Clouds Below the Mountains

by Vivienne Dockerty

  Greg sipped on the beer that he had ordered from Miguel, who had passed by whilst collecting glasses. He tried to concentrate on his book but couldn’t help looking over to Brian and Anthea, who were sitting at the bar talking to some newcomers. He must be going mad, he thought, as he looked at the lightly tanned bare shoulders of Anthea, who was wearing a sexy black bustier top and a pair of white tailored crop pants. He must be having one of those mid life crisis’s. Here he was fancying a stranger, when his wife was just as attractive and was obviously fancied by Brian too. But strangely enough that didn’t make him jealous, which made him worry if he was thinking straight?

  Chapter Twenty One.

  Hilary Margaret Mansell, known as Meggie, sat her well padded bottom onto a sun lounger and indulged herself in a long sigh of relief. She had made it then, after starting out from her home in Blackburn at 4a.m that morning, hanging around at the airport until her flight was called, then clinging to her seat as the plane took off for the four hour journey, she was actually sitting under a warming sun in Tenerife.

  This was her first ever gig in a foreign land, her first trip ever to a foreign land and here she was wearing an all encompassing white blouse, with a pair of white linen trousers, staring at a pair of palm trees by an Olympic size swimming pool.

  It had been Barry, her agent, who had talked her into coming here. Her bookings had been sparse in the Working Mens’ social clubs in and around her home town, over the last twelve months. He had hinted that the managers were looking for younger, brighter acts to entertain their punters, though he hadn’t been cruel and said it was because she was now 62. She’d had twelve years in the entertainment business; she’d sort of drifted into it after her second husband died. It was a living, kept the wolf from the door for her and her then teenage daughter, Suzy and she’d enjoyed the applause and excitement from entertaining the boozy clientele.

  But now it seemed she was being edged out of the industry, though the rent still needed paying and the usual household bills. So here she was, booked by the management on a two night trial basis, with food, accommodation, a very small fee and a flight back to Manchester on Tuesday.

  If she didn’t make this audience laugh, Barry would be booking her on a tour of Old People’s Homes!

  ***

  “So Sonya, if you don’t think I’m being nosey, where are you up to with your love life?” Kate asked, as mother and daughter walked back to the hotel with the children.

  “I could ask you the same question, Mum,” said Sonya, tongue in cheek. “ Dad seems very taken with that Anthea, so where does that leave you?”

  “I asked the question first,” Kate replied, feeling a little annoyed because she hadn’t really given it a lot of thought on how she felt about Greg’s attraction to Anthea. “ And anyway your Dad’s on holiday.”

  “I’d be as jealous as Hell if I were you, Mum. You saw how he had a go at me yesterday because he wanted to spend last night in their company. Normally he’s quite happy for me to leave Evan with him.”

  “Well I’m not jealous, he’ll only make a fool of himself in the long run. Brian and Anthea have a very strong relationship and you only have to look at them to see that they’re in love.”

  “Whereas I can look at you and Dad and see that you’re not in love.”

  “We’ve been married a long time, things change as you get older. Anyway, moving swiftly on, how are you getting along with Mikey?”

  “He’s okay, a bit of a laugh, not husband or father for Evan material though. He’s been talking about going back to England at the end of the winter season and wants us to meet up for a drink.”

  “And?”

  “Oh, I don’t know, it depends whether I get a better offer. We’ll have to see if he keeps in touch.”

  ***

  Terry Hunter helped his father down the steps onto the pool bar terrace, then guided the old man to a table which overlooked the swimming pool.

  “Sit there, Dad,” he said. “ What would you like to drink? I don’t think they’ll have Guinness though on the All Inclusive tariff.”

  “You’re all right, Son,” said Jim Hunter. “ I’ll just have a small glass of beer. I took two of my tablets with my lunch as you know, so I’d best be careful until this evening.”

  He pulled another chair over to rest his leg upon, while his son went to the pool bar to put their drinks order in.

  “So, what do you think of the place, Dad?” asked Terry, when he came back with their drinks.

  “It’s all right, Son, the bedroom seemed comfortable and what we ate at lunch was very filling. The only thing I have about coming on a foreign holiday is that you have to travel on a damn plane. I didn’t know where to put my legs the whole time we were coming here.”

  “I know, Dad,” said Terry sympathetically. “ It’s because we’ve got long legs and aircraft are only designed for midgets. I’ll try and get us a seat by one of the exit doors on our flight back again.”

  “That will probably be my last flight anyway, Son. At my age I think I should be thinking about going on holiday to Blackpool, not gadding about in foreign parts.”

  “Dad, you’re only seventy three, you’re hardly in your dotage, are you?”

  “I suppose not, but it seems like it. Since I had that fall I don’t have the confidence that I used to have. If you hadn’t moved up from London to look after me, I probably would have had to stay in hospital. Either that or they would have put me in an old folks home. Eh, I wish Maisie was alive, not a day goes by that I don’t think on her. Who would have thought that I’d have outlived your mother?”

  “Cheer up, Dad. Mum wouldn’t have wanted you to keep mourning her, she would have said you should make a new life for yourself.”

  “How would you have known what your mother thought or said? We hardly saw you once you’d gone to London, she really missed you all those years you stayed away.”

  “You know there was a good reason why I kept myself down in London, Dad.”

  “Aye, I know and it would have killed your mother if she had known what was going on.”

  ***

  “Greg, we were sure you wouldn’t mind, so we brought Charles and Judith over to meet you.” Anthea began to organize sun loungers, so that the newcomers could sit with Greg and themselves. “They’re from Weston-Super-Mere and they run a little bistro just outside the town. We seem to have so much in common, but we thought it was rude of us to ignore you when you’re sitting on your own.”

  “You shouldn’t have worried, Anthea,” said Greg, flicking his eyes quickly over Judith, a woman in her fifties. A little on the plump side, auburn hair cut in a bob and wearing beige shorts with a green T shirt top. “I’m quite enjoying reading this book. I could let you have it, Brian, when I’ve finished.”

  “No time to read a book old man, not when you’re married to my gorgeous Anthea. Perhaps Charles might like to borrow it?” he finished, thinking that Charles looked a bit bookish with his prescription sunglasses on.

  “I’ve brought lots of paper backs, thanks,” said Charles, a sparse haired portly looking man who perhaps tasted a lot of dishes before he served them. “ I can let you have a look at mine when you’ve finished with that one.”

  Greg nodded and feasted his eyes back on Anthea.

  ***

  “I don’t know what I’m going to do about Uwe and Heiko,” wailed Lucy to Lesley, once the German men had gone off to their bedroom to change into their swim wear, as they intended jumping in the pool. “Twenty three new guests on this list, there are fourteen extra late bookings.”

  “It must be all the rain they’re having in England at the moment, Lucy, though it hasn’t been wonderful weather here either. Is there anything I can do to help you ?”

  “Well, for the moment I would be grateful if you could sit at the rep’s desk, while I go back to the apartment and change back into my uniform. You only have to sit there and look pretty, I won’t be away too long.”

  “
But what do I say if someone wants to get in touch with you,” said Lesley, feeling rather nervous at such a responsibility.

  “Oh, keep them talking. I’m sure you can think of things to say, with you being a teacher.”

  The two girls walked through the foyer together, then Lucy dashed off and left Lesley in charge. She sat on a chair by the swap box and idly looked at the book covers.

  “My, my, who have we got here?” said Uwe, as he and Heiko came along wearing swimming trunks with white hotel towels wrapped around their shoulders.

  “Lucy has gone to change into her uniform. I suppose she will be on duty now until this evening.”

  “And what about you?” asked Heiko. “ What are your plans for the rest of the day?”

  “I think Lucy wants a bit of help, but then I’ll relax in a sun chair.”

  “Go and get your swimming clothes,” said Uwe, knowing that Heiko would be very pleased if Lesley would spend the afternoon with them. He had been dropping hints while they had been changing in the bedroom, that he would really like to get to know this woman better.

  “Maybe later,” Lesley replied, feeling embarrassed all of a sudden, “ I’ll wait until Lucy comes back and then I’ll see.”

  “Make the most of our presence, Lesley,” Uwe suddenly said roguishly. “ We are at dinner this evening with Sanchez and we travel back to Germany on Sunday. There is only tomorrow, you know!”

  “Uwe!” Heiko started to speak in his native tongue quickly. From his tone it sounded as if he was chastising his friend. Uwe shrugged and looked a little shamefaced, then smiling broadly he switched to English and apologized.

  Lesley was saved from answering, as Lucy came rushing back in her uniform, but wondered later, why it had taken so long for her pounding heart to subside?

  ***

  “Let’s have a walk down to the sea front,” said Frank Brooks to his wife Linda, after they had eaten their lunch with their daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter, Olivia. “ We’ll take Olly with us and they can sit by the swimming pool.”

  “I’ll just ask,” said Linda. “They may want to come with us and don’t let Rhys hear you call Olivia

  “Olly”. You know that he doesn’t like her name abbreviated.”

  “Stuck up snob,” Frank replied. “ Just because he works in the Civil Service, he thinks he’s a cut above.”

  “Shh, Frank,” his wife said pleadingly. “ They’re coming now and you promised you would make a special effort to get on.”

  “That was a nice lunch,” said Samantha, their daughter. “ If I keep eating like that though, every day I’ll be needing to shop for a bigger size when I get home.”

  “You need a bit of weight on you, Sam,” said her father. “ I don’t know, you young women rushing around like you do. Working full time, seeing to your family and having to run a home as well. No wonder there isn’t a pick on you.”

  “Won’t be for long, Father- in-law,” said Rhys proudly. “ When I pass my promotion board in April, Samantha will be able to work part time.”

  “We were just wondering if you would like to come with us to the sea front?” Linda said quickly, before a discussion could take place on how Rhys was quite able to support his family, but it was Sam who wanted to continue working as an occupational therapist. It was a bone of contention, regularly brought up, as Rhys wanted his wife to have another child.

  “I’ll pass if you don’t mind, Mum. We were just saying it would be nice to sit out on a sun lounger and get some sun before it goes in.”

  “Can I come, Grandma?” asked Olivia, who at four years old was an independent little soul.

  “Of course you can, if your mummy and daddy agree.”

  “I don’t know where she gets the energy,” said Sam to her husband. “ We’ve all been up since four this morning, you’d think she’d want to have a rest like we do.”

  “It will most probably do her good to get some fresh air by the sea side,” said Rhys, setting off down the steps to the pool area. “ But don’t go giving her sticky sweets, I don’t want her ruining her baby teeth.”

  ***

  “Been here long?” asked a dark skinned young man, as he and a fair haired girl walked up to the pool bar, where Phil was getting Cindy and himself another drink.

  “Since Tuesday,” Phil replied, after nodding to Juan when the waiter indicated a certain beer pump.

  “We’ve just arrived,” said the man. “ Came in from Manchester earlier on.”

  “Well, get yourselves a drink and come and join me and the missis,” said Phil, pleased that they might have some company, because he and Cindy seemed to have run out of things to say. “ We can fill you in on the hotel, then you needn’t bother going to a naff Welcome meeting tomorrow.”

  “Will do, thanks mate. I’m Toby by the way and this is Laura, my girlfriend.” Laura smiled and nodded to Phil, then gave a little wave to Cindy who was sitting at a nearby table.

  “I’m Phil and she who must be obeyed is Cindy. Join us when you get your drinks and we’ll have a natter.”

  “So,” said Toby, when he and Laura had sat down with the couple. “ What’s the weather been like since you’ve been here?”

  “Yesterday was terrible,” said Cindy. “ It rained all day, but the Animacion team put a quiz on in the morning and old time dancing in the afternoon. I know, I know,” she said, seeing Toby grimace, “but some of the older people enjoyed it and it was something to do. They didn’t do much in the evening, but we’d made some friends who went home this morning, so we just had a few drinks with them.”

  “Have you been on any of the trips?” asked Laura.

  “No, we don’t do trips,” said Phil. “ We just laze about. Both of us work, so that’s all we want to do on holiday.”

  “What do you?” asked Toby, “ for jobs I mean?”

  “I have a bookies and Cindy has a small boutique in Tunbridge Wells.”

  “Oh, do you sell wedding dresses?” asked Laura. “Only we’re getting married in July and I still haven’t found the dress I want yet.”

  “Unfortunately I don’t. We have a big bridal shop there already, so when I was deciding what to sell in my shop, I knew I couldn’t sell bridal wear. Something to do with exclusivity I’ve heard. Surely you must have bridal shops up there in Manchester.”

  “Oh we do, but the dresses I like are so expensive and Toby and I are paying for our own wedding, as our parents have virtually disowned us. With the mortgage on our semi and the usual bills we have to pay, we can only afford a small wedding.”

  “So, problems with the in-law’s,eh?” said Phil smirking at Cindy. “ We’ve always had problems, haven’t we, Cin? My parents are still reeling from the shock that I got married for the third time.”

  “And mine are still reeling from the shock, that I married someone who was getting married for the third time.” Everyone laughed, but the newcomers looked a bit uncomfortable.

  Toby took a sip of his beer, looked at Laura, then said. “ Both our parents are against us marrying because of my colour. You’d think that in this day and age there wouldn’t be any prejudice. I’m second generation black, born in Britain after my parents came over from the Caribbean in the late sixties and I don’t really see I’m different when I look in the mirror. My parents are against me marrying Laura because she’s white. Her parents are against her marrying me because I’m black.”

  “Can’t see it matters as long as you love each other,” said Phil. “ You want to do what Cindy and I do, ignore them. They’ll get over it.”

  “Anyway, we thought we’d have some time away from the problem and we saw this last minute holiday, really cheap on the Internet,” said Toby, feeling relieved that they’d got their explanation out of the way. Now they could relax and enjoy themselves and hopefully have made some friends as well.

  ***

  “Oh there you, darlings,” cried Cheryl, as she and Paul came out to look for their children who were playing on some nearby sw
ings. “ Have they been good for you, Kate?”

  “Yes, of course. We went on the little train and they’ve been playing well together ever since. It looks like Annabelle has a new friend, I believe her name is Jade. Her mum’s over there by the tennis court. Her name’s Roz and they come from Bristol.”

  “We’ll pop down beside you, if you don’t mind Kate. Paul, be a love and get me an orange juice. Do you want him to get you anything, Sonya, Kate?”

  “I’ve still got a drink, thanks,” said Sonya, indicating her half full glass.

  “I’ll have a cola if you’re going, thanks,” said Kate.

  Cheryl smiled at Anthea and Brian in greeting, who were sitting further along the row of sun loungers with Greg, who was still engrossed in his book.

  “So how did it go?” asked Kate, who had been wondering how long the couple would be away for, as the sun was beginning to dip behind the palm trees.

  “Oh, you know, we signed some papers and opened a bank account and then everything else will be done back in England, I dare say.”

  “You don’t sound over the moon if you don’t mind me saying so.”

  “It’s me, Kate, I’m an ungrateful cow. I just wish we hadn’t jumped at the apartment, we should have come out here again and had another look around.”

  “Well, it’s done now if you’ve signed papers and opened a bank account.”

  “I know,” Cheryl pulled a face, then worried a piece of skin on her finger. “ Shush, here comes Paul, he’s really happy that he’s given me what I wanted.”

  “So, anything exciting on tonight, Sonya?” asked Paul, once he’d given out the drinks and settled himself down on his sun lounger.

  “A comedienne I believe. Mikey says she’s never worked abroad before though. In fact if you look over there just at the side of the steps by the pool bar, I have a feeling that’s the lady herself. See, she’s reading a magazine, the one in white with all that orange hair.”

  Everyone looked over, then Paul said chuckling. “You’re getting quite pally with Mikey, aren’t you? Are you going to keep in touch with him?”