Clouds Below the Mountains (44 page)

“And mine are still reeling from the shock, that I married someone who was getting married for the third time.” Everyone laughed, but the newcomers looked a bit uncomfortable.

Toby took a sip of his beer, looked at Laura, then said. “ Both our parents are against us marrying because of my colour. You'd think that in this day and age there wouldn't be any prejudice. I'm second generation black, born in Britain after my parents came over from the Caribbean in the late sixties and I don't really see I'm different when I look in the mirror. My parents are against me marrying Laura because she's white. Her parents are against her marrying me because I'm black.”

“Can't see it matters as long as you love each other,” said Phil. “ You want to do what Cindy and I do, ignore them. They'll get over it.”

“Anyway, we thought we'd have some time away from the problem and we saw this last minute holiday, really cheap on the Internet,” said Toby, feeling relieved that they'd got their explanation out of the way. Now they could relax and enjoy themselves and hopefully have made some friends as well.

***

“Oh there you, darlings,” cried Cheryl, as she and Paul came out to look for their children who were playing on some nearby swings. “ Have they been good for you, Kate?”

“Yes, of course. We went on the little train and they've been playing well together ever since. It looks like Annabelle has a new friend, I believe her name is Jade. Her mum's over there by the tennis court. Her name's Roz and they come from Bristol.”

“We'll pop down beside you, if you don't mind Kate. Paul, be a love and get me an orange juice. Do you want him to get you anything, Sonya, Kate?”

“I've still got a drink, thanks,” said Sonya, indicating her half full glass.

“I'll have a cola if you're going, thanks,” said Kate.

Cheryl smiled at Anthea and Brian in greeting, who were sitting further along the row of sun loungers with Greg, who was still engrossed in his book.

“So how did it go?” asked Kate, who had been wondering how long the couple would be away for, as the sun was beginning to dip behind the palm trees.

“Oh, you know, we signed some papers and opened a bank account and then everything else will be done back in England, I dare say.”

“You don't sound over the moon if you don't mind me saying so.”

“It's me, Kate, I'm an ungrateful cow. I just wish we hadn't jumped at the apartment, we should have come out here again and had another look around.”

“Well, it's done now if you've signed papers and opened a bank account.”

“I know,” Cheryl pulled a face, then worried a piece of skin on her finger. “ Shush, here comes Paul, he's really happy that he's given me what I wanted.”

“So, anything exciting on tonight, Sonya?” asked Paul, once he'd given out the drinks and settled himself down on his sun lounger.

“A comedienne I believe. Mikey says she's never worked abroad before though. In fact if you look over there just at the side of the steps by the pool bar, I have a feeling that's the lady herself. See, she's reading a magazine, the one in white with all that orange hair.”

Everyone looked over, then Paul said chuckling. “You're getting quite pally with Mikey, aren't you? Are you going to keep in touch with him?”

“Probably not,” Sonya grinned back at him. “These holiday things never last once you've got back on the plane.”

“I should think not,” said Cheryl. “ You want to find someone with a good job. Perhaps there's someone you could introduce her to at the car showroom, Paul?”

“I can find my own boyfriends thanks, Cheryl. I'm not quite up to having to rely on match makers, but Paul will be the first one I'll ring when I do.”

“Mummy this is my new friend, Jade,” cried Annabelle excitedly, as she ran from the playground with a small dark haired girl, a little younger than her at her side. “ She's come on the plane today from London and we're going to dance at the Mini disco together. That's her mummy over there. She's looking over, wave to her, Mummy.”

Cheryl waved politely to a very slender young woman with her brown hair tied back in a pony tail.

“She works in a bank and Jade hasn't got a daddy,” Annabelle continued confidentially.

“Nothing like a child to air your business in public,” Kate commented. “ You can trust a child to give all your secrets away.”

“Well, we're going back to the suite now, Annabelle,” said Cheryl, suddenly gathering up her handbag and her cardigan, leaving her half finished drink on the table. “ Say goodbye to Jade and get Jack for me, will you? Are you ready Paul, I want to take a shower and wash my hair?”

“Was it something we said?” asked Sonya, as the couple and their children made their way to their quarters.

“No, it's just Cheryl being Cheryl,” Kate replied tongue in cheek. “ She's had a busy day.”

***

“That was an abrupt departure, Darling,” said Paul, as they all waited for the lift to come down to Reception. “Were you getting a little chilly?”

“No, it's that man that Kate and Greg have got friendly with, Brian. Even with my clothes on I feel he's leering at me.”

***

“It was so embarrassing, Lucy,” said Lesley, when both girls had come back to their table from the buffet selection that evening. “ Uwe said that there wasn't going to be a lot of time before he and Heiko went back to Germany, so make the most of it.”

“He did, did he?” giggled Lucy “ and did you make the most of it?”

“Well, I decided to sit at the pool side and watch them having a swim. I have to admit that I hid behind my sun glasses and was surprised to see that Heiko has quite an athletic body considering he has an office job. And Uwe too, so they must both work out at a gym. Anyway, Uwe disappeared and Heiko came to dry off in the sun and we had quite a chat together. It seems when Uwe isn't there, Heiko is quite a confident talker. So we chatted some more about their travel agency, their plans for expanding and then he asked me was I happy doing my job? I told him that I was as I'd never done anything different, then he excused himself, said he had to get changed for dinner and off he went.”

“Yes, I saw Isabelle, Sanchez's daughter, taking them off as I walked through the foyer. They said to have a good evening and would see us tomorrow. We've arranged that they will sit in on the Welcome meeting.”

“Oh, rather you than me, Lucy. I think I would feel really nervous if they were hanging on to my every word.”

“Ah,” said Lucy, pushing her now empty plate away. “ I was meaning to ask you if you would help me out, I could do with a helper to give out the tour brochures.”

***

“ Hello, Jenni speaking.”

Miguel held his breath for a moment to savour the sound of her voice.

“Jenni, it is I, Miguel, have you not had my message?”

“Oh, Miguel.” His Jenni sounded nervous. “ Oh yes, my mother told me that you'd telephoned, but I didn't want to ring the hotel in case you got into trouble.”

His sweet Jenni, didn't want to get him into trouble.

“I have sent you a letter, I posted it this morning.”

“You did? I will count every day until I receive it.”

“No, Miguel, it is not the sort of letter you will want to receive. I'm sorry, but I've decided that such a long distance relationship will not work.”

“But I can come to England! You only have to say the word and I will pack my things to be with you.”

Even to himself his words were sounding desperate.

“I have decided to work for my entrance to university.”

She was not his Jenni anymore, she was a stranger, any love she had for him was gone.

“So is there no future for us, Jenni?”

His heart sank because he knew her answer. “I could come to Bolton, you could help me find a job.”

“No, Miguel, I won't let you spoil your life because you think you are in love with me. You will find someone else who's more deserving of your love.”

“Jenni.”

“I'm sorry, Miguel, I think I should go.”

The phone went dead and Miguel was left staring blindly into the telephone.

***

“ Can you come out to play tonight, Sonya?” asked Mikey, as he passed her by in the corridor as she came out of the Ladies.

“I think so, Dad hasn't said I had to look after Evan, so maybe we can have a boogie.”

“I was thinking of more than a boogie, gorgeous, but I'll wait until later before we go into that.”

“What was all that about?” said Kate, as she came behind her daughter still drying her hands on a piece of toilet paper. “ Was that Mikey, I heard you talking to?”

“Yes,” Sonya said casually, “ he was asking if I was up for a boogie later on?”

“I suppose it will be me that's baby sitting Evan, then,” said her mother a shade gloomily. “ Since your father's got to know that couple, you'd think they were joined at the hip.”

“He's only being sociable and I thought that you quite liked Brian.”

“He makes my flesh creep to be honest with you. I think he's got the makings of a dirty old man.

But never mind I could do with a little me time, so I'll cuddle up to Evan and I'll have an early night.”

***

“Would you mind if I joined you?” asked a man in his early thirties, tall, slim, with light brown hair and a confident edge to his voice.

“You can if you want,” said Jim Hunter, who was waiting for his son, Terry, to bring him something from the main meal selection. “ On your own, are you?”

“Yes, I arrived at lunchtime on the Gatwick flight. Bryce Lennox's the name, how do you do?”

“Sit down then, Mr. Lennox, my son's over there getting us dinners. He'll probably be glad of meeting someone of his own age here, instead of bothering with an old codger like me.”

“Oh,” said a nonplussed Terry, as he came back to the table bearing two plates of food. “I see we have another guest for dinner.”

“Yes, sorry. I hope you don't mind me muscling in, but I saw the spare seat and hoped you wouldn't mind if I joined you.”

“Feel free,” said Terry, “ don't mind do you, Dad?”

“Not at all, all men together, eh? Go and help yourself to food Mr. Lennox. It isn't waiter service here, you know.”

“Yes, thanks for that. I came in at lunchtime and saw it was self selection, so now I've found myself some eating companions, I'll go and get some food.”

“Seems nice,” said Jim, as he began to tuck in to the filleted fish, dauphin potatoes and petit pois, his son had brought him. “It would be good if you could find someone to knock about with instead of being tied to me instead. Like this evening for instance, you could help me into bed, then you could meet Mr Lennox in the bar for a drink.”

“Sounds good to me,” said Terry, quite liking the look of his fellow guest who was smartly dressed in a pale blue polo neck and navy blue chinos. “ I saw a poster early on with a comedienne advertised for this evening. I'll go along to watch while you settle for the night with the T.V.”

***

“So what do you think of Heiko, then?” asked Lucy, feeling daring at asking Lesley such a personal question, but they'd had a bottle of wine between them at dinner and now they were on their first vodka and tonic, perched on stools at the bar in the entertainment room and she was just itching to know.

“At any other time in my life I would be pleased that he has made it clear he likes my company, but I've still got feelings for my husband and if there was the remotest chance he would come back to me, I'd probably have him back like a shot.”

“This is where you and I differ,” said Lucy tentatively, “ possibly because I've never experienced the kind of love you had for Geoff, but once a guy did the dirty on me he wouldn't get a second chance.”

“We were married for nine years. We went through all the trauma of trying for a baby and nothing happening. Perhaps that's where we went wrong, we never sat down and discussed our feelings.”

“Well, in your shoes I'd move on. What happens when you have to sell your house to give him his share, what will you do then?”

“I haven't got that far in my thinking, Lucy. I suppose I'm hoping it won't happen for a while.”

“Head in the sand syndrome, Lesley, you've got to make plans for the future.”

“Anyway, swiftly moving on,” said Lesley, feeling uncomfortable with Lucy's delving into stuff that made her feel sick at the thought. “What about you and Uwe?”

“Oh, if Uwe indicated he wanted a relationship, I'd be there like a shot. But although we get on really well and sometimes he has let his guard down, I think he only sees me as his personal appointed tour guide. Still there's always tomorrow, as my granny would be apt to say.”

***

“Look Mummy, Jade and I are learning some new steps together. Jade goes to disco dancing lessons at home.”

“Very nice dear,” said Cheryl, who was feeling uncomfortable sitting on her own as Paul was smoking a cigar at the bar. “ Where's Jade's mummy?”

“She's over there on the other side of the stage. She looks a bit lonely, don't you think?”

“Yes she does, why not ask her to join us? Ask her to bring her drink with her.”

Annabelle and Jade dashed off and a few minutes later, Roz was being introduced.

“It seems awfully forward of me coming to sit with you,” said Roz, after she and Cheryl had shook hands together. “Are you sure you don't mind my company?”

“Not at all, it must be terrible sitting alone. Although even when you have a husband in tow, you can still be sitting alone.” She pointed meaningfully at Paul, who had got in conversation with a man Cheryl hadn't seen before.

“This is the first time Jade and I have been abroad together,” Roz confided, happy that she had some adult company. “I've always taken her to holiday camps in Wales or the South of England before, but I was browsing on the Internet in my lunch hour one day and saw this really cheap late deal at the Valia. I plucked up the courage and booked it. Of course I had to chase around trying to get a passport for Jade. Luckily I had a ten year one, but we made it. By the skin of our teeth we made it.”