Summer Evenings at the Seafront Hotel: Exclusive Short Story (4 page)

‘I don’t know,’ Giovanni shrugged. ‘She seems all right to me. But you know women.’

Her mobile buzzed on the desk and she went to pick it up. A message, from Anton. She felt a fresh rush of excitement.

I had a great time with you last night. Still thinking of that kiss Ax

She smiled. As she wondered what to reply, another message arrived.

Let’s do it again. Next Thursday?

Playing hard to get wasn’t obligatory, was it? She typed back a message and sent it right away.

Sure. That would be fun. x

At home that evening, Cally’s dad brought a steaming hot plate of spaghetti to the table. ‘Dinner is served.’

‘I’m impressed,’ she said, putting down a mat for the hot dish. ‘It looks delicious. I always seem to end up with a mess of scrambled eggs when I try and make carbonara.’

‘You’ve been good to me lately,’ he said, sitting down. ‘I thought it was about time I put a meal on the table.’ He dished out the pasta.

‘I like cooking,’ she said. ‘But thank you.’

She took a bite and murmured her appreciation.

‘So, how did it go last night?’

‘OK.’

‘Good OK, or OK OK?’

‘Dad!’ Cally protested.

‘Come on, humour me.’

‘Good OK, I think.’ A smile crept on to her face. Anton was from a world that was much more glamorous and exciting than her own – and he seemed to want her to be a part of it.

‘Do you think you’ll see each other again?’

‘Yes. We’ve already made a date, actually.’

Cally felt a tingle in her stomach as she said it. She felt like she might be ready to open herself up to a new relationship, maybe trust again.

Anton wasn’t someone she’d ever pictured herself with – in fact, if she’d imagined herself with anyone from the hotel it would have been Joe. He was the guy she clicked with, the one who made her laugh. And if she was honest with herself, she’d fancied Joe since school. But life surprised you sometimes – and maybe this could be the start of something with Anton.

‘That’s great. He clearly appreciates a good thing when he finds it. Not like …’ he stopped himself.

‘Not like Ryan?’

‘Sorry. Look, I had nothing against Ryan,’ her dad said. ‘He was a nice enough guy, but maybe he was too young for you. A bit immature.’

Cally thought of Anton – he had the job, the ambition, the flat – he seemed settled, and grown up. A world away from Ryan.

‘I think this one is different.’

At the start of her working day, Cally found a note from her boss on her desk.
Most of first floor rooms ready for bookings now – work on Rooms 14-16 still delayed. Keep them empty for now
.

She put it next to her computer. She’d had a few enquiries by email the day before, and was glad she’d be able to offer them the available rooms. She switched on her computer, and the welcome note sang out as it started up.

Joe arrived at the reception desk, his brown hair ruffled and his cheeks glowing.

‘Bit early for the bar shift, isn’t it?’ Cally said.

‘I’m not in to work. Liliana called me.’

Cally furrowed her brow. ‘She did?’

‘Yes. She said to meet her in Room fourteen.’

‘She called you at home? That’s a bit weird.’

‘She said it was urgent.’

‘Right. Well, you know how she likes a drama.’

Joe raised his eyebrows.

Cally realised that her words had come out sounding bitter, and she wished she could unsay them. It seemed her hurt at being ignored by Liliana had hardened into something else.

‘She said to get you.’

‘Me? I’ve got work to do,’ she shook her head. ‘I haven’t got time for a tea break. And she hasn’t wanted me around much lately, so I don’t know what’s changed.’

Joe’s green eyes were fixed on her, imploring.

‘Cally. It sounded serious. Come up with me.’

‘All right,’ she said, reluctantly getting up from her seat. ‘I just hope that Stuart doesn’t come by on his round.’ She picked up the key for Room 14.

A message buzzed through on Joe’s phone, and he read it hurriedly. ‘Liliana again. She says to hurry up.’

Cally and Joe walked up the stairs, picking up speed as they approached the first floor. Cally turned the key to Room 14 and opened the door.

Standing in front of her, her face flushed and eyes wide with panic, was Liliana.

‘God, Lili,’ Cally said, taking in her expression. ‘What’s going on?’

‘It’s not me,’ she cried. ‘Cally, help us! Help her.’

On the floor, lying on top of the dustsheets, was a woman wailing in pain, her dress raised up and legs spread. Her hair lay in damp strands on her face. Cally didn’t recognise her at first, then it slowly dawned on her.

‘Valerie,’ Cally whispered, shocked.

She turned to Liliana. ‘Have you called an ambulance?’

‘She said she didn’t want anyone to know.’

Cally caught Joe’s eye. ‘Call one,’ she said. He got his phone out and dashed out of the room.

‘You’ve studied this,’ Liliana said to Cally, a pleading tone in her voice. ‘You know what to do, don’t you?’

Cally took in the scene. At college they’d talked about hospitals, water pools, gas and air, epidurals … This wasn’t quite what she’d expected a birth to be like. Valerie looked up, her brown eyes full of fear. Cally took a deep breath and got down by her side. A calm came over her. She’d never done it before, but a voice within her told her she could.

Cally put a hand on her arm. ‘Deep breaths, Valerie. In and out, breathe with me.’

‘I’m so scared,’ Valerie whispered.

‘Don’t be,’ Cally reassured her. ‘You’re going to be fine. You can do it.’

From the corner of her eye, Cally saw Joe come back into the room with a pile of fresh towels.

‘Christ. She’s really having a baby, isn’t she?’ He went pale.

‘Put down the towels and go and cover reception,’ Lili reprimanded him. ‘The last thing we need right now is you passing out.’

Valerie’s breathing became more regular, and her moans deeper and louder.

Cally washed her hands and examined her. Her breath caught as she realised she could feel the baby’s head.

‘Not long now, Valerie. You’re almost there.’

‘I can’t,’ Valerie puffed, shaking her head.

‘You can. You’re already doing it.’ It was really happening – any minute now. ‘You’re going to meet your baby.’

At midday, Joe and Cally were sitting on the sofa in the hotel bar as the ambulance drove away down the Esplanade, siren blaring. Liliana had gone to the hospital with Valerie and her newborn baby girl.

‘Well, I wasn’t expecting that today,’ Joe said.

‘Neither was I.’ Up till now she’d been operating on adrenaline, but what had happened was just starting to sink in. ‘I had no idea at all. I think Liliana was the only person here she told.’

‘She didn’t even look pregnant, did she?’

‘Not at all.’ Cally thought back to when she’d seen Valerie tug at her dress where it was tight – that was the only sign there had been.

‘It was so lucky you were there.’

‘She did the hard part …’

‘You were great,’ Joe said. ‘So calm.’

‘I guess I must’ve picked up something on the course,’ she smiled. ‘But it happened a lot more quickly than I was expecting.’

‘You did an amazing job.’

‘Thank you.’

‘Listen, I know it’s only lunchtime, but I could really do with a drink. Can I tempt you to a G &T?’

‘Yes, please. Seeing as Stuart’s given me the rest of the day off, I might as well take advantage of it.’

He went behind the hotel bar and made up their drinks, ice clinking in their glasses.

Joe brought the drinks over with some sandwiches from the fridge. ‘I had a word with Lili before she and Valerie left. Asked her if I should call the dad and let him know.’

‘What did she say?’

‘That there was no point, he wasn’t interested.’

‘That’s terrible.’ Cally shook her head.

‘Then she said that he’d find out soon enough anyway, because he worked here at the hotel.’

Cally looked at him blankly.

‘I couldn’t think who she was talking about at first.’

Cally felt sick to her stomach. Somewhere inside, she already knew the answer.

‘It’s Anton, isn’t it?’ she said.

Joe nodded. ‘I never trusted that guy.’

The name echoed around in her head.
Anton
. She’d thought that date might be the start of something. All along there had been this. How had she got him so wrong?

The night after Valerie’s baby was born, Cally had barely slept. The events kept running and rerunning in her head. Even after she’d got the text from Liliana, saying that Valerie and her daughter Amelie were doing well at hospital, she hadn’t been able to unwind. On Sunday she went with her dad for tea at the Seafront Tea Rooms, and told him what had happened.

She couldn’t believe she’d missed the signs. Valerie had gone through pregnancy virtually on her own.

On Monday, Cally got to work early, and put her handbag down under her desk. But she knew she wouldn’t be able to concentrate unless she did something else first. Instead of opening her computer, she went downstairs into the kitchen.

Anton was there, with a cup of coffee in his hand, making notes for the menu.

‘Cally,’ he said, looking up surprised.

‘Is it true?’ She said, her voice hard.

He opened his mouth and she thought for a moment he might deny it.

‘We aren’t together,’ he said. ‘We never were.’

‘And that’s supposed to make it
better
?’

‘It was her decision to keep it.’

‘You’re incredible.’ Cally spat the words out.

He shrugged. ‘If you want, I’ll go and see her.’

‘
If I want
? What does it matter what I want, Anton? We hardly know each other, and to be honest I’m quite glad about that. You have a daughter now, and she’s the important one. She deserves to be treated a whole lot better than you’ve treated Valerie. And me, while we’re at it.’

Anton looked down.

‘This isn’t going to go away. You know that, don’t you?’

He looked back at her, his eyes narrowed as if pained him to talk. ‘I’m going to do the right thing.’

At lunchtime, Joe dropped a note on the reception desk. ‘I’ve got something for you later,’ he said. He winked and walked towards the bar.

She opened the note and recognised Liliana’s handwriting right away.
Lunch? Now?

So she and Liliana walked through the park in the sunshine, then settled on a bench with their sandwiches.

‘Is Valerie recovering OK?’ Cally asked.

‘She’s doing really well. Her parents have come over from France and have moved in with her to help out.’

‘And she’s bonding with Amelie?’

‘She’s completely fallen in love.’ A smile spread across Liliana’s face.

‘That’s great. It must have been so hard for her – I can’t imagine.’ Cally shook her head.

‘She’s very grateful for what you did.’

‘It was nothing.’

They fell silent for a moment.

‘Lili, I’m so sorry.’

‘What for?’

‘I should have listened to you. I was an idiot. I couldn’t see through Anton.’

‘That man,’ She snarled. ‘I wanted to tell you …’

‘I know why you couldn’t.’ She took her friend’s hand. ‘But thanks for trying.’

Back at her desk that afternoon, Cally noticed she had two missed calls from her dad, but when she tried to call him there was no answer.

Concerned, she decided to go straight back home after work to check on him, rather than going to the hospital to see Valerie like she’d planned to. At the flat, she turned her key in the lock, but the door didn’t open – it seemed as if it was locked from the inside.

She knocked loudly, then bent down and opened the letterbox. She called through it.

‘Dad – dad! Are you in there?’

She closed the metal flap, and waited. She thought back to the missed calls. He didn’t usually ring her at work.

She lifted the metal knocker and prepared to bring it down when she felt the door give. Her dad stood in front of her in his tattered green dressing gown.

‘Blimey, Cally,’ he said, doing up the belt. ‘Give your old man a minute, will you?’

‘Sorry, Dad,’ she said. ‘I just … I was worried.’

‘What about?’ he said. ‘I thought you were going to the hospital this evening?’

‘I was. I changed my mind.’

‘Everything OK down there?’ a female voice came from upstairs.

‘Dad,’ Cally said, taken aback. A smile spread over her face as she realised what was going on. ‘You old devil,’ she whispered.

‘I’ve been meaning to tell you …’ He was blushing right to his ear lobes.

‘You can tell me later.’ She laughed. ‘Right now I’m going to make myself scarce.’

Cally walked along the South Bay, thinking about what had just happened. Her dad had looked so different – younger. The way he used to look, before the pain of losing her mother, and his health. She had a dozen questions, but they could all wait.

As she passed the funicular, a text buzzed through on her phone. Joe.

Hello there. Meet you in room 14?

Cally walked back into the hotel, and unhooked the familiar wooden key. The work on the room was almost finished now, and it made her smile to think the new guests would never know what stories the room held.

Upstairs, the French doors were open and the balcony twinkled with fairy lights. Soft jazz drifted into the room, and Joe turned round to face her.

‘Hi, Cally.’

‘Hello.’ She closed the door and walked over to the balcony.

‘You came.’

‘It looks like I did.’

‘I’m glad.’ Joe smiled. ‘Here,’ he passed her a drink. ‘The strawberry mojito I promised you.’

‘Thanks.’ She took the glass, and their hands met, sending a tingle up her arm.

She took a sip of the drink. ‘Delicious. Worth waiting for.’

‘Great. I’m happy then.’

‘So my opinion is the one that matters?’ she joked.