“Oh, bang goes my day off then,” said Lucy lightly. “ Never mind I’ll struggle through.”
“The reason I spoke to Robert was because of my wish to second you to the German’s travel company. He’s asked for time to think about it, but he said unless Ms. Smith makes a quick recovery there will be no possibility. Already he must find someone to take over your courier duty to Aqualand tomorrow.
“Oh,” said Lucy again. “ Well I’m sure he’ll have it all worked out by the end of the day.”
“Well, here’s the fax. Nearly a full coach load by the look of it. Cut price bookings I believe, to fill the beds he has reserved from me.”
Lucy nodded, then walked back to the rep’s desk scrutinizing the list. There was a total of thirty nine new occupants. Robert’s strategy for attracting custom seemed to be working beautifully.
***
“Mummy, I don’t want to go to Kid’s club today,” said Annabelle, as the family finished breakfast and were sitting at the table deciding what to do. “ Last night when Jade and I were dancing, you know that head and shoulders song, Olivia came and spoilt it. She said that Tina had told her she had to join in. Then when that lady played the piano and you said I had to sit with you and Daddy, Jade and Olivia sat together, instead of with me.”
“The problem with you, Annabelle, is that you try to take over all the time,” said Cheryl unsympathetically. “ The three of you should all be friends together. Anyway, this time on Wednesday you’ll be back at school and you’ll have forgotten all about Jade and Olivia.”
“Yes I will, won’t I?,” said the young girl brightening up. “ And I can tell all my friends about our new apartment.”
“That’s better,” said Paul, reaching over and kissing her on the cheek. “ I’ve decided we’ll go off to the shops and we’ll buy some souvenirs of our holiday.”
***
“Don’t sit on your own, mate,” said Nobby, as he, and Betty who was sitting in the wheelchair, passed Jim as he sat in the foyer. “ Come and sit outside with us. Got the makings of a grand day, so it has.”
“Aye, thanks I will,” Jim replied, liking the look of the couple who he’d seen around the hotel and making conversation with people his own age, would be rather welcome. “ Are yer going to play boules later, as I wouldn’t mind having a crack at it?”
“Yes, that was the plan. Settle Betty with her book and then wander over. The name’s Nobby, by the way.”
“I’m Jim, pleased to meet you. If you don’t mind I could do with a bit of a hand down yon steps. Me son’s gone off on a trip this morning, he’d have helped me otherwise. What say I hang on here ‘til you’ve got your wife settled?”
“Okay. I’ll just get her down the ramp, then I’ll come back for you in a minute, mate.”
***
Lucy and Lesley sat out on the patio drinking their morning coffee. The sun had come around over the roof top and everyone felt the benefit of its rays. Lesley wore her swim suit under a long white beach dress, as she had decided she would have a swim once Lucy had gone back to her duties.
“You know, Lesley, I’m going to miss these times when we’ve sat and chatted,” said Lucy, “ and the evenings too. It’s a shame when you meet someone you really get along with and suddenly they’ve gone.”
“I know,” Lesley replied sadly. “ I was so worried before I came here, that I’d be sitting in a corner of the restaurant reading a book and hoping no one would notice me. I thought I’d spend the whole time in my bedroom because I’d feel on show. But the time here has been totally different than what
I’d expected and it’s been down to you. You’ve been great, Lucy, kept me company when I needed company, but left me alone when I didn’t. I feel I can go home now and pick up my life again. You’ve shown me there is an alternative if I want it.”
“You mean maybe become a rep’ like me?” asked Lucy astonished.
“Not necessarily, but I could become involved in the industry. I like working with children, so I could get a childcare qualification and work in a hotel creche or a kid’s club, or my other thought was a T.E.F.L course and teach English as a foreign language abroad. The world’s my oyster as they say, unless of course Geoff came back to me.”
“Mmm,” said Lucy, not wanting to reiterate what she thought about second chances. “ Well, we’ll keep in touch anyway and you can let me know how you get on.”
***
“Now there’s a coincidence,” said Betty, listening to her husband and Jim chatting about their younger days. “ Fancy you two being in the same regiment, though it must have been quite a big unit in those days.”
“Well, I was conscripted in 1950,” said Jim. “ Of course with the war being over I had the hope that they wouldn’t be so quick in calling us youngsters up, but there was still quite a bit of mopping up to do. Eventually I finished up in Cyprus.”
“So did I,” said Nobby excitedly. “ Later than you, in ‘57. And it’s such a coincidence, but there was a chap here on holiday last week, who was stationed at Dekelia Barracks, same as me.”
“You know, I was so homesick then,” recalled Jim, after agreeing that it was a small world, “ and yet there was sunshine and glorious beaches, wasn’t there? History if you wanted it up in Pathos; the Troodos Mountains if you managed to get a pass. We’d all pile in a truck and go off to do a bit of sightseeing, but I used to long for rain and me mum’s cooking and of course I was courting my late wife in those days.”
Nobby nodded, remembering. He had loved his time in Cyprus and had been back a time or two.
“Well, if you two want a game of boules you’d best get gone,” said Betty, as she saw Mikey walking along with his shiny silver boules case. “ I’ll get back to my book while you’re at it, I’ve got to a good bit.”
***
“Shame you’re going home tomorrow,” said Toby, as he and Laura got off the coach bringing them back from Santa Cruz with Phil and Cindy. “ We had a great day out, didn’t we?”
“Yep, I have to say walking round shops and hanging around doorways of historical buildings, did it for me,” said Phil. “ What say we let our ladies take their shopping to the bedrooms and me and you get our mouths round a bottle of beer each?”
“I thought you and Laura were skint,” said Phil, after the two men had settled themselves by the pool bar.
“I let her put things on the Visa,” said Toby ruefully. “ Those shops were so cheap compared to home and you have to let them have a shopping spree now and again. Heavens knows, she does without a lot with us having to pay for the wedding.”
“No chance the folks will chip in then?”
“None, even if they approved of us marrying, neither family’s can afford much.”
“You going to have to take a loan out then?”
“I hope not, but I don’t want her to have a povvy wedding. She’s stuck by me through thick and thin and she deserves it.”
“How did you two meet, Toby?”
“We both work in the same hospital. Both of us are nurses and we met at a colleague’s pad one night. I don’t know, we just sort of got on well together and after a few months of seeing each other, we kind of fell in love. She’s a smashing girl, warm and gentle, pretty with it. I hate the fact we have to do all these extra shifts at the hospital, because sometimes it can be days before we can spend some quality time together.”
“And it’s not going to get easier is it, especially with nurses leaving the job in droves?”
“That’s true and we could get private or agency work, but we both think seeing as were trained by the N.H.S, we should try to be loyal for as long as we can.”
“Loyalty gets you nowhere though,” said Phil, “ you’re a work slave at the end of the day. I used to work in a factory, bored to the teeth on an assembly line. Then came the cutbacks, the shortened shifts, voluntary redundancy when they downsized. I got out, took a loan from me father and never looked back.”
“Ah, but you
were probably lucky, mate. Right place, right time, but some of us are glad we got the chance in the first place.”
***
“There you are Dad,” said Terry, spotting his father chatting away to a couple under a palm tree, “ had a good day?”
“Yes, thanks to Nobby and Betty here, I’ve had a lovely day. This is my son, Terry. As I told you he’s been on an excursion with his friend Bryce. Is he not with you, lad?”
“No, he’s gone to his bedroom to change and he needs to put a call through to his office. It’s shame you couldn’t have come with us, Dad, you would have loved the place.”
“Aye, I saw all the pictures in the tour book. Did yer know there’s one in the rep’s area? Looks like a place I’d love to visit, but I know I couldn’t stand too long on these legs.”
“We’ll have to lend you Betty’s wheelchair,” joked Nobby, but Jim said he didn’t think much of the idea.
“Anybody for drinks then?” asked Terry, “ I’m in the chair.”
Everyone laughed, because they still couldn’t get over the fact they were All Inclusive.
***
“I suppose I must think about packing,” said Anthea, as the sun began to sink behind the palm trees. “The time has gone so quick this week, but that’s what happens when you get to meet so many lovely people.”
“Amen to that,” said Brian, “ but soon we’ll be back into the swing in Bournemouth and be meeting lovely people again.”
Neither Charles or Judith understood the couple’s reference to what they secretly aspired to, and would have been relieved, if they had known, that they never quite made it on the list!
***
“Time to pick Olivia up from Kid’s club,” said Samantha, as she felt a chill on her body as the sun began to fade.
“I’ll go,” said Frank, who was looking for something to do. He’d had a game of boules that morning and had done very well if he did say so himself, but this holiday was beginning to get a bit boring and he’d be glad when they started getting out and about. Olivia was going with her parents to Aqualand tomorrow, something their granddaughter was very pleased about because so was her friend Jade and he and Betty were going to have a walk to the harbour. Just the two of them together without the company of “ frosty face”, his son in law.
***
“I’m so pleased you agree with me, Darling, over renting the apartment out,” Paul said to Cheryl, as they walked back to the hotel after letting the children spend some time in the kiddies’ park, a McDonald’s and a few souvenirs, care of duty free.
“The only thing I’m bothered about is the furnishings,” Cheryl replied frowning a little. “ If we rent it out we will need utility furniture, but how will we feel when our friends and family use it and see that we’ve only bought cheap and cheerful stuff? And us for that matter?”
“But Cheryl, if we don’t put it on the rental market, how am I going to pay the mortgage on it? You said yourself you would find it very hard running a home and getting a part time job, so how am I supposed to pay for the apartment otherwise?”
“You’ll just have to work harder and make sure you’re front line when it comes to your commission, though how I’m going to manage with the children on my own I just don’t know.”
“Oh Cheryl,” he groaned. “ I wish now we hadn’t put a deposit down, it’s going to be a mill stone around my neck.”
“So, you’re saying now you don’t want to be on the property ladder. You don’t want us to have a own villa on Tenerife one day?”
“I don’t know what I want now, you’ve got me so confused with everything, but I do know I’m going straight to that bar, smoke a cigar and have some time on my own to think.”
***
“Men, they’re never happy,” said Cheryl to Kate, after they met up later at the kiddie’s park, where Evan and Jack were swinging around like monkeys on the climbing frame.
“Do you know we’ve had a lovely day. Paul bought Jack a beautiful yacht that he can sail on the lake at Heaton Park; he bought Annabelle a Spanish dancer doll and a bottle of Chanel for me. We went to McDonalds and the kids had nuggets and fries and then coming back to the hotel he has to spoil it all by talking about that damn apartment again. I told him last night, that by renting it out through an agency, we going to get all sorts of people using it and do you know, I can’t even have it furnished to my taste in case of damage. Damage! Our apartment! I don’t know if I want to stay in a place that has utility furniture and people we don’t know using it before us.”
“But maybe that’s the only way Paul can pay for the place, by putting it through a management agency,” said Kate, not knowing the couple’s finances and trying to be careful what she said.
“He’s got shares he could sell, his father left them to him. If he was to sell them at the current value he’d be able to pay half of what the apartment costs, but no, we have to wait for a rainy day or keep them towards the children’s education. I know what he’ll be like when we get back home and has to work overtime before the management company starts the rentals, he’ll be moaning that he’s bitten off more than he can chew. If I had my way and usually I do, I’d rent it out to people like yourself and Steve and Fiona. Nice people who I know will look after the place.”
“Then you’ll have to keep in touch then, Cheryl. Give me your phone number later, though I’m not sure Greg will go self catering after this All Inclusive holiday.”
***
Paul and Greg stood at the pool side bar, having a drink together before they got ready for their evening meal.
“When do you think we’ll get our passports back, Greg?” Paul asked, still fuming over Cheryl’s attitude and feeling glad to be going home in the morning, because soon he’d be back at work where he could have a rest. Selling cars was easy, compared to having a fortnight’s holiday with the wife and kids. He drew on his cigar and blew a smoke ring, while he listened to Greg.
“I think you can go to Reception at any time today, providing you settle any outstanding account you have with the hotel.”
“And I suppose I’ll have to wear this wristband thingy until after breakfast?”
“‘Fraid so, though I don’t know if you noticed, but none of the waiters seemed to have bothered whether you wear them or not.”
“It’s a tom fool idea, I hope that owner listened to my suggestion.”
“Well, you’ll never know now you’ve bought that apartment, will you?”
“Unless we have to stay in a hotel while we’re doing the place up. You know with furniture and the like, but I could go for the easy option. If I sign up with a management company, they’ll give me a package deal, depending on how much I’m willing to spend with them.”
“And what does Cheryl feel about that? I know Kate wouldn’t be happy if she wasn’t allowed to choose the furnishings.”
“Beam me up, Scottie,” said Paul, shrugging his shoulders. “ I don’t know where I am with her anymore. I wish I’d never taken her up that day to Mount Teide. It was when she saw those posh villas, that she started nagging about us buying one.”
“Know the feeling, mate,” said Greg, taking his glasses off and giving them a quick polish. “ I’m still in the dog house from all those months ago in Cyprus.”
***
Lucy’s mobile rang, just as she and Lesley had decided to go and change for dinner. It had been a pleasant afternoon for both of them, as Lucy snatched a few minutes to chat with Lesley by the pool bar or Lesley had sat with Lucy in the rep’ area. She answered the phone while Lesley went on ahead of her.
“Lucy Bromwich speaking. Oh, hi Robert, what can I do for you? Yes, they seemed to enjoy their excursion, well nobody complained anyway. Oh, you’ve managed to find a courier for the rest of the week. So where does that leave me and Kath if she comes back? Oh, she’s not coming back for the time being, she’s going to her sister’s for a few weeks. So what’s going to happen now, Robert, when will I get a day off? Time off in lieu
, oh. If you don’t mind me asking Robert, because Mr. Sanchez has already spoken to me about it, how will this all work out if the German company want to send clients to the Valia? Oh, Isabelle is going to help me. Well, yes, I can live with that, she seems very nice.”
***
Lucy and the owner of Periquito Travel spoke for a few more minutes and then Robert rang off, leaving her reeling with surprise at how things had turned out. She had only been an employee of the company for the past seven weeks and it looked as if she was going to be promoted!
It seemed that Kath felt she needed time to recover, though Lucy had a sneaky feeling that her supervisor had got all this planned anyway. She was so obviously miffed over the turn of events and not in her favour, that she was throwing in the towel. Meanwhile Isabelle, who had a huge knowledge of the island that she had lived on all her life, was being put forward by her father as a help mate. It seemed that help was going to be needed, as the Germans had reserved a large amount of beds.
“It’s just a question of finding the right person to represent them,” Lucy explained as she and Lucy chose their starters from the cold buffet later. “ Their contract starts at the beginning of May, but I hope to see Uwe sooner.”
***
“All packed, Cindy,” said Phil, as he put his last T’ shirt on top of the pile of clothing in his suitcase, then went to the bathroom to see if he had left anything hanging on the back of the door. “We’ll have a few drinks with Toby and Laura and then after that woman’s been on, we’ll have an early night. Have you enjoyed it here, my love?”
He walked over to where Cindy was checking all the drawers to make sure that they were empty.
“I have to admit it’s been nice that you took the hint and stopped using the mobile all the time, but I suppose it’ll all start up again the minute we get home.”
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