“We could find you a room tomorrow, Senora. There are guests leaving the hotel in the morning, but unfortunately you will have to spend another night in the bedroom we have allocated you.”
“So I’ve packed these suitcases for nothing,” the woman rounded on Lucy angrily. “This could have been sorted out this morning, we were at your desk early enough. If you had told us this morning, I could have sat out on a deck chair in the sun this afternoon and done our packing tomorrow. As it is we’ve lost a whole day worrying about it. Isn’t that right, Bert?”
Her husband nodded a bit wearily, he had probably had earache from his wife all that day.
“It had better be a nice room,” the wife continued. “Something on the top floor would be nice, so we can have a view of the sea and definitely not by a lift.”
“I’m sure Dania will do her best,” said Lucy. “ Now, can I get the porter for you and he’ll help you back with your things?”
***
Jenni sat in a corner of the Sunlight Bar, feeling a little conspicuous because of the non appearance of Lucy. She had decided to go into the restaurant early, thinking that she would look a pest hanging around the rep’s desk waiting for Lucy to finish. It was only seven thirty and there wasn’t many people in the room, but she still felt as if all eyes were upon her, pitying her being alone.
“Buenos Tardus,” said Miquel, as he came up to her table carrying a tray. “Can I get you something from the bar, Jenni?”
“Oh, thank you, Miguel, but I’m not really sure what to have.”
“May I suggest a cocktail? We make Tequila Sunrise, Pina Colada, Blue Lagoon or Sex on the Beach.”
Jenni started, smiling nervously at the waiter. “Sex on the beach, what on earth is that?”
“Ah,” he answered, tapping the side of his nose. “It is my speciality, I will get you one if you will excuse me for a moment.”
Jenni smiled as Miguel went off to the bar, she hoped she wasn’t being treated to a double entendre.
“It’s very nice,” she said, after she had sipped the peachy tasting drink cautiously, while Miguel waited for her verdict. “Is it supposed to be alcoholic, because I’m not allowed to drink?”
“No, no it has very little alcohol, Jenni. I put in only a dash of vodka for you, though it should have grenadine in it as well, but I do not like to see young ladies drinking alcohol.”
What a kind young man, thought Jenni, as Miguel went on his way.
***
“Daddy,” Annabelle said, pulling at Paul’s arm to get his attention. “Why are we waiting for the disco to start? I’m getting very tired of waiting, my watch says it’s almost half past eight.”
“Well, give it a few more minutes, Poppet and then I’ll go and have a word with the entertainer chappie. Look he’s over there having a beer. You go and practice your dancing with Emily. Sorry about that,” he said to Greg, whose family had joined them at their table, along with Steve and his wife.
“But this is the highlight of Annabelle’s day, she loves to dance.”
“Yes, Emily’s just the same,” said Steve. “Last year we went to the San Miguel hotel in Ibiza, they had a Mini disco every night, outside in a big courtyard. We couldn’t get her out of there, sometimes we had to sit and shiver, because it could get quite cold in early June. While she was busy dancing away, we were drinking hot coffee just to keep us warm.”
“Oh, look it’s starting,” said Greg, as Mikey jumped up onto the stage and announced it was “Mini Disco” time! Soon the children were dancing to Superman, which involved them running around, as if they were flying in the air.
***
“What kind of a day have you had?”, asked Jenni sympathetically, as Lucy joined her with a fraught look on her face.
“Don’t ask,” she replied. “Let me get a vodka and tonic down me and then I’ll tell you.”
“A vodka and tonic please, Miguel,” she said, as the waiter came over when he saw her sit with Jenni. “Jenni, do you want something?,” she said.
“I’ll have one of those nice red and peachy cocktails you made me before, please, Miguel. Easy on the vodka again.”
He smiled knowingly, as if they had a secret together, which made Jenni wonder if he was just being friendly or there was more to that special smile.
“Oh, that’s better,” Lucy said, after she had taken a big slurp of her drink and felt it calming her down.
“I meant to meet you in the restaurant, Jenni, but just as I was on my way, I got accosted by a very unfriendly couple.”
“Oh dear, do you get many of them?”
“Only when I ignore a guest’s request, am I treated to a bout of unfriendliness and unfortunately I forgot that they had asked me for a change of room. Luckily Dania, the receptionist was very helpful, she pointed out that there would be vacant rooms tomorrow morning, because it is changeover day and unless the couple wanted to move to a room above here tonight, they would have to wait until tomorrow.”
“Oh, that was lucky, but why do they want a change of room, mine’s very pleasant?”
“Their room is by a lift and the woman is a very light sleeper. I suppose with the entertainment being on late, some people are rather noisy at that time of night. Anyway, I won’t be able to stay too long because my blouse wants ironing for tomorrow and I must be up quite early. I’m going to the airport with the departures on the Manchester flight.”
“I probably won’t stay up late neither. I would feel a bit of a wall flower sitting on my own.”
***
“Eh, look at those little kiddies dancing Agadou,” said Jean, as the women sat watching the Mini disco, as a change from getting blotto in the Quiet bar. “They had nothing like this for us when we were children, nor for our Tommy when he was growing up.”
“Do you remember when we were little and our dads’ took us to the Working Men’s Club Christmas party?” asked Milly. “You were a bit older Doreen, so I’m not sure you were there.”
“If you’re going to remind us of when our Jean was sick all over the stage after she sang, “ I’m a lonely little petunia,” I was there,” said Doreen. “ I was the one who had to clean her up in that outside toilet they had. It was snowing, there was no bog roll and I had to wipe her down with grass.”
“I was always sick when I got nervous,” said Jean gloomily.
“It’s all very different for the children of today,” said Milly. “What with their foreign holidays, televisions in their rooms, all sorts of toys to play with, latest fashions for the little girls. We were happy if we went to a caravan in Talacre. Do you remember when we went that time to Frith beach, you remember when we went on that Sunday school outing, Jean? You were sick again, only this time from eating bananas.”
***
“Hello, little boy,” said Mavis, as Evan took a breather from running around with Jack, coming up to her table to look at her curiously. “Do you want to do some drawing again? Only this time I brought some proper paper and I could make you an aeroplane.”
Evan nodded and stood with his thumb in his mouth while she made it. She whizzed her creation into the air and was glad to see that it travelled a few yards quite effortlessly. Evan picked it up, then showed it Jack, then the two little boys ran away.
***
“We’ve decided to go up Mount Teide tomorrow,” Paul said to Greg and Steve, while the three women were watching the children dancing and talking amongst themselves. “I’ll give the Espace a run, see what it performs like, have a spot of lunch somewhere, then toddle back here for tea. What car do you have back at home, Greg? Of course I have free run of any of the Fords, at the moment I’m driving a Mondeo?”
“I have a Merc’ and Kate has a M.G,” Greg answered, fiddling with a button on his white polo shirt, because he hated being asked about the car he drove.
“Oh and what do you drive, Steve?,” asked Paul, suddenly thinking that he wouldn’t be part- exchanging any car for Greg.
“I’ve g
ot a Beamer and Fiona drives a Golf,” said Steve. “I need a big car because I travel thousands of miles each year with my job.”
“And what’s that, Steve?,” Paul asked.
“I’m an auditor, I travel a lot visiting the outlets of the company I work for.”
“So how will U.K.I.P fit in with your job then Steve? You’d hardly have time for that if you were elected.”
“I can apply for a transfer to a different department. I’m thinking of doing that anyway, now that Fiona is expecting again.”
“Oh,” said Paul, feeling at a bit of a loss for words for the moment. “Can I get anybody a drink?”
***
“Come here and I’ll show you this little mouse,” said Mavis to Evan, when he appeared again looking at her solemnly. “Look carefully.” She took her handkerchief from her handbag and scrunched it up to make it look as if it had a head. “Whoops,” she said, flicking the mouse as if it was alive and running up from her wrist to her elbow. Evan was delighted and asked her to do it again. She did that for about five minutes, then asked him if he could find a paper bag? He came back a little later with an empty crisp packet. Mavis pretended to borrow a coin from her husband, then magically threw the coin in the air, then it dropped into the bag making a plopping sound. “Again”, Evan cried, “again” and then he fetched his mother to show her so that she could do magic.
“I hope he isn’t annoying you,” Sonya said, though she noticed the happy look on the elderly woman’s face. “Send him back if he’s a nuisance, but he seems to be having a lot of fun.”
Mavis nodded and hoped that Evan wouldn’t run away.
“Go and get Evan will you,” said Greg to Kate, after Bingo had finished and the fire eating act was about to begin. “He’s been helping that woman dot her Bingo numbers, but I prefer that he was over here with us now.”
Kate complied and brought a protesting Evan back to their table. He had loved sitting on Mavis’s knee and shown how to use the dabber.
***
The dark haired fakir came onto the floor with great aplomb, devouring mouthfuls of fire, to spit out flames like a dragon back into the air. Children who had been allowed to sit cross legged in a row at the perimeter, ran back to their parents to cower in fear. Great whoops and yells came from the half naked fellow, whose only garb was a pair of yellow breeches and a red sweat band. His well oiled torso rippled with powerful muscles and his bare feet pounded on the wooden sprung floor.
“He’d be handy to have at a barbecue,” said Doreen. “The sausages would be done in no time if he was there.”
“Just what I was thinking,” said Jean, “ and useful if your gas was cut off.”
***
“Can I get you another drink, Senoritas?” asked Miquel, as he leant against a pillar watching the showman. “When he stops shooting those flames everywhere, I’ll go to the bar if you wish.”
“Another vodka and tonic please,” said Lucy, “ and this will be my last one, thank you very much.”
“I’ll have “Sex on the beach” please,” said Jenni and laughed when Tina and Anna, who had just joined them, looked at her with widened eyes.
“Then I’ll have the same,” they both said in unison and giggled when Miguel went away with an embarrassed look on his face.
“He fancies you, you know,” Lucy said to Jenni. “He’s been hanging around here all evening. Well certainly since I arrived.”
“I saw him first,” said Anna, pretending to be lighthearted, but she was as jealous as hell. She had been trying to get the waiter interested in her for weeks.
“I’m only here until Tuesday, Anna,” Jenni replied, seeing the guarded look in the German girl’s eyes. “I don’t think he’s the type of man who would like a fling. Oh look, he’s lifting that bloke up and walking on that bed of nails,” she said, looking over to the stage with fascination, but also taking the attention of the jealous cat away from her.
***
“Right, I think I’ll come up with you,” said Greg to Kate, as the fakir left the room to tumultuous applause. “We’ll take a couple of drinks up with us. My throat feels parched after watching that bloke. Come on little man, bedtime. Wave goodbye to that nice lady, did you thank her for making that boat?”
“Yes, Granddad, can I go and kiss her goodnight?” Evan ran off to kiss Mavis, who was so overwhelmed by his action that she nearly burst into tears.
“Sonya, half past twelve, I’ll be listening out for you coming back.”
“Yes, Dad, see you in the morning. Night Mum, love you.”
Sonya hugged her little boy, kissed him goodnight and as the other two families were making tracks also, after she had said her goodnights to them, she wandered over to Lucy’s table.
“Do you mind if I join you?,” she asked.
“Certainly, join us,” said Lucy, “ but I’m just finishing my drink and then I’m on my way.”
“We’re staying,” said Tina. “Isn’t that your little boy that comes to the Kid’s club?”
“Yes, I’m Evan’s mother,” said Sonya. “I hope he’s being good for you?”
“He’s a little treasure and he’s very advanced for his age.”
***
Sonya looked around the room, hoping that Juan would appear before the disco started. She had seen him in the restaurant earlier, but had done what they had agreed to do, not to let on in front of her parents that they were more than guest and waiter. Sonya knew that her father would disapprove should she even flicker an eyelash in Juan’s direction, but hey, she was on her holidays and out for a bit of fun.
The disco started. Mikey announced it was Susanne’s turn to be the D.J, then made himself comfortable with Damion at a table next to the girls.
“I’m going,” said Lucy. “Will you be all right, Jenni, but if I don’t shift myself now, I’ll look a terrible fright in the morning? I’ve still got my blouse to iron.”
“She’ll be fine with us,” Tina replied. “We’ll get up for a boogie. Sonya, Anna, are you getting up with Jenni and me?”
They said goodnight to Lucy, then got up to dance to “Re light my fire” by Take That with Lulu.
It was a favourite song of Jenni’s and she soon got into the swing. As the music ended, the girls made their way back to the table, where lo and behold, Miguel was standing with another tray of drinks.
“The bar has closed now,” he said seriously. “My last work of the evening is to bring you all a drink. For you as well, Senorita, I have brought you a drink from Juan.”
Sonya looked at him in surprise, as did the other girls at the table. “He will be in later,” said Miguel and sat down next to Jenni.
“What’s this?”, asked Jenni, feeling rather forward as she asked the young woman, but she had drunk a lot of alcohol by then.
Sonya blushed as three pairs of eyes looked at her in curiosity. “Oh it’s nothing,” she stuttered, feeling rather embarrassed. “He’s probably just being friendly.”
***
The next disc that Susanne had chosen was “ Hot Stuff,” another favourite of Jenni’s, so she looked around the table to see if anybody was getting up. Before she realized it a firm hand had gripped her elbow and had begun to propel her gently to the dance floor. Of course it was Miguel, who had been waiting all evening to be given this chance.
***
Sonya looked at her watch impatiently, it was a quarter past twelve. If Juan didn’t appear soon she was going to have to go back to the bedroom. She looked over to Jenni and Miguel, where the young man seemed to be in his element, doing fancy dance steps like a matador.
What was Juan playing at, sending her a drink from the bar, then not appearing? She decided to go to the Ladies, then think what she should do.
She applied a fresh coat of lipstick, smoothed her hair, then made a decision to peek through the door of the Bar. He might be sitting with the others by now, but she would have to tell him it was time for her to go.
“Psst, Sonya, ove
r here,” Juan’s voice came to her from the shadows. He was standing behind a potted palm in a dimly lit part of the foyer, so that the night porter couldn’t see him there.
“What are you doing?”, she asked as she joined him, wondering why all the subterfuge?
“The owner doesn’t like us to, how you say, fraternize. If I was caught I think I would be out of a job. Sonya,” he whispered urgently, grasping both of her hands, looking deeply with his brown eyes into hers. “I must be with you. My heart is telling me that we must be together, so that I can show you the depth of my feelings.”
Sonya smiled to herself, after she had listened to the most romantic words that she had ever heard spoken to her. He must have read them in a Spanish novel somewhere and thought that she had come down in the last shower. She opened her lilac sequined evening bag, withdrew her bedroom key, then whispered, “I know where we can be alone.”
Chapter Nine.
“Happy birthday Jean,” trilled Doreen, as her sister awoke the next morning.
“Yes, happy birthday, Jean,” said Milly. “Here’s a card from me, I hope you have a lovely day.”
“Oh, thank you, Milly, that’s very kind. I’m sure I’ll have a lovely day.”
“Here’s my card, Jean,” said Doreen, handing her a large white envelope, as her sister struggled to sit up in bed. “I’ve booked you a hair appointment at ten o’ clock, got to look your best on your birthday.”
“Oh, Doreen, you shouldn’t be spending all your hard earned money on me. That facial and manicure you and Milly treated me to was enough.”
“Think nothing of it,” said Doreen looking pleased. “Now you can have the first shower this morning and you can have a spray of my perfume if you like.”
“Oh dear, the weather doesn’t look very good again, does it?”, commented Jean as she looked through the window on the way to the bathroom. “It would have been nice if the sun was shining and we could have another walk along the promenade.”
Clouds Below the Mountains Page 16