“And are you going on a date with him?” asked Jenni, brightening up at the thought of her footloose and fancy free friend, actually deciding to meet a bloke.
“He wanted to meet me today, said he would travel to wherever I suggested, but that’s not my style, Jenni. I said I had a lot to do today and I would have a look at him on Tuesday, when I’m on the next airport run.”
“You didn’t say you’d have a look at him first, did you?”, asked Jenni, unbelievingly. “Oh, I’ll be able to look at him too, because I’ll be at the airport with you.”
“I actually said we could have a look at each other and see if we suit. He might be ugly. He might be smaller than me and then I wouldn’t be able to wear high heels. He might have blackheads and I would want to keep squeezing them for him. He might be going bald and eventually want to wear a toupee. I couldn’t begin a relationship with a man I didn’t fancy.”
“Oh, Lucy,” Jenni laughed, “ I bet he’s good looking. If he’s working on a travel desk and representing a company, they’re not going to employ someone who puts the customers off.”
“Well, we’ll see. He’ll have to be really handsome for me to bother to have a date with him. Men can be so time consuming, can’t they?”
***
“I think we’ll wander back now,” said Greg, after Evan had waved the pirate ship off from its moorings, on its way out to sea. “Evan looks a bit sleepy and I think we’ve had enough excitement for one day. We might just manage to get back to the hotel for a late lunch.”
“It’s a good job we went to the children’s play area on our way here,” said Kate. “I bet Evan will have dropped off by the time we pass the place again. What do you want to do this afternoon, Sonya?” she asked, as they fell into step with one another after Greg had negotiated the very steep ramp. “Do you fancy a swim and a bit more time on the sun loungers?”
“Actually, I thought I might go in search of Mikey,” she said, deciding to tell her mother her plan, though she could see her father frowning beside her. “ You know I told you last night when I caught up with you, that he wants me to be part of his show on Tuesday night? Well I actually told him that I didn’t think I was up to it. But, that was because I’d feel shown up in front of that Cheryl, but seeing as she said hello to me this morning, I’ve changed my mind.”
“And what will you be doing exactly?” asked Greg, slowing down so that he could talk to his daughter. “Never mind showing yourself up, you should be thinking of me and your mother.”
“I’ll be taking the part of Freida in his Tribute to Abba production,” she said indignantly. “ What’s up, Dad, did you think he had asked me to be a stripper?”
Greg laughed and started walking on, shaking his head in amusement.
“Anyway, Mum,” she continued, “ you know I’ve been singing all their songs since I was a baby and I have a look of her, except my hair is longer and I’m younger, but it’s the clothes I’ve been worrying about, because Mikey has only got stuff suitable for Susanne who’s taking the part of Agnetha. So, I’ve decided on that long sleeved tan blouse I brought with me and that cream skirt with the frill on the bottom and if you can lend me your black T’ bar shoes, I know they’ll be a bit tight, but no matter, I think I might look quite convincing. What do you think?”
“Well it sounds as if you’ve thought everything out, though if you haven’t told Mikey yet that you will take the part, you’re making plans for nothing. Is there a rehearsal?”
“Yes, tomorrow afternoon. Though you may be right and he could be looking around, as we speak, for someone else who’s suitable.”
“I doubt it,” said Greg, quite proudly, stopping in his tracks to face his daughter. “ No one could sing their songs as well as you can.”
***
“Excuse me, Sir,” interrupted a young man, whose name badge said “Jonathan”, as he stood in their path before the promenade restaurants. “Are you and your family on holiday here?”
“Yes,” replied Greg, regarding him suspiciously. “ We are going back a week on Tuesday.”
“Are you in an hotel or an apartment?”
“What on earth has that got to do with you?”
“Oh sorry, I’m only trying to do my job, Sir. Would you like one of these scratch cards?”
“Why would I want a scratch card?”
“Oh go on, Dad,” said Sonya, quite taken by the smart appearance of the guy with his brown short back and sides haircut, wearing a white short sleeved shirt and black chinos and with a hint of sun burn on his quite handsome face. “ Humour him, you’ve got nothing to lose.”
“Well, nobody gets anything for nothing,” Greg replied, not accepting the card that the young man held out to him. “Isn’t that right, young man?”
“Oh, give one here,” said Sonya, taking one of the scratch cards from Jonathan. “ Have you got a coin for me to scratch with?”
Sonya scratched off two blank squares, then the third one revealed a picture of a wad of currency.
“Look, we’ve won fifty quid!”, she shouted, hopping up and down with delight.
“I said before, no one gets anything for nothing,” Greg said dourly, taking the winning card off his daughter and handing it back to the young man. “ Now tell me what your game is?”
“Honestly, Sir, if you come with me up to that new apart-hotel, you can see peeping out of those palm trees, you will be given fifty pounds and I’ll get 10% commission.”
“But?”
“But you have to listen to an hour long presentation, on a share in a holiday home.”
“Well, thank you for your honesty,” Greg said hastily, noticing the interest on his wife and daughter’s faces. “Come on you two, we’ll be late for our lunch. Have a nice day, young man.”
***
“This is nice, Fred,” said Mavis, as they studied the menu whilst they sat at a table in one of the sea front cafe’s. “We used to come here for our lunch occasionally, if we didn’t go up the other end.”
“I know, love. I remembered they did all day breakfasts cheaper than the other places, but didn’t skimp on the quantity. I’m not saying yer have to have an all day breakfast, Mavis. You can choose what yer like, I don’t mind.”
“Well, seeing it’s Sunday and we’re missing the carvery at the Valia, why don’t we have the roast beef dinner? Are you sure you want to shell out for a meal here, Fred, when we’ve already paid for it at our hotel?”
“I told yer I was going to treat yer today, Mavis. It’ll make up fer a couple of things you’ve been on about lately.”
“Like what, Fred?”, Mavis put on an innocent face.
“Oh, yer know, things. Look are yer going to pick summat off that list, or not?”
***
Lucy popped back to her apartment for a short while to get a bit of ironing done. It had been pleasant sitting with Jenni, but she really needed some “me time”, a little time when she didn’t need to think about what she was saying to anyone. She began to iron her blouses, sipping on a glass of orange that she had brought with her from the pool bar.
Her mobile rang and she uttered a curse. If that was that Adam Bradshaw she’d tell him in no uncertain terms… but it wasn’t Adam, it was Kath.
“Oh, hello, Kath,” she said in a surprised voice. “ I didn’t think you’d be ringing me today, is there a problem about tonight?”
“No, I’m still on for courier duties, Lucy, but there might be a problem with one of the guests,” she said. “I know it’s your day off and I’m sorry for disturbing you, but you know that young couple, Mr. and Mrs. Greenfield? Well he’s just been onto the office and said his wife is hysterical. He’s so worried that he thinks that he should call a doctor out.”
“Oh heck. Well can’t you come over and sort it out, I’m rather busy at the moment?”
“I would Lucy, but I have to start getting ready to leave soon. I’ve still got to have a shower and wash my hair, then change for my evening out at Raffles.
If I come round I might get too involved and then I’ll miss the coach there.”
“Oh Kath, I’ve no experience with hysterical women…”
“Well neither have I, but you’re on the spot and I’m not!” Kath’s voice became more authoritative, as she tried to instill a sense of duty into her subordinate, due to detecting a note of unwillingness in Lucy’s voice. “If you have too much trouble with her, say she starts becoming a nuisance, get Reception to call Mr. Sanchez at home. He’ll sort her out, as he won’t want her upsetting the other guests.”
“Where is she now?” asked Lucy, her spirits plummeting at the thought of facing Tracy Greenwood.
“I suppose she’s in her room, her husband didn’t say where he was ‘phoning from. Ask Reception for their room number when you go in. Must dash now, good luck……” The ‘phone went dead in Lucy’s hand.
***
“Well Jean, I must say you’ve chosen a delightful location for us to enjoy afternoon tea,” said Harry, looking out of the cafe window appreciatively, at the sun dappled waves that were crashing on the shore.
“It is lovely, isn’t it?”, she replied, looking happily at her guests and the chintzy furnishings,
“Anyway, you can choose any cake you want from the display over there, I’m going to have a slice of that sickly looking coffee cake, with the chocolate chips on top.”
“ I must say you’re all looking quite the ladies today,” said Harry, continuing with his charm offensive. “ There’s you looking splendid in your floral dress, Milly, Dorothy equally delightful in your pretty two piece and Jean, last but not least, Jean. Lilac was my dear wife’s favourite colour and your twin set brings a different hue to your lovely eyes.”
The three women simpered and blushed under his beguiling gaze and didn’t know what to do with themselves for a few moments, Doreen broke the mood by lifting her amply covered body up from the chair she sat in and wandering over to the cake trolley to see what cake to choose.
“The meringue and morello cherry topping looks scrumptious to me, Jean, I’ll have one of those,” she said, staring at Harry from her vantage point wondering if the man was too good to be true. Was he being smarmy or was he naturally a gentleman, a dying breed if he was? He seemed to be getting too close to Jean for her liking. Jean was a vulnerable person now that her son had left home and her husband had died. Was Harry zooming in with his own agenda, or were his charming ways the sign of a very lonely man?
***
“I believe there is a problem, Mr. Greenwood,” said Lucy, as she stood outside the couple’s bedroom, with her heart pounding at what she might find beyond the open door.
“Oh, Lucy, I didn’t recognize you without your uniform on. Oh sorry, please come in, thank you for sparing your time.”
“Well, it is my day off,” she said coolly. “ But I have been instructed to find out what is disturbing Mrs. Greenwood. I understand you wanted to call a doctor.”
“No, it’s all right now,” Gary said quietly, “ Tracy has calmed down considerably since I ‘phoned your office.”
“Shall I come in then?” Lucy asked, as Gary hadn’t moved an inch to let her pass.
“Oh yes, sorry.”
When Lucy walked into the room, it was to find Tracy Greenwood sitting in a corner by the window, with what looked to be an official document spread out on the table before her. She looked very whey faced, as she turned to acknowledge the rep’s presence. She was wearing a very pale pink tracksuit, that seemed to make the pallor of her skin even paler.
“I don’t know if you can help us,” she said in an anguished voice. “I seem to have done something very foolish, after reading this contract that my husband and I have signed. My fault entirely”, she said dolefully. “I got carried away in the heat of the moment and wouldn’t listen to Gary.”
“Good gracious,” said Lucy, determined to be upbeat as she joined Tracy by the window. “ Have you signed your own death warrant?”
“No, of course not,” Tracy sighed, “ but we would like a third party opinion of what we have signed.”
“The plot gets thicker,” said Lucy, picking up the document and quickly scanning the page. “ Well, it looks as if you have bought into two weeks per year with a timeshare company.”
“Yes, we know that, but look overleaf at the terms and conditions.”
Lucy turned the page over, wondering why on earth the terms and conditions should make the woman so hysterical?
“It says that the basic timeshare allocation is to be taken in Switzerland.”
“Switzerland!, cried Tracy, “ what the hell is in Switzerland? I don’t know anything about bloody Switzerland, except they make cheese and have lots of mountain goats with bells on.”
“Calm down, Tracy, Darling, let me explain the predicament to Lucy, “ said Gary in a soothing voice. “ It seems we were under the impression that we would have two weeks in a similar apartment to the one we were shown around, but unfortunately we didn’t read the small print. Although to be fair, the man did say all this was subject to availability and the amount we had bought into. Reading the contract again this morning, we found that the basic £3,000.00 we paid has bought us two weeks in Switzerland and not in Tenerife. Finding this out has been the cause of my wife’s hysteria, I’m afraid.”
“Can you help us in anyway, Lucy?” asked Tracy, in a very humble voice. “ Gary is trying to be very understanding, but unfortunately this is all my doing, as I railroaded him into buying the timeshare.”
“Well,” said Lucy, relieved that it was only her opinion being sought and not to have to try and calm down a frenzied woman, about to jump from the second floor balcony. “ I would have thought there was a cooling off period in this kind of agreement, though it doesn’t say here that you are entitled to one. How did you pay?”
“By my credit card,” Tracy answered.
“Then perhaps you can talk to your credit card company and ask them to stop the payment. If you think you have been sold something that hasn’t been explained properly.”
“Do you think so?” said both Tracy and Gary in unison.
“If it was me, I would telephone them first thing tomorrow and ask can they stop the payment? Say once you read the contract you realized it wasn’t what you thought you were getting. I’m afraid that’s all I can think of, other than hiring a solicitor when you get back to the U.K.”
“Well, thank you Lucy,” said Gary gratefully, clutching at this straw that the rep’ had given them,
“All we wanted was for someone to come and give us a voice of reason. Now, are you feeling better, Darling, after Lucy’s advice?”
Tracy nodded and gave Lucy a wan smile then uttered her thanks, so Lucy escaped from their bedroom as fast as she could.
Bloody hell, she thought to herself resentfully as she walked to the lift. When I became a rep’ for Periquito Travel, little did I realize I was going to be a lawyer, a nursemaid, a diplomat and a confidante rolled into one. I’m not getting paid enough and I don’t even get to relax on my one day off!
She said as much to Jenni, as she joined her at the pool bar later, as the last of the sun departed for the day. With her uniform now hanging in her wardrobe and her underwear neatly folded, she allowed herself a vodka and tonic as a reward for her increasing irritation with the job.
“I thought I would be stood looking pretty, welcoming guests at the airport, helping them decide on what excursions they would like to go on, then the rest of my time would be spent topping up my suntan. I don’t even get to go on some of these trips they have. Do you know, I’ve never been to this
Raffles Cabaret, because Kath always manages to go to that. I’ve never been to the Stars on Broadway as that’s another expensive one. I’ve never been on the Medieval Adventure or the Decades Show. Anything that costs a packet Kath always seems to go on?”
“Well, at least you’re getting free accommodation and All Inclusive,” said Jenni, sounding envious,
“and
the pay can’t be that bad for someone who’s learning on the job.”
“Whose side are you on, Jenni?” Lucy frowned. “ I’m on call from morning ‘til night and when do I really get to sit in the sun? On my one day off, that’s when and I’ve just watched it disappearing below the horizon today. I’m wondering if I’m cut out for this kind of stress I’m under. I might be better off on the cash desk at Tesco’s.”
“Oh don’t say that, Lucy, from what I’ve seen, you’re a marvelous rep’. Look how kind you’ve been to me and I’m sure that couple you went to see before are very pleased you listened to their tale of woe. Imagine having three thousand pounds, though Lucy. I couldn’t believe what they’d done with it when you told me. Anyway listen, you’re just having a down day, tell me what trips you’re going on this week and I’ll think of you when I’m back in rainy old England. Pity I’m only here until Tuesday or maybe I could have come with you. I would have booked for La Gomeras or Santa Cruz if I’d had the money.”
“Did you really fancy going to Santa Cruz?” asked Lucy, a plan beginning to form in her mind.
“Yes, I’ve just said so, diddle I?”
“Then you shall go, Cinderella. There’s a coach coming to our hotel around ten o’ clock in the morning and you and I, Jenni, shall go to the ball!”
***
“It’s sorted, Mum,” said Sonya, whispering to Kate after her mother had opened the bedroom door in answer to her daughter’s quiet knock. “ He wants me to rehearse tomorrow afternoon, if you and Dad will have Evan.”
“Of course we will, love. Actually, Evan should be awake in a little while, with him having that snooze on the way back from the way back from the harbour. He didn’t really need much of a nap this afternoon.”
“Well, it’s too late now for me to have a siesta, so would you let me get a shower and I’ll change into my dressing gown, then I’ll get Evan ready for dinner after? Oh, before I go, Mum, I came face to face with Cheryl when I was getting in the lift. They had been to Aqualand and they’d taken Emily with them. Anyway Fiona’s back from hospital and Cheryl asked me would we like to sit together in the Sunlight Bar this evening? I couldn’t say no, could I, it’s an apology in a way?”
Clouds Below the Mountains Page 27