The Secret History of Hatty Ha Ha ... Begins

by S M Mala

  ‘Delores this isn’t helping anything,’ Murray said softly.

  ‘She needs to know life has been very good to her and she-.’

  ‘I have no mother, no father and no family I know of. I live in a house on an estate owned by the richest man on the island and several islands, with a woman who obviously resented every moment of looking after me. Plus I had a bloody nanny so it wasn’t all down to you!’

  ‘Harriet!’ Murray snapped. ‘That’s not a nice thing to say.’

  ‘She herself told me weeks ago that’s the score. I don’t want to be any more of a burden to you so I’d rather go it alone. Be given the chance to make my own money.’ Hatty looked at Delores who was sneering at her as Murray smiled. ‘And I will earn my keep and pay Mister Murray rent on the house. In turn, I will look after it and live there.’

  ‘On your own? Living in a large house?’ Delores snapped.

  ‘It’s an eighth of the size of this place and all I need is to get electricity set up.’

  ‘And where are you going to get the money to do all this?’ said Delores, walking towards Hatty, trying to control her temper.

  ‘Mister Murray will give me a loan and I’ll pay it back as part of my rent,’ Hatty said boldly, seeing how angry her aunt looked.

  ‘Oh will I?’ he said and Hatty knew he was trying not to laugh.

  ‘Also you have the people to do it so you might as well give them a couple of hours off to help me.’

  ‘You’ve thought this all through, haven’t you?’ Delores sighed, sitting down and looking directly out on the view. ‘You had no intention of trying to be a teacher.’

  ‘I’m qualified. It might come in useful one day but not today,’ said Hatty quietly. ‘Tonight will be my last night on the estate and tomorrow I move.’

  ‘Murray, what are you going to tell people about her living there?’ said her aunt, who seemed more bothered about the move than Hatty or Murray. ‘They’ll talk.’

  ‘There’s nothing to say,’ Murray said gently, walking to Delores and putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. ‘If people want to talk, let them. We’ve not helped by letting that house go empty since the day-.’

  ‘I fell off the side and went into the sea,’ Hatty said quietly, as the pair looked at her. ‘Whether I jumped or tripped who knows? I might have been pushed.’

  ‘Don’t say that,’ Murray hissed, pain etched on his face.

  ‘One day I’ll remember and maybe staying there will help,’ she smiled and noticed Delores looked anxiously at her. ‘I’ll be fine.’

  Jake stared at the mirror and examined the frame for the hundredth time. He couldn’t stop looking at it and was torn whether to stay in New York or go back to the island. Then he received an email from Edward De Freitas, the editor of the local newspaper on the island, who said he was very happy to offer Jake a job on a short term contract.

  ‘Why does he really want me to go back?’ Jake mumbled then touched the mirror.

  ‘I never took you for a vain man,’ laughed Serena, her blonde hair falling forward as she wrapped her arms around him. He examined her extremely beautiful face and bright blue eyes, a little tired from a late night, and he didn’t know what to do. ‘Is something wrong?’

  ‘My dad’s come up with a proposition for me to work as a journalist on the island to get some experience. He even got me a job starting at the beginning of November,’ he said quietly. ‘But I’m not too sure.’

  ‘Really?’ she smiled, looking at him in the mirror and he could see she was mulling it over before examining the frame again. ‘It’s so beautiful. Hatty is very talented.’

  ‘At being a pain in the ass,’ he sighed.

  ‘Your dad adopted her so she is, effectively, your sister.’ Jake closed his eyes for second. ‘What’s wrong?’

  ‘She doesn’t know,’ he said, looking at the blue chipped stone on the frame and remembering the kiss in the cave. ‘And she’s not supposed to know. It’s bad enough people talk about her, saying she’s a bit mad.’

  ‘Is she?’

  ‘She lives on an island but is scared of the sea,’ he said, turning around to face Serena. ‘Also thunder and lightning then there’s her phobia about mosquito.’

  ‘That’s the majority of the tropics. You know since your dad told you about the adoption, you’ve been really restless. Is there something you’re not telling me?’

  ‘You know what I’m like,’ he said, stroking her face. ‘I’m young and I-.’

  ‘I knew you’d play around,’ Serena smiled. ‘As long as your heart is mine, that’s all.’ Jake sighed, knowing it wasn’t really the case. ‘As soon as I figured there were beautiful girls, I knew you’d want to find out more.’ Her smile faded. ‘I met a few guys at work and I saw them, nothing special.’

  ‘You slept with them?’ Jake whispered, loving Serena’s open mind.

  ‘With one but I missed you. How many or shouldn’t I ask?’

  ‘A few but there was one in particular who I got along with, not emotionally, but physically.’

  ‘No emotional attachments then?’

  ‘Not really,’ he said and kissed her cheek, turning to look at the frame. ‘Hatty got fired, did I tell you? Started a walk out with a bunch of six year old kids over the quality of lunch then managed to fly out to London and go to Spain for a six week holiday. One of her best friends, Philip, went with her.’

  ‘They don’t have jobs or any responsibilities?’

  ‘Philip helps run his father’s timber yard and, I expect, he’ll end up working with my dad. Hatty keeps asking him to marry her and he won’t.’

  ‘Maybe he just likes her as a friend, nothing more,’ Serena said quietly. ‘What happened between you and Hatty?’

  ‘Nothing,’ he shrugged, looking back at Serena’s disbelieving face. ‘We had a misunderstanding and I managed to upset her. She asked me to promise not to go back to the island, that’s it.’

  ‘Then you can’t go back.’

  ‘I never promised her anything,’ Jake said bluntly. ‘I can come and go as I please.’

  ‘Why do you do this?’ she said, getting annoyed. ‘When I ask you about what happened when you were away, you’re fine. When I mention Hatty you get edgy, even though you mentioned her first. Are you jealous of your father spending more time with her?’

  ‘No!’ he snapped too loudly and Serena took a deep breath. ‘Maybe, yes I am but I know why he did it. Her aunt, who really isn’t her aunt-.’

  ‘Delores? Your dad’s local mistress,’ laughed Serena. ‘I wonder if she knows about his other ones?’

  ‘I don’t know and it’s up to dad how he lives his life.’

  ‘A bit like you?’

  ‘As I was saying about Delores, it’s the way she looks at Hatty, something’s not right. I can’t figure it out. It’s not with affection or love it’s… shit I don’t know. I shouldn’t be getting involved.’

  ‘But you are involved and I don’t think you realise how much.’

  Hatty sprinted to Philip’s house as the door was flung open and Gabriel stood there, smiling brightly at her.

  ‘You’re here!’ she exclaimed and hugged him, planting a big kiss on his cheek.

  ‘Three weeks to relax and have some fun,’ he laughed.

  Hatty stood back and examined the slim man, his dark hair falling over his intense dark brown eyes, wide smile and olive skin. There was something about Gabriel that made you want to smile and Hatty did.

  ‘Where’s Philip?’

  ‘Work,’ he said gently. ‘So it’s just you and me. Did anyone see you?’

  ‘Yes,’ she smiled as Hatty locked the front door behind her.

  Later on in the afternoon, she went back to the house, which now had two work men sorting out the electric supply. They didn’t speak to Hatty, just smiled, but she knew they were aware of the rumours. Half an hour later, Thomas came up in his lorry, her things in the back.

  ‘Me not say a word,’ he announced, takin
g the bags off and walking into the house.

  ‘Well that’s good. Then it’ll be peaceful,’ she smiled, knowing he disapproved.

  ‘‘ow ya know it safe an’ someone not come an’ choke an’ rob ya!’ Thomas scowled as Hatty shook her head from side to side. ‘Ya not know what people like. ‘Ere is too open!’

  ‘I’m in discussions with Mister Murray about the security. He’s on his way here to give me his opinion on what I should do,’ she shrugged. ‘The fact I’ve been coming here for over ten years and stayed the night a few times, well that seems irrelevant.’

  ‘Ya mad!’ scowled Thomas.

  ‘Do you want to look round?’

  ‘It probably full of rat!’

  ‘Thomas,’ she said firmly. ‘It’s perfectly safe and clean.’ Hatty noticed he wasn’t convinced then she saw Murray’s car pull up and felt nervous. ‘Mister Murray will come inside, you see.’

  Hatty watched Murray get out of the car and stare. No hint of his familiar smile. She noticed he looked upset before striding towards her, his hands in his baggy shorts.

  ‘Me say she mad,’ Thomas announced, going to unload a few more things from the back of his van.

  ‘It’s too exposed,’ Murray said seriously.

  ‘Me said da same ting! Ya see!’

  ‘Who’s going to come and kill me!’ she exclaimed, getting pissed off no one was happy for her then Frederick slowly got out of Murray’s car. ‘You’re going to undermine me by committee?’

  ‘I’ve bought Freddie along so we can take a look and see what work needs to be done to make it safe.’

  ‘Give me a gun, that’ll make it secure,’ she said, turning on her heels.

  ‘Ya give ‘er a gun an’ she will shoot ‘er own foot!’ laughed Thomas as Hatty tried not to smile at the comment.

  ‘Come in and have a look, unless you think it’s going to bite you,’ she shouted out and waited for Murray to walk.

  She stood with her hands on her hips before realising she ripped the side of her dungarees and was exposing her knickers. Murray walked in then stopped dead in his tracks, looking around at the place.

  ‘Hatty, you did all this?’

  ‘Certainly did,’ she said, smiling proudly at her work, which could be clearly seen now the boards were taken away and the shutters flung open. ‘The doors are open both sides because it needs some good old fresh air.’ Hatty noticed Murray walk slowly around the place, the kitchen, the living room then stopped when he saw what she’d done to the dining room. ‘I had to work somewhere in private.’ Then he looked up the stairs and she realised he was getting upset. ‘That’s in a better condition than the work room.’

  Slowly, he mounted the steps and she heard him pace above before noticing Frederick look at her.

  ‘Do you know what you’re doing?’ he asked seriously. ‘You could have moved in with Philip if you were so determined to leave home.’

  ‘I need to stop being scared about things,’ she said boldly.

  ‘And this is Gabriel Sanchez talking?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘I met him last night. Philip brought him round to dinner. Does Murray know he’s here?’

  ‘No,’ Hatty said, going red. ‘There’s nothing for Murray to know.’

  ‘A man you met a few months ago turns up on the island and is staying with my son. Do you know anything about him?’ he whispered. ‘You have to be careful of strange-.’

  ‘He’s not strange. Philip likes him too and that’s good enough for me,’ she said, feeling nerves twitch in her gut. ‘And there’s nothing to tell Murray. I’m just a friend.’

  She looked up as Murray came down the stairs, looking ashen.

  ‘Fred, go and see what she’s done,’ Murray said. Hatty couldn’t figure out his expression. ‘You’re a very talented woman. Your mother would be proud.’

  ‘Are you proud and do you like it?’

  ‘I love it. I’ve always loved this house,’ he said, letting out a sad sigh. ‘But, young lady, if you think I’m going to let you stay here without making changes, you’re sorely mistaken.’

  Two weeks later all the gates, walls, fencing and cameras were installed around the house. No one could enter without Hatty knowing who they were. Murray had also made sure the railings around the edge were replaced. He’d put a gated area after the greenery to make doubly sure no one could get to the water’s edge. She was relieved he’d done that but wasn’t happy about the amount of security. Hatty had no choice as, at the end of the day, it was Murray’s house.

  Thomas was busy planting greenery to cover the fencing. Hatty helped further along. Philip and Gabriel were also pitching in. She sat back on her heels and looked at the two men laughing.

  ‘What’s so funny?’ she asked as Thomas stood up and cracked his back.

  ‘Probably laughin’ at ya tail!’ he said unsympathetically.

  ‘I didn’t ask you to do this. I could have easily done this myself.’

  ‘An’ kill all dem plants!’ He quietly sucked air through his teeth. ‘Ya know Miss Delores not even speakin’ to me cos she know me ‘elp.’

  ‘Mister Murray told you to.’

  ‘Me volunteer out of da goodness of me ‘eart,’ Thomas replied, trying not to smile. ‘An’ if ya kill dese plants me not care. Dey not in me garden an’ it up to ya.’

  ‘I also need some cuttings of the herbs to make my own herb garden.’ She heard Philip laugh out loudly. ‘Is there a problem?’

  ‘Man Hatty, ya can’t cook. What ya gonna use ‘erbs for?’

  ‘I’ll learn to cook. I have to because no one’s going to feed me and-.’

  ‘Me tought ya beg Ethel to-.’

  Before Thomas could continue, Hatty glared at him to be quiet before he laughed. She bounced up to her feet.

  ‘I think your house is beautiful,’ said Gabriel as she grinned. ‘It’s an inspirational place.’

  ‘Ya understand ‘im?’ whispered Thomas.

  ‘I can understand him with his Spanish accent better than I can some of the locals,’ she hissed back.

  ‘‘e ya boyfriend?’

  ‘Keep your nose out if it,’ she quietly replied, wiping her hands on her dungarees.

  ‘Lot of talk about you an’ he. Folk see ya disappear into Philip ‘ouse time an’ again,’

  ‘Don’t listen to gossip,’ she quickly replied, walking towards Philip and Gabriel.

  ‘What did the old man say?’ asked Gabriel, standing up and smiling brightly.

  ‘Says people are talking about me and you,’ she said, looking at Philip narrow his eyes. ‘So everything’s fine.’

  ‘Perfect,’ said Gabriel, putting his arm around her and kissing her gently on the cheek as Philip smiled and Thomas pretended not to look.

  As soon as everyone had left, Hatty sank back into her armchair. Murray had been very kind and given her furniture for the house. She recognised some of the pieces which were from when she was younger but there were quite a lot of new items too. The house looked glorious after she cajoled Philip into painting it, as well as begging Murray to let her borrow some of his men for the day. Ethel secretly cooked as Hatty offered this as a thank you but was aware Murray paid the men extra. Now the place was silent. Gabriel had less than one week left and Philip had taken him into town, yet again.

  Hatty walked down to her secret place and examined the beautiful still pool. She thought of Jake before trying her hardest to shake the image out of her head. Then she glanced at the grass where they should have made love, had she the nerve. She stripped off and enjoyed the very cold water tingle against her skin.

  It was when she was alone, she realised how she felt about him but knew there was no point.

  The good thing about having a gated closed off area is she could walk naked from the pool to the house, without anyone seeing her. Hatty dried herself and went to bed, making sure the windows to the bedroom, facing the sea, were firmly shut so she didn’t have to look at it at night time. The mosquito
net hung over her bed. She carefully chose what flavour of repellent to wear for the night before falling asleep in her perfect home.

  Opening the shutters the following morning to see what the weather was like, she got the shock of her life. Someone was swimming in the cove. There was a mist so she couldn’t make out who it was.

  Throwing on her vest and dungarees, she marched out of the house ready to tell them to get off private property. She stood at the side and looked down at the beach but couldn’t move any further, waiting for the person to come out of the water. Hatty wondered if it was Gabriel. Philip and he were swimming there while helping out. She couldn’t see who it was. Then there was a clearing as the person started to walk up to her.

  Hatty stood back and did a double take, wondering if she was seeing things until there was no doubt.

  Her heart thundered with anger.

  ‘Hello Ha Ha,’ he said, looking up at her as she frowned, seeing his tan had faded. He was quite pale but still gorgeous. ‘So dad says you’re holding everyone to ransom and moved into the house. That’s quite a coup.’

  Hatty couldn’t reply immediately, due to shock.

  ‘Jacob Logan,’ she eventually said, seeing him smile. ‘I thought you said you weren’t going to come back!’

  ‘You asked me to promise not to return. I never said I’d agree to it. It’s been a couple of months and I thought you might have forgotten.’

  ‘Forgotten what?’

  ‘I see you have.’

  ‘What are you doing here?’

  ‘Didn’t dad tell you? I’ve got a three month job at the local paper ‘The Sun Today’ which is a pretty crap title, don’t you think?’

  ‘Stay your end of the island and I’ll stay on mine,’ she replied, turning around and walking back to the house, physically shaking from shock and not knowing what she felt.

  Hatty grabbed her phone and called Philip.

  ‘Yes,’ he croakily answered.

  ‘Jacob Logan’s back.’

  ‘I know,’ he said quietly, obviously tired from the night before. ‘I saw him last night in the marina.’

  ‘Why didn’t you call me immediately?’ she said angrily.