Clouds Below the Mountains

By Vivienne Dockerty

Clouds Below the Mountains

Vivienne Dockerty

Copyright © 2015 Vivienne Dockerty

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Do other people have a lovely time on holiday, or does it look as if they do whilst you're in the middle of a sulk with your partner? My story peeks into the lives of guests at the Hotel Valia, a small All Inclusive complex near a background of mountains in Costa Adeje, Tenerife.

There are many people in my story, as it is a twice weekly changeover hotel, but the main character is 19 year old, Lucy Bromwich, the resident hotel rep'. Seeing an advertisement on the Internet for someone to work for Periquito Travel, Lucy decides that she would prefer to work abroad, than take a mundane job in a Manchester hotel. She has a bubbly personality, a good listening ear, enjoys her job, except for her pernickety supervisor, Kath, who seems to have a down on her.

Amongst the guests who arrive at the Reina Sofia airport at the beginning of my story, is Paul Cooper, a hardworking car salesman, on holiday with his adored wife, Cheryl and their two children, Annabelle and Jack. Paul will do anything to keep his family happy, even if it means going into debt for them, just as long as he can bask in the warmth of his wife's smile.

Cheryl Cooper, used to getting her own way, manipulates her husband into granting her every whim, but is their marriage strong enough to withstand a hefty purchase that goes wrong?

Greg Lewis, is another guest who boards the coach with his family, for the journey to the Hotel Valia. A successful man in his fifties, who owns a manufacturing business, he has been married to Kate, for thirty years. This holiday gives him time to reflect on his life and the staleness of his long term relationship with his wife.

Kate Lewis, housewife and grandmother to 3 years old Evan, who the couple have brought on holiday, along with Sonya, their single mum daughter. Tensions and irritations abound!

Lucy stood outside the automatic doors of the Arrivals lounge, waiting for the passengers to swarm en masse around her, once their luggage had been collected from the carousel. She held up her board in readiness, along with the other resort reps that were waiting nearby. They were all dressed in a similar fashion, with their company colours and logos.

She pulled her short navy skirt down a bit more with her left hand. Since she had been allocated to the “ All Inclusive” hotel in Costa Adeje, the weight had piled on her and she had difficulty keeping her skirt from riding up around her hips. It was warm today, not even ten o' clock and already she could feel her short sleeved white shirt sticking uncomfortably under her armpits. Her navy jacket with its blue embroidered parakeet on the breast pocket, had been draped over the barrier at the back of her. No way was she going to wear that, even if it was against company rules not to. The other reps had done the same, though they all kept a weather eye out for their superiors.

***

Lucy checked the list on her clipboard and counted the names again for the umpteenth time since she had arrived at Tenerife's, Reina Sofia airport, twenty minutes before. There were twenty seven people expected. A number that she knew off by heart, but it didn't hurt to check again. Once through the doors and ticked off the list, the clients would be sent off to Coach 33, where Kath, her middle aged colleague, was waiting to greet them. Kath was a senior rep' and had very little patience with someone of Lucy's limited experience. If one of the passengers went astray due to mishearing instructions, Kath was known to have a very acerbic tongue.

Lucy sighed as she thought of her supervisor. The job wasn't at all what the public thought it was like. She was always getting comments from the clients, saying what a cushy job it must be, but they didn't have to work with Kath, a single woman who had worked in the travel industry for years. Talk about pedantic. If the job wasn't done to Kath's liking, she would put in a report to Head office. Already one girl, who had started a few weeks before Lucy, had been sent home, because she had forgotten to pick up a client who was airport bound from one of the properties they used.

Lucy had been working for Periquito Travel for five weeks now. The firm had only been in existence for a few months and their clients booked with them over the Internet. Their personnel were recruited in the same way. Lucy had happened across their website, whilst browsing through the major travel companies sites, searching for an exciting career having just finished a course in Travel and Tourism at her local college. She hadn't been ready to settle for a job in rainy old Manchester and had filled in the online application form there and then, seeing that they were asking for an immediate start.

She tucked a strand of her blonde highlighted hair behind her ear, as she remembered her mother's alarm, when Lucy, her elder daughter, had rushed down excitedly from her bedroom shrieking that an e'mail had arrived from Periquito Travel. It had said that Lucy Bromwich would be expected to arrive at Reina Sofia Airport, Tenerife on 5
^th
January 1995, where she would be met by Kathleen Jones, the company's representative. Lucy was to advise the time of her arrival as soon as possible. That was it. There was no interview, no photograph sent, she had been accepted for employment, purely on the details she had given on her application form.

“But you don't know anything about the company,” Lucy's mother had cried. “ It's not like it's Thomson's or Airtours, or a major travel firm that we have heard of before.”

Lucy hadn't listened. Her mother was like that. She was always being negative about almost anything that her daughter wanted to do. It wasn't as if she had been recruited to work for Club 18-30. Mother would have been really anxious then.

So Lucy had rushed down the next day to the Post Office, drawn out most of the savings that her granny had put away for her since she was a little child, gone to the hairdressers and had her mousy hair highlighted, visited the local high street travel agents to buy a one way ticket to Tenerife, then searched high and low in the shops for summer weight clothes, as the stores were still stocking winter gear. It hadn't really mattered that she had arrived in Tenerife with only a few things in a light weight holdall. Periquito Travel had provided most of her needs and leisure clothes were cheaper there than back home.

“They're here!,” cried one of the First Choice rep's unnecessarily, as the automatic doors suddenly opened, bringing Lucy out of her reverie.

“Periquito Travel?”, she asked, as a young couple came walking up to her.

***

“I hope they're not staying at our hotel,” said Paul Cooper to his wife, as they settled on Coach 33, in readiness to be ferried to their accommodation.

“Who?”, Cheryl asked, already opening her novel, to continue reading from where she had left off on the plane.

“That couple with all those kids at the back of the bus. How the hell do they manage to afford a holiday in Tenerife, when they look as if they haven't got two pennies to rub together?”

“I wouldn't know, Darling. You are the one who sees to the finances, so I wouldn't know how much this kind of holiday costs.”

“Well, Jack and Annabelle will not be playing with them, I'll see to that. Look how well our two are behaving themselves,” he said proudly, “Jack absorbed in his Gameboy and Annabelle reading that Harry Potter book. Those kids back there need a good smack the way they're carrying on. I just hope they are not at the Hotel Valia.”

***

“Get our Brandon ter sit down, will yer, Eric,” said Jackie Hollins to her partner, as their eldest boy, aged seven, jumped up and down or stood on one of the back seats. “ I've told the little bugger, but he ain't listening. Now our Frankie's copying him…Sit down will yer and behave yerselves!”

“At least the twins ‘ave been as good as gold,” said Eric, smiling fondly at his two little girls. “ Eh, and don't they look adorable in those track suits yer Mam bought ‘em? I'm right proud of our twins.”

“I wonder how long it takes to get to the apartments?”, Jackie asked him, as she made herself comfortable, after smacking out at Brandon. “I could just go a cup of tea and a chip butty. We've had nothing since that breakfast we treated ourselves to at Manchester Airport. I know it's cheaper booking on t'internet, but yer'd think that they'd throw in a bite ter eat on the way.”

***

“Well, Mavis, this is our seventeenth trip out to Tenerifee,” remarked Fred Baker to his wife, as they settled their hand luggage on their knees and waited for the rep' to come aboard.

“Who'd a thought it, eh? Found ourselves a right little paradise, didn't we? I can't wait to get to the Valia, it looked a cracking place on the computer. Pity George and Ethel couldn't come out with us this time, his chest is playing up something shameful. It would have done him good to get some sun on him, but that there doctor of his said he couldn't travel.”

“I would have liked to go back to the Antilla, Fred,” Mavis replied, shaking her white newly styled permed head in his direction. “ Looked right out onto the sea it did and this Valia place hasn't got a sea view at all.”

“ Ah, but it were cheap and it's All Inclusive, t' other place was only half board,” Fred replied with satisfaction, patting his wife on her hand.

***

“Can't wait to get there, Jenni,” said Simon Reeves to his girlfriend of six months standing, squeezing her hand happily at the thought of the double bed they were going to share.

“At last we're going to be together. No parents walking in on us in your living room, no kid sister of mine hanging about like a bad smell. Just you and me and a nice comfy bed for the next seven glorious days. I don't care if it's pissing down, as long as I've got yer all to myself.”

***

“Good morning everybody,” said Lucy, speaking into the microphone at the front of the coach.

“My name is Lucy and I will be taking you to your accommodation in the next few minutes or so. Your driver is Paco and the lady who ticked your name off her list before, is Kath. She is your senior rep and should you have any problems, you can contact her via our resort office. So, welcome to Tenerife. As you can see we are having glorious weather at the moment, though I am sad to say that the outlook is a little gloomy over the next couple of days. Still, better than the weather you've been having in England. My mother was telling me that it has been raining and rather cold.”

“Get on with it,” Paul whispered irritably to his wife. “We'll be missing the bloody sun if she keeps on wittering. What the hell are we waiting for anyway?”

“Now, we're just waiting for Kath to find a Mr. and Mrs. Harrison back in the Arrivals lounge. This sometimes happens,” said Lucy a little nervously. “They are down on our list for a coach transfer, but sometimes guests decide on a taxi. Let me explain while we are waiting, about our Welcome meeting that will be held tomorrow morning at ten o' clock in the Sunlight Bar. That is to say if you are staying at the Valia, it will be at ten o' clock in the Sunlight Bar. But if you are staying in the Mountain View apartments or in the San Lorenzo accommodation, you can contact me via the resort office, if there is anything you want to know. Ah, here comes Kath, she doesn't seem to have anyone with her, so I think we will soon be on our way.”

Lucy sat back and consulted her list, as the vehicle began to move out of the coach park. She had put her jacket back on because Kath had been in the vicinity, but now she unzipped it and let out a sigh of relief. She studied the names of her clients and tried to familiarize herself by putting names to faces. It was important according to Kath, to know who you were dealing with.

The Bakers. An elderly couple who looked to be in their seventies. The wife, a thin lady with pure white hair and brown rimmed glasses, dressed in a blue floral long sleeved blouse and black pleated skirt, peachy looking skin and sharp featured. Her husband, with a florid face, sparsely spread grey hair, a bit of a beer belly, wearing a long sleeved blue open necked shirt tucked into a pair of black trousers. They were going to the Valia and Lucy wondered if they were going to enjoy their stay? It was quite a noisy hotel with its Kids Club, daytime activities and Mini disco in the evening. Still, there was always bowls that Mr. Baker could be interested in and there were plenty of sun chairs for his wife to relax in.

Her stomach rumbled as she cast her eyes onto the next people. She had only had time for a bowl of fruit and a yoghurt that morning, as breakfast didn't start until eight thirty and she had to be on the coach by a quarter to nine. She knew that she should have got out of bed earlier, but last night had been somebody's birthday and there had been a lot of partying to do.

The Coopers. A couple in their thirties with two adorable looking children, who were quietly sitting in the seats in front of their parents. Mr. Cooper had looked to be few inches shorter than his wife when they had booked in with her at Arrivals. He looked a bit sulky with his black beetle brows and turned down mouth, his black hair cut very short in Army fashion and wearing the very latest Jasper Conran shirt over a pair of well cut Chinos. His Rolex watch, gave Lucy the impression that this was a man who thought a lot of himself.

Mrs. Cooper, on the other hand, looked as if she had just stepped out of a fashion magazine. Her sun dress was beautiful, knee length, low cut with thin straps in a pretty apricot and green tropical design. Her gold and pewter Lotus sandals matched the handbag that she carried on her lap. Gold loop earrings peeped out from her long wavy auburn hair and her almond shaped eyes crinkled at the edges, when she spoke to her children.

Both children appeared to be dressed in clothes from Next. At least Lucy thought they must be from there, as her cousin's youngsters wore similar outfits. The boy looked to be around four years old and the girl around seven. Both looked like their mother, especially the girl who had inherited her mother's wavy hair. Up to now they had been as good as gold, the boy playing on his Nintendo and the girl reading a Harry Potter book. Lucy thought she must be quite clever if that was the standard of book she was reading. They'd enjoy the Kid's Club. She knew the girls that ran it. Tina, from Scotland, who looked after the toddlers and Anna, from Germany, who looked after the older ones. Both girls loved children and seemed to have loads of energy. They had been at the birthday bash last night as well.

Lucy tutted a little, as she turned her head to look at the little monsters who made up the Hollins family. At least the woman was called Hollins, the man was called Pearson. Why did mother's sometimes let themselves go, Lucy thought, as she looked at her client, who could only be in her late twenties, with long lank mousey hair framing a face with a double chin, a plump face that had the effect of making her eyes look piggy and no shape at all under her very large red T' shirt and navy calf length leggings? And flip flops! Who would wear flip flops, in according to her mother, the cold weather that they were having in England at the moment? They must have been at Manchester Airport, at three o' clock in the morning to have checked in for their flight to Tenerife! Her brown haired partner didn't look much better, though he was a little slimmer and taller and wore a white T' shirt over a pair of black denim jeans. It was obvious that he was easy going, as his partner was doing the slapping, trying to keep the two hyperactive boys under control. The two little girls, who looked as if they were identical twins, with their fair hair cut into shoulder length bobs and matching pink tracksuits, just sat in their seats looking sleepy eyed. Lucy looked at her list, the family was going to the Mountain View apartments. She hoped she wouldn't see them again, until the return trip in a week's time.

Lucy quickly scanned the rest of her list. It had been no time at all and they were almost in Los Christianos, with its palm tree lined boulevards overlooking a sparkling blue sea. The young couple that were holding hands were going to the Valia. Gosh, the pink cheeked girl looked a lot younger than she did, but Lucy guessed she was around the age of seventeen. There was the Lewis family, solo mother and small son by the looks of it. With her parents coming along to baby-sit, no doubt. The Murrays with two teenage boys, three ladies in their fifties that could be friends or sisters and the Harrison's who were not aboard, who according to her list were a married couple.