Clouds Below the Mountains (43 page)

“Oh, are you beginning to change your mind?” asked Kate, as the two women walked away from the tennis court, while Annabelle ran ahead to talk to her father and Sonya sloped off quickly, as she had to speak to Mikey.

“To be honest, Kate, I'm getting worried that we've bitten off more than we can chew. I feel I've bulldozed Paul into handing over the deposit, because he knows what I'm like if I don't get my way.

I just need to go back and have another look to make sure I'm happy with it, but we've got an appointment at two o' clock with the Notary.”

“You know, Cheryl, if you don't mind me saying so, you've got a real gem in that husband of yours. Greg and I nearly split up last year because I wanted to buy a lovely place in Cyprus and he didn't want to. I'd go for it if I were you and if it's the money you're worrying about, I'm sure there's plenty of people who would rent it from you. Anyway, I've heard the value of property is going up in leaps and bounds, so if things don't work out, you can always sell it.”

“Yes, I know you're right, but sometimes I can be a real cow and he works such long hours to give us everything. Once Jack's in full time school after Easter, I'm going to look for a job and start contributing. Anyway we'll talk later, I don't want Paul thinking I'm going off the place now.”

***

“What happened to you last night?” asked Mikey, as Sonya ran up to him as he walked along with his archery equipment.

“Oh, Dad had a benny on me. He said I wasn't spending enough time with Evan. I don't why he's suddenly going on about it, because I took Evan to Loro Parque last week and I've done my share of the evening baby sitting.”

“That's families,” he said. “ But I was watching the door all evening in case you came in. Still, I got Tina and Anna to help with the Kid's disco, then Tina went round with the Bingo tickets and we took it in turns putting the records on, so you not turning up didn't put me out really. Except of course I missed you,” he said, putting the bow and the arrows on the floor and drawing Sonya into the snooker room doorway. “I hope your dad won't put you on jankers this evening.”

***

The two couples set off down the steps which took them to the sea front. Although they weren't really couples, Uwe and Lucy walked together and Heiko with Lesley walked a few feet behind them. They stopped at one of the benches that overlooked the ocean and sat for a while watching the kiddies jumping on a trampoline on the black sanded beach below. Families hid behind wind protectors, having picnics or making sand castles, as although the sun was warm the breeze had a cold chill. They stared at the yachts that were dipping and bobbing, and the pirate ship on its way out to sea. Whilst a few hardy would be sailors, set out on pedaloes.

Uwe and Lucy got up and wandered over to the sea wall, leaving Heiko feeling very nervous sitting alone with Lesley, as he didn't know what to say. He felt tongue tied, especially as he had heard from Lucy that the woman's husband had abandoned her recently; though he must have been a moron to forsake such a pretty lady. Inspiration came as he shifted uncomfortably.

“Wie gehts dir? he said smiling tentatively at Lesley.

“Es gehts mir gut, danke,” she replied to his amazement.

“So you speak German,” Heiko exclaimed and they both laughed together, because now they had something to talk about.

“ Heiko and Lesley seem to be getting on well together,” said Lucy as she heard them laughing. “ It's so sad her husband leaving her, she seems a lovely lady. She's had to take time off from her job as a primary school teacher to try to get over it, but she seems to be coping from what I can see.”

“It is well that she has met Heiko then,” Uwe remarked. “A truer man you could never meet.”

“Anyway,” said Lucy, changing the subject quickly in case relationships became a topic of conversation and she still had her job to do. “ What do you think? Is the promenade at Costa Adeje to your liking?”

“Yes, I think there would be many German people who would like to walk along here for their morning exercise; the air seems invigorating and the little shops over there look interesting. The cafe's we passed look clean and inviting, especially that one over there with the large tortes in the window. I think also that the older generation would feel safe in this environment, where they could sit or stroll in confidence with a marvellous view of the sea.”

“Or they could go to the harbour and take a ferry to the island,” Lucy continued, “ or hire a yacht if they are brave enough. Then there are kiddies' parks with bouncy castles, rope walks, little tunnels and trampolines. Of course there are pedaloes and plenty of sand to dig with buckets and spades. And over there at the end of the sea wall, is a path that leads to Playa del Duque where there's an old fortress set in lovely grounds with palm trees full of brightly coloured canaries and further on is a man made beach with lighter coloured sand…”

“You've sold it to me!”, laughed Uwe, holding his hands up in a dramatic gesture, then staring down upon her face with an expression on his that wasn't remotely businesslike. “Come on,” he said patting her arm briefly. “ Let's call Heiko and see if he has his notebook to hand.”

***

Kath waited at the barrier outside the Arrivals lounge. She had her sign in readiness as the first trickle of passengers began to appear. Another two hours or so and she'd be sitting on the balcony of her apartment in Playa de las Americas, looking out to sea as she sipped on a cooling drink of orange juice.

She had been on her mobile to Robert, putting on a hoarse voice as she had told him that she thought she might be coming down with ‘flu; that her head was aching and her throat was sore, sometimes she was feeling hot and sometimes she was going cold. He had been sympathetic, told her to take a Lemsip or a hot whisky toddy and get herself to bed. “Of course,” he had said. “Don't hurry back, take your time in getting over it. Lucy will take over her duties again and the Germans will have to see to themselves.”

***

Lucy's mobile rang, just after they had decided to walk back to the hotel, having spent the time looking around the harbour, drinking coffee in one of the smaller restaurants, being pestered by the timeshare people who had seen the chance of earning double commission, if they could trap two couples in their net. Now an afternoon spent on the sun loungers, felt rather tempting.

“It's Robert here,” said the owner of Periquito Travel. “ Got a bit of a problem Lucy. Kath's not well and needs a few days off to get over whatever is afflicting her. She's accompanied the guests back from the airport, but you'll have to take over at the hotel.”

“Oh,” was all Lucy could utter in response to the change in her arrangements. His phone call had butted in on a perfect time with Uwe. It had got to one point when they were climbing up some harbour steps, that he had actually taken her hand!

Has she left a list was all she could think of and what do I do with Herr. Schroeder and Herr. Rennesburger?

“Problems?” asked Uwe, who had heard some of the conversation. “Big ones,” said Lucy, pulling a wry face. “My supervisor has gone off sick and left me holding the fort while she's away. I'm needed back at the hotel.”

“Well, we were going back anyway,” said Lesley sympathetically. “ Is there anything that I can help you with?”

“Maybe,” Lucy murmured distractedly. “ We'll have a spot of lunch first and then we'll see.”

***

“There's a comedienne on tonight,” said Sonya, as she sat with her parents and Evan by the swimming pool, following a latish lunch. “The management hasn't tried her before according to Mikey, but she's flown in from Manchester this morning and they're putting her up in the hotel.”

“Well, she must have a good reputation then,” said Kate. “ I can't see them spending all that money on her air fare if she isn't any good. So plans for this afternoon?” she asked, turning to Greg who was immersed in a John Grisham novel. “If we're looking after Jack and Annabelle, do you think we should go to that park with all the things that kids can play on? I don't fancy just hanging about here with them all afternoon.”

“We could go on the little train again,” broke in Sonya. “ That would keep them occupied for an hour or so, while Paul and Cheryl are away.”

“I don't think it's necessary for the three of us to look after them,” said Greg, as he looked up from his book and saw Anthea and Brian ordering drinks from the pool bar. “ You and Sonya go, Kate, I could do with a little me time. I'm up to an interesting part in my book and it would be nice to have an hour on my own.”

“Okay then,” Kate replied, thinking that during their time away together she and Sonya could have a girly chat. She had been wondering how serious this thing with Mikey was and would it continue after her daughter got home? She hoped not, a second rate entertainer was not who she wanted for a prospective son-in-law.

Greg sipped on the beer that he had ordered from Miguel, who had passed by whilst collecting glasses. He tried to concentrate on his book but couldn't help looking over to Brian and Anthea, who were sitting at the bar talking to some newcomers. He must be going mad, he thought, as he looked at the lightly tanned bare shoulders of Anthea, who was wearing a sexy black bustier top and a pair of white tailored crop pants. He must be having one of those mid life crisis's. Here he was fancying a stranger, when his wife was just as attractive and was obviously fancied by Brian too. But strangely enough that didn't make him jealous, which made him worry if he was thinking straight?

Hilary Margaret Mansell, known as Meggie, sat her well padded bottom onto a sun lounger and indulged herself in a long sigh of relief. She had made it then, after starting out from her home in Blackburn at 4a.m that morning, hanging around at the airport until her flight was called, then clinging to her seat as the plane took off for the four hour journey, she was actually sitting under a warming sun in Tenerife.

This was her first ever gig in a foreign land, her first trip ever to a foreign land and here she was wearing an all encompassing white blouse, with a pair of white linen trousers, staring at a pair of palm trees by an Olympic size swimming pool.

It had been Barry, her agent, who had talked her into coming here. Her bookings had been sparse in the Working Mens' social clubs in and around her home town, over the last twelve months. He had hinted that the managers were looking for younger, brighter acts to entertain their punters, though he hadn't been cruel and said it was because she was now 62. She'd had twelve years in the entertainment business; she'd sort of drifted into it after her second husband died. It was a living, kept the wolf from the door for her and her then teenage daughter, Suzy and she'd enjoyed the applause and excitement from entertaining the boozy clientele.

But now it seemed she was being edged out of the industry, though the rent still needed paying and the usual household bills. So here she was, booked by the management on a two night trial basis, with food, accommodation, a very small fee and a flight back to Manchester on Tuesday.

If she didn't make this audience laugh, Barry would be booking her on a tour of Old People's Homes!

***

“So Sonya, if you don't think I'm being nosey, where are you up to with your love life?” Kate asked, as mother and daughter walked back to the hotel with the children.

“I could ask you the same question, Mum,” said Sonya, tongue in cheek. “ Dad seems very taken with that Anthea, so where does that leave you?”

“I asked the question first,” Kate replied, feeling a little annoyed because she hadn't really given it a lot of thought on how she felt about Greg's attraction to Anthea. “ And anyway your Dad's on holiday.”

“I'd be as jealous as Hell if I were you, Mum. You saw how he had a go at me yesterday because he wanted to spend last night in their company. Normally he's quite happy for me to leave Evan with him.”

“Well I'm not jealous, he'll only make a fool of himself in the long run. Brian and Anthea have a very strong relationship and you only have to look at them to see that they're in love.”

“Whereas I can look at you and Dad and see that you're not in love.”

“We've been married a long time, things change as you get older. Anyway, moving swiftly on, how are you getting along with Mikey?”

“He's okay, a bit of a laugh, not husband or father for Evan material though. He's been talking about going back to England at the end of the winter season and wants us to meet up for a drink.”

“And?”

“Oh, I don't know, it depends whether I get a better offer. We'll have to see if he keeps in touch.”

***

Terry Hunter helped his father down the steps onto the pool bar terrace, then guided the old man to a table which overlooked the swimming pool.

“Sit there, Dad,” he said. “ What would you like to drink? I don't think they'll have Guinness though on the All Inclusive tariff.”

“You're all right, Son,” said Jim Hunter. “ I'll just have a small glass of beer. I took two of my tablets with my lunch as you know, so I'd best be careful until this evening.”

He pulled another chair over to rest his leg upon, while his son went to the pool bar to put their drinks order in.

“So, what do you think of the place, Dad?” asked Terry, when he came back with their drinks.

“It's all right, Son, the bedroom seemed comfortable and what we ate at lunch was very filling. The only thing I have about coming on a foreign holiday is that you have to travel on a damn plane. I didn't know where to put my legs the whole time we were coming here.”

“I know, Dad,” said Terry sympathetically. “ It's because we've got long legs and aircraft are only designed for midgets. I'll try and get us a seat by one of the exit doors on our flight back again.”

“That will probably be my last flight anyway, Son. At my age I think I should be thinking about going on holiday to Blackpool, not gadding about in foreign parts.”

“Dad, you're only seventy three, you're hardly in your dotage, are you?”

“I suppose not, but it seems like it. Since I had that fall I don't have the confidence that I used to have. If you hadn't moved up from London to look after me, I probably would have had to stay in hospital. Either that or they would have put me in an old folks home. Eh, I wish Maisie was alive, not a day goes by that I don't think on her. Who would have thought that I'd have outlived your mother?”

“Cheer up, Dad. Mum wouldn't have wanted you to keep mourning her, she would have said you should make a new life for yourself.”

“How would you have known what your mother thought or said? We hardly saw you once you'd gone to London, she really missed you all those years you stayed away.”

“You know there was a good reason why I kept myself down in London, Dad.”

“Aye, I know and it would have killed your mother if she had known what was going on.”

***

“Greg, we were sure you wouldn't mind, so we brought Charles and Judith over to meet you.” Anthea began to organize sun loungers, so that the newcomers could sit with Greg and themselves. “They're from Weston-Super-Mere and they run a little bistro just outside the town. We seem to have so much in common, but we thought it was rude of us to ignore you when you're sitting on your own.”

“You shouldn't have worried, Anthea,” said Greg, flicking his eyes quickly over Judith, a woman in her fifties. A little on the plump side, auburn hair cut in a bob and wearing beige shorts with a green T shirt top. “I'm quite enjoying reading this book. I could let you have it, Brian, when I've finished.”

“No time to read a book old man, not when you're married to my gorgeous Anthea. Perhaps Charles might like to borrow it?” he finished, thinking that Charles looked a bit bookish with his prescription sunglasses on.

“I've brought lots of paper backs, thanks,” said Charles, a sparse haired portly looking man who perhaps tasted a lot of dishes before he served them. “ I can let you have a look at mine when you've finished with that one.”

Greg nodded and feasted his eyes back on Anthea.

***

“I don't know what I'm going to do about Uwe and Heiko,” wailed Lucy to Lesley, once the German men had gone off to their bedroom to change into their swim wear, as they intended jumping in the pool. “Twenty three new guests on this list, there are fourteen extra late bookings.”

“It must be all the rain they're having in England at the moment, Lucy, though it hasn't been wonderful weather here either. Is there anything I can do to help you ?”

“Well, for the moment I would be grateful if you could sit at the rep's desk, while I go back to the apartment and change back into my uniform. You only have to sit there and look pretty, I won't be away too long.”

“But what do I say if someone wants to get in touch with you,” said Lesley, feeling rather nervous at such a responsibility.

“Oh, keep them talking. I'm sure you can think of things to say, with you being a teacher.”

The two girls walked through the foyer together, then Lucy dashed off and left Lesley in charge. She sat on a chair by the swap box and idly looked at the book covers.

“My, my, who have we got here?” said Uwe, as he and Heiko came along wearing swimming trunks with white hotel towels wrapped around their shoulders.

“Lucy has gone to change into her uniform. I suppose she will be on duty now until this evening.”

“And what about you?” asked Heiko. “ What are your plans for the rest of the day?”

“I think Lucy wants a bit of help, but then I'll relax in a sun chair.”

“Go and get your swimming clothes,” said Uwe, knowing that Heiko would be very pleased if Lesley would spend the afternoon with them. He had been dropping hints while they had been changing in the bedroom, that he would really like to get to know this woman better.

“Maybe later,” Lesley replied, feeling embarrassed all of a sudden, “ I'll wait until Lucy comes back and then I'll see.”

“Make the most of our presence, Lesley,” Uwe suddenly said roguishly. “ We are at dinner this evening with Sanchez and we travel back to Germany on Sunday. There is only tomorrow, you know!”

“Uwe!” Heiko started to speak in his native tongue quickly. From his tone it sounded as if he was chastising his friend. Uwe shrugged and looked a little shamefaced, then smiling broadly he switched to English and apologized.

Lesley was saved from answering, as Lucy came rushing back in her uniform, but wondered later, why it had taken so long for her pounding heart to subside?

***

“Let's have a walk down to the sea front,” said Frank Brooks to his wife Linda, after they had eaten their lunch with their daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter, Olivia. “ We'll take Olly with us and they can sit by the swimming pool.”

“I'll just ask,” said Linda. “They may want to come with us and don't let Rhys hear you call Olivia

“Olly”. You know that he doesn't like her name abbreviated.”

“Stuck up snob,” Frank replied. “ Just because he works in the Civil Service, he thinks he's a cut above.”

“Shh, Frank,” his wife said pleadingly. “ They're coming now and you promised you would make a special effort to get on.”

“That was a nice lunch,” said Samantha, their daughter. “ If I keep eating like that though, every day I'll be needing to shop for a bigger size when I get home.”

“You need a bit of weight on you, Sam,” said her father. “ I don't know, you young women rushing around like you do. Working full time, seeing to your family and having to run a home as well. No wonder there isn't a pick on you.”

“Won't be for long, Father- in-law,” said Rhys proudly. “ When I pass my promotion board in April, Samantha will be able to work part time.”

“We were just wondering if you would like to come with us to the sea front?” Linda said quickly, before a discussion could take place on how Rhys was quite able to support his family, but it was Sam who wanted to continue working as an occupational therapist. It was a bone of contention, regularly brought up, as Rhys wanted his wife to have another child.

“I'll pass if you don't mind, Mum. We were just saying it would be nice to sit out on a sun lounger and get some sun before it goes in.”

“Can I come, Grandma?” asked Olivia, who at four years old was an independent little soul.

“Of course you can, if your mummy and daddy agree.”

“I don't know where she gets the energy,” said Sam to her husband. “ We've all been up since four this morning, you'd think she'd want to have a rest like we do.”

“It will most probably do her good to get some fresh air by the sea side,” said Rhys, setting off down the steps to the pool area. “ But don't go giving her sticky sweets, I don't want her ruining her baby teeth.”

***

“Been here long?” asked a dark skinned young man, as he and a fair haired girl walked up to the pool bar, where Phil was getting Cindy and himself another drink.

“Since Tuesday,” Phil replied, after nodding to Juan when the waiter indicated a certain beer pump.

“We've just arrived,” said the man. “ Came in from Manchester earlier on.”

“Well, get yourselves a drink and come and join me and the missis,” said Phil, pleased that they might have some company, because he and Cindy seemed to have run out of things to say. “ We can fill you in on the hotel, then you needn't bother going to a naff Welcome meeting tomorrow.”

“Will do, thanks mate. I'm Toby by the way and this is Laura, my girlfriend.” Laura smiled and nodded to Phil, then gave a little wave to Cindy who was sitting at a nearby table.

“I'm Phil and she who must be obeyed is Cindy. Join us when you get your drinks and we'll have a natter.”

“So,” said Toby, when he and Laura had sat down with the couple. “ What's the weather been like since you've been here?”

“Yesterday was terrible,” said Cindy. “ It rained all day, but the Animacion team put a quiz on in the morning and old time dancing in the afternoon. I know, I know,” she said, seeing Toby grimace, “but some of the older people enjoyed it and it was something to do. They didn't do much in the evening, but we'd made some friends who went home this morning, so we just had a few drinks with them.”

“Have you been on any of the trips?” asked Laura.

“No, we don't do trips,” said Phil. “ We just laze about. Both of us work, so that's all we want to do on holiday.”

“What do you?” asked Toby, “ for jobs I mean?”

“I have a bookies and Cindy has a small boutique in Tunbridge Wells.”

“Oh, do you sell wedding dresses?” asked Laura. “Only we're getting married in July and I still haven't found the dress I want yet.”

“Unfortunately I don't. We have a big bridal shop there already, so when I was deciding what to sell in my shop, I knew I couldn't sell bridal wear. Something to do with exclusivity I've heard. Surely you must have bridal shops up there in Manchester.”

“Oh we do, but the dresses I like are so expensive and Toby and I are paying for our own wedding, as our parents have virtually disowned us. With the mortgage on our semi and the usual bills we have to pay, we can only afford a small wedding.”

“So, problems with the in-law's,eh?” said Phil smirking at Cindy. “ We've always had problems, haven't we, Cin? My parents are still reeling from the shock that I got married for the third time.”