by Ian Wilfred
“Morning. Did everyone sleep well last night? Can I get anyone anything for breakfast? Cooked breakfast perhaps, Craig?”
“No, not for me, thanks. Tea and toast is perfect.”
“So, what’s planned for today? Going out with your friends, Rupert?”
“Not today, no, but I think it’s going to be a really hot one so I’ll spend most of the day in the shade. I’m not complaining, you understand. I love the Spanish sun.”
“And I’ll be joining him. There is one thing, Gemma, dear. Are you going into town today? It’s not urgent, but I could do with a box of paracetamol.”
“I don’t mind walking down to get them, Dulcie, and perhaps you’d like to come too, Craig. You’ll need lots of sun cream on though as that sun’s really strong and you don’t want to burn. I’ll probably go out at about three o’clock, as I’ve a few jobs to do first. Or you might prefer to stay by the pool, but I’ll warn you in advance, these two will have you playing water polo and volleyball if you’re not careful.”
That was the perfect icebreaker, they all laughed and Rupert replied that he hadn’t done any sport for more than 50 years unless chasing young men could be included. Craig agreed to go into town with Gemma, but would stay by the pool until she’d finished her chores. She also wanted to research china and cutlery for Pablo and Dario, and then print off some information to take over to them at some point.
Rupert and Craig were relaxing by the pool and as Gemma tidied up in the kitchen, Dulcie suddenly appeared. Gemma could tell she had something on her mind.
“Everything alright, Dulcie? Can I get you anything?”
“No, I’m fine, thanks, dear. I’m almost over Janice’s visit, but somehow something tells me we haven’t seen the last of her this summer. If she turns up here without Jamie, life will be a lot more complicated. I suppose we’ll have to cross that bridge when we come to it though, but having our current guest here is so much less stressful, isn’t it? Well, I think so, don’t you?”
“Oh, yes. I’m more than happy to have Craig here. I like his company and he’s a decent bloke.”
“And I sense a ‘but’ coming on, Gemma.”
“Yes, it’s just that I hope he’s here for just a holiday with the three of us and not looking for anything else, a relationship with me for instance, because that’s not going to happen. He can’t just hop out of one relationship straight into another. Anyway, I’m not looking for a man in my life. I’m having too much fun here with you and Rupert.”
“You say that, Gemma, but you’re also enjoying being with Dario too. Where does he fit in with not wanting a man in your life?”
Dulcie was right. Gemma pondered over Craig’s visit. If Dario wasn’t here, would she have been more enthusiastic about Craig coming over for a holiday? How could a six month holiday job in Spain become so complicated?
“Well, dear, look at Jamie and Rosa, they just had a bit of fun together and that was it. No one got hurt, did they? No one’s expecting you to settle down with one of them for the rest of your life, so why not go and have a bit of extra fun while you’re here?”
“Dulcie! I’m shocked at your suggestion. That’s really not my style. If I was with a guy, I’d want it to be special, and know that we both take it seriously.”
Dulcie gave her a hug and explained that she just wanted everyone to have a good time, and to make the most of their holiday. Gemma understood that Dulcie meant well, reassuring her she would make sure Craig enjoyed his stay but there would be no bed hopping.
With the air now cleared, Gemma made them all bacon and egg sandwiches and they all enjoyed each other’s company over lunch – Rupert being on good form, entertaining them all with his humour and being the centre of attention.
Gemma knew that the mood would lighten as soon as she walked out of the gate with Craig. If his fortnight’s holiday was going to be a happy one, she’d have to tell him there was no chance of them getting together. It wasn’t going to be a straightforward conversation as it was only a few weeks since she’d said that the reason they couldn’t see each other was because Craig was married. Now that a divorce was on the cards, that obstacle obviously would be removed.
“This is just what I need, Gemma, some exercise to walk off all the extra food and drink. I’ve hardly stopped eating since I’ve been here. As soon as my plate’s empty, Dulcie insists on filling it again. Mind you, I shouldn’t complain.
“It’s lovely here, isn’t it? Walking down this hill it’s all so beautiful. One minute there’s a view over the town and the next it seems as if you’re in the sea. You’re so lucky to be staying out here, you know, but I’ve really missed you all. Okay, I know I only drove you from A to B, but there were the chats and cups of coffee too.”
“We’re all having a wonderful time getting to know the area and the local restaurants and sights. Have you seen how Rupert’s in his element when he’s got an audience? I keep meaning to go with him into town to one of his coffee mornings as he has a whale of a time.”
“Gemma, you haven’t asked me what happened between me and Claire. Come to think of it, none of you have.”
“That’s because it’s none of our business, but you do seem to be so much happier. Paul was always telling you to start putting your foot down with her.”
“I am in a way, but it was nothing to do with Paul, or even me saying that I’d had enough. No, Claire told me that I was boring, and that she wanted to have more fun and excitement in her life. To do that, she needs to move on.”
Craig went on to say that even though all he did was work to bring home the money so Claire could have everything she wanted, apparently that wasn’t enough for her. She’d met someone else who not only liked to have fun, but also had a lot more money. Her parents were disgusted by her behaviour, but pleased for Craig if it meant he could have a better life without her.
“I’m sorry, Craig, but they’re right. Claire used you, and the fact her parents are on your side, says it all. It’s a time for you to move on too, spend some money on yourself, but it also means you won’t have to work all the hours God sends just to keep her in a life of luxury.”
Although Gemma wanted to appear sympathetic to Craig for his marriage breakdown, she didn’t want to encourage him. It wasn’t an easy conversation to have and she felt rather awkward about it. The quicker they got to the town and changed the subject, the better.
“That’s enough about me, I think. So, how are you and the Spanish taxi driver getting along? Last time I was here I could tell he fancied you.”
“Oh, you mean Dario. Well, he has a girlfriend, but I still see him and his grandfather as I’ve been giving them a hand to renovate their properties.”
Gemma wondered why he was asking about Dario, but realised that having said that he had a girlfriend, would Craig see that as the green light to jump in? She changed the subject quickly.
“Have you noticed how much busier it is since you were last here? The beach is crowded now with all the holidaymakers, but in the evening the atmosphere in the town is so vibrant, as is Roncia, although the summer heat can be a bit overpowering. I think Dulcie and Rupert struggle with it a bit, but they’re being sensible and keeping in the shade as much as they can, and of course the villa has air conditioning.”
Eager to avoid Craig talking about relationships, Gemma found herself rambling on at a very fast pace. She wanted to head for the promenade as quickly as possible as there would be so many more people in their way, and therefore more difficult to talk. This wasn’t turning out the way she had planned, but it was difficult to be hard on him.
“Gemma, I miss Claire so much. I can’t live without her in my life and I want her back.”
Chapter 25
After Craig’s confession that he was missing Claire and would do anything to get her back, the week had ticked along nicely. Gemma felt so much more comfortable being around him, but both Dulcie and Rupert continued to persuade him that it was for the best and he really was bet
ter off without her. Gemma agreed, but kept her opinions to herself.
All four of them had been out for evening drinks in the town and they’d also been to Roncia for meals with Dario driving them to and fro. Again, it had been quite awkward as Gemma could tell by Dario’s manner that he wasn’t keen on Craig being there, but she decided that was his problem rather than hers, and tried to remain distant from any jealousies.
Today they were heading out to an afternoon tea party hosted by a couple from Rupert’s coffee morning group. Craig was more than happy to go, but Dulcie and Gemma were really only making up the numbers to please Rupert. It would only be for a couple of hours, and they’d sit quietly in a corner while Rupert enjoyed the company of his British acquaintances.
“Are you ready? Dario will be here to collect us soon. Oh, don’t you look smart, Craig? Let’s see what the girls look like. Come on, Dulcie and Gemma. I need to inspect you both, see if I approve of what you’re both wearing.”
“You cheeky so and so, Rupert. Whatever Gemma and I wear will certainly pass any inspection. Anyway, we’re ladies, not girls, and I can assure you that your new friends will be very impressed.”
Dulcie and Gemma had taken time and effort with their appearance, both wearing nice summer dresses which could easily pass for cocktail dresses, enhanced with jewellery for the occasion. Rupert was more than happy and proud to be taking them to his event. As they waited on the driveway for Dario, he commented that he was so pleased they had shoes on and not sandals. Shoes would be perfect for dancing.
“Dancing, Rupert? I’m not sure I understand.”
“It’s a tea dance, Gemma, and that means there’ll be music! Perfect for a foxtrot or a quick step.”
Dulcie joked that being that they were in Spain, they should be flamenco dancing, and that she’d quite like a few dances with Rupert. Fifty years ago they were never off the dance floor. Gemma assured them she wouldn’t be dancing, and Rupert joked that Craig might, as there’d be lots of single women at the dance ready to pounce on him. Craig smiled, until Rupert mentioned that they’d all be over 70.
When Dario arrived, he commented on how nice they all looked in their summer finery, but Gemma could tell that he was focusing his gaze on her. However, he chuckled when Rupert told him the address.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh. I can’t believe a year has passed by since…” He hesitated, adding, “…it looks like I’m in for a busy night and a late one at that.”
Dulcie was slightly confused. They were going to an afternoon tea party. Surely they would need picking up no later than between half past five and six o’clock.
“You must be joking, Dulcie. It won’t even get going properly until then. Didn’t you know, this party is one of the highlights of the year for a lot of the Brits who live in Graingcia now? You’ll be lucky to get back home by two in the morning, and it will take you the week to recover.”
They assured him that wouldn’t be the case, although noticeably Rupert remained a little quiet. Gemma got the impression he knew all about the party being a wild one, but hadn’t wanted to tell the rest of them. She also realised she was sitting in the line of sight of Dario’s rear view mirror as he kept making eye contact with her, and making her feel even more uncomfortable.
The taxi pulled up at a huge, traditional style villa, balloons on the gate confirming the party destination, and a waiter at the entrance welcoming them with a tray of champagne glasses.
“They did say that this wasn’t an ordinary party, but I didn’t believe them. Looks like they were right though. Right, here we go, and don’t forget the first rule when entering a room, or in this case a garden. First impressions count. So let them see we’ve arrived and mean business. Best foot forward, you three.”
They followed Rupert through the drive and into the back garden, and the first thing they noticed was a woman and two men, both dressed in black, on a stage with musical instruments. There was also a dance floor on the grass with little tables and chairs all around it. This was an ornate party which had cost quite a lot of money to organise. Gemma could see a bar in the far corner and some very smartly dressed bar staff.
“Right, you three, fix those smiles. Here comes one of the hosts, ‘Dangerous Dorothy’, but don’t let her hear the ‘dangerous’ bit – it’s just my nickname for her.”
Walking towards them was what could only be described as a mass of yellow chiffon, much like a giant ball with a head on it, on which was perched a blonde hair do measuring at least a foot high. Obviously, no way was that real, but purchased especially for the occasion.
“Rupert, hello darling. Thank you so much for coming. Of course, you’re a party virgin, aren’t you, your first at Villa Dor-Sid, and who are these lovely people with you? Please tell.”
Rupert introduced them, but when he got to Craig, Dorothy jumped right back in.
“So, Rupert, this lovely creature is a present for me! How kind of you. I’ll not call you Craig, as to me you’re my angel, my guardian angel. Come with me and let me show you off to everyone.”
With that, Dorothy whisked Craig away from them all. They were taken aback. Would Craig return in one piece? Rupert commented that if they thought that was bad, to wait until they met Sidney – the other half of ‘Dor-Sid’. They found themselves an empty table to sit at and while Rupert was greeting various people, they ordered their drinks. Dulcie insisted that he should go and rescue Craig from the clutches of Dangerous Dorothy, but he seemed fine and actually found the whole scene quite funny. He did add that tomorrow he’d be sure to find bruises in places he’d never had them before.
The next hour was spent being introduced to everyone, and thankfully they were not all like Dorothy. Just as they were being served more drinks, the music started up. Everything fell silent, and the music immediately stopped – an entry intro to a man appearing on stage. It didn’t need to be said who this was. It had to be Sydney, also dressed in yellow, but a suit instead of the chiffon his wife preferred. Similar to his wife, though, he also sported a wig – a jet black curly one. Dulcie commented to Rupert that she wasn’t aware it was a fancy dress party, but he just replied that this was their standard look.
Sidney gave a little speech welcoming all the guests to his villa for the party, and that he hoped everyone would have a lovely time. Strange as it may seem, Gemma was enjoying herself, albeit for different reasons.
The music resumed after Sidney’s welcoming speech and couples raced to get onto the dance floor. Gemma and Craig, however, were both surprised at how well Rupert and Dulcie could dance.
“When you boarded that plane to come out here, I bet you’d never have believed you’d end up at a tea dance suffocated by a ball of yellow fabric, did you? Talking of which, she’s heading this way. Hope you’ve got your dancing shoes on, Craig. Oh, no, she’s not alone. Sid’s with her.”
Within seconds Craig and Gemma were dragged onto the dance floor by Dorothy and Sid and by all accounts they both had wandering hands. It made Craig laugh, but Gemma was none too pleased about it. Not wanting to cause a scene, perhaps the best thing to do was to keep stepping on Sid’s feet with her heal. If that didn’t get the message across, she’d just do it harder. Eventually, he made an excuse that he had to mingle with his guests.
Dorothy had taken Craig to mix with a group of four women who had no intention of letting him go before they’d all hooked him in for a dance. Gemma went to sit down at the same time as an exhausted Dulcie and Rupert.
“Rupert, what sort of party is this? There’s something you’ve forgotten to tell us, isn’t there, and what exactly goes on at your coffee mornings?”
Dulcie couldn’t stop laughing and told Rupert to go and rescue Craig before the women did him some damage. He did see the funny side of it, fortunately, saying that he knew they were only enjoying themselves. He knew what Dario had meant though, it was all most strange and not what you might call a tea dance.
Apart from wandering hands and women groupie
s it was a great party. Gemma got her breath back and decided to go and find Craig on the dance floor. As she went up to him, there was a tap on her shoulder.
“Hey, I think it’s my turn, and there’s at least fifteen more women waiting behind me in the queue.”
“Oh, of course, my dear, but he is very nice. You should feel his arms. They’re so muscular. Who wouldn’t want to be swung around by them and not just on a dance floor.”
Neither Craig nor Gemma knew what to say, as the lady walked away.
“Are you okay? Still in one piece?”
“I think so but I’ve drunk far too much in between dancing. All those women kept plying me with drink.”
“I’ve had more than one or two myself, actually nearer five or six. Come on, we can dance it off.”
Just at that point, the music changed to a slow song. Craig looked at Gemma and with a sigh of relief said, “This is better.” With that he put his hands on Gemma’s hips and leant in to kiss her. Gemma had to admit it was nice. She knew she ought to pull away but it was far too late. At that moment she caught sight of something she wished she hadn’t. There was Dario helping a woman out of a chair, and most importantly, he had seen them.
Chapter 26
Ten-thirty the following morning and Gemma was still in bed, scared to move her head. She felt dreadful, and didn’t know which part of her hurt the most, her stomach or her head. What on earth had gone on the previous evening? What sort of people hold parties like that?
Gemma listened carefully, she couldn’t hear anybody else up and moving around. Her last memory had been getting out of the taxi, Dulcie falling over, and the taxi driver helping her up. After that, they’d checked Dulcie was alright and Gemma had got everyone a bottle of water to take to bed. What happened after that was all rather hazy.