by C. K. Martin
Kate watched as Hayley stood on tiptoes to peer over the bar to see what she was wearing. She’d opted for some cream linen trousers and a sleeveless blouse, the one outfit that constituted her ‘going out’ wardrobe. The majority of clothes in her backpack were chosen for comfort and hot weather, not dating. It was just practical. She had only one nice outfit and tonight she had decided to impress Hayley with it.
Of course, when she had planned this, she had imagined Hayley would notice the change straight away, not be too pissed off to even look at her. Now she was looking and despite her initial hesitation, Kate could tell that she liked what she saw. ‘Oh. Okay.’
‘But whatever you feel comfortable in,’ Kate was quick to reassure her. This was meant to be a wonderful date together and given the less than auspicious start, she didn’t want to put any more pressure on Hayley than absolutely necessary. That being said, Kate looked at her watch. ‘You’ve got about fifteen minutes. I’ll wait here.’ She sat down at one of the few stools that lined the bar.
‘Marco,’ said Hayley, wiping her hands down the front of her shorts. ‘Get Kate a drink.’
‘Si,’ he said with a polite smile. When Hayley turned away, he gave Kate a huge grin and a double thumbs up.
‘I’ll be right back,’ Hayley said. A look of hesitation crossed her face and Kate hoped she wouldn’t change her mind again now. Whatever she was about to say remained unsaid however, and she disappeared behind the bar and up to the apartment above.
Kate finally allowed herself a moment to breathe. So far, nothing had gone according to her plan, but that was okay. There was still time to turn this thing around. She’d had high hopes for the evening and she wasn’t going to let a misunderstanding about Chad get in the way.
‘Your drink,’ said Marco, placing a glass down in front of her.
‘I, um,’ Kate had been expecting him to ask what she wanted, not make the decision for her. Certainly not one in a highball glass stacked with ice. ‘What is it?’
‘My house special. It gives courage. Before big date,’ he grinned, showing his pearly white teeth. She realised why any young girls on holiday here fell for his charms.
‘Thank you. I need it,’ she confessed, taking her first sip. It was strong, but not too strong. Dark rum, cola and something else she couldn’t quite put her finger on. Before she could ask what it was, he left to serve someone at the other end of the bar.
Kate knew better than to drink quickly to calm her nerves. She’d allowed Hayley fifteen minutes to get ready, but it felt like an eternity sitting there waiting. She hoped she hadn’t misjudged anything else.
Then Hayley appeared in the doorway and Kate inhaled, nearly choking on her drink in the process. Between DIY at Pablo’s and the bar work, the only time she had seen Hayley’s hair loose from its ponytail was the night they had spent together. Even then, it had been in the moments before she had drifted off to sleep.
With her hair falling around her shoulders, Hayley looked softer somehow. Not more innocent exactly, but less like she was guarding herself against the world outside. Kate wondered how long it had been since she’d done something like this. Given the awkwardness of her stance, she guessed a long time. It was as though she was waiting for approval.
Kate nodded, then realised she needed to be honest. ‘You look amazing.’
‘Not really,’ Hayley brushed the compliment away, but not before Kate caught the smile of relief. ‘Is this okay though? Not too much?’ she looked down at the soft, dusky pink blouse and jeans that left nothing to the imagination about the toned legs underneath. A pair of low heels added the final touch.
‘It’s perfect.’ Kate smiled her most reassuring smile. She kept her desire in check, not wanting to make Hayley more skittish than she already was. ‘Now, are you ready to go?’
‘I think so. And Marco is happy with this?’
‘Yes. Help is arriving in half an hour. There’s nothing to worry about. You can just enjoy this evening. I promise.’
‘You’re making a lot of promises tonight.’
‘You can judge me at the end of the evening about whether they were the right thing to do,’ Kate waited patiently as Hayley joined her on the other side of the bar.
‘You haven’t even told me where we’re going.’
‘I’ve booked us a table at Mauricio’s.’
‘I’ve never been there. Are you sure?’ Hayley looked horrified and Kate could guess why. In the next town along, built on the marina, it was popular with higher end holidaymakers and those who moored their yachts. It was edging towards exclusive and certainly the most expensive place Kate had been to in years. Hayley looked down at her outfit.
‘I need to go back and change.’
‘No. You don’t. You look amazing. Jeans are included in the dress code as long as they’re not ripped. I checked.’ Kate took Hayley’s hand in hers and forced her to stop and look at her. ‘I want you to feel comfortable. Tonight I want us to have an amazing time. I don’t want it to be fake. I don’t want either of us to pretend to be something we’re not. So don’t worry about what you’re wearing. All I want you to do is let me show you how much I like you.’
Before Hayley could say anything else, before she could argue, Kate began walking again. She didn’t let Hayley’s hand slip from hers as she led them to the taxi that would take them to the real beginning of their third date.
#
‘And then,’ Kate wound up her story, ‘the elephant used its trunk to push him in the water. I know it’s wrong to laugh at someone else’s misfortune, but he completely deserved it.’
She paused as the waiter reappeared at their table and topped up their wine glasses. The evening breeze rippled the napkin beside her plate and she checked the sky. There was still no sign of the storm as the sun began to set.
Mauricio’s sat in a prime position. One side looked out over the marina and the other over a small sandy strip. There they’d set up three tables virtually on the beach itself. It was one of these tables that Kate had selected for their date. So far, only one of the others had been taken, leaving the third strategically empty between them. It had allowed them total privacy so far and once Hayley finished her first glass of wine, they had drifted into easy conversation, her nervousness gone.
Kate hoped the confusion over Chad had been laid to rest. Now that the initial misunderstanding had been laid to rest, she could only hope that Hayley’s extreme reaction meant one thing. That she felt strong enough to care about her relationship with Kate. That it was, after all, a relationship rather than just a friendship. They may have gone about it in a strange, back-to-front kind of way, but a relationship was ultimately where they found themselves.
As the waiter walked away, Kate looked up from her wine glass to see Hayley looking back at her. ‘Thank you.’
‘You don’t have to thank me,’ Kate said, but her heart warmed regardless. ‘I thought it would be nice for us to do something that wasn’t an adventure for a change. Somewhere we could just sit and talk, not hike or chase wildlife. Something that wasn’t just about my interests.’
‘I’ve enjoyed doing those things with you.’
‘I know, but they were my things. I was thinking about how I could write about them as we were doing them. Tonight, I don’t have to think about any of that. I can give you my full, undivided attention.’
‘I think I like the sound of that.’ Hayley took a sip of wine, but if she thought it would hide her smile from Kate, then she was very much mistaken.
‘Now I realise I’ve been talking about my travels again so far’, Kate smacked her head gently as she said it. ‘Which is the exact opposite of making it all about you.’
‘Don’t be silly. I like listening to your stories. Besides, you know everything I can tell you about my boring little life here. I’d rather hear about your adventures.’
‘I wouldn’t call them adventures.’ Kate knew she was downplaying her experiences. She didn’t want Hayley to feel like
she was bragging. They were different, that was all. Their lives had taken different paths and that was okay. It had led them towards each other regardless.
‘Oh, they’re definitely adventures. Painting the bathrooms at Pablo’s was the most variation I’ve had in my routine for a long time.’
‘Well I’m glad he managed to convince you to do it. If he hadn’t, then we might never have met.’
‘True. But don’t tell him that. You’ll never hear the end of it. Besides, it will give him an excuse to keep asking me to do things for him. I don’t have any return favours to ask of him yet. The whole thing could get a little one sided and that is never good for friendship.’
‘True. Although I think some of the work his brother did there last week with him wasn’t the greatest. I’m not sure it will last until the end of the season.’ By which time she was supposed to be long gone, she thought, but didn’t add.
‘If I know anything about Javier, then I wouldn’t expect it to last until the end of the month. I don’t know why Pablo ever expects anything different from him, but I guess that’s brotherly love for you.’
‘I’d probably be the same about my brother,’ Kate admitted. ‘He’s three years older than me, but somehow I was always the responsible one. Always doing my homework and with a sensible career path.’
‘That must have been a surprise when you decided to go off into the great unknown and never return.’
‘That’s an understatement. In the beginning, I think they thought I was just trying to be cool and go walkabout or something. But then when I didn’t come back, I think they began to realise that not only was their daughter unlikely to ever bring a nice young man home, there was a chance it would never be her home again.’
‘You can’t blame them for being surprised.’
‘Oh, I don’t. I mean, it was hard at first. Really hard. When you’ve spent so long being the model child, it’s a shock for everyone if you decide to spread your wings and go against convention. I think I was annoyed with them for not accepting it all straight away. Distance has been great for helping me to understand where they were coming from, you know?’
‘I do.’
‘There I go again, talking about me. What about your parents? How did they feel about you leaving England and coming out here?’
‘Both my parents are dead.’ Hayley said it in a way that didn’t invite sympathy. Nor, Kate, realised, did it invite further questioning.
‘Oh.’ There was a pause while she thought of something else to say. Nothing came. This was awkward. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘Don’t be. You weren’t to know. It was a long time ago. I’ve been on my own for a long time. So when you wonder what made me not want to get into a relationship, it wasn’t because I’d had my heart broken. Not in the way you were thinking. It’s just because I’ve been alone for such a long time, I don’t know how to do anything else.’ Hayley looked away. The admission was one she clearly struggled to make.
‘I can see how that would make this seem scary.’
‘It’s not just scary. I’m not sure I even know how to be in a relationship.’ The pain in her voice was upsetting. But, on the bright side, it was also the first time Hayley had admitted a relationship between them was a possibility.
‘Don’t worry about that now,’ Kate reached across the table and took Hayley’s hand in hers. She allowed her thumb to stroke back and forwards over her knuckles. It was intended to be comforting, but the soft skin under her own also kindled her desire. ‘Tonight is about enjoying ourselves. Not deep and meaningful conversation. That can wait.’
‘Thank you.’ Hayley looked relieved. As they looked at each other, she didn’t pull her hand away.
They sat in a comfortable silence until the waiter came out to serve them. He put two plates of tapas down between them then returned inside to bring out the pièce de résistance. A full Serrano ham, on its carving stand. He placed it down heavily on the table and Kate felt her eyes grow wide. It looked amazing.
From his belt he pulled a long thin knife and brandished it towards them with a flourish. He carved the first slice and placed it on Hayley’s plate. In a flash, he carved the second and placed it on Kate’s. ‘Please,’ he said, gesturing for them to try.
Kate had grown used to Spanish style food in the few weeks she had been here. Whenever she was at the bar, Hayley had made sure she was well cared for. Pablo had cooked many simple but traditional meals for them in part payment for the inconvenience. Now the work was completed, she realised she missed the amiable community of them.
But this? This was sublime. She had expected it to be chewy, but instead it melted in the mouth. The soft, salty flavours evoked hidden memories and she tried not to groan in pleasure. Instead, she decided to use her words. ‘That is amazing.’
‘It really is,’ Hayley agreed.
‘You like?’ asked the waiter, but he already knew the answer before Kate gave him the thumbs up. ‘Watch,’ he said and deftly carved another two slices. He waited for them to finish eating them. ‘Now you try.’ He gestured to Kate.
‘What?’ she was horrified.
‘You try,’ he said again, beckoning for her to stand up. She was tempted to refuse, but knew it was part of the experience. Not only would she get to witness carving at the table, she would get to try it herself.
She watched Hayley suppress a giggle as she pushed back her chair. Her dubious feelings were fully conveyed on her face. She had tried many things before, but they didn’t usually involve sharp implements.
As the waiter slowly carved another slice, she watched intently. The knife moved through the meat with precision, taking nothing more than a paper thin slice from the top. How hard could it be? The knife must be sharp enough to make it slide as if through butter.
She held the shank of the ham in her grip for leverage and placed the knife exactly where he had indicated. She took a deep breath and began to move it back and forth.
The knife went nowhere for a few seconds then slid rapidly over the surface of the meat. It glided over the oil leaving her with nothing more than a scrap that had sliced more by luck than judgement. The waiter jumped backwards as the blade carved the air in front of him. Hayley let out a gulp of laughter and Kate glared at her. ‘That was my first attempt!’
‘I know, I’m sorry.’ Hayley did her best serious face and Kate looked at the knife in her hand. She studied the angle of the meat. She could approach it like a scientist. Clearly, she needed to apply a bit more force.
Although, she reasoned, not enough force that she would kill them all in a bloodbath.
She changed the angle of the knife and pushed down, sawing backwards and forwards with all her might. This time, the knife did not slide from her control. Nor, she realised, was it going anywhere at all. She hacked back and forth, until she finally served the triumphant slice to Hayley’s plate.
Wafer thin, it was not.
Hayley looked at it dubiously and Kate almost defied her not to eat it. Instead of a translucent, almost salmon pink slice, it was a deep claret red, almost brown at its thickest. As Hayley obliged and began chewing, Kate looked down at the ham. Gone was the smooth, continuous surface that gleamed in the last of the sunlight. Instead, the middle now looked like it had been gnawed ineffectually by a rat. ‘Okay, that’s enough,’ Kate handed the knife back to the water. She knew she could be stubborn at times, but there was no point destroying food for the sake of it. He grinned and deftly rectified her mistakes, slicing them several more cuts, before requesting they enjoy their meal. He disappeared, leaving them alone again as the sun finally set.
Hayley was still chewing on the sacrificial slice. ‘It’s like jerky when it’s thick,’ she offered by way of explanation.
‘It’s harder than it looks to cut that bloody thing.’
‘I know. Don’t be fooled by the waiters. Or the locals. They’ve spent years learning how to do it properly. I think you did really well for your first attempt.’
‘You’re still chewing.’
‘When I said jerky, I really meant salty boot leather,’ Hayley gulped and swallowed the last of it. ‘Don’t worry, I’m still going to make sure we enjoy the rest of this though.’ She picked up her wine glass and extended it to Kate. ‘A toast?’
‘Of course.’
‘To a wonderful evening.’ She clinked their glasses together and Kate couldn’t help but smile. This, at last, felt so normal. ‘Thank you for bringing me here. For arranging all this.’
‘It’s my pleasure.’
‘I haven’t been on a date in years,’ Hayley said, putting her glass down and reaching for the food. It was more of an aside and Kate studied her carefully. So much for her belief in dates one and two. She filed away the information that Hayley was a woman who saw wining and dining in expensive restaurants as a couples thing to do.
Trekking, apparently, not so much.
It didn’t matter though, thought Kate, as long as she was having a good time. As long as she saw that the two of them could work so perfectly together. Consequences, all the realistic and logical things that held them both back could wait. They had tonight. That was all that mattered.
They shared dessert. The sun had been set for over an hour by the time they finished eating. The sky in front of them was dark. As they drank the last of their wine and talked by the flickering flames of the beach torches set outside the restaurant, Kate watched the lights of an occasional ship blink on and off as it moved along the horizon. She took Hayley’s hand in hers as they talked and drank. They sipped slowly and Kate knew that neither of them wanted the night to end.
But, like all good things, she knew it must. As she paid the bill without letting Hayley see the numbers just in case she offered to contribute or, worse, felt she owed her something, Kate felt a strange sense of contentment that she hadn’t felt for years. Even in her happiest of moments, when she had taken photos of the most breathtaking landscapes in the world, when she had seen the most majestic creatures, when she had felt truly alive - none of those moments had given her this feeling of peace and contentment.
