can have this,” said Fred gruffly, after Mavis eventually found him in the Sunlight Bar, where he was drinking his second brandy and had explained why she had rushed out of the restaurant. He handed his wife a little box and watched her face whilst she opened it. She didn't seem to be as delighted as he thought she would be, probably as the box lid was etched with the name of the pawn shop.

“It's for our fiftieth wedding anniversary,” he said unnecessarily. “You didn't seem interested in that fact this morning, so I was saving me present until yer were in a better mood.”

“I got you these,” Mavis said, bringing out a gold papered wrapped box from her handbag and passing it over to him. Fred unwrapped the present carefully, then opened the small velvet box to reveal a pair of gold cufflinks with the letter “F” engraved on each one.

“Phew, these must have cost yer,” he said, as he put a cufflink in the palm of his hand and stared at it. “What yer doing wasting the housekeeping on me for?”

“They cost me fifty pounds, Fred. A pound for each flipping year we've been married. If you don't like them I can take them back and get a refund, then maybe I can spend the money on myself for a change.”

“Nay, Mavis. I love ‘em. I'll wear them down t' Club and show ‘em off t' bowling team. Well, aren't yer going to put your ring on? It's one of them eternity things or so the man said?”

“Yes, Fred, I'll wear it,” Mavis said resignedly, not sure she liked the opals that were staring up at her milkily. “Though I'm not sure it'll be for eternity,” she said to herself.

***

“I've not seen that waiter that was making sheep's eyes at you, Sonya,” said Kate, as she began to relax, now that her third gin and tonic was beginning to kick in.

“I think he has a day off today,” Sonya replied. “At least I thought I heard him telling someone that at the disco last night.”

“He seems a pleasant young man,” said her mother, fishing for more detail off her daughter. Sometimes Sonya could be quite secretive and you needed to know which buttons to press.

“Yes, he does, doesn't he? Anyway, are you going to fill out one of these little cards? I've filled mine in and I'll take them up to one of the Animacion team while everyone's playing Bingo. I take it Dad will look after Evan while we make fools of ourselves.”

“Actually Sonya, I was thinking of taking Evan up to bed after the Mini disco,” said Greg, who had been listening with half an ear to their conversation, while Paul was telling him a few more aspects of his Mount Teide tour. “Paul and Cheryl wondered if you and Evan would like to go with them to

Loro Parque tomorrow, which means that Evan will need an early night.”

“We'd love to go, thanks Paul, it will give Dad and Mum some time to themselves” she said gratefully. “Though really Dad, it's my turn to babysit Evan tonight.”

“I thought we could swap him over when you come up to bed, Sonya. Start him off in our room, then transfer him over to you.”

“O.K, but that means you'll miss me and Mum singing.”

“That's a treat that I'll just have to miss.”

***

“Can I get you another drink, Ladies,” asked Harry Wilkinson, standing up in readiness to go to the bar to get himself a whisky. “Oh yes please,” said Doreen, who had decided it was very pleasant having a man in tow, especially one who was very attentive.

“I'll have a glass of white wine, please,” said Milly, wishing suddenly that she was single as she quite fancied a holiday romance.

“A wine spritzer, I think,” said Jean, “I need to cut down on my alcohol intake or I'll not be able to see the Bingo numbers.”

The three women watched as Harry made his way to the bar. This was the first time that he hadn't been in their presence that evening and they were dying to hear what each of them thought of him.

“Well, I might just be persuaded to give up my singledom for Harry,” said Doreen. “What a charming man, I bet he made his wife a good husband.”

“I'm just wishing I was single,” said Milly. “ Seems a shame to be married to someone like our Bert, when there's Harry just waiting to be nurtured.”

Jean said nothing. One man in her life had been enough, even if this one had made her heart flutter a bit.

***

“Right, that's the Bingo out of the way,” said Mikey, pocketing his share of the money which had been creamed off from the ticket costs and the winnings. “I'll just go through these Karaoke billy-doo's and see whose up for making a fool of themselves. Susanne, you go round the tables and see if there's anyone else who can be encouraged to come up as well and Damion you check the sound system for me. I don't want it playing up again like it did when I was calling out the numbers.”

“Right ho, Boss,” replied Damion, who knew that Mikey got very worked up when the clients kept interrupting his flow, if they wanted him to repeat the Bingo numbers. “Deaf sod” was his usual muttered reaction, or worse if Mikey had consumed a few early evening beers.

Mikey noticed that someone had written down “ I Had A Dream” by Abba, on one of the pieces of paper he had provided with the Karaoke folders. Sonya, he thought, that's the girl who was sitting with the waiter the other evening behind one of the pillars. A blue eyed judy, with the right colour hair for playing the part of Freida in his coming Abba production. If she was any good, he would ask her how she was fixed for helping them out on stage next Tuesday night. There was no chance of getting that snotty Anna now and she probably didn't know any of the tunes. He wondered how far Juan had got with the Freida lookalike? It was common knowledge amongst the staff, that the waiter was only after a shag when he started to chat up a girl. Not that he himself wasn't guilty of taking advantage if the girl was up for it, but the lucky tosser already had a fiance back home.

“Ladies and Gentlemen,” Mikey shouted, as he bounced up onto the stage carrying a handful of slips in his hand. “Tonight is Karaoke night and already I have many singers queuing up to entertain you.” He looked quickly at the slips and selected another one, besides Sonya's, that had caught his eye earlier. “Please would you put your hands together and welcome, Kate!”

A burst of applause began as Kate, rather unsteadily some thought, began to weave her way through the watching audience to the stage.

“I don't need the words,” she said to the spiky haired Mikey, dismissing the Karaoke machine that Damion was positioning near to her. “Just the microphone, thank you.”

“O.kay, so this is Kate. Where are you from Kate? Manchester, oh not far from where I come from.

May I say, you're looking stunning, Kate, all those sparkles on your top remind me of Dolly Parton.

Though I think you'll agree she has more to put in a top than you.”

Mikey waited for some sort of reaction, a laugh from the audience maybe or a giggle from Kate. He got neither. Someone shouted, “ get on with it” and Kate looked ahead blankly. The introduction to her song began and suddenly there was hush in the room.

“Wise men say only fools rush in, but I can't help falling in love with you.”

She sang the words to “ Can't help falling in love”, by Elvis Presley so beautifully and with such feeling, that many of the women listening had a lump in their throats or a tear in their eye when she had finished and stepped down from the stage. All hands began to clap her performance in genuine praise.

“So,” said Mikey, taking the microphone from its stand and talking into it, “ the lovely Kate. Beautifully sung if I may so. So Kate has set the standard for our Karaoke singers, let's now have Alf on the stage. Alf is going to sing “ Wandering Star” by Lee Marvin. He tells me that it's from a film called “ Paint your Wagon.” A bit before my time I think, Alf, as I've never heard of it.”

***

“You did really well there, Mum,” said Sonya, as her mother came to sit beside her. “I hope I'm on after this, because I don't want Dad thinking I'm pushing it.”

“Have we time for another drink?” asked Kate, who had suddenly gone cold after her rush of adrenaline had gone. “I'll go and get a brandy from the bar, do you want anything?”

“No, you're all right, after I've done my song we'll get off, as I'll need my wits about me if Evan should wake in the night.”

Kate walked over to the bar and sat on one of the stools next to where Lucy and Jenni were sitting together, as Miguel was on the bar until midnight and couldn't leave his post.

“Very good, Mrs. Lewis,” said Lucy smiling, “ sounded very professional to me.”

“Only practice,” Kate replied blushing a little, “ and I usually have to have a few drinks before getting up on the stage.”

“Don't we all?,” Lucy sympathized, “ but the good thing about being on holiday is, you never have to see the people you're performing before again.”

“My daughter should be on in a minute, she'll be singing one of the Abba songs. She usually does. That's what happens when you have a father who's a fan. Poor Sonya has had to listen to Greg singing, since she was a babe in arms.”

“Have you got anything planned for tomorrow?” asked Lucy, switching on to her holiday rep' role.

“No, we haven't , me and my husband that is, but Sonya and Evan are going with the Coopers to Loro Parque.”

“Oh, they'll love it there, it's one of our most popular excursions. Enjoy your day then. Goodnight.”

Kate took her drink over to their table, just as Mikey announced that it was Sonya's turn to sing. She settled back in her chair to listen to her daughter's favourite tune.

***

“So he asked me if I'd be willing to sing with them on Tuesday night, Mum,” said Sonya, feeling quite delighted as they got into the lift that would take them up to the third floor. “I told him that I know most of the Abba songs and he wants me to rehearse on Monday afternoon. That will be my day again for looking after Evan, do you think Dad will mind if you and him do the baby sitting?”

“I can't speak for your father,” Kate replied, “ but I won't mind, as you well know. Anyway, we'll not tell him now, we'll just settle Evan into your bedroom and then get some shut eye. Paul didn't say what time they were leaving, but I think you should be breakfasting by half past eight.”

***

“Well, thank you for your company this evening, ladies,” said Harry courteously, as the Karaoke finished and Mikey announced that the disco would be starting in ten minutes.

“Perhaps I'll see you around the pool tomorrow afternoon. I'm off on an excursion in the morning.”

“Anywhere nice?”, asked Doreen, then could have kicked herself, when a shadow came over Harry's face.

“Just up to Mount Teide,” he answered bravely. “One of the places that my dear wife and I visited when we used to come to Tenerife.”

The three ladies looked embarrassed, so Harry said his goodnights and left.

***

Kate slipped in the bed besides Greg, who having delivered his grandson to his bed next door, was trying to get comfortable again. She lay for a moment on her back considering whether she should turn over and get some sleep, or cause a confrontation now that Evan was not sleeping in the same room with them. The five vodka and tonics and one brandy had made her feel quite mellow, but also a little resentful on the state of their sex life. The last time that she and Greg had made love, was when they had stayed in the villa in Cyprus. The one that she had really wanted to buy off the owner, but Greg had been so difficult about it. Even then his love making had been perfunctory. He'd done what he'd had to do, then rolled off her. But at the moment any attention would be better than no attention, thought Kate and snuggled up closer to him.