Seven Days Away

by Ruth Hay

  He would look in for a while just to see what was happening. It was above his rating to compete with the big boys but it couldn’t hurt to see who was in the house and how the games were progressing.

  He heard his stomach rumble; a reminder he hadn’t eaten for hours but he would much rather watch a game than eat, any day.

  * * *

  Devon decided to pay for a sandwich and a gourmet coffee. He had no cash with him but signed for the food, thinking he would have to be cautious about running up a bill in this expensive place. He had money with him but spending large here was going to cause questions from his family.

  He had been working on his contacts for hours now and he needed some sustenance.

  Earlier he had seen his Aunt Megan with a large bag of purchases. She was having lunch on the outdoor patio restaurant and it looked like she had made some new friends. The women were chatting away as if they had known each other for years.

  He was looking around for a quiet spot to eat when he saw his uncle Maurice huddled in a corner. That was interesting; the M&Ms here, but not together. What was going on?

  Curiosity compelled him to take a peek at the screen of the computer that was causing such intense concentration by Professor Maurice Anderson. He sidled around a wall and gently stepped along until he could glimpse the iPad screen. At first he thought his uncle was a secret online game fan and found it a neat idea. Could it be he had discovered something new in that line? As a composer of such games, Devon wanted to know more. He craned his neck and quickly realized the game in question was not a medieval war contest or a science fiction fantasy. It was a well-known American gambling site. The multiple screens were changing rapidly as cards were discarded or added. He had heard such games were addictive but that applied only if you were an active participant. As this thought occurred, he saw his uncle click on a side panel and a confirmation appeared briefly on the main screen. He had made a bet and it was a big one.

  Wow! I wonder if snooty Aunt Megan knows about this? I hardly think so, when he is obviously concealing his activity. If it was harmless, he would be doing this back at the apartment.

  Devon withdrew silently, tucking this information away for future benefit. It briefly crossed his mind to find his aunt and reunite the M&Ms just to see what would happen. This was not his style. After all, Maurice Anderson was not the only one here with secrets. He took the elevator down to ground level and sat on a step overlooking the waterfall while he finished his lunch. He would walk back to the apartment and see what else was going on. With ten different individuals thrust together in one place for a whole week, the interesting possibilities were pretty much endless.

  Eyes Only for Curtis Soames from Abigail Beck.

  Initial observations at Nuevo Vallarta Resort.

  Barely 24hours here and already I can see a number of features that seem unusual.

  Supervision everywhere; indoors and out. Trained staff in uniform, easily identified.

  A range of ages. Access to this huge complex is limited for vehicles.

  Guard posts at the main exit/entrance from the highway. Cabs are checked in.

  Each is given a dashboard card for ID with time limit.

  Spent the day at the beach. Resort pools are strung along there and many guests walk by on the beach. Did not see anyone swimming in the bay. Boats observed far from shore.

  The beach area is open to the sea and it is possible intruders could enter after dark without being observed. I will check that out.

  The complex consists of several apartment hotels at differing prices.

  The higher level guests can access all of them but others are limited by the colour of the security bands attached to wrists as soon as they arrive.

  This is an effective way to check on people without asking intrusive questions.

  I have asked a few people if they feel safe here and the answers are always in the positive.

  It’s a holiday atmosphere with plenty alcohol available (Happy Hours).

  Everyone is willing to talk and exchange private information. This could be both good and bad.

  Other major safety factors:

  Wrist bands. They give access to the rooms. No keys needed.

  Cashless purchases. Room number and signature all that is required. Receipts given at once.

  In-room safe for valuables.

  More soon.

  Compiling a photo record also.

  Abigail.

  Chapter 10

  Day Four; Monday.

  By Monday morning the Beck and Anderson families had recovered from the effects of jet lag and were ready to experience the delights of the resort in earnest.

  A female council of war was convened over coffee and breakfast at the dining table on the balcony. Devon was turfed out of his sleeping huddle and told to join the men in the kitchen where Terry was acting as short-order cook. Marian said she had seen Portia leaving early and thought she had gone to get coffee. No one seemed concerned when she failed to return although Megan glanced over at the patio windows from time to time as if she was wondering where her daughter had gone. Marian felt relieved when she saw this sign. Her worry about Portia had not faded after she shared her conversation with Aylward. If anything, it had worsened.

  Abigail insisted her father had done enough catering for the time being. His fish casserole meal for everyone the night before had been amazing but it was time to sample other evening delights from one of the resort’s many restaurants. The women agreed that was fair, then a discussion arose about what type of food they would vote for. The sunset scene offered by a classy beach restaurant was a popular choice. The girls had checked out the fresh seafood menu during their afternoon at the beach and gave it a stamp of approval.

  Marian offered to ask their concierge to reserve a couple of tables.

  Abigail and Louise then shared what they had learned from groups sunbathing near them at the pool by the beach.

  “There’s so much to do here. There are the neatest swim-up bars in all the big pools.”

  “You can go on excursions to Mayan temples or out on a boat to snorkel with dolphins.”

  “We saw whales jump out in the bay.”

  “And you can see the town of Puerto Vallarta across the bay. We are in Nuevo Vallarta. It means new. A couple told us the original town is a quaint old village with cobbled streets and with modern houses further along the coastline. We could go there and explore. Elizabeth Taylor and one of her husbands used to stay there. It’s famous.”

  “Wait a moment, Louise.” Marian held up her hands to call a stop to the comments tumbling over one another. “This is Mexico, girls. I can’t let you go off on your own. It was not long ago that an American couple were murdered in the centre of the old town. If it’s a supervised resort trip you are keen on, that’s one thing, but you need to be cautious about anything else. Ask the concierge for advice and take one of the family with you. I am sure your parents would agree with me about this.”

  Megan and Jillian seconded Marian’s comments at once. Abigail was taking note of her grandmother’s assessment of security outside the resort. She planned to venture safely along the beach today to the other resort areas she had seen on the map. Louise wanted to see something called ‘The Lazy River’ and they both wanted to see the facilities in The Mayan Palace and The Grand Mayan to check if they were a match for their present Grand Luxxe apartment building. A more adventurous expedition was in Abigail’s sights for another day.

  Jillian figured her daughters did not want their expedition spoiled by their mother tagging along. She was pleased to see them enjoying each other’s company. In any case, she had decided to take time away from everyone to consider the status of her marriage. She had made a reservation at the spa club she had spotted the day before but was not announcing that choice. When her sister-in-law, Megan, had returned to the apartment the night before, all she could talk about were the fabulous new outfits she had bought including a rather glamorous sleeveless
knit dress in red that she insisted was from a company called A Plus and almost never found outside of their online site.

  “It’s a bargain at $450! I snapped it up at once, naturally. I can’t wait for an occasion to show it off.”

  Jillian thought privately, ‘Show Off’ was the perfect description for Megan Anderson. There was no way she would share her private time in the spa with such a self-satisfied prig. Megan knew her brother’s family could not afford the things she lavished her money on and yet she took pleasure in announcing her wealth to everyone. There was one thing Jillian could do to take her sister-in-law down a peg and she was annoyed enough to do it.

  “Megan,” she began, in a sugar-sweet voice, “do you think Portia would like to join the girls this afternoon?”

  There was a stunned silence.

  Abigail and Louise sent horrified looks toward their mother.

  Marian raised her eyebrows and watched to see what Megan would say.

  Megan suddenly remembered she had not seen her daughter for some time now.

  “Oh, I think Portia prefers to be on her own. Something like your Devon, I think, Jillian? I was just about to go searching for Portia. You said she went along the hall for coffee, didn’t you mother?”

  “That was some time ago, dear. Please find her and bring her back for some solid food. I don’t think she is eating enough.”

  Megan got up to leave, followed by the other women. Marian had another caution for them. She stopped them with a word.

  “Girls! Please stay out of the sun at noon. The exposure at the beach is twice as high as anywhere else. I will be at our Al Fresco pool area, in the shade, with your grandfather. Please join us, any of you. We’ll meet back here later to change for dinner. Be safe, all of you!”

  She waved them off and heard the high-pitched voices relating their plans to the four men gathered on stools at the kitchen countertop.

  * * *

  Portia had found a quiet seating area by a window, half-way along their hall between the apartment and the elevators where the concierge had a desk. She had a mug of coffee going cold in her hands and was turned toward the spectacular view, but seeing nothing out of the window.

  How could I have thought it was going to be easy? I wanted to make a big fuss and show them all I was not the little mouse who never accomplished anything important. I was sure I could shock them into seeing me for the first time but it’s so hard.

  I feel sick. I toss and turn all night while my horrible cousins are snoring away. I don’t want to go out in that burning sun. I just wanted to make my announcement and slip away by myself while they all come to understand how much I have been ignored and neglected.

  Last evening was so bad. If I could have done it then, I would have. There was my mother with her bags and bags of new clothes that she doesn’t even need. In front of everyone, she pulls out a tiny white bikini and presents it to me like it was some treasure. I almost choked with hysterical laughter. A bikini!

  Now, she gives me a bikini? Now!

  I ran out of the room onto the balcony and she never missed a beat, dragging another expensive dress out of her bags like a magician with a rabbit. Grandmother did follow me and she seems worried for me but if she knew what was really going on she would turn away like all the rest have.

  How am I going to endure this week from hell? How? And what will happen to me? I am in such a mess and there’s no way out of it. No possible way.

  * * *

  Megan Anderson almost passed by her daughter. She heard a tiny sound to her left and turned her head in time to see a small dark figure silhouetted against the light from a window alcove. She examined the anonymous figure without any sense of knowing who it was. What she saw was a sad, crumpled form in dull clothing and she immediately wondered how anyone could look so sad and lonely in such a beautiful paradise with sunshine streaming in the window promising another glorious day of fun and frolic. She began to walk past without disturbing the silent figure with the thought in her mind that she might report this incident to the concierge. It did not look right to have someone in such a desperate state sitting around depressing other guests. Whoever she is, she should be removed.

  At that moment, Portia Anderson’s sorrow overwhelmed her and she allowed a sob to escape while she rose to flee the building and find a way to end her misery.

  Suddenly Megan was face to face with her daughter. Portia was the miserable, hunched-over figure by the window. It was her Portia. How could this be? Why had she not recognized her own daughter?

  Mutual shock brought both of them to a halt.

  Portia was frozen in horror. Her mother; of all people. Her mother; looking right at her.

  Megan’s mind was racing. What if someone from the family came along here right now? What would they think? What would they say?

  Her well-honed instinct of self-preservation jumped to the fore. She grabbed Portia by the arm and hauled her along the hallway at top speed, pushing her into the elevator before the concierge could turn from his phone conversation and bid them the obligatory, ‘Buenas Dias’.

  Both were breathing heavily but saying nothing as the elevator arrived at ground level and the doors opened. No one was waiting in the entrance. Megan was aware the open hallway entrance to the building went right across the building. On the opposite side from the road to the Al Fresco pool exit was a quiet back lane. She had discovered it when she got disoriented once, and turned the wrong way. Now she hauled her daughter to the laneway and looked up to check that they were now on the opposite side of the building. No one could see them from the family apartment.

  “What is wrong with you, Portia?” Megan practically hissed these words. “I can’t believe you are behaving so strangely. Are you trying to embarrass me in front of my family?”

  Portia, rubbed her arm where her mother’s hand had been. Her deep sadness switched in an instant to red rage.

  “Your family! I thought I was a part of the family too! But that’s not too likely is it? It’s all about you, Mother, and it always has been. You don’t care about me. It’s your job you love, isn’t it? Isn’t it?”

  Spittle from Portia’s mouth was hitting her mother’s face. Megan wiped it off in disgust and made to defend herself but Portia was in full flight now and nothing could stop the acrid lava flow that welled up from deep inside her.

  “You don’t even know what I have been going through, do you? I have a good mind to march back upstairs and tell your precious family what I came here to reveal. How would you like it if they knew I am pregnant? Huh? What would that do to your beloved reputation as Madam Megan Perfect?”

  Megan’s breath was paralysed. Her lungs refused to move but her mind was frantic. Her daughter began to laugh wildly when she saw the effect of her announcement on her mother. The crazy wild sounds ringing in the air, brought Megan back to her senses. This was no time for recriminations. She must find out what Portia meant. Pregnant? There must be some mistake.

  She turned her head to confirm no one was near them on the path or on one of the ground-level balconies. She had to get Portia away from public view as soon as possible. She summoned the cool head that had steered her successfully through many an unexpected turn in a court case. Three deep breaths and she had control again.

  “Portia, darling, we must talk sensibly about this. Promise me you will calm down and we’ll go into the foyer and get a quiet corner.”

  Megan was not at all sure her daughter would agree. There was a mad look in her eyes, but suddenly the anger Portia had expelled so violently left her depleted and weak. She fell into her mother’s arms and followed along meekly like a little lamb. They found a couch sheltered from view behind one of the desks used for gathering registration information from arriving guests. No one was occupying these desks this early in the day. A huge potted plant hid them from view.

  Megan began slowly as if preparing a client for interrogation by opposing counsel.

  “Now, start from the beginn
ing, Portia. I am your mother and I can sort out any problem you may have. Just tell me the truth.”

  Portia’s response to this was a feeble laugh. Her energy had gone. She had no hope of a solution. Darkness descended again as it had so many times since she had arrived in this place whose exterior perfection threw everything dismal inside her into an unbearable contrast. She just looked blankly at her mother without hope of any help.

  Portia’s despair was palpable. Megan began slowly to understand who she was dealing with; not a difficult young woman, but someone who was, possibly, seriously ill. She cast around in her mind for a way out of this awkward dilemma. She was smart enough to realize her limitations and meeting the needs of this incomprehensibly grown child was one of them.

  Of course! My father! He can help Portia and no one else need know about it. He can treat her upstairs in his apartment and keep this disaster away from the rest of the family. I’ll make up some story for Maurice. He won’t care. He’ll believe me.

  She remembered Marian saying the old couple were heading for the pool nearby. This was perfect. There was a good chance the others were already going out somewhere else. She could explain to her mother and she would interpret for her father and then Megan would be free of this problem. After all, she had come here for a holiday. She wished she had not persuaded her daughter to come along. It was Maurice’s idea of family solidarity. His fault. He should be the one to manage his daughter’s issues.

  Once decided, Megan sprang into action. Portia was unable to resist in her present state. She took her mother’s hand like a young child and followed along squinting at the bright sunlight.

  The Al Fresco pool was close to their building. If passersby thought it strange to see such a peculiar-looking pair, no one commented. Megan looked frantically for her parents then recalled them saying something about shade. Sure enough there was a section to her left where the smaller side pool was partially covered with a kind of woven trellis. Lounge chairs were set around the pool edge in the shade. She saw her parents immediately and breathed deeply for the first time in minutes. They were seated together in a corner with no one close by. She was saved!