One Summer in Spain

by Ian Wilfred

  In the meantime, Dulcie and Rupert tided away all the paperwork, and watched the television in the lounge. Gemma decided not to eat dinner with the pair of them, but took her laptop and printer back up to her attic room, and left them to think about their first adventure. Alone in her room she could do some more research and get a feel for the resort. The more she saw of the house, the pretty little town and its beautiful surroundings, the more she realised it would be ideal, Ten thousand pounds a month was a lot of money though, but when there’s fifty million burning a hole in your bank balance, suddenly it didn’t seem such a vast amount. The question was whether Dulcie and Rupert were planning on asking her to go with them. A month in a luxurious villa, Spanish sun and the fresh sea air. What was there not to like?

  Later that evening Gemma popped downstairs to check on Dulcie and Rupert and to ask whether they needed anything. They were still chattering away to each other, obviously still full of excitement about their holiday plans.

  “Hi. Can I get either of you anything?”

  “Oh, hello dear, why don’t you come and sit with us? Rupert’s already emailed the company renting out the villa, and guess what? An immediate reply! Well, it’s all booked. We’ve done it, Gemma, and what’s more, we’ve struck a great deal. Six months for the price of five. Yes, we’ve just spent fifty thousand pounds! Oh, sorry, there is just one more thing. We can’t do any of this without you, dear. Gemma, would you come with us?”

  Gemma was taken aback. They’d gone from one extreme to the other – living a simple, quite frugal lifestyle to suddenly spending fifty thousand pounds on a six month holiday. She was so happy to see them finally make a decision though, and for the next couple of hours she printed out everything she could find on Graingcia and Roncia, the town in the hills. Would it be practical? For a start, the hill would be far too steep for them, but there seemed to be plenty of taxis operating. There weren’t any steps in the villa apart from a couple down to the swimming pool and the terrace area, but the kitchen, lounge, diner and utility room were perfect.

  This would be a working holiday for Gemma, yet she couldn’t help but feel excited about it all, despite the fact that neither Dulcie nor Rupert had considered how they would get there. Obviously, it would be a long journey involving travelling down to Dover, the ferry, and a road trip, but that could all wait for now. Dulcie and Rupert were clearly awaiting Gemma’s response.

  “I’m sorry, but I think I’ll have to decline the offer. Why would I want to live in a millionaire’s mansion with a swimming pool, sea view and beautiful sunshine? I’m only joking. I’d love to come with you, only I have one slight concern. I don’t think I’ll be able to keep up with all your partying.”

  Chapter 6

  Gemma didn’t need to think twice. Of course she wanted to go to Spain with Dulcie and Rupert, especially for six months. They had all had a late night discussing everything, although this was just the beginning. There were so many things to consider and organise, particularly how they were actually going to get there, but it was quite amusing to see two 70-year-olds acting like teenagers branching out on a gap year. Dulcie was excited about packing all her summer clothes, and it definitely seemed as if they had both changed overnight. They had gone from being nervous about their big win to now embracing the situation and ready to spend. However, the day would have to be spent focusing on preparing for Janice and Jamie’s arrival.

  The first voice Gemma heard that morning was Rupert singing, “Oh, this year we’re off to sunny Spain, Y Viva Espana.” There was no stopping him now, continually repeating the refrain at the top of his voice. As far as Dulcie’s weekend guests were concerned, Gemma wasn’t sure what part she had to play. Would she still have to be their housekeeper or should she revert to being more of a lodger?

  “Morning. How are you both today?”

  “So excited about Spain and ready to deal with my daughter’s stay, but first things first, I’m off to the hairdressers for a nine o’clock appointment. Don’t worry, I’ve booked the cab. Oh, and Gemma, we’ve been thinking about things and we’ve come up with a little plan on how we’re going to explain about you to Janice. We’ll tell her you’re renting the attic room at a cheap rent because you help us out with a few chores here and there. She’ll believe that, and we’ll cross the bridge about you and Spain when we come to it.”

  Gemma organised breakfast for them all and prepared a shopping list with Dulcie before she headed off to get her hair done. The spare bedrooms were prepared for Janice and Jamie’s stay, and all Gemma had to do was wait until Dulcie returned before taking the cab to the shops.

  “I’m just having a quick coffee. Would you like one, Rupert?”

  “Oh, yes please.”

  As they sat drinking their coffee Rupert started to talk about Janice explaining that should she get wind of the amount of money her mother had suddenly come into, she would be on the phone every five minutes. Jamie would be the complete opposite. For a young lad he was quite mature, and nothing like his mother.

  “Dulcie’s not had an easy life, you know, dear. Her husband wasn’t much use. Oh, he had a good job and was well respected, but sometimes what people see from the outside isn’t a true picture of what goes on behind closed doors. We’ve got the perfect relationship now, we’re always there for one another but with our own space too. In the past, although we may not have seen each other for years, we just picked things up from where we had left them, and the good thing was that as we both went through bad patches in our lives at roughly the same time, we’ve always supported each other.”

  “That sounds like Dulcie coming back now. I’m going to jump in the cab to do some shopping, so I’ll see you in an hour or so.”

  Paul was driving the cab today. Gemma would have preferred Craig, but she didn’t let it worry her. The weekly shop took no time at all and soon she was back putting everything away.

  “Did Paul mention anything to you about Spain, Gemma?”

  “No, I didn’t bring the subject up. Does he know about it then?”

  “Well, I did ask whether he or Craig could drive for us and then come and collect us when we return. He said he’d look into it as he’s not sure the cab would be big enough. He might need to hire a larger vehicle, but isn’t that good news? We wouldn’t have to worry about finding our own way. I’m surprised he didn’t mention it to you though.”

  Gemma’s first thought was that she hoped Craig would be their driver, but she didn’t dwell too much on it as it wasn’t right to think like that. She explained to Dulcie that she thought it best if she stayed out of the way during Janice and Jamie’s visit. Dulcie agreed, knowing that Jamie would take control and even take on some of the cooking duties. However, she did want Gemma to come down for a drink and meet them both, even if was only for a coffee.

  After a quick lunch, clean and tidy up, Gemma spent time online researching the various towns around Graingcia and noting places they could visit. At around five o’clock she heard a car draw up outside and realising this must be Janice and Jamie, she said her goodbyes to Dulcie and Rupert and headed upstairs to the little attic flat. All was quiet. No doubt they were chatting about the lottery win and the Spanish trip. Gemma cooked herself some pasta in her kitchenette and was just starting to print out some local maps and information about Graingcia for Dulcie and Rupert to study at some point, when she heard footsteps approaching her door. It didn’t sound like Dulcie or Rupert, so obviously it was one of the visitors. There was a knock on the door.

  “Hi. Sorry to bother you, but my grandmother’s just sent me up to see whether you’d like to join us for a drink. I’m Jamie, by the way. Nice to meet you. Actually, to be honest, Mum hasn’t stopped going on and on about you, question after question, so gran thought it best if you came down. That might just shut Mum up.”

  Gemma was dreading this, but she could hardly refuse. She told Jamie she’d be down in a few minutes. He seemed really nice, very handsome, tall, dark and gorgeous, but what a
bout Janice. Rupert had warned her in advance that things might not be easy, but she was determined to stand her ground.

  “Hi, Gemma. Hope you weren’t sleeping. It was just that…”

  “I’m nosey. I wanted to see exactly who’s sharing a home with my mother. You do look rather young to be a cleaner. It’s all rather strange, I must say. Now, tell me about yourself. I’m Janice, the Janice, I expect they’ve warned you about….”

  Gemma could tell that the other three were embarrassed and also that Janice had been drinking, so she needed to turn the situation around. Jamie had interrupted to offer her a glass of wine which she gratefully accepted, and before Janice could open her mouth to speak again, Gemma began…

  “Why don’t I tell you all about myself and then you won’t need to ask me any more questions?”

  Before waiting for a reply, Gemma recounted her life story from leaving school through to just having left university and meeting Dulcie. She could see Dulcie smiling to herself, pleased that Gemma was playing the game. She also noticed that Janice was knocking back the wine at quite an alarming rate.

  “No doubt you’ll be off to Spain with these two oldies. You are aware of the money they’ve come into, aren’t you? You must be really interested in that.”

  “Yes, Spain will be so exciting for them, don’t you think? I expect you’re just like me, Janice, wanting your parents to enjoy their lives while they’re still able, and in this case, their little bit of good luck. They’ve worked hard all their lives, and now it’s time to relax a bit and not worry about what the future has in store. Perhaps you’d like to go out with your mother tomorrow, and help her buy a whole new wardrobe for her trip. Isn’t it exciting?”

  That knocked the smile right off Janice’s face, but amused everyone else. Jamie took control of the conversation so his mother couldn’t start arguing again. He was very used to this, and for the next hour they discussed where Dulcie and Rupert would be staying, all about Graingcia and the neighbouring towns, and how Jamie was hoping to pop over for a visit from time to time. Gemma liked the idea of that, but there was no mention of Janice coming too, which was something of a relief. However, Janice was building up to say something, and the look on Dulcie’s face when she finished yet another glass of wine was one of embarrassment.

  “You see, I’d love to come, but I won’t be able to afford the flight.”

  “You wouldn’t have to, Janice. I’d pay for it, so it wouldn’t cost you anything to come and visit Rupert and me.”

  “Yes, you’d pay for it, but you’d be monitoring any money you give me. I’m a grown woman, Mum, not a child, so just make me out a cheque.”

  Things were getting rather uncomfortable now, with Dulcie, Rupert and Gemma all feeling quite embarrassed.

  “Mum, don’t be so rude, and also I think you’ve had far too much to drink.”

  “Listen here, my son. You’re sounding just like your grandmother, ganging up on me like that. She’s not monitoring the money she’s giving you, is she? No, because you’re the responsible one, and obviously I’m not to be trusted.”

  “That’s enough, Mum, please. I’ll tell you why you’re not getting a large sum of money. If you had two hundred pounds on a Friday night, you’d be off out with a couple of your mates. They’d only have enough money for a couple of beers, but you’d be boasting about how you can afford cocktails. Beer wouldn’t be good enough for you, you’d be knocking back the spirits. Then a few of the lads would see you flashing the cash and before long they’d be giving you the eye. In the morning you’d be lucky if you still had the taxi fare home. That’s the reason why you won’t be getting a lump sum of money, and you know full well I’m right because I’ve lost count how much you’ve borrowed off me to go out and piss it up against a wall. It’s about time you and your fifty-year-old mates woke up to the fact that you’re not eighteen anymore, and start living like adults, not teenagers.”

  That certainly put Janice in her place. She didn’t say anything, just picked up her things and left the room. Gemma thought things would still be rather embarrassing, but both Jamie and Dulcie put her at ease, explaining that normally Janice would be arguing back.

  “Now she’s gone to get another glass of wine, Gemma perhaps you could fetch all the things you’ve printed off for our holiday for Jamie to read through. I wouldn’t want to do anything without my grandson’s approval. The good thing is that it’s not too far from Almeria airport, so you’d be able to pop over quite regularly. We’ll be able to advise you on the best nightclubs by then.”

  “Somehow, I don’t think your grandmother’s joking, Jamie. I’m beginning to think I’ll have trouble keeping up with her.”

  “Oh, I’m not one for nightclubs, Gemma. While they’re out dancing themselves silly, we can both go out for a nice quiet meal or two.”

  Gemma felt herself blushing, but also noticed Rupert and Dulcie giving each other a little smile.

  Chapter 7

  It was now Sunday afternoon and Gemma could see Janice and Jamie’s car pulling out of the driveway. Their visit was over, and apart from the embarrassing Friday evening conversation when Jamie had firmly put his mother in her place, Gemma had successfully managed to avoid them both. It would be interesting to find out from Dulcie how the rest of the weekend had been; she would have wagered a hefty bet that Janice would have been nursing a bad head on Saturday with the amount of alcohol she’d got through. Even after storming off to bed following Jamie’s outburst, she had taken the remainder of the wine bottle with her. Once she had gone, the unpleasant atmosphere had immediately lifted and the evening went well. Jamie was a nice lad, and had them all laughing and joking together. Janice wasn’t mentioned at all after Jamie had apologised for her behaviour.

  He had also been extremely supportive of Dulcie and Rupert’s trip to Spain and if they needed any help with any of it he would be there for them both. By the end of the evening, although Gemma wasn’t exactly flirting with him, he would have definitely got the impression that she liked him and that she was hoping he would pop over to Spain and see his grandmother from time to time. The thought of him taking her out for those nice quiet meals made her blush again.

  Gemma went down to Dulcie’s flat with two things in mind. Firstly to find out if they needed anything and more importantly, to discover how the rest of their weekend had gone.

  “Hi, I heard Janice and Jamie leaving earlier, so is it okay to come in? Sorry, I know I shouldn’t take that attitude towards your daughter and grandson.”

  “It’s fine, dear, do come in. You know, the more time I spend with Dulcie’s daughter, the worse it gets. Poor Jamie, it’s a miracle he’s turned out the way he has.”

  “Rupert, that’s my family you’re talking about, but you’re right. Come in, Gemma dear, and we’ll tell you all about the rest of the weekend.”

  Apparently Janice had been rather subdued on Saturday, in part due to a hangover but also because of everything Jamie had said to her. Rupert had kept his distance, preferring to spend time alone in his room and only coming out for his meals. At one point Janice had gone out by herself for a walk, probably to clear her head, but at least it gave Dulcie and Jamie a chance to spend time together and chat. Dulcie had come clean about the lottery win and she was pleased about that as she would have felt guilty keeping such a secret from Jamie. She wanted to help him out financially, and he was most appreciative of that.

  Naturally, the Spanish holiday was a major talking point too. Jamie had tried his best to persuade Rupert to go on a plane but he had met with little success. He had however, come up with a few suggestions, which they wanted Gemma’s opinion on. One being the problem of getting all their luggage into Paul’s car and having enough room to travel comfortably. Perhaps Dulcie and Gemma could fly over to Spain, leaving plenty of space for Paul, Rupert and all the suitcases.

  “Why didn’t we think of that before, Gemma? I don’t have a problem with the car journey, and if you get there first, every
thing will be ready when I arrive.”

  “You’re no fool, are you, Rupert. If we get there first, you’ll just get straight out of the car and onto the sun lounger.”

  “Didn’t think of that, but what a great idea!”

  As much as they laughed and joked about it, the suggestion was a sensible one and something of a relief, as for Dulcie and Gemma, the journey would be far quicker by plane. Dulcie asked Gemma to contact Paul and tell him their decision. It wouldn’t affect him financially, the charge would be the same, but the drive would be more comfortable. She also needed to check flights, transport from the airport and confirm the date and time of arrival at the villa. Time to do a lot more research, plus she wanted to give Dulcie the file of information she had put together on Graingcia.

  “I’m really looking forward to seeing the old town of Roncia. Buses go up the hill every half an hour, and you can see for miles from the top. I’ve been reading restaurant reviews too. There’s such a wide range and all of them are highly recommended for their delicious food. On a practical note, there’s a huge supermarket in Graingcia, so there’s everything we need nearby. Right, I’ll leave you to read through all this, and go and give Paul a call. First though, Dulcie, I hope I didn’t overstep the mark with Janice. I didn’t want to be rude to her, but…”

  “Of course you weren’t rude, dear. Janice has always been selfish, she gets that from her father. He was just the same. The sad thing is she’s not at all pleased for me and Rupert. Everything’s always about her and what she can gain from it. She’s my only daughter and although I won’t see her short of anything after my lottery win, it would be nice if she was grateful and saw it as a kind gift rather than her entitlement.”

  Gemma spent the next hour checking flight transfers and getting information from the agency renting them the villa. They were extremely helpful, going the extra mile to be friendly, and as it was an extended rental period they were pleased that the villa wasn’t to be occupied by young people partying all summer. Gemma joked with the girl on the phone, obviously she hadn’t met with these two 70-year-olds; they were looking forward to partying! As she was printing out all the different flight and time options, the landline phone rang and suddenly stopped. Rupert or Dulcie must have taken the call. Printing off the last page, Gemma headed back into the lounge.