Whispers Beneath the Pines

by Whispers Beneath the Pines

“And it won't be the last. Come on Evie,” Selina said as she held her hand out to Eve and pulled her up. “We are going to have a fantastic week and it starts with bagging our room and then working our way through all the cocktail menus in Marmaris.”

  The young Turkish man stopped in front of them. “Massage, I am the best there is. Or Turkish bath, I make your skin glow, ready for the beach, I make you sexy ladies," he grinned. Eve stared at him as she twiddled her fingers, blushed and looked down at her feet.

  “I wouldn’t mind been given an orgasm by him,” Selina whispered as she leaned towards Eve's ear. Eve giggled and slapped her arm. “What? I meant the cocktail.” The man smiled as he awaited their answer. “Maybe another day,” Selina said as Eve dragged her towards the edge of the thin strip of beach.

  “But you want to look beach beautiful,” he shouted.

  “As I said, maybe tomorrow,” Selina called. "You really have to be assertive around here,” she smiled, eyes still fixed on the young man. She dropped her nub end on the floor and stood on it. “It really is the hard sell around here. I may take him up on the massage though,” she said as she repositioned her breasts in her plunge bra before turning away from the man's distant stare.

  They ambled along the bumpy cobbled pavements past an array of restaurants and cafes. The smell of the grill filled the air; rich and meaty. Chefs with open kitchens flipped and plated food, staff called orders and children ran around the tables shouting.

  Touts beckoned them over with every step. “Boat trip, first cocktail free, jeep safari, best food in Içmeler, first time in Turkey?” Distracted, Eve stumbled on an upturned cobble and Selina grabbed her arm. Nearly there, she thought as she recognised the Karaoke Bar. They had passed it half an hour ago. She knew then that their villa was only a couple of minutes away.

  At the end of the road they saw the little grey house surrounded by the unruly shrubbery and a rickety looking balcony. “How come we couldn’t have a villa like that one?” Eve said as she looked at the neighbouring villa with its clean white paint, newly stained balconies and its large pool. “Ours looks like it’s going to appear on ‘Holidays from Hell’ one day soon.”

  “That would cost more than we could afford. One day, I’m coming back and having that one,” Selina said pointing to an even grander villa across the road. Eve stopped and leaned up against a wall. Wiping the sweat off her brow she took a couple of deep breaths. Selina had carried on walking, Eve laughed to herself as she heard Selina continue to talk about all that she was going to do one day. A couple passed her and stared. Halting in the middle of the pavement her friend looked back. “What the hell are you playing at? I bet those people thought I was some sort of loon,” she cried, eyes watering and laughing, “I’ll get my own back tonight.”

  Selina grabbed Eve's arm and they turned, plunging Eve face first into a fast walking young man. She felt his clammy skin against her arm and cheek, he smelt sweet, like sweat mixed with aftershave. The man held out his hands and smiled. “I so sorry. English?” Eve nodded and the man took a step back. “I see you need a trip. I can do Jeep Safari, cheapest in village. I will do even cheaper for you lovely ladies,” he said as he looked into Selina’s eyes. “We work from there.” He pointed to a small shop front that was shaded by a green canopy.

  Outside the window sat a large older man in a white suit and hat playing a game. White Suit shouted at his scrawny opponent in Turkish, but then Scrawny put his hands up and the suited man sat back down. The table was low and positioned either side were two little chairs. Eve wondered how White Suit had managed to sit on the tiny chair without breaking it. A chequers board filled the table’s center and Eve could just about see that the last white had just been taken. “Is he always such a sore loser?” she asked the man.

  “Him, oh yes. Take no notice. I’m Mehmet. What are you lovely ladies called?” Eve looked at Selina. Should she answer? Be more assertive she was told. Leaving the response to Selina she waited. Selina didn’t respond, she smiled and looked at the young topless man who had so obviously impressed her.

  Rolling her eyes, Eve replied. “This is Selina, I’m Eve.”

  “Jeeps did you say?” Selina said.

  “Yes, we do the cheapest around. We can do, just for you or your group, a deal. One whole day with the jeep all for yourselves, can take up to twelve. You can have it, with a barbecue dinner for only sixty British Pounds. I can book you in tomorrow, only ten pounds deposit,” Mehmet said as he pulled out a booking pad from the back pocket of his shorts.

  “That sounds g-"

  “We’ll think about it,” Eve interrupted. Selina stared at Eve. “What? We can ask the others and let him know later.”

  “Don’t leave it too late, I may not be able to offer you this good deal if you wait too long,” he said as he smiled at Selina.

  Bang. Chequers flew against the shop window and White Suit stood up. He snatched an envelope from Scrawny and left him sitting alone amongst the turmoil. As he stood he stepped over the upturned table and placed the envelope in his breast pocket. “So you want it? It is good deal.” Mehmet asked again. Another bang from across the road, White Suit kicked the little chair over. “Ignore him,” Mehmet said. White Suit turned and paced before stopping and staring at Eve. Eve realised she had been staring at him; blushing, she looked away. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the white suit moving away from the shop front, another suited man ran out of the shop and walked three paces behind. White Suit then turned his head to Eve and grinned as he turned the corner. “Well, ladies, I can’t do any better than that,” Mehmet continued.

  “I think you could do much better,” replied Selina. She was now playing with her hair, coiling it around her index finger and occasionally pushing up her bra. Eve watched her in action and wondered if she could ever have the allure that Selina had. She looked back at the shop window. Scrawny was bent over picking up the counters that had been strewn across the tiled shop front.

  “Excuse me.” A veiled lady of about eighty years placed her bony hand on Eve’s arm and steered her over to the wall. The lady pulled out several pairs of sunglasses that were attached to a cardboard frame from her bag.

  “I don’t need any sunglasses, sorry,” Eve said as she turned.

  “Shh,” the woman said as she pulled Eve back and held her finger to her lips. “I see you watching over there,” the woman pointed to the shop. As she turned her hearing aid whistled. Drawn to Eve’s chest, the woman stared at the little heart necklace that said ‘Mum’ on it. “You are a mother. From a mother to a mother, you must be careful. Trust what you feel. Things are not always so good. People not always so good.”

  “I’m sorry?” Eve said.

  Scrawny stood and looked across at the woman. Leaning on her stick, she stepped back and spoke. “You are a beautiful girl. You should protect your eyes, you need sunglasses,” the woman took out several pairs and began to place them against Eve’s eyes. “Only two British Pounds.”

  “What did you mean before?” Eve asked as she snatched the glasses from her face and placed them back in the old woman’s bag.

  The woman looked across at Scrawny; he continued cleaning up the mess from the floor. “Nothing. Young girls, you have to be careful. I just say, I am a mother. I look out for you. Remember what I say. Trust what you think. Trust your instincts,” the woman said as she hobbled away. Eve leaned up against the wall. What did the old woman mean? White Suit, the stare, the old woman. She needed reality, the last few moments had all seemed bizarre. Even in the midday heat she shuddered.

  Selina giggled at something Mehmet had said. Eve moved away from the wall and joined them. “We best go, got loads to do. Remember that room that we have to get back to and bag?” She grabbed Selina's arm and dragged her away.

  “I be here later ...... and tomorrow, and the next day. Come see me anytime,” Mehmet shouted as he walked across the road back to his stand.

  “What are you doing to me?”

  “
That man,” Eve replied as she looked around, White Suit had now gone. She opened the rusty gate and they headed down the uneven cobbles to their front door.

  “Yes, he was really nice and you blew my chances,” Selina shouted.

  “Not him, the angry one in his shop window, the one in the white suit. Did you see the way he left? He stared me out.” Eve shook as she banged hard on the heavy wooden door. She heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

  “I think you’re just being paranoid. He was probably eyeing you up,” Selina replied.

  “Whatever, it was a bit weird. Then the old woman said I should trust my instincts or something odd.”

  Selina grabbed both of Eve’s shoulders and looked her in the eye. “It was just her patter. It was nothing. Listen to someone who comes on holidays more than you. Loosen up. We’re going to have the best time. The best. I mean it.”

  The door opened. Ryan stood there with his tee-shirt slung over his pale shoulders and his shorts hanging low. Rachel walked past him and carried on up the stairs. “I see you’re last to get a bedroom. I think you’re both sharing the couch. It’s okay, at least you’ll get some pricks this holiday, from the dodgy springs in that sofa bed,” he said as he walked away.

  “Why the hell did he have to come? Knob,” Selina said. “I’m not having it. I know he’s my brother but I’m losing the will to live with him being around. He hasn’t even paid me back for his share of the villa yet and he thinks he’s bagging a bedroom all for himself. No way, that one is ours.” Selina stomped up the stairs and a few seconds later Ryan’s rucksack flew down. Eve jolted to the left missing the impact of the bag before it landed on the floor with a thud. “If that couch is so full of pricks, you can join them. You'll be right at home,” Selina shouted as she stomped in her wedges down the stairs.

  “Whatever Sis. You know you love me really,” he called from the kitchen.

  “Yeah right,” she replied.

  Eve grabbed her case that was leaned up against the far wall and followed Selina upstairs.

  Their room overlooked the main road that they had just strolled down. It was now bustling with tourists. From her window she could see Scrawny approach Mehmet. He appeared to push him, shout and get into a car before driving off. Maybe she was a bit paranoid. They were probably all family. A few seconds ago, she had witnessed how family could drive you insane with anger. If Selina and Ryan were anything to go by, insanity should follow shortly. She could see Selina smacking him one before the week was out.

  Smiling, she sat down and lay on the bed. The floor was dusty, the windows were cobwebbed in the corners and the bed, well that was lumpy too but she was on holiday; for the first time in her adult life, she was abroad. She lay with closed eyes, listening to children shouting and cars passing by. Horns tooted every few seconds.

  “I hope you’re not thinking of going to sleep, we’re getting something to eat then going out on the town. You are so going to have a good time tonight,” Selina said as she walked to the window. “Look at him, such a perfect example of the male species. Be great to catch up with him again.”

  Eve walked over to Selina and linked arms with her. “Just be careful, trust what you feel." She found herself paraphrasing the old woman’s words. She watched Mehmet sit behind his stand and stare down at the floor as potential customers walked by.

  Chapter 3

  Eve stood in her underwear as she observed herself in the bathroom mirror. Her previously infected caesarean scar was showing just above her knicker line. It brought back memories of the pain from the wound, then worse memories of not having the strength to comfort her new born son. It also screamed shame, the shame of her pregnancy that her family felt and in turn had bestowed upon her. The door knocked, she grabbed her knickers and stretched them over the thick scar line, covering as much of it as she could.

  “Who is it?” she called as she grabbed a towel and held it against her body.

  “It’s me,” Kevin said. “The other four are waiting downstairs.”

  “I’ll be there in a minute.” She heard Kevin walk down the stairs. On the toilet, folded, were her cropped jeans and a tight black dress. She slipped the dress over her head which ruffled her loosely pinned up tresses. Strands of sandy hair fell over her face; she clipped them back before zipping up the dress. Turning sideways to the mirror, she could see a slight tummy bulge, her pre-pregnancy size ten figure had never returned, not even after four years. Not a huge bulge but noticeable side on, it would definitely be seen when standing next to Selina. Unzipping the dress, she began to tug it back over her head and the door knocked again.

  “Eve, we’re waiting for you. If you hadn’t conked out we’d be there by now,” shouted Selina.

  “Sorry, I’m struggling with this dress. I’m just going to put my jeans on and I’ll be down. Two minutes, I promise.”

  “You dare take that dress off Evie,” Selina called as she barged in. Eve grabbed the dress and pulled it back over her head and held her hand across her stomach. “That dress looks great on you. You’re not coming out in those old jeans you always wear.” Her friend stood behind her and pulled up the zip. She then unclipped Eve’s hair and ruffled it up into a frizzy mess before spraying it into place. “There, now you look like you’re going out, come on, let’s go it’s nearly ten o clock,” she smiled as she walked away. Eve grabbed her bag off the bed, put the stilettos on that Selina had left for her to wear and walked towards the stairs. Wearing shoes so high wasn’t as bad as she remembered.

  As Eve’s legs reached the step where the rest of the party could see, Ryan let out a whistle. “Ohh, Miss Prim has legs,” he shouted.

  “Leave it out,” Kevin replied.

  “Although she’s not prim really is she?” he snorted.

  “I said; leave it out," Kevin shouted. Ryan laughed back at him; gum making a slapping noise as he chewed, then he placed a wacky drinking hat on his head before leaving the villa.

  “I know he's my friend but he can be such a knob sometimes,” Kevin said as he shook his head. Eve smiled.

  They all started to leave the villa. Eve stepped over the strewn clothes, the open pot of hair gel and half a squashed sandwich before finally reaching the door. The others had gone ahead, Kevin waited at the door with the key. Together they walked in the warm night air away from the beach front towards the bus stop where the others waited. Marmaris and its bright lights were beckoning and the Dolmus had just pulled into the stop. About ten minutes is all it would take and they would be heading for Bar Street in Party Paradise.

  *****

  Eve slipped off her shoes, now they were pinching. All she could hear was the pounding of several club classics all overlaying each other. To her left was a karaoke bar that was crammed with a group of men singing ‘My Way’ out of tune and just ahead were the multi-coloured neon lights of Bar Street. The music got louder as she got closer. Selina dragged Rachel across the path towards Bar Club Asylum. Rachel resisted as Selina ran in, preferring to stay outside with the smokers as usual. Her black lipstick was out of place on this street and her heavy facial piercings were being ogled with curiosity by the other smokers.

  “I’m going to get me some of this. Get me some beer and watch out girls,” shouted Ryan as he dragged Stephen into the bar with him.

  “Cool,” replied Stephen.

  “Well,” Kevin said. “Are we going in?”

  “I’m not sure, I don’t think this is my thing,” Eve said as she swallowed. Her stomach twitched and her heart beat picked up in pace. The place was full of hot, sweaty, writhing bodies, dancing to tunes she had not kept up with. These days she was more likely to recognise the tunes from Cbeebies rather than Dizzy Rascal.

  “I’m not sure it’s mine either. Shall we both brave it together?” He said as he smiled. Eve looked at him. Kevin had a warm smile, one she had taken for granted all the years of knowing him. He held out his hand. She placed her shoes on the floor, stepped into them and took Kevin’s hand.

>   Before she knew it she was then being dragged through the masses, cutting through the wall of people that blocked the way to the bar. “Free shot,” shouted a man carrying a tray full of blue drinks in shot glasses. Kevin took two and handed one to Eve. The music blared out and a mass of black and red balloons were released from a suspended net above the dance floor. They floated down and landed on the rampant crowd who responded with shouts and cheers. Eve sipped the tiny sickly drink. Kevin threw his back and grimaced. After been trodden on twice, they reached the bar and joined the queue.

  In the distance Eve could see Selina on the dance floor, bottle in one hand, phone in the other. She was writhing hands free with a young man. They danced and he turned; she had found Mehmet. She watched as the young man held Selina around the waist and pulled her close. She moved in closer to him. First she laughed, then smiled and finally she kissed him. “That didn’t take long,” Eve shouted with a smile on her face. Kevin looked across and smiled back at Eve, she wasn’t sure that he had heard. He handed her a vodka and coke and had one himself. Kevin spoke and then shouted, she heard the odd word but could not make out the sentence. Kevin grabbed her arm and once again pulled her through the crowd towards the door. Fresh, warm air hit her. A waft of kebab drifted in the air. The hum of people speaking and the filtered club music is all she heard now. Taking a deep breath, she took a sip of her drink and placed the shot that she had not finished on a table. Rachel stood with several other people laughing and joking. It looked like they were passing around a joint.

  “It’s better out here,” Kevin said.

  “Yes, thank you. I don’t think I can cope with that many people all in one go,” she laughed. The vodka was starting to take effect. She felt her muscles relax and a tipsy warmth flow through her. She hadn’t been out and drank for several months so the effect was fast moving. Liking it she took another sip.

  “So tell me what you’ve been up to this past few years. It seems like forever,” Kevin said.