Clouds Below the Mountains

by Vivienne Dockerty

  “What’s up with your Dad, Sonya?” asked Kate in a surprised voice, once her husband had grabbed his protesting grandson, then after bringing the child over to say goodnight, went off to the bedroom with him.

  “He’s bored. Fed up with the same routine and wants to sit in his room reading.”

  “He’s sulking you mean, it’s because of Anthea and Brian. See, they’re sitting over there with that couple that came in yesterday. Your Dad’s peeved because all they do is talk about the hospitality industry, whereas when they first met up with him, they were chatting about what your father did.”

  “Well, that would take all of five minutes, Dad hates talking about work when he’s on holiday. He doesn’t even bother to ring the factory until the day after he gets home normally.”

  “That’s because Jimmy Tierney runs the place like clockwork. It’s no good having a dog then barking yourself, is there? Oh well, that’s another romantic evening a deux for me and your father, still there’s always tomorrow night I suppose.”

  “No, Mum. Unfortunately there’ll be no more chances of get togethers for you and Dad. Not that I want to get involved with the detail, but he told me earlier that he’s volunteering for baby sitting every single night.”

  “Did he now?” Kate’s eyes narrowed into slits when she heard that from her daughter. There’d be a few choice words in his direction when she turned in, later on.

  ***

  “We thought you’d got stuck up a mountain,” said Lucy, smiling in relief at the two men, as they joined her and Lesley near the bar. “ Let me go and get some drinks, then you can tell us how your trip went.”

  “We had a puncture,” Heiko explained seriously, as Uwe went off to help with the drinks, leaving Heiko some time alone with Lesley. “ We could not let Isabelle change the tyre herself, so we came back to the hotel quite dirty. Then we must wash ourselves and change into better clothes…”

  “Okay, I get the picture,” laughed Lesley, after she had listened to Heiko going into every detail.

  “You’ll be telling me next what you decided to eat for dinner.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “It doesn’t matter. Tell me, did you manage to do any packing, I believe you have a morning flight?”

  “Ja, we leave after breakfast. We only brought a holdall each, so we can pack in a few minutes.”

  There was a few minutes silence then, with Lesley wishing that Uwe and Lucy would come back sooner, instead of chatting at the bar with one of the waiters. What were they going to say to keep the conversation going, they seemed to have run out of topics to speak about?

  “You look very pretty in that dress, Lesley,” Heiko managed, “the colour suits you.”

  “Thank you, Heiko. I wasn’t sure that yellow suited my skin tone and it wouldn’t normally, but the sun seems to have given my face a bit of a glow.”

  “A glow? Ah, like a candle or a light bulb. Yes, your face has a very nice glow.”

  “You’re looking very debonair yourself, Heiko, I have to say you scrub up well.”

  Heiko looked defeated then, he raised an eyebrow questioningly, but Lesley was saved having to explain, as Lucy and Uwe returned with their drinks.

  ***

  “Are you on your own?” asked Nobby, when he saw Denise waiting to be served, as people had rushed to the bar before the duo came on.

  “Er no, not really. I’m on holiday with my daughter and my grandchild, but she likes to sit with the baby in the foyer where it’s cooler and also the smoke in here gets on the kiddie’s chest.”

  “They should ban smoking in public places. It doesn’t do us non smokers any good, because we’re still inhaling the ruddy stuff.”

  “I would tend to agree with you except that I’m a smoker myself, but I try to limit my intake if I’m in company with people like yourself.”

  “Aye, yer should,” said Nobby gruffly, putting in his order to Juan, whose face was streaked with sweat. He’d been about to ask the woman would she like to join his party, but he didn’t fancy an evening of having smoke blown in his face. Shame, he thought, after as he wended his way back to his table. She looked a lonely person and Meggie could have been a tonic and cheered the woman up.

  “Oh, I love this song,” said Laura, as she, Toby, Phil and Cindy sat near the stage, where the Candelria duo began to sing, “Let’s take a walk together near the ocean shore…” “Oh, we must do that tomorrow, Toby…” “cherish the love we have, cherish the life we live…”

  Laura took Toby’s hand and sang along for him.

  “Sick making, isn’t it, Cin’? Phil said, pretending to put his fingers down his throat. He was rewarded with a nudge in his ribs and told to shut up!

  ***

  The song that the Candelaria’s were singing, was also affecting another woman listening in the audience. Kate fought hard to keep the tears from coming into her eyes. Her emotions were mixed, with anger and sadness together, vying for first place in her mind. How had she and Greg got to this situation where they passed themselves off as a couple, but there were so many daily undercurrents, that she wondered how they could survive? Was it her fault, his fault, both their faults? Perhaps they should go to marriage guidance and let someone listen to their problems.

  When had they stopped the cherishing, their love, their lives, when had they fallen out of love?

  ***

  The duo finished with the song “When will I see you again?”, which seemed very apt to Lucy in the circumstances, as she joined in the applause with the rest of the audience.

  “Very good,” said Uwe gravely. “ Remember to make a note of their name, Heiko. We can mention them in our travel brochure. Now, would you think it was impolite if I asked Lucy to take a walk with me?” His face hardened a little, as if he was thinking, you’d better not!

  “It’s probably freezing out there, Uwe,” Lucy squeaked delightedly, trying not to show that if she could, she’d be dashing out ahead of him, “ or even raining.”

  “Then we will find somewhere else to be alone. Heiko and Lesley need to do some talking.”

  “We do?” said Lesley, feeling taken aback by Uwe’s forwardness.

  “They do?” said Lucy feeling downcast, so him taking her for a walk wasn’t for their benefit.

  “See you later, Heiko,” he said and winked at him.

  ***

  “Right, come on, time for bed,” said Cheryl, after the duo had departed the stage. “Say goodnight to Jade and Roz, maybe see you at breakfast in the morning.”

  She gathered up her handbag and the black lacy shawl that she had brought to wrap around her bare shoulders and shooed the two children ahead of her.

  “Are you coming, Paul?”

  “Would you mind if I stayed and had a cigar at the bar?”

  “If you must, but don’t be too long, you know how difficult it is when I’m left alone with these two.”

  “Sure, honey bun, I’ll be along later.”

  ***

  Paul got up to go to the bar, feeling in his shirt pocket for his packet of panatellas and his lighter. He seemed struck with a thought and sat back down again.

  “Roz, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but has Cheryl said anything to you today about the place we’re buying?”

  “No, not really,” she replied, keeping an eye on Jade, who was jumping on and off the stage with Olivia, who had been allowed to stay up with her grandparents.

  “It’s just you two seemed to have struck up a friendship since you arrived and I thought you might have some idea why she’s being so snappy.”

  “Time of the month maybe?”

  “Oh yes, that’ll be what it is,” he said sounding relieved. “ Thanks for that. I’ll not bother with the cigar now. Are you and Jade walking to the lift?”

  ***

  Uwe and Lucy strolled a little along the covered way near the tennis courts. It wasn’t as cold as Lucy had imagined, but there was a cool wind blowing in from the sea. Uwe handed her his
jacket, when he saw her shivering in her short sleeved glittery top and red knee length skirt.

  The stars above shone brightly in a navy blue sky and Lucy thought wistfully, that it was an ideal setting for a romantic love affair.

  “Too cold for you, Lucy?” Uwe asked, as they stood side by side looking around at the deserted pool area.

  “A little,” she answered, wondering if he would make any move on her, because she wouldn’t push him away if he did.

  “Lucy…” he began, reaching out to her so that they were facing each other. “I’m in a difficult situation. Partly my own fault because I do not like mixing business with pleasure, but I would like to be truthful with you. I find you very attractive and from the short time that I have known you, I feel that a relationship could easily develop between us. Am I right in assuming that you might feel something towards me?”

  Lucy nodded, looking deeply into the pale blue eyes that were looking tenderly into hers. She felt shy, because no one had ever looked at her like this before. For a fleeting moment, her mind urged her to run back into the warmth and security of the hotel. Could she handle this emotion that was beginning to surge through every pore, especially when he drew her into arms that were strong and purposeful, as if he would protect her for the rest of her life. His lips met hers and they clung to one another while he kissed her expertly.

  “Now you know how I feel about you,” he said softly, looking into her face with a steady gaze.

  “So where do we go from here?”

  “It’s like that song they were singing in there,” she said and started giggling, perhaps a little hysterically, because Uwe looked at her in surprise.

  “When will I see you again?”

  “Oh,” he said and smiled indulgently, as the British seemed to have sense of humour that was beyond him.

  “We’ll work something out, Liebling, but for now I think we should go in.”

  ***

  “So thank you for your company, Lesley,” said Heiko, as the conversation between them dried up and they were reduced to watching the gyrating couples on the dance floor. “ I have been very pleased to meet with you. Now I must go and prepare for our departure in the morning.”

  He got up from his chair and looked down with sadness upon this woman, who in different circumstances he knew he could come to love.

  “I’ve enjoyed your company too,” said Lesley, feeling sorry that a good man would be slipping out of her life, but there was nothing to be done about it. She still had feelings for Geoff and until she could be honest with herself and say she was over him, her heart would never have room for anyone else.

  “I’ll walk to the lifts with you,” she said quietly.

  “Guten Nacht,” he said, after Lesley decided that she would use the stairs, rather than wait in embarrassment for the lift to arrive.

  “Bon Voyage,” she replied quickly and fled through the doors to the stairwell.

  ***

  “Time of the month, Cheryl?” Paul asked, when his wife moved away from him in bed later.

  “No,” she said in a surprised voice, “ what makes you say that?”

  “Oh, you’ve seemed offish with me and Annabelle all day, I thought perhaps you’ve got P.M.T ?”

  “Where are you getting all this rubbish from?” Cheryl said wearily. “ You’ve not taken to reading women’s magazine have you?”

  “No, but you don’t seem very happy. I thought with us going ahead with the apartment you’d be walking on air.”

  “Walking on air, Paul, I don’t think so? I’m slowly realizing that we’ve taken on more than we can cope with” She switched her bedside light on, then sat up, positioning her pillows behind her back.

  “Have you even given a thought to what I’m going to have to give up?”

  “Give up!” yelped Paul, switching his own bedside lamp on and facing her angrily. “ What are you having to give up? It’s me who’s going to have to do a hell of a lot of overtime.”

  “Shh, Paul, you’re going to wake the children up. I’ll have to go to work so I won’t be able to maintain my circle of friends. I will have to give up my shopping trips, my beauty appointments, my girly lunches and even my gym membership if I can’t afford my monthly debit. Not to mention the fact that I’m going to have to look after the children more, because you won’t be around to help me.”

  “But, it’s been you that’s been pushing for us to buy a property. You’ve been nagging me so much, I’ve had to give in!”

  Paul looked at his wife in bewilderment as he saw the sulky look on her face, which began to change into anger when she heard his accusing words.

  “So, I’m a nag now? Well, if that’s how you feel you can stick your apartment. I’m never going to set a foot in it again.”

  “Cheryl!”

  “Oh, I’m going to sleep. I’m fed up with the way you’re always trying to put me in the wrong and as for calling me a nag, well I think you’d better apologize.”

  Paul climbed out of bed at that and finding his slippers by the wardrobe and his dressing gown draped over a chair, he headed in the direction of the living room. He’d have a few drinks from the Mini bar, they might help to soothe his shattered nerves.

  ***

  “Greg,” Kate said, as he let her in after she had knocked quietly on the door for a few minutes, fearing that she was going to wake the other guests up. “ Greg, I think we should talk.”

  “Shush Kate. I’ve just got Evan back off to sleep, there’s been a bit of a party in the room opposite and there’s been a lot of door banging for the last half hour.”

  “I’ll go and use the bathroom then, but I really think we should talk about this baby sitting.”

  Her husband groaned as he heard her lock the door behind her, he didn’t need all this self examination. Why did women think it was necessary? He got back into bed and tried to immerse himself in his book again.

  Kate came out of the bathroom later, smelling of expensive perfume and wearing a lilac knee length satin nightdress. She sat by him on the double bed and put her arms around his neck. “Greg, can’t we talk to each other anymore? Tell me why you prefer to baby sit Evan, instead of spending time with me.”

  He removed her arms and shuffled away so that they weren’t in close proximity, then placing his book on the bedside table, he said. “ Kate we can talk all we want to, but whatever is said won’t make a scrap of difference to our marriage. We’ve got to the stage where we’re dead in the water. You know it, I know it, but what we have to work out is, what are we going to do about it?”

  “Well thanks for that,” she spat. “ Just what I needed to hear to send me off into a relaxing sleep. It’s been this bloody holiday that’s caused it. If we’d gone away on our own and spent more time with each other, instead of two weeks thinking of Sonya and Evan’s needs, I’m sure the outcome would have been different. But then you’ve been panting after that Anthea anyway, instead of making love to me.”

  “Get into bed, Kate,” said Greg in a warning tone. “ It’s no use trying to goad me.”

  ***

  “Not tonight, Mikey,” giggled Sonya, as she weaved her way along the corridor, ricocheting like a pin ball as she bashed against the walls . Mikey grinned ruefully as he helped her along, though he’d had a bit to drink himself that evening. Sonya had stockpiled her table with vodka and tonics, before the bar had closed at midnight.

  “Hey, I wasn’t even thinking about it, Gorgeous,” he said, taking her key from her hand as they neared her doorway, knowing she’d never find the fiddley lock. “You’ll be out like a light as soon as your head hits the pillow.”

  He left her to her own devices, as her bedroom door slammed shut behind her. He supposed he could have undressed her, but somehow it hadn’t seemed right.

  “I’ll have to speak to Sonya in the morning,” muttered Greg grimly, as he awoke with a start from the reverberation. “She’s another one that can’t shut a door quietly.”

  Kat
e said nothing, at least he’d gone to sleep in the first place, she knew that she’d be lying awake all night.

  Chapter Twenty Four.

  The mountains were shrouded in mist, when Paul set off in his hire car at daybreak the next morning. Where he was going to he hadn’t decided, but he did know he couldn’t face the tightened lips and frosty voice that would be Cheryl’s, when she got out of bed later. He had to get away, find somewhere that he could sit in peace and think things through, without Annabelle pestering to go to Aqualand, whilst his wife was happier to sit in a sun chair.

  He briefly thought of his son with a smile. Jack was the opposite of his outgoing sister.

  He was a happy go lucky little lad; give him a Gameboy and he’d play for hours.

  Paul headed down the main road towards Playa de las Americas; everywhere was quiet and still. Occasionally an early morning delivery wagon, or a coach on the way to pick up passengers for the Airport would pass by on the other side, but there was very little domestic traffic about. A cat scavenged inside a dustbin as Paul waited at a set of traffic lights, while gulls sat beady eyed on top of lamp posts, deciding whether to fly further inland or settle by the sea for the day.

  He supposed he should take the Espace back to the hire firm. There seemed little point in keeping it after today. He looked at his watch and deciding that it was far too early for the place to be open, he’d just park it somewhere and sit beside the sea.

  ***

  Lucy was awoken by her alarm clock. She groaned when she looked at the time it was showing. Eight o’ clock and it was Sunday! Damn Kath and her sickie, she was was being done out of serious zzzz’s.

  She lay on her back and contemplated the fingers of daylight that came through the gaps in her curtains, though her mind was beginning to tune in on the happenings of last night.

  Had she really heard an admission from Uwe that she was to be the love of his life? It would seem so, it appeared that she was to be his focal point in his desire to return to Tenerife. He had promised that he would book a flight as soon as he and Heiko landed! She felt warm all over as she thought of his kisses. Not hard and demanding like other men she had kissed, but loving and tender, with a hint of the passion yet to come.