Clouds Below the Mountains

by Vivienne Dockerty

  So there was going to be another visit, Lucy felt ecstatic at the thought. Dancing with Uwe had filled her with a wonderful feeling that she perhaps had found the man of her dreams. Not for him the impersonal style that had been Heiko’s when he had danced around the floor with Sonya, but it was as if they had been partners forever, the way Uwe had held in her in his arms and their bodies gelled.

  She remembered the smell of him; he must have sprayed himself with cologne when he had taken his trench coat back to the bedroom, or given himself a quick squirt of deodorant under his arms. Whatever it was, the smell suited his clean cut image and his breath was pleasant. Unusual, if she compared him to the men she had dated before.

  Dated, that wasn’t a word she should be using. She was entertaining the German businessmen on behalf of the Valia Hotel. But it had felt like dating, the way his face had touched hers as they had smooched to “Some Enchanted Evening”. What were those words again? “Some enchanted evening, you may meet a stranger across a crowded floor…”

  ***

  Lesley got out of bed and ambled over to the bathroom to take a shower. What a lovely day she’d had yesterday, suddenly she had felt worthwhile. No hiding in her bedroom or avoiding the eyes of her fellow guests at meal times, which she had assumed would be her lot when she had booked her holiday. The camaraderie had been tangible yesterday, during the Quiz in the morning and the rest of the day. Well, it had been until Rita had made her displeasure known after the Tea dance, because Harry had monopolized her and hadn’t taken the trouble to ask Rita or Maureen if they would like to dance. It had been that comment of Rita’s after they had come back to the table, laughing together over some quip that Harry had made. Rita had said snidely to Maureen that “some people didn’t give the flowers chance to grow underfoot.” It had been directed at Harry, who had brushed the woman’s cattiness aside by suggesting that they all met up at dinner and had a farewell drink together.

  Lesley had felt so sorry for Harry. He was trying to move on like she was, both had lost their life time partner through no fault of their own.

  Anyway Rita had seemed to have got over her miff by the time they had all met up at the restaurant and sat together at the tables pushed together for their convenience by the waiters. Several bottles of red wine later they had all shuffled off happily to bed.

  Lesley looked at her travel clock on the bedside table as she came out of the bathroom, it was a quarter to nine. Maybe Harry would be still eating his breakfast, then she could wave him off when his coach came at ten.

  ***

  “Daddy, are we going back to our apartment today?” asked Annabelle, as she got in beside her parents who were deciding, still sleepy, whether to get out of bed.

  “No, Pumpkin,” mumbled Paul, patting her on the shoulder, still in a daze. “ There’s still some paperwork to be done. We have to see a Notary before the apartment is ours.”

  “Oh, but I saw you give the man a cheque, so I thought you’d bought it from him.”

  “A deposit Annabelle, just a deposit. Now are you going to watch T.V or do you want to use the bathroom?”

  “When can we move into our apartment, Daddy?” she insisted. “ Will we sell our house in Bury and I’ll go to a Spanish school?”

  “No, Annabelle, the apartment is for holidays,” said Cheryl, irritated with her daughter’s questions.

  “ We explained all this to you yesterday, now go and use the bathroom or watch some T.V.”

  “She’s excited,” Paul said kindly. “ It’s not every day that your parents suddenly become proud owners of a two bedroom apartment, overlooking the sea at Los Christianos. Well, we will be the proud owners once the stage payments have been made. Although we’ll be in hock to the bank for the next fifty years.”

  “Go and watch T.V Annabelle,” said Cheryl sternly. “ Daddy and I have to talk.”

  “That’s all you and Daddy did yesterday, talked, talked, talked. You wouldn’t listen to what I’d got to say. I liked those little houses on the sea front. They had pretty gardens and one of them had a swing in it…”

  “Go and check if Jack’s awake and if he is get him to use the toilet, then watch some T.V!” cried Cheryl, swiping at her daughter’s pyjama clad body, as the child scrambled up quickly at the tone of her mother’s voice. “It’s always what you want, Annabelle, but sometimes we can’t afford it!”

  Annabelle flounced off the bed, standing on Cheryl’s leg purposely as she went. Cheryl leapt up with a howl of pain as her daughter was no lightweight, but Paul grabbed her quickly and tried to calm her down.

  “Now Cheryl, we’re all overwrought. We had a very long day yesterday, especially as we didn’t get in ‘til late with Ron Dobson taking us out to dinner. I don’t know how the kids didn’t fall asleep while we were eating, they must have been shattered, poor little things. Anyway, you’ve got what you wanted, somewhere to escape where there’s plenty of sunshine.”

  “There wasn’t any sun yesterday though, I hope it isn’t always like this in the winter months” said Cheryl worriedly. “ And I hope we’ve done the right thing, settling on an apartment.”

  “Cheryl. You know we can’t afford anything more expensive, we went over the figures yesterday. Dobson showed us nine properties, he knew our limit but he kept on pushing, “let me just show you this, I really must show you that”. He was wasting his time and ours at the end of the day.”

  “They were lovely villas though,” Cheryl sighed wistfully, “ especially that one overlooking the sea. You know, the one with the security gates just coming out of Playa de las Americas?”

  “You’ve got a sea view from the apartment,” Paul said gently, knowing that an exasperated edge to his voice could start a massive row. She was like an unlit firework ready to explode once a match was struck and as he had just handed over a cheque for 10% of the asking price. He couldn’t afford for her to change her mind.

  “Yes, you’re right Paul. We’ve got a sea view, more space than the rest because we’re on the corner of the complex. A better shaped lounge than the one at home; a fully fitted kitchen and I loved the his and hers basins in the en-suite bathroom. And the bedrooms are quite big really, if you were to take away those built in wardrobes.”

  “And just think how we can sit on our balcony each evening with a glass of wine in our hands, watching the sun going down and seeing the fishing boats setting out on their journeys and the ferries coming back from wherever they’ve been to that day.” Paul could see that Cheryl was looking happier by the minute because of his soothing words.

  “Yes, you’re right and there’s a kiddies pool and play area planned once the building work is finished and the supermarket and a small bistro are put in. Oh, I’m sorry Paul, I know you’ll be stretched to meet the payments, but I promised I would get a job to help out and I will. Who knows though, one day we might be able to afford something better, especially as Ron was saying the price of property is going up in value every day.”

  “I love you so much, my own sweet darling,” said Paul drawing her tenderly towards him, “ I’d move the heavens and earth if it made you happy. You know that don’t you, my love?”

  ***

  “Looks like I’m having cold shoulder for breakfast,” Greg remarked to Kate, as his daughter stalked off to the breakfast buffet. “ I suppose she’ll keep it up until I apologize, but I don’t think I was in the wrong.”

  “It was the way you went about it,” his wife said, after tying her grandson’s bib around his neck, then sitting opposite her husband. “ You were like a petty dictator laying the law down, you could have appealed to her conscience first.”

  “I thought that it had been established that we all take a turn at looking after Evan, but it was me who took him to Kid’s club yesterday and me that picked him up. In all the time we’ve been here, she’s only looked after him a couple of times in the evening and when I heard her say she’d made plans to see that Mikey, I just saw red.”

  “Yes, but
she had looked after Evan the night before. So insisting she took the child off to bed after dinner and reading to him instead was a bit much, Greg, You could have at least let her help Mikey for an hour or so.”

  “An hour would have turned into a full evening and then before we knew it, our night would have been ruined.”

  “You mean the night spent with the decorous Anthea, laughing at her little anecdotes and being your most charming self. Drinking too much beer and me having to help you into bed? Is that the night you’re talking about?”

  “Oh, give over nagging Kate, you always try to spoil things. Anyway, here’s our Sonya, I’m going to get my breakfast now. So no bitching while I’m away.”

  ***

  “What would you like to do today?” asked Lucy, once she had greeted Uwe and Heiko, who were waiting for her appearance before they started breakfast.

  “You can choose,” said Uwe, looking very wholesome, with his brown hair slicked back , still drying from his recent shower and his chin freshly shaved. “ The weather looks good, only a few clouds around, so it should be a pleasure wherever we go.”

  Heiko nodded eagerly. He had just seen Lesley come into the restaurant and was now trying to attract her attention by smiling her way. Although it might be unethical, he rather hoped he could invite her to come with them, wherever it was they decided to go.

  His wish for her company was rewarded, as Lesley not having seen Harry at a table came over to say good morning to them. The two men scrambled to their feet courteously and Heiko asked her to sit at their table.

  “Thank you,” said Lesley smiling at Lucy as she did so. “ I hope you won’t mind though if I slip away in ten minutes, as I wish to say goodbye to some friends.”

  “Oh, they’re leaving for the airport then?” said Lucy, suddenly remembering that she had seen Lesley with a group of people the previous afternoon and had nearly bumped into Lesley and her partner on the dance floor.

  “Yes, I made some friends called Rita, Maureen and Harry and I thought I’d see them off. How come you aren’t accompanying them today, Lucy?”

  “Special assignment,” she said, tapping the side of her nose conspiratorially, “ Kath will have the pleasure of their company today.”

  “I’ll just get myself a coffee then. I drank quite a bit of wine last night so I can’t face breakfast. Be back in a minute if that’s all right with you?”

  “Of course,” said Heiko. “ I’ll join you, if I may, at the coffee machine. We also had a lot wine to drink last night.”

  “So where shall we go today?” asked Uwe, when he and Lucy were alone.

  “Would you mind if we had a look around the local area? I’m sure knowing what the area has to offer is just as important as knowing the tours?”

  “That sounds very pleasant. There is a harbour, I think, that we could visit. Isn’t that where the ferry sails for La Gomera?”

  Lucy nodded happily, she had a feeling she was in for a very pleasant day.

  ***

  “So what are my orders for today, Mien Fuhrer?”asked Sonya provocatively, once her parents had sat down to their breakfast.

  “That’s enough, Sonya,” said Greg frowning, “ before we came on holiday we agreed that we would share the responsibility of Evan equally and as I am footing the bill for all of us, I think I should have a larger say.”

  “It all comes down to money with you, doesn’t it?” his daughter said bitterly. “ Wouldn’t let Mum have her villa in Cyprus, insist I pay my share of household bills. Won’t let me send Evan to that little prep’ school I’d set my heart on…”

  “Oh, it’s all coming out now, isn’t it. We didn’t have to take you in you know…” Greg said furiously.

  “Mummy, there’s Jack,” shouted Evan, seeing his little friend coming in for breakfast with his parents and sister. “ Jack, where’ve you been? Come here I’ve something to show you?”

  “Saved by the bell,” said Kate fervently. “ Listen you two, continue your argument later. I don’t want to be shown up in front of Cheryl.”

  “Good morning, everyone,” said Paul expansively. “ We’ll sit on this table here if you don’t mind and Jack can talk to Evan. Bad day yesterday, wasn’t it? We were glad to be in and out of the car looking for property. I wouldn’t have liked to have been on a tour like some of them.”

  “Oh, did you find something you liked?” asked Kate, turning to look at Cheryl, who was fussing over a large stain on the tablecloth. Greg groaned inwardly. This was going to be deja vu listening to Cheryl and Kate enthusing over property.

  “All right, mate?” Paul asked, with his eyes going up to the ceiling as Kate moved her chair closer to Cheryl’s.

  “Yes, mate, I’m off for a cup of coffee. Do you want to join me?”

  ***

  Lesley came out of the foyer, just in time to see Kath marshalling the departing guests to the coach that had arrived that minute.

  “Harry,” Lesley cried, as she saw him making for the under coach compartment with his suitcase,

  “Harry, hang on a minute I wanted to say goodbye.”

  “I wondered if you would see us off,” smiled Harry happily, as he straightened up to greet her. “Rita and Maureen are already on the coach, I think they’re over there.”

  He waved his arm in the direction of the coach, then put his hand in his jacket pocket to bring out a scrap of paper.

  “I hope you won’t mind, my dear, but I’ve written my address and telephone number on here for you. I know we are generations apart, but I’d like you to think of me as a kindly uncle and should you ever need someone to talk to, I’m your man. I’d like to think we got on very well together in the short time we had, but my dear, I think you’ve got a lot of courage and I admire you for it.”

  Harry went rather pink after he had made his speech and Lesley mindful of being watched by a captive audience in the coach, gripped his hand and squeezed it slowly.

  “Thank you, Harry, I also enjoyed your company and I will keep in touch.”

  Kath murmured that they had a plane to catch and so with a continental kiss on Lesley’s cheeks, Harry made his farewell.

  ***

  Lucy’s mobile rang as she opened the door of her apartment. She had returned on Uwe’s instruction to change out of her uniform and put something on more suitable for sight seeing. Of course she had obeyed that instruction like a shot. She would have felt silly really walking about in her white short sleeved shirt and tight fitting skirt. She needed to look as cool as Lesley, who was wearing a round necked summer dress in lilac floral with a lovely white sequined cardigan. Surprise, surprise, timid Heiko had asked her to accompany them.

  Lucy wondered who could be ringing her mobile, as she put her key in the lock? She had passed Kath in the foyer when she had been on her way to breakfast, so if Head Office had anything important to say, they would have sent a message with Kath. It was Adam.

  “Hi, Lucy,” he said, his voice sounding very upbeat. “ I know you’ve been busy so I haven’t rung before, but I wondered could we have a coffee together when you get to the airport?”

  “Oh, Adam,” said Lucy, trying to put on a disappointed voice. “ I’m not at the airport today, Kath my supervisor has that duty. I’ve been on a special assignment for the last couple of days.”

  “Really?” he said, his voice going down an octave or two. “ Anything interesting, will it mean promotion in the long run?”

  “No, I’m accompanying some Germans on a fact finding tour. They have a travel firm in Hamburg and they’re here until Sunday afternoon.”

  “So maybe we could do something together on Sunday evening then?” Adam sounded hopeful.

  “I don’t think I can, Adam, I have to be on duty after their flight leaves. Perhaps we can meet on Tuesday when I’m back at the airport.”

  She switched her mobile off, then quickly flicked through her meagre wardrobe. It was going to be a problem trying to compete with Lesley, she thought. She couldn’t
wear her georgette dress as it was more for the evening, shorts were out, jeans were too warm. There was only a pair of cream coloured linen trousers suitable and a pink floral low cut blouse that she liked to keep for best. Still they’d do, her granny would have said “it’s what’s on the inside that’s important” or “ fine feathers never made a lady”. She liked to remember her granny’s words, a lot of them were true.

  So, what was she going to do about Adam, she wondered, as she hurtled back over the courtyard to meet Uwe. Because compared to him, Adam was so boring that she didn’t think she’d want to waste her time on him.

  ***

  “You know, Mum, I could hardly believe my eyes last night when that waiter brought you to the door, carrying Chantelle,” said Vicky disapprovingly, as she dressed her child in a pretty white smocked frock with pink flowers embroidered upon it. “ Hand me her cardigan, will you?”

  “I know,” said Denise in a chastened voice, as she passed over a pink fluffy cardigan to her daughter, where Chantelle lay calmly on the bed. “ I just don’t know what came over me. It’s those free drinks you get with All Inclusive and I swear that the waiter was giving me triple measures in the glass.”

  “Well, we’ll say no more about it, but please Mum, take it easy. You never used to be a drinker, not before, well you know what. Anyway you must be starving, you only pecked at those sandwiches I got through Room service last night. We’ve time to get you a proper breakfast if we hurry downstairs now.”

  “I don’t think I can face a cooked breakfast,” said Denise, as she pulled on a pair of navy calf length trousers and slipped her feet into a pair of floral flip flops. “ I’ll just have some toast. Anyway, at least Chantelle had a good night’s sleep for once after I rubbed that whisky on her gums. I didn’t hear a peep out of her once you’d given her some milk.”