by RJ Hunter
The hill was rather steep, so Sandra slipped off her sandals and continued in bare feet. As she turned a slight bend, the hotel suddenly came into view, just as the waiter said it would. It wasn't a huge, ugly tower block like those which blighted the landscape of some of the more popular resorts. It was more like a stately villa, complete with a spectacular garden, where one could have dinner, or enjoy a quiet drink and gaze down at the incredible sea view below.
Sandra walked into the hotel and went straight up to reception.
"I'm looking for Mr. Craig Winter, who I believe is staying here with the Stone House Corporation, for their summer convention?"
"They're not here at the moment, Madam." Replied the chubby, middle aged hall porter, allowing his eyes to wander up and down the attractive blonde standing before him.
"Will they be having dinner here tonight?"
He opened a large book on the desk and peered inside it.
"No, they have reservations at Giselle's Restaurant tonight. Is that any help to you?"
"Yes, thank-you," replied Sandra, putting her sunglasses back on. "You've been very helpful indeed."
It was about three in the afternoon by the time Sandra finally returned to the beach where Nick was still sunbathing.
"Sandra, where the hell have you been? I'm like a bloody lobster!"
"I'm sorry Nick, I went to Calella, there were lots of little shops!"
"Have you eaten yet? I'm starving!"
"No, I haven't, but we can have a meal here tonight in Llafranc, just the two of us."
The restaurant Sandra chose was the Estrada, which just happened to be next to Giselle's. Both the restaurants were situated along the promenade and gave the diner a superb view of the beach, along with the marina, and its impressive collection of yachts.
After studying the menu for a few minutes, Nick ordered the mussels in white wine and garlic sauce as a starter, while Sandra opted for a delicious, local soup, called Gazpacho, which was served cold. Nick was pleasantly surprised that Sandra had so far managed to keep off the bottle, a feat he never thought she could achieve.
It was a wonderful, warm evening, and the sound of the waves lapping gently against the shore, soon removed any lingering doubts in Nick's mind about being there on holiday with his estranged wife. As he sipped his chilled wine he was convinced that returning to Sandra was the best thing to do under the circumstances.
Sandra barely touched her soup, and after a short while got up from the table to leave.
"Nick, I'm sorry, but I've got the most awful headache. I think I'll go back to the hotel."
"Sandra, wait, I'll come with you. Is everything okay?"
"Please, Nick, don't fuss. I'll be fine. You stay and finish your meal. Don't hurry back, have a nice walk along the front, there's some lovely cafe's and bars to have a drink in."
"Well, alright then, but as long as you're sure?"
She smiled and left him, as he ordered the restaurant's famous black paella, made its rich, tarry colour by the addition of squid ink.
Sandra checked behind her to make sure Nick wasn't watching, before walking into Giselle's. She scanned the tables for Craig. He wasn't hard to spot, with his loud voice and immature laugh. He was sitting with a group of four men and two women, and by the look of it, they had consumed a fair amount of the local plonk between them. The conversation was bawdy and the two women were contributing to it with as much gusto as the men.
Craig's mouth suddenly dropped as Sandra appeared at the table. She knew two of the others and smiled her acknowledgment. One of these, Derek, was a director of the Stone House Corporation, and had been boss to both Sandra and Nick in the past.
"Sandra, I can't believe it!" Exclaimed Craig, looking more than a little nervous. "But what are you doing here?"
"Hello, Craig. I'm on holiday with my husband."
"Sandra, it's wonderful to see you again." Said Derek, equally uncomfortable, as he pulled up a chair for her. "It's like old times, you really must stay and have a drink with us?"
"Thanks, I would like that." She replied with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
"So where's Nick?" Asked Derek, looking around.
"Oh don't worry about him, he's gone off exploring somewhere I imagine."
Sandra sat next to Craig, and eagerly accepted the glass of sangria offered her.
"I'm sorry about what happened." Said Derek, quite genuinely. "It was all out of my hands, I was just the axe bearer. We certainly miss you, Sandra."
"Forget it. I'm doing something else now." She replied in an abrupt manner.
"Or someone else!" Smirked Craig.
Derek coughed and looked embarrassed.
"So what's the new job?" He asked, chancing a leer at her full cleavage.
"It's public relations, Derek."
It took quite a while before she could finally get away from Derek's attention. By this time, Craig was up on the small dance floor with one of the women. Sandra waited for a slow one to come on, before edging the woman out of the way, and taking Craig over to a more secluded area of the restaurant.
"Avoiding me Craig?"
"I don't know what you're playing at Sandra, but I've told you, it's over between us."
It can't be finished Craig, not when you owe me."
"Come on Sandra, you know as well as I do, nothing formal was agreed."
"Craig, I bloody well won those contracts by sleeping with those vile characters you set me up with. Now you've frozen me out and done the dirty on me."
"It was Derek who fired you, remember."
"Yes, but it was you who put him up to it."
"What you did was starting to look bad on the company."
"Without me, you wouldn't have got those contracts, and you wouldn't be here now!"
"Come on Sandra, let's not argue, we're on holiday. Besides, I'll speak to Derek, I'm sure we can come to some arrangement."
"I'm going to make you sweat for what you did, you little bastard, in more ways than one. Perhaps, Derek would be interested to hear that you pimped me out to get the contracts." With that, Sandra led him back out onto the dance floor and held him intimately while they danced.
"You wouldn't dare, Sandra." He replied, searching her face. "It would make you look worse than me."
"You seem to forget, Craig, that I've got nothing to lose."
"Maybe you have. Why did you bring Nick?"
She put her hand against his chest and held him tighter.
"I brought Nick thinking it might make you jealous, and to possibly act as a witness, but he's just getting in the way now."
"So he doesn't know?"
"No, I haven't told him. There's some things best left unsaid."
"He's still as stupid and gullible as ever then?"
"Don't be like that Craig, after all, Nick's still my husband."
Craig laughed as he let his hands run up and down Sandra's shapely body.
"I must say, you look damned horny tonight!"
"See what you're missing!" She replied, pulling away from him, and thrusting up her bust. "How about a bit of married woman, Craig?"
Craig had a hired car parked within walking distance of the restaurant, and it took less than five minutes to drive the short distance back to Sandra's hotel room.
It was almost one in the morning by the time Nick got back. Even at such a late hour there were still many people out on the streets and sitting outside the various bars and restaurants. Nick however, felt particularly guilty about being out so long and leaving his wife alone and unwell in a strange hotel. When he let himself in, he was relieved to feel the coolness of the room. He hadn't been abroad a great deal in his twenty eight years, but the different climate and environment was already making him feel better and more alive than he'd felt in a long time.
Even with the air-conditioning on, there was an odd odour to the room, like stale smoke and perfume, or was it aftershave, he wasn't sure. He noticed Sandra's clothes strewn across a chair, and wonder
ed if she would still be awake.
"Sandra, are you feeling better?" He called out gently.
"No, I've still got a headache," she replied out in a slightly hoarse voice.
Sandra was tired and desperately wanted to go to sleep. However, she had literally only just got Craig out of the room, before Nick arrived.
"I'm sorry I'm so late back." He said, going in to use the bathroom. There was only a grunt from Sandra, so he continued. "I bumped into Derek, and some of the old crowd from the insurance days. What an amazing coincidence, can you believe it?"
"Really?"
"Yes, we walked along the esplanade and found there was a fiesta going on. It was wonderful, they really made us feel welcome."
"I want to sleep, Nick!"
"Derek said he saw you."
"Where?" Gasped Sandra.
"In the restaurant, where they had their meal."
Sandra squirmed for a while, and was glad Nick wasn't right in front of her, to see her face blush up.
"Oh, that's right, I remember now. I walked past to go to the shop, I needed some water. That's when I saw Derek. I literally just called in to say hello."
"So that explains it." Laughed Nick, going over towards the bed. "I did wonder a little."
"Anyone else there of interest?"
"Just one or two. I didn't know the others, but I didn't see Craig, perhaps he doesn't earn enough commission to qualify!"
Sandra got up to brush her teeth. She knew it would only be a matter of time before he smelt the alcohol on her breath. She staggered a little as she reached the bathroom door, and had to hold on for support.
"Are you sure you're okay, Sandra, shall I call a doctor?"
"No, I'll be fine. It's probably just a bug I've caught."
"Yes, I suppose so," he replied, noticing a damp patch in the bed.
"If I feel up to it, I might go into Barcelona tomorrow and do a bit more shopping." She called out.
"Damn it, I've arranged to meet a couple of the others for lunch tomorrow. Can't we go to Barcelona the following day?"
"No, I want to go tomorrow. Besides, you'd only get bored shopping. I'll go on my own."
"Okay, if that's what you want, Sandra."
It had been three days since Laura had called out the doctor for her mother. Dr. Mitchell was upstairs with Sally for the best part of an hour, but still there was no change in her condition. During the visit, as with the first, he had asked Laura to act as chaperone.
"Well, your mother's blood pressure is still very low. Is she drinking?"
"Only sips of water occasionally, but she wont eat anything, Dr. Mitchell."
"I'm not overly concerned about the eating just at the moment, Laura. Try her with meal replacement drinks, and keep her hydrated. I'll look in again tomorrow. Has she been taking the medication I prescribed?"
"Yes, I've been giving it to her myself."
"Good, just ring the surgery if there's any change."
"I will doctor, and if there's not?"
"We'll probably have to admit your mother to hospital, Laura."
"It's that serious then?" Asked Jonathan, as the doctor and Laura came back downstairs.
"Yes, it could be that serious, Jonathan. It's like she's in deep shock, and it doesn't help if she's not communicating."
"I don't want my mother going into a psychiatric hospital." Pleaded Jonathan, as his thoughts went back to Tina at Greenfields.
"Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that, but she may have to be drip-fed and monitored in a general hospital."
"But what's wrong with her?"
Dr. Mitchell saw the concern on Jonathan's face.
"Well, judging from what you've told me, your mother seems to have had a massive nervous breakdown. The human mind can only take so much, before it simply switches off."
"But surely she wont stay like this, doctor?" Added Laura. "She's always been such a strong, positive woman."
"Unfortunately, she's lost her will to live. We can only pray that it's a temporary condition, and it'll pass eventually. Just give her all the love and attention you can, and see to it she keeps drinking and taking the tablets."
Sally however, remained in a semi-coma-like state, totally oblivious to everybody and everything going on around her. Fortunately, Laura had taken some time off work and together with her brother, younger sister and Lizzie, they took it upon themselves to try and pull their mother back from the dark, depressing void into which she had descended.
"I didn't think I'd be doing nursing here in my own home, and with my mother as a patient." Said Laura, after they had just lifted Sally out of the bath.
"I want to be a nurse!" Replied Penny, excitedly.
"So, you want to be an interpreter, a vet, now it's nursing is it?" Remarked Laura, angrily. "This is not a game, Penny."
"Don't be nasty to me, I'm doing my best." Shouted the younger girl, as she ran from the room in tears.
"There's no need to speak to her like that, Laura." Said Jonathan, unaware that his sister was feeling guilty about pining for her black lover back in London.
"I know, I'm sorry. I'll go and apologise." Replied Laura regretfully. "It's just so frustrating. Mum's not getting any better, and the doctor's bound to put her in hospital soon."
"What the hell are we going to do?"
"I don't know Jonathan. We need a miracle to happen."
The following day, the telephone rang for the umpteenth time.
"I'll get it," said Penny. "I bet it'll be Lizzie or Uncle David phoning to see how Mum is?"
Moments later she came bounding into the kitchen, shouting excitedly.
"Guess who it was?"
"Not bad news, Penny." Replied Laura, anxiously. "This family can't take anymore bad news."
"It's good news, Laura! It was the animal sanctuary, they said Pepys was well enough to come home! Isn't it marvellous?"
It was indeed marvellous news, and it lifted all of their spirits at a very crucial time. Jonathan set off immediately to fetch the much-loved border collie back home.
Many vets would have simply put Pepys out of his misery, considering the wounds that had been inflicted by Frank's bull terriers, but the Veterinary Surgeon, Mrs. Wilde had known Pepys since he was a puppy, and knew just what he meant to the Peddlescoombe family. Although a great deal of soft tissue damage had been done to the animal's neck, there didn't appear to be any major arterial or nerve damage. Mrs. Wilde, demonstrating her remarkable suturing skills was then able to perform quite an impressive patch-up job on the injured dog. However, the vet with over twenty five years of experience, could do nothing to save Pepys' hind leg, and reluctantly had to amputate part of it. She hadn't been sure if the little animal could survive such a traumatic event, considering his age, but felt the risk was worth taking under the circumstances.
It was like coming back to a new home, what with the new carpeting, wallpaper and fresh paint. The garden though, was still in a bad state, and Pepys was very reluctant to venture out there, until he was satisfied the devil dogs had really gone. He was fine after that, and trotted around his old territories quite content on his three legs, even if he was a little clumsy.
Nick was surprised to see Craig at the Sugar Shack the following day. He was also angry, but this was an emotion long past its sell-by date. As far as Nick was concerned there was nothing he needed to say to his love rival.
Craig, at first kept his distance from Nick, and went to sit at the bar. Someone later suggested hiring a boat and exploring the bay, and as Nick seemed to be the most sober of the group, he elected to go along to the tourist office and make the arrangements.
Finishing his rum and coke, Nick put on his shirt and began to head off. It was then that Craig approached him.
"Nick, can I talk to you?"
Nick turned and glared at the other man with contempt.
"If you must Craig, but don't expect me to be civil to you. Just say what's on your mind and leave me alone."
"Sandra brought you here just to make me jealous. She's only using you." Said Craig, sweating in the hot sun, as he tried to keep up with Nick's pace.
"What do you mean? She doesn't even know you're here."
"Nick, you're such an arsehole at times. Of course she knows I'm here. She wants me to go back to her, she's missing the good times and the money. She's threatened to tell Derek certain things about me."
"I don't believe you Craig. Why on earth should she want a little toad like you back?"
"Because, unlike you Nick, I'm a winner."
Nick looked to see if anyone was watching, then quickly brought up his knee into Craig's groin.
"You're a wanker Craig, I wish I had done that the first time I laid eyes on you."
Craig sunk to his knees and gripped his genitals in agony. A couple of pretty Spanish girls walked past and looked down horrified at the stricken man.
"It's okay, he's English - too much beer!" Called out Nick. The girls giggled and carried on, but Nick felt tempted to give Craig more of a beating.
"Don't hit me anymore, please." Begged Craig as he lent on a low wall and tried to pull himself up.
"You're just scum, Craig." Called out Nick, as he began to walk off.
"So where was your precious Sandra last night?"
Nick stopped abruptly and turned to look back at Craig, who was now sitting on the wall.
"What do you mean by that?"
"It means that Sandra is a prostitute. Your wife is a whore, or haven't you worked that out either, you stupid bastard."
"You're going to die, Craig."
"It's true. Haven't you ever asked her about her lifestyle, the money, the clothes?"
"No, it's not true. Sandra would never do that!" Exclaimed Nick, unable to accept what he was hearing.
"She first started wining and dining the corporate customers, soon some of them became her own, personal clients. We couldn't understand how she was pulling off these huge deals, and got suspicious. She had to go, Nick. She was bad for the company image."