Sunshine and Second Chances

by Kim Nash

  Brenda smiled at Fiona sympathetically and stroked her arm. ‘She’ll be absolutely fine. You should just go, Fiona. She’ll be perfectly happy here with us. I’ll look after her like she’s my own mother. You have my word.’

  ‘Thank you, and I know you will, but I’ll just pop in one more time.’

  Fiona popped her head around the door of her mother’s room. Sunlight flooded through the large bay window onto the chintzy wallpaper and the various photographs of her mum with her family which sat on top of the pine dressing table. It was a lovely room, just across from the main lounge, where Marion could go if she wanted to spend her time with others. Now she was sitting in a wing-backed armchair in the corner of the room, with her feet on a footstool. A blanket lay across her knees and she was propped up on big squishy cushions. She looked really comfy while she was watching Homes Under the Hammer on the TV.

  ‘Hello, dear, are you one of the nurses?’ Her mum smiled sweetly. ‘Have you brought me some lunch?’

  ‘No, Mum, it’s me, Fiona. Your daughter. You’re here because I’m going away for a few days. Do you remember? You’ve only just had your breakfast. Porridge and honey. It’s not time for lunch yet.’

  ‘Daughter? I have a daughter? Well, I never. When and how on earth did that happen?’ Her mum looked at her, puzzled.

  Strange how she focussed on just one part of a conversation, Fiona thought.

  ‘Go! Just go,’ Brenda laughed as she shooed her away. ‘She’ll be fine, I promise. Have a great break.’

  ‘Bye, Mum, see you soon.’

  Her mum reached up to her, and stroked her face, tucking a stray tendril of wavy brown hair behind her daughter’s ear.

  ‘Goodbye, my darling. See you tonight.’ She’d already forgotten that Fiona was going away, but as Fiona looked deep into her mum’s eyes, before kissing her on the forehead, she swore that she saw a hint of recognition.

  Sometimes there was a light in her mum’s eyes and a glimmer of hope came to Fiona that her mum was back, but it lasted mere seconds, before Marion became confused again. It was desperately upsetting to see her in this way. However, it was something that they had to deal with in the best way for everyone.

  Fiona had been so distressed at first when her mum didn’t recognise her; now it just made her feel sad. It wasn’t her mum’s fault. It was her brain playing tricks. And she knew that it was only going to get worse. Dementia affected everyone in a family in so many ways. Fiona’s mind was permanently in turmoil and she carried a permanent ache in her chest. She knew she needed to do some serious thinking. She was so grateful that she had met Brenda, who had been a wonderful shoulder to cry on when she needed a friend who totally understood.

  Fiona grabbed her handbag and, as she headed through the entrance doors, a big fat tear rolled down her cheek. Clutching her chest as she walked away, she felt so emotional at leaving her mum here, but knew it was the best thing for both of them right now. She’d never needed a break more and she would use this holiday to get her head round things before they got even worse.

  She wasn’t quite sure how she made it from the care home to the airport car park, through the tears, but pulled herself together once she’d parked, then made her way to the terminal building. She needed a gin.

  Nine

  Olivia was the first of the party due to arrive into Faro airport. As the plane came in to land, and the captain announced, ‘Cabin crew, five minutes to landing,’ on its descent over the rugged coast line and beautiful long stretches of golden sand, she could see sail boats bobbing on the water and her heart gave a little skip of excitement. It was a glorious day, the sky a vivid cobalt blue and the heat of the morning hit her as soon as the cabin doors opened, along with fuel fumes, and as she stood at the top of the steps, she held her face to the sun and sighed.

  All the flights were due to land within an hour of each other. Fiona chose to fly in from Doncaster because she could get the cheapest flight, Samantha from Luton for similar reasons, Debs from East Midlands as it was her nearest and as Olivia preferred to fly British Airways instead of cheap and cheerful, she was flying out of Birmingham.

  The plan was to meet at the airport where the fabulous Mikey, who she’d arranged everything with, had promised there would be transport to the villa.

  Mikey was such a find. She’d just told him what she wanted and he did all the work – it was a perfect pairing.

  As soon as she’d made it to the baggage area, Olivia immediately headed to the ladies’ toilets. She touched up her make-up to help her look a little less sweaty, spritzed herself with Chanel No. 5 and popped her Carolina Herrera sunglasses on her head while she waited for her Louis Vuitton cases to catch up with her.

  Once she’d retrieved them from the luggage carousel, she pulled her trolley to one side and swapped her flat loafers for some strappy wedges, which were just inside her case. Then she headed for the nearest coffee shop, where she grabbed an anti-bac wipe from her Mulberry handbag, cleared the table of coffee slops and crumbs, and then sat scrolling through her phone until a tap on her shoulder startled her.

  Debs squealed in delight to see her, held her at arm’s length and said, ‘Look at you. Mrs Glamorous! God! You look amazing, Liv!’

  Olivia had forgotten that she’d been called Liv. George always called her Olivia and, obviously, she was called Mum most of the time, or Sebastian’s mum, James’s mum or George’s wife. ‘Liv’ seemed to be a person who existed years ago and she hoped very much that Liv was still alive and kicking and would be very much on this holiday with her girls.

  ‘And you! Let me look at you! You look fabulous, Debs. So well.’

  ‘You mean fat! I’m not daft! I know I’m fat, Liv.’ She laughed to hide the emotion she was feeling.

  ‘Well, there’s certainly a little more of you since the last time I saw you, Debs, but that must have been over fifteen years ago. You still look gorgeous, darling. You always do.’ She kissed her friend on both cheeks. When in Europe and all that.

  ‘Woohoo! Over here!’ They looked towards a waving Fiona and ran over to her, squishing her in a huge hug. Olivia stamped her feet like a dog full of joy to see its owner. She was so happy to see her pals. She hadn’t realised just how much she’d missed them.

  ‘I do hope you’re not having a group hug without me,’ a voice shouted across the concourse, and Samantha rushed across, dropping her bags to join in.

  There was much squealing all around. Travellers passing by smiled and laughed along at the teenage behaviour of these middle-aged ladies who were showing such joy at their reunion.

  ‘OMG! It is sooo good to see you ladies. I’d forgotten how much I loved our group hugs!’ Olivia clung to her friends for dear life. She was quite chilled after a miniature bottle of Bollinger on the flight, even though it had been early. She was glad to be free of her family shackles for the next few days and was so looking forward to catching up with these dearest of friends that she used to know so well, and finding out how the last few years had treated them all.

  A deep, sexy voice sounded from nowhere. ‘Now, if I’m not mistaken, you gorgeous four must be the Pemberton party. I’m Mikey, and I’m all yours for the duration of your time here in Portugal.’

  Four sets of eyes lit up at the sight of this dashingly handsome, tall, slim young man stood in front of them and lots of air kissing went on for a minute or two before a passer-by shouted, ‘Get a room!’

  They all roared with laughter as Mikey broke free, loaded all of the cases onto a trolley and led the ladies out to the front of the arrivals hall where the brilliant sunshine dazzled them all, until they grabbed their sunglasses. To their delighted surprise, a long black limo awaited them. Mikey introduced them all to Vicente, the driver, who nodded at them in acknowledgement and put the cases in the boot. Mikey then joined them in the back and poured them all a glass of chilled prosecco, even though Samantha said that it was only late morning.

  Debs giggled. ‘It’s always six o’clock som
ewhere in the world, darling! Cheers!’

  This had been their standard saying when they were out and about in their younger years.

  They all clinked glasses and shouted ‘yamas’, another tradition from their Greek holiday years ago, as they began their short journey to their destination, which was just outside the marina resort of Vilamoura.

  At the end of a small tree-lined cul-de-sac, a stunning, huge, whitewashed villa with a terracotta-tiled roof stood out against the bright-blue sky. There was a collective gasp as they all saw where they would be staying and realised that it was somewhere very special. White stone lions guarded the pillars either side of black cast-iron gates, and a tiled terracotta walkway led through a small but beautifully manicured front garden – filled with lush greenery and magnificent magenta and amethyst blooms on the most glorious bougainvillea shrubs – up to an arched wooden front door. Mikey winked at Olivia and she discreetly nodded at him in acknowledgement. He’d done her proud.

  Mikey helped them all out of the limo – not the easiest of cars to exit gracefully – and led them to the front door, bowing as he invited them to enter, while the driver started to pull the cases from the boot.

  ‘OMG! This entrance hall is probably bigger than the whole of my downstairs! And oh my, look at that gorgeous fountain in the middle!’ Debs exclaimed at the centrepiece in the bright, airy reception room and the sweeping tiled staircase on the right that led to a huge balcony landing with a large picture window. ‘Although that trickling water is making me need a wee.’

  ‘Wow! I could just see myself swishing across that landing and sweeping down that staircase in a beautiful ballgown!’ Fiona couldn’t believe her eyes. ‘I can’t believe this has only cost us five hundred pounds for five days. What a bargain!’

  Mikey and Olivia exchanged a sneaky glance, which Samantha clocked and raised her eyebrows thinking that maybe Olivia hadn’t quite told the entire truth about the cost of the villa. She must remember to talk to her about it later.

  Debs wandered through the doorway on the left and yelled, ‘OMG! Look at this view!’

  The others joined her, their heels clicking on the white tiled floors and each of them gasped a sharp intake of breath as they saw the elegant yet simply furnished lounge area, with leather sofas and marble-topped coffee table, where the light colours added to the overall feeling of space.

  Bi-fold doors at the end of the room opened onto a huge terraced area decked out with rattan sunbeds and lounging sofas, and the most stunning infinity pool with a bubbling jacuzzi area in the near corner. It all overlooked the rugged coastline and the sparkling turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean beyond.

  ‘Ladies, when you’ve finished admiring that splendid view, let me show you more. Over here, you have the kitchen to the right. There’s a welcome pack of essentials that should see you through until you get the chance to make a shopping list. Cooked meats, a variety of cheeses, breads and salad, as I thought you might be ready for lunch. And I’ve popped a couple of bottles of white wine in the fridge and there’s some red on the countertop by the cooker. There’s ice in the freezer and, at Olivia’s request, plenty of tonic and a bottle of Bombay Sapphire for those of you who might like a G and T.

  ‘And then for your meal this evening, I have a chef coming to do a barbecue. I’ve got a selection of meat, fish and salad. I do hope that’s OK for you. I just thought that after a morning of travelling, after lunch you might be ready for a nice relaxing afternoon by the pool. But if you’d rather go out for a meal, I can swap things around or cancel the barbecue completely. Oh, and before I forget to tell you, the number for Vicente is on the side of the fridge. Just call him any time you need him and he’ll take you anywhere you want to go.’

  ‘Liv, you really have thought of everything. Thank you so much for organising it all. You really are amazing.’

  ‘You are so welcome, Fiona! I wouldn’t say I’ve thought of everything but I’ve certainly thought of the essentials. And it’s Mikey who’s done all the hard work. I just told him what I thought we would all want. I certainly want to get a break from driving and cooking while I’m away and Mikey suggested a driver on standby, rather than being flung around in the back of a taxi. Is everyone OK with staying in this afternoon and then we can maybe go and have a wander around either later today or in the morning?’

  There were nods all round. Samantha was still speechless from the view and couldn’t tear her eyes away, still not convinced this place had really cost five hundred pounds to hire.

  ‘Right then! Let’s go check out the bedrooms. Bagsy the biggest!’ Olivia headed for the stairs.

  ‘Some things never change!’ Samantha smirked and there were giggles all round.

  ‘And that’s something you definitely don’t have to worry about because the bedrooms are all pretty much the same size and every one of them is en suite, so no sharing of bathrooms required. I know that’s something important to you ladies.’

  ‘God, Mikey, are you married? You’d make the most wonderful husband. And if you’re not will you marry me, please?’ Debs roared with laughter.

  Mikey grinned. ‘I’m not, but ask me again tomorrow and I might say yes! Come on, ladies, let’s get you upstairs.’

  Debs guffawed. ‘It’s been a long time since a man said that to me, Mikey! You’d better be careful!’

  He laughed as he led the way. ‘Ooh, you big tease. So, ladies, there are six bedrooms in the villa. Four at the back that overlook the sea, and two at the front that overlook the gardens and many tall trees laden with lemons and limes.’

  They chose their rooms pretty quickly. Each room was, like the rest of the villa, simply furnished yet stunningly beautiful, with cool tiled floors and French doors which led onto a furnished private terrace that overlooked the shimmering sea.

  ‘I think I might just sit and watch the sea for the whole time we are here!’ Olivia laughed and then said, ‘Listen.’ There was complete silence. ‘No kids, no husbands, just peace and quiet! And you beautiful lot! I am so looking forward to spending time with you guys and getting to know you all over again.’

  The driver must have been operating in stealth mode as he somehow managed to get their cases onto the gallery landing without anyone even noticing, so they agreed to meet downstairs in half an hour for a long and relaxing lunch after they’d unpacked.

  ‘Ladies, I’ll leave you to get sorted. If you need me, my number is by the phone in the hallway. There’s a map there too, so you know where the nearest shops, bars and restaurants are. If you need anything, your wish is my command. I can pretty much arrange anything. And I do like a challenge.’

  Mikey winked at them, bowed and backed away, then skittered down the stairs to the waiting limo, which drove off down the lane.

  Mikey tucked his hair behind his ear as he spoke on the phone. ‘OK, Mum, that’s fine. See you soon.’

  Mikey tried hard to be chirpy on the phone but was dreading his parents arriving tomorrow and that, at some point during their stay, they’d find out the truth. He’d put them into the villa next door to the Pemberton party. One of the perks of being the best sales person in the company was getting a whopping discount for family members and he knew that his mum would love the villa. That might distract them enough so that they wouldn’t notice the changes in his life since the last time they saw him.

  Ten

  Debs had already made a start on lunch when Olivia arrived downstairs. She’d set the table, put out the cold meats and was preparing a salad. ‘Glass of wine, Liv?’

  ‘Oh, not for me thanks, love. I’ll have some sparkling water if there is some. Don’t want to get drunk and end up needing to go to sleep and wasting an afternoon that I can be topping up my tan around that amazing pool.’

  Debs realised that what Olivia called ‘wasting an afternoon’ was exactly how she was planning to spend hers. When Liv wasn’t looking, Debs looked her up and down. She had a beautiful figure, slim but with curves in all the right places,
and was wearing a floral sarong over the top of a plain black swimming costume. Her boobs were amazing and Debs couldn’t stop staring at her. She was so classy.

  Liv still managed to look glamorous even when she was going to be sunbathing and there was a part of Debs that was dead jealous. She could never look like Liv. She was fat and frumpy and what she had thought was a glamorous sparkly kaftan at home seemed like a saggy old tent compared to that lovely outfit Liv was wearing. There was no bloody way she was getting her body out though, unless she was drunk, she knew that much. She topped up her glass of red wine, and Liv looked over and raised an eyebrow, noticing that she’d obviously already drunk one.

  ‘Right, what do you want me to do then?’ Liv asked.

  ‘The rest of the food just needs putting on the table, everything is prepared. There’s really nothing much to do at all. Mikey seems to have thought of everything to make our time here so easy. He really is a darling.’

  ‘Oh, isn’t he just? I’m so glad I found him. Shall we eat on the terrace then? May as well make the most of this gorgeous weather and that amazing sea view. We can sit inside at home.’

  ‘Oh, now that sounds wonderful. Shall we start to take stuff outside?’ Fiona asked, appearing in a strapless sundress and a big straw hat.

  ‘Let me help too,’ Samantha said, grabbing some bowls as she walked through the kitchen.

  Debs’ eyes roamed over her body too, and she decided that Samantha was way too skinny and looked quite scruffy in a pair of cut-off denim shorts and a tatty old T-shirt. Samantha had always been a bit of a hippy chick in her younger years and her style hadn’t really changed.

  Debs reminded herself that they were all entitled to wear what they liked. They were on holiday, after all, and who was she to judge anyone else?