Clouds Below the Mountains (50 page)

Her memory was cloudy now, as she tried to remember what had inspired her about the house in Polis? Perhaps the view of the sea in the distance, if she craned her neck from the bedroom balcony, the panorama of the hills behind that were clothed in autumnal vegetation, or the wraparound patio where she could have grown exotic plants in pots and fixed an overhead trellis for a grape vine to trail across? All that would be somebody else's now and her dream would fade away in the mist of time.

***

“Why don't we go on that little train we saw when we were out walking?” said Denise, as she and Vicky pushed Chantelle in her buggy through the foyer. “ It would be something different and those clouds have lifted from the mountain, so I don't think we'd be caught in the rain.

“Okay then,” Vicky replied. “Then we'll visit that shopping mall after, where they've got an outside cafe and a shop that sells duty free.

“It's gone quickly, hasn't it?” Denise said. “Here we are, already thinking of stuff to take home and before we know it we'll be back at work again. Anyway, it's got us a week away from our problems and I have to say, love, that your skin is looking better with the sun.”

“We're both looking better, Mum and when we get home we should have a look for another holiday. We need to have something to look forward to and to get us through each day.”

“Eh, Vicky, you need to look forward to things at home. Girly nights, disco's, the pictures. Isn't there someone at the call centre you could pal up with, you're only seventeen?”

“No Mum, I've told you, I'm happy with just you and Chantelle. Nights out mean me meeting boys and I can do without them like a hole in the head.”

***

“You were rat legged last night, Sonya,” said Mikey, as the pair met up by the tennis courts after Sonya had put Evan into Kid's club. “Did you sleep in your clothes last night or did you manage to get into your nightdress?”

“What do you think?” she giggled. “I was still in yesterday's clothes when I woke up, so you obviously didn't put me to bed.”

“I might tonight though,” he joked wickedly. “So lay off the booze will yer and then I won't be making love to a rag doll.”

“You should be so lucky,” she taunted. “ I don't know what you're going to do for a shag when I go home.”

“Find another bird who'll accommodate me. There's probably one in England now packing as we speak. Anyway, about this stretching, do you fancy giving it a go?”

“Sorry, no chance, I'm not up to any exercise. Anyway, look around you. Do you think there'll be loads of disappointed women, ‘cos I don't see a queue?”

“Okay then,” he shrugged. “ I'll get on with the archery, I'll see you later on.”

“Oh, by the way Mikey, before you go, what's the act tonight? Is it that Meggie woman again?”

“No, she's on tomorrer night, she's back home on Tuesday. But you're never going to believe what Sanchez's gone and booked us, a Spanish bint who plays classical music. Me and Damion have to dust off the piano and push it on the stage and I bet she doesn't go down that well with the punters.”

***

“Will he have his mobile with him?” asked Greg, as he and Cheryl sat out by the pool bar once the children had been taken to Kid's club. Annabelle had protested vigorously that she needed to be around when her Daddy got back, but her mother ignored her whining and had pushed her gently into the play room.

“He has a work's one but I don't know the number,” Cheryl replied. “ I have the number on my calendar at home.”

“No good it being there then,” said Greg looking thoughtful. “Then do you think he's taken the hire car back and you've forgotten that he told you?”

“That's probably what it is,” she replied. “ But we had a bit of a row last night and I was worried that he might do something silly.”

“Why should Paul do that, anyone can tell he thinks the world of you and the children? You're blowing things out of proportion for a silly little spat.”

“Wasn't that silly,” said Cheryl defensively. “ He virtually accused me of being a nag!”

“And were you nagging him, women tend to harp on a bit? I know, I've got two women living in my house.”

“I suppose I have gone on a little about a buying property,” she said in a small voice. “ But now he's gone and put a deposit down, I've gone off the idea.”

“What is it with you women? I had the same problem with Kate in Cyprus last year. I knew if I'd gone ahead and let her buy the property she wanted, she'd be off the idea as soon as the plane landed in Manchester!”

“Oh well, thanks for that Greg,” cried Cheryl standing up looking huffy. “ I wasn't looking for your opinion I was just looking for a bit of moral support, you know.”

She stalked off in the direction of the Ladies, while Greg sighed and opened his book.

***

Lucy ran across the courtyard to her apartment, leaving Lesley in charge while she went to wash her clothes at the launderette. She supposed she should be walking on air at the moment, as Uwe had just phoned from the airport, whilst sitting with Heiko in the departure lounge waiting for his plane. He had said the same again, what he had said to her last night… “ You know how I feel about you, Lucy?”… Somehow it didn't sound quite right. Why couldn't he have said “ I love you?” It would have made her feel special, really believed that she would see him again.

***

“I didn't do so bad, seeing as I've never held a bow and arrow before,” Nobby said to Mikey, handing him the cross bow as a group of men stood waiting for their turn.

“No by golly, a bull's eye, old chap,” Mikey replied, smiling at the older man's enthusiasm.“ Next.”

Phil took the cross bow off him, set the arrow and fired. It hit the fence at the side of the target, all the other men sarcastically cheered.

“You have a go then,” said Phil feeling annoyed, as he was an ace at darts in the local pub' that he drank in. He handed the cross bow to a jeering Brian. Brian hit the outer ring and there was a subdued applause as the other men watched him.

“Can I have a go?” said a female voice, from a sun lounger a few yards away. All the men looked over in disbelief. Would you believe it, it was that comedienne.

“This game's not for judies,” said Mikey in a jokey voice, while the rest of the men nodded in agreement.

“Get back to your knitting,” came another male voice, as testosterone driven ego's were being challenged there amongst them.

Meggie smiled, not offended, though Betty tutted at the side of her. Meggie was used to humiliation, she got it most of the time.

***

Paul wandered back to Costa Adeje via the promenade that passed all the cafes and restaurants. He was hungry, having missed his breakfast and with walking all morning in the sea air, he felt he could eat a scabby dog with chips. His watch said eleven thirty, too early for lunch. He wondered if Cheryl was missing him. Had she made a big fuss when she saw that he wasn't there beside her in bed?

His talk with Tommy had enlightened him. As much as he loved his wife, it was time that he took control. He couldn't live his life on a knife edge, giving in to her slightest wish. Although maybe the apartment could make him some money, not be a financial drain on him.

***

“No new girl on the horizon, Juan?” asked Miguel, as the two waiters put the finishing touches to the tables, before opening the restaurant for lunch.

“No,” he scowled. “ Not one woman can I say that I would fall in love with.”

“Maybe you should take a vacation and see if your betrothed can bring a fast beat of the heart. Is she pretty, domesticated, will have many children if you wish?”

“I don't know, I never ask her. I suppose one day I could fall in love with her. She does not have two heads, she is not ugly, but my mother has chosen her. There is no excitement, no passion, it would have been different if I had found her myself.”

“But arranged marriages are usually the best. It is our generation that thinks they have to be in love before they make a commitment. My parents have just celebrated thirty five years anniversary and they do not seem unhappy.”

“You can talk. Who was the one who fell in love with an English girl? How would your family feel if you took a foreign girl as your wife?”

“I didn't think of that, my heart just told me I loved her. I was willing to go to England to be with her.”

“But not now. It was another holiday romance as far as she was concerned,” Juan said gently. “Maybe you should ask your mother to find a girl for you.”

***

“Telephone call for you, Lucy,” said Dania, who was on duty behind the reception desk. Lucy wondered who it could be phoning her? Her mother rang her back on the pay phone, once Lucy had got through and head office and Kath phoned her on the mobile.

“Good morning, Lucy, or should I say good afternoon, now it is twelve thirty?” Senor Sanchez's voice boomed into her ear. “ Our German guests seemed to enjoy their visit, with excellent reports given about you. Two reasons that I am telephoning you. I will be attending Senorita Mertola's recital this evening, my family will come also and I would like to introduce you. And the other reason…”

He stopped for a moment to consider his words and Lucy wondered what was coming next, at the same time wondering who the heck was Senorita Mertola?

“We had a discussion on Friday evening when our German friends came for dinner. They indicated a wish for you to get involved with their plans. They would like you to train an employee of theirs, if they go ahead with sending their clients to the Valia. Of course, we realize that this could put a cat amongst the pigeons, to use an English metaphor. Your supervisor will not like you being chosen above her and Robert will think that I am taking advantage. Besides, we did not know if you would agree to such a proposition.”

There was a silence then, as both Lucy digested the information and Ralf Sanchez considered what he had just said.

“Well, I'm up for it,” Lucy replied, thinking what a doddle that would be, showing another girl all the things she had learnt in the past seven weeks and if she was to go forward in this new relationship with Uwe, well, then she'd earn some brownie points too.

“We thought that you would probably agree, but first I must be in discussion with Robert. Call in a few favours as it were.”

“Thank you for thinking of me,” Lucy said quickly, as Sanchez finished his call after saying he would meet her in Reception at eight o' clock that evening. She couldn't find Lesley quick enough to tell her the news.

***

“I've been thinking, Brian,” said Anthea, as she changed out of her shorts and top into a bikini after lunch. “We may have got it wrong choosing Charles and Judith for our menage-a-trois, plus one. They're very together, aren't they? All we've talked about since we met them is their bistro, our guesthouse and the possibility of them starting another project into elderly care.”

“Yes, I must agree with you there, Darling. You're very astute when it comes to tuning in to people's feelings. They're very driven, aren't they? Not a lot of time on their hands to consider an extra marital fling”

“It isn't an extra marital fling that we're looking for Brian,” Anthea replied in a snappy voice. “ That wasn't the plan. It was meeting couples that could give us titillation. I hope you haven't been changing the goal posts and not informed me!”

“Would I, Darling?” he purred. “ You know that you're my own true love and I would never do anything to hurt you.”

“Then I think we'll stick to watching porno movies in the future, Brian,” Anthea said, wriggling quickly into a long yellow sun dress, so that he didn't start hankering after her, with her only having a small amount of clothes on. “ Come on, they're keeping us some sun loungers and I haven't had my first alcoholic drink of the day yet.”

***

“Fancy a walk down to the Karaoke bar on the front, Cindy?” asked Laura, after she and Toby had finished their meal with her and Phil. “ I promised Toby I would serenade him, so you may as well come with us and hear me make a fool of myself.”

“They have Karaoke here sometimes, but probably not while we're here,” said Phil. “ I was talking to a chap when we first arrived. He said his wife and daughter like getting up and singing, but according to the poster it's a piano recital tonight.”

“I vote we go Chinese then,” said Toby grinning. “ I'm not up with these Shooberts and Motehearts, we'll leave it to the highbrows instead.”

***

“Where have you been, Paul?” cried Cheryl, as she opened the door of the suite that afternoon to him, when he couldn't find her around the swimming pool.

“I took the Espace back,” he replied trying to look sheepish, but happy that he was seeing her face again. “The place was closed when I got there so I had to hang around until someone came. Why have you missed me, Darling?”

“Daddy!” shouted Jack and came running down the hall to him. “ Daddy,” shouted Annabelle, throwing her arms around his waist.

“We'll talk about this later,” Cheryl said, looking at him with mixed emotions of anger and relief.

“I was going to send the dogs out. You got here just in time.”

***

“I quite like a piano recital,” said Greg, as he and the family walked into the Sunlight Bar that evening. “I didn't know they had a grand piano though, I could have had a go on it myself.”

“You've never touched ours for months,” said Kate feeling better now, as she'd had a long lie in, then found a book to read in the swap box. “ The last time you played it, you were playing nursery rhymes.”

“The talent never leaves your fingers though,” he said flexing his fingers. “ Oh, look at that, it's a Steinway, fancy one of them being here.”