by Ian Wilfred
Gemma made her way around the table to where Pablo was standing while Dulcie went to greet her daughter. Surprisingly, it didn’t seem like Janice had even had a drink on the plane, let alone arrive in a drunken state, but how long would this last, and would she behave herself? Rupert took Janice’s luggage into the villa and Jamie put a plate of food together for her. When Rupert emerged, he was carrying two bottles of champagne and was followed by Dulcie holding a tray of glasses. This must be the moment they tell everyone their news, and when Rupert asked Dario if he would be kind enough to open the bottles and pour the champagne, Gemma held her breath.
“Has everyone got a glass? Good. Everyone come over here with me and Dulcie. Now, some of you will already know our news, and although we hadn’t planned on announcing it today, we’ve decided it’s best to do so with our friends and family present.”
The expression on Janice’s face didn’t seem to portray that she knew this was happening because of her arrival, or was any more than a family toast. Was she up to something or was this the new Janice? Not in a million years, Gemma thought.
Rupert continued his speech, telling everyone how they had wanted to rent the villa for another few months, and why this had proved to be impossible.
“Well, everybody, our special news is that Dulcie and I are going to buy this wonderful villa, and we’re going to be living here in Graingcia for the full fifty-two weeks of the year. Glasses everyone!”
Gemma looked at Dario, who had the broadest grin on his face. She’d never seen him looking quite so happy before, but was that because Dulcie and Rupert were going to be residents or was it because he knew Gemma was staying? After a lot of celebrations, Rupert explained to Maria that her job was safe. She could continue cleaning at the villa if she wanted to, and there were tears of happiness all round. Gemma returned to the kitchen, taking uneaten food back inside, thinking Dario might follow her. This was his perfect cue and the next stage of the fairy tale, but when she turned round, the footsteps behind her were not Dario’s.
“Well, young lady, I’d make the most of your time here if I were you, because your days are numbered.”
Gemma was shocked. She didn’t know what to say. In fact, she didn’t even want to be in the same room as Janice.
“I’m going to be living here and taking over the job of looking after Mum and Rupert, and do you want to know why I’m so certain of that, Gemma? It’s because blood is thicker than water. So once I’ve worked my magic on them and they understand that I’m not drinking anymore, you won’t stand a chance. Enjoy it while you can, young lady, because your dream life is about to come to an end.”
Chapter 37
Gemma sat drinking her morning coffee and thinking back to the events of yesterday. It had been the perfect day apart from the incident with Janice and she was proud of the fact that no one could see how upset she had been. Dario and Pablo were both delighted to hear that Gemma was staying on in Graingcia and had hardly stopped talking about the new look villa and its bookings.
Gemma was under no illusion. Blood was certainly thicker than water, and if Janice had indeed turned her life around, Jamie, Dulcie and Rupert would be absolutely delighted. It wasn’t beyond the realms of possibility that they might offer her the role of housekeeper as an incentive to stay on the straight and narrow, and a reward for having done so well.
“Morning, Gemma. No sign of the actress yet? Well, it is still early, I suppose.”
“Hi, Rupert, Sorry, but I don’t understand.”
Rupert gave his take on Janice’s acting performance trying to prove to them all that she had changed her life and there would be no more drinking or partying. He reckoned it must have been a terrific performance to stick to the soft drinks whilst everybody else was drinking alcohol, but he was sure that the moment he, Dulcie and Jamie left for Almeria, Janice would immediately head for Graingcia. They’d seen this little act a thousand times before and it never lasted for more than a few days.
“Yes, Rupert, but what happens if this time it really is different. Supposing she’s seen the error of her ways, she could really mean it this time.”
“Don’t be daft, that’s never going to happen, Gemma. She’s not to be trusted, but the longer she acts normally and doesn’t make a fool out of herself, the more she concerns me because I’m never sure what she’s up to.”
Gemma wasn’t so sure. This could be the one time she surprised them all and then what would happen? That would be the main issue, but today as Rupert, Dulcie and Jamie were going away for the day, she would have to spend the day with Janice. Just as she was pondering how she could fill her day, Jamie was up and about.
“Hi, Jamie, did you sleep well? Can I get you a coffee or some juice? I’m just about to start on breakfast. Rupert’s already out on the bottom terrace, and I think I heard Dulcie moving around.”
“Coffee would be great, thanks, and I wanted to have a quick word to thank you for agreeing to stay here with Gran and Rupert. It’s such a weight off my mind knowing you’ll be here with them both. It’s been a nightmare trying to get the villa purchase moving and the British solicitor’s been pulling his hair out trying to sort out legalities, but hopefully we’ll be sorting everything out today.
“I’m sorry you’ll be left here with my mother, but you probably won’t see too much of her. I bet she’ll sniff out a party somewhere and be off before you know it.”
No doubt Dulcie would hold the same opinion, but Gemma wasn’t going to hold her breath. Janice’s intention seemed serious, but she could only wait and see. She got on with cooking the breakfast, but wasn’t in the mood to sit with them all out on the terrace, especially as Janice would be out there telling them all what she thought they wanted to hear.
Gemma logged into the Twitter account to the new villa, but before she could use it she needed to check availability with Dario and find out if he’d updated it. She also thought it would be nice to take a wander to the house to see the finished headboards. Pablo had taken over work on that while Dario had been driving his taxi.
If Gemma timed it right, she could clear away the breakfast dishes while they were getting ready to leave and be out before they left. That way, she wouldn‘t be left alone with Janice. There’d be no need to rush back tonight or even early tomorrow. Fingers crossed, their paths wouldn’t cross.
“Hi, Gemma, you’re here early. Oh, yes, Dulcie said they were going to Almeria today, so you’ll have a couple of days to yourself. Dario’s not here at the moment. He’s been busy with airport runs lately.”
“It’s the headboards I’ve come to see.”
Gemma spent about half an hour with Pablo, inspecting the finished headboards and considering how to spend the rest of her day. She couldn’t really spend the day with Pablo as there wasn’t anything left for her to do. She wished she’d brought her beach things out with her as it was a lovely day, and perfect for relaxing in the sun, but she could do that any day if she wanted to. Gemma was surprised that for the first time in a long while she was stuck for something to do.
“Before I go, Pablo, could I just ask you – I’d like to go out for a bus trip today and my time’s my own, no need to hurry back as Rupert and Dulcie are away. Is there anywhere you’d recommend?”
“That’s easy, Gemma. The bus which runs outside goes to Melencia. It’s the last stop before it turns round to come back, so you can’t possibly get lost. It’s about twenty minutes after Ceola, where we met you the first time, and it’s a lovely, peaceful little town where people go to fish. I’m sure you’ll love it, although there aren’t too many bars or restaurants. You’ll find the small restaurants do serve the most delicious food though, and as the last bus back is quite late, you can spend the whole day there.”
Gemma took Pablo’s advice and decided to have a day in Melencia. She enjoyed sightseeing around the coast line and had often wondered what was beyond Ceola. She could spend the day there and then go straight to her room and avoid Janice. Walking down
to the bus stop she did notice quite a long queue, but some of the people were probably waiting for the bus into Roncia or Ceola.
She was right. Most of the other passengers did get off at Ceola, leaving just her and four others travelling to the end of the route at Melencia. The roads were becoming more and more winding, and narrower, plus there were fewer houses, but the view was unspoilt with little beaches and rocky coves. The bus pulled into a little harbour village and everybody started to get ready to leave the bus before it turned round to embark on its return journey.
The first thing on Gemma’s mind was a cold drink. It had been quite hot on the bus and she was thirsty. She decided to walk back a little bit rather than continue on towards the sea as there would be more chance of finding a shop. It was a wise choice as before long she found a little supermarket packed to the rafters with everything you’d ever need. After buying a large bottle of water and a fresh melted cheese pastry, she headed back the way she had come and onwards towards the sea. The view was beautiful, reminding her of a photo she had seen of the Spanish coastline of 50 to 60 years ago, quaint, old fashioned with a lack of commercial activity. Looking over the sea wall, Gemma could see that the tide was out, merging with the horizon in a beautiful combination of sea and sky. There were a few holidaymakers but nowhere near as many as in Graingcia. It was now midday, the hottest part of the day, but the refreshing sea breeze made it quite pleasant.
Pablo was right about the fishermen. Quite a few gathered on a little walkway pier and others fished from the little boats out in the harbour. It really was a picturesque view, calm and tranquil with a serene atmosphere. Gemma decided to walk as far as she could along the coastline and then hopefully find somewhere to sit and enjoy watching the world go by. It crossed her mind how much Dulcie would enjoy it here. She wasn’t too sure about Rupert as it was probably too quiet for him and definitely no audience to entertain.
A bit further on and at the end of all the buildings, all she could see in front of her was a rough path which looked like it was getting narrower the further she progressed along it. There were rocks on either side and a scattering of fishermen, but Gemma continued, eager to find the very tip of Melencia.
Eventually she arrived at the furthest point of Melencia, and what a spectacular sight it was with the sea to the right, left and front of her. It was now half-past two and Gemma decided to stay for an hour before heading back to find somewhere to eat. She sat and reflected on her life and how fortunate she was to have a job she thoroughly enjoyed. If Janice’s plan did come to fruition, and she was pushed out of working with Dulcie and Rupert, perhaps it wouldn’t be the end of the world. She could still stay in this beautiful part of the world and find work, especially now she had built up some contacts. She also thought about her friendship with Dario. Would it lead to anything more?
He'd been in her thoughts a lot over the last few weeks, and although the relationship wouldn’t be easy taking Mateo into consideration as he grew up, perhaps she could build on it slowly, taking one day at a time and standing back when need be. But how would it all work if she was still housekeeper to Dulcie and Rupert? Could she manage to do the job properly without living with them, bearing in mind that as they got older they would obviously need more care. There were so many things yet to resolve, but the first step on the path would be finding out exactly what was going to happen with Janice.
Gemma woke up with a start. She had fallen asleep and it was now nearly four o’clock. She was chilly, having been out in the strong breeze for so long, and beginning to get hungry. She gathered her things together ready for the long walk back to the harbour to find somewhere to eat. It seemed right to choose fish being that Melencia was a fishing village and the produce would most likely be freshly caught, but would that be enough to fill her up? She would decide when she got there.
“Hi, Gemma. Sorry, did I startle you?”
Gemma had been sound asleep for nearly two hours, and was surprised to see Nico, Dario’s colleague, the taxi driver who had taken them all home from Dorothy and Sid’s party, standing by her side.
“Oh, hello, Nico, no, but I think I was miles away. Have you decided not to work today and escape for a bit of fishing?”
“Yes, I’m having a day off today to let Dario earn some money. He’s had a lot of time off recently refurbishing the holiday lets when I worked a lot of hours, so now that he’s finished that little project, we‘ve swapped back. It works well for both of us, but what brings you here?”
“Pablo recommended it as I wanted a day away from everything and a little bit of peace and quiet and time to myself. I’ve certainly enjoyed that, as I fell asleep on the rocks. I’m starving hungry now, so perhaps you might be able to tell me about the little restaurants here, and more importantly what they offer.”
“That’s an easy one, fish! I’d have a paella at the Restaurant Melencia. You can’t miss it because it’s the busiest restaurant overlooking the sea wall. People travel miles for it and it really is the best. Once you’ve eaten there, you’ll want to come back time and time again. A measure of how good it is must be the number of restauranteurs who come and eat. That’s surely a good sign. Oh, but now I’ve just remembered. They only serve it for two or more people, but it’s such a great restaurant you’ll have to bring Dulcie and Rupert.”
“You’ve built my hopes up now, Nico, and of course there’s another option. Let me treat you to it. You must be hungry after all that fishing, and I won’t be disappointed.”
“No one can turn away a deal like that. Let me just pack my fishing equipment away and put it in the car first.”
Nico was a totally different character to Dario. Whereas Dario liked to socialise, Nico preferred his own company, hence the fishing. He gathered his bag and rods together and explained that although he hadn’t caught any fish, just being in Melencia was a good enough catch. Fish were an added bonus.
They walked back to Nico’s car to drop all his equipment off and then headed to the restaurant. Gemma could see which one he meant as it was the only one with people eating outside.
“You choose, Gemma. Inside or out?”
“Outside, I think. It’s far too warm to be inside.”
The place was packed and as Gemma looked around she could see most tables were sharing paella, rather like the chicken restaurant up in Roncia. They ordered a litre of wine, a special meal needs a good wine to complement it explained Nico, and as he went to the bathroom to tidy himself up from his fishing trip, Gemma smiled to herself. Here they were, both the same age, both single and neither interested in the other romantically. If it had been Dario sitting opposite her, it would be a completely different situation. They’d be giggling like teenagers and staring into each other’s eyes.
“Right, sorted. Can you smell that delicious aroma, Gemma? I’m so glad Pablo recommended Melencia to you.”
“So am I, and yes, it all smells wonderful. Cheers, Nico! Here’s to a lovely meal.”
They chatted about Nico’s life and background; how he had been born in Graingcia and had lived there all his life. He’d known Dario since he used to visit his grandparents as a young boy and when he moved from Madrid, Nico had encouraged him to do taxi driving for a living. They could share shifts and it had worked out well.
“So you’ve never wanted to move away, Nico? I can see why though. Why would anyone want to move away from this beautiful coastline?”
The paella arrived and yes, Nico was right. It was very special. Dulcie and Rupert would love it. Gemma chatted about leaving university and not knowing what to do, but was very careful about telling him the finer details. Nico decided to leave his car in Melencia as he’d had a couple of glasses of wine, and take the bus back to Graingcia with Gemma.
“Are you sure you’re alright with that? Don’t you have an early start tomorrow?”
“No, I’m off for a couple of days, and then it’s four really busy days when Dario goes to see his parents and his son. Oh, I hope I haven’t dr
opped him in it, but I just wish he’d tell everyone about Mateo. I never know who knows about it, and who doesn’t, which makes things so difficult.”
“It’s alright. Dario’s told me all about Mateo, so it’s not a surprise.”
“That’s good, but the sooner he and Maya sort themselves out the better. One minute they’re a couple and the next they aren’t, but it seems they’ve become closer now Mateo’s growing up. They just need to decide what to do. Will they set up home together in Madrid or here on the coast? Whatever they decide, I’m sure it will be the best thing for all three of them.”
If Dario and Maya were still together, why was he lying to her? She felt betrayed, she’d put her trust in him and needed to know the truth. This was a major shock. She’d spent the day mentally planning a future with Dario in it. Were they even going to have a future?
Chapter 38
It had been two days since Gemma had received the bombshell news that Dario and Maya were a couple. Hopefully, Nico hadn’t noticed how shocked she’d been, but she’d taken it to heart and was upset not to have heard it from Dario himself. She realised that if he and Maya were getting on better, it would be better for Mateo but that was little consolation.
Thank goodness that now the villa refurbishment project was completed and Dario was now organising the bookings himself, Gemma would only see him if he came to take Dulcie and Rupert out or if she needed to go food shopping. She needed to put Dario to the back of her mind and concentrate on more pressing matters – that of Janice and her threats.
Janice had been true to her word, being more caring and thoughtful. There had been no further rude comments or snide remarks, but that was probably because since Jamie, Dulcie and Rupert had returned from Almeria, all they’d talked about was the villa.
Today was going to be difficult. Janice wanted to cook them all a family meal, and while she had invited Gemma along too, she wasn’t sure if it was a good idea. She hadn’t found a feasible reason to excuse herself, and if she was honest, she wanted to see how Janice fared as a cook. Rupert had always joked that she couldn’t make a cup of tea, let alone cook dinner, but all four of them were having a day in and apart from spending a few hours at the beach and picking up a few things from the chemist for Dulcie, there really was nowhere else for her to go.