by S M Mala
‘Because Hatty,’ Philip said gently. ‘Me know ya get upset an’ ya look too ‘appy a gal yesterday.’
‘Gina Glory Glory will be happy,’ she hissed.
‘An’ ‘e met Gabriel. Me say ‘e was your special friend,’ laughed Philip. ‘Jake dere?’
‘He’s swimming in my cove.’
‘He fader cove.’
‘I’m not falling for his tricks this time,’ she said. ‘I’ll see you later.’
‘Don’t forget the surprise dinner tonight for Louisa’s birthday.’
There was a knock on the back door as she hung up. Hatty knew it was Jake and decided to ignore it until he opened the front door.
‘Bollocks,’ she mumbled, walking into the corridor to see him standing there, his feet cleanly washed from the outside water pipe, after leaving wet foot prints on the wooden floor.
‘Shall we just get it over and done with,’ he said cheerfully.
‘What?’
‘I need to explain what happened when I was here last,’ Jake quietly replied. ‘I didn’t mean to upset you.’
‘I don’t want to talk about it. It doesn’t matter. I was being too stupid and needy. I shouldn’t-.’
‘I didn’t know you were a virgin,’ he blurted out as Hatty closed her eyes for a moment. ‘I thought-.’
‘Just go and spare me my humiliation. I asked you not to come back and you did. Whether you’re getting a kick out of it, I don’t know. All I do know is things have changed and so have I. I’m sure Gina Glory Glory is happy to see you so just keep out of my way.’
‘When you said, ‘I love you’ I got scared, realising it meant something to you.’
‘And meant nothing to you, I know,’ she said, turning around and looking at her front door, reminding herself to bolt it in the day time as her tummy turned.
‘That’s not-.’
‘I really want this conversation to end,’ she turned around, looking at him straight in the eye.
‘Who’s Gabriel?’
‘None of your business.’
‘I met him last night and he’s very handsome though a little short,’ he said, putting on a bright smile. ‘I’m happy you’ve met someone. He’s going back in five days isn’t he?’
‘Yes,’ she said, seeing he was being genuine which made her feel sick knowing he didn’t care.
‘Are you going to see him soon?’
‘I have a business to establish and he’s going to help me. He’s a painter and –
‘…a therapist. Killing two birds with one stone?’ Jake laughed and Hatty momentarily wondered what she ever saw in him. ‘It was a joke.’
‘I’m sure you can tell that one to Gina Glory Glory. Now, if you don’t mind, I have things to do.’
‘Hatty,’ he said gently, stepping forward as she stepped back. ‘We need to clear the air.’
‘Clear off and that’ll do the trick!’
Fourteen
Hatty laughed her head off as she sat in a cab with Louisa on the way to the restaurant.
‘Does this look surprised enough?’ said Louisa, pulling a very scary face. ‘Was this the face you pulled when you saw Jake?’ Hatty’s smile completely faded. ‘Sore subject?’
‘No one told me he was coming back and, after what happened with me and him, I thought he wouldn’t want to return unless he’s picking up where he left with Gina Glory Glory.’ She stared hard at Louisa. ‘He’s got a job at ‘The Sun Today’, do you know?’
‘Oh I certainly do,’ Louisa said and Hatty noticed she looked shifty. ‘I found out yesterday and-.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
‘Me just got a job dere, what me gonna say?’ she replied. ‘Me didn’t know ‘e was comin’ right over.’
‘And he said he saw Gabriel!’
‘Gabriel, aye?’ Louisa raised her eyebrows. ‘Did Master Jake say anything about him?’
‘Oh Master Jake asked about him and I told him it wasn’t any of his business.’
‘And ya not gonna tell me anytin’?’
‘Gabriel is a friend of Philip and mine, there’s nothing to say,’ Hatty said, feeling bad about not telling her best friend the inside information. ‘And if anyone asks just tell them to mind their own business. Gabriel is a very different sort of person, a free spirit so he doesn’t like to be tied down to one person.’
‘Whatever ya up to, ya better make sure Delores doesn’t put her foot down.’
‘She’s been so different towards me since she gave me a slap.’
‘Hatty!’
‘She has and I know she wasn’t pleased to see me back. You’d think me moving out to the old house would make her happy! I mean she’s teaching part time at the school and I won’t be in the way when she spends time with Mister Murray.’
‘Me never like ya Aunt Delores,’ announced Louisa as Hatty did a double take. ‘It’s like she’s friendly enough but a little cool.’
‘Jake can’t stand her.’
‘And talkin’ of lover boy-.’
‘I wasn’t.’
‘What you gonna do about him?’
Jake watched her walk in with Louisa and was taken about how beautiful she looked in a cream satin dress with a cross over straps at the back. He stood close to his father seeing Gabriel and Philip walk up to Hatty. She kissed them both on the cheek as Gabriel put his arm around her and they all went to the bar. Jake noticed his hand was on the small of her back, on the exposed area of skin. Hatty looked up at Gabriel and smiled, which made Jake, in turn, feel sick to his stomach. He realised someone was watching him as he turned to meet his father’s eyes.
‘Gabriel’s a very nice man,’ said his father softly. ‘He’s guiding Hatty.’
‘What sort of guiding?’
‘He’s a painter and is enjoying the inspiration of this beautiful island,’ said Murray with a hint of sarcasm.
‘You don’t like him?’
‘He’s thirty two years old, very good looking, well off, incredibly worldly wise and intelligent. What’s there to dislike? Philip and Hatty seem taken by him. I think he likes the adulation.’
‘I spoke to him briefly last night,’ said Jake, glaring at the man’s hand, hoping he’d remove it from her body. ‘He’s very Spanish.’ His father laughed out loudly. ‘Too smooth and charming.’
‘Some people say that about you.’
‘He’s using Hatty, I know it.’
‘You didn’t tell me what she said this morning,’ Murray whispered as Delores came towards them.
‘She wasn’t happy and neither is she,’ said Jake, smiling at Delores. ‘I think I could have cut the air with a knife when she saw me yesterday.’
‘She’s being protective of Hatty.’
‘I think it’s closer to home than that,’ replied Jake, eyeing his father. ‘Does she know about your other ladies?’
‘This isn’t the time and, to be honest, it’s got nothing to do with you, son,’ said Murray firmly.
Jake laughed at his father’s shifty expression.
‘Jacob,’ said Delores, sipping her drink, glancing over at Hatty and frowning. ‘I don’t know what she’s playing at.’
‘She’s doing it on her own,’ Murray replied, smiling at people walking by.
‘Really?’ said Delores, looking at Murray with astonishment. ‘Your workmen have been helping her and what about the fencing around the house? Are you trying to keep her in or people out?’
‘I prefer it if she was safe.’
‘You don’t seem bothered,’ said Jake, receiving a warning glare from his father. ‘Don’t you want her to be protected from intruders?’
‘And talking of intruders, why are you back here?’ she said, half smiling. ‘Gina will be delighted. Did you miss her?’
‘My father put a good proposition to me and I thought ‘why not?’’
‘Your father?’ The woman seemed surprised as Murray shrugged his shoulders. ‘It was your idea?’
‘I want to spe
nd more time with my son so I spoke to a few people. He got a job for three months working on the paper, no harm there.’
‘Effectively, I’m working at the same time as topping up my tan.’ Jake, seeing Delores’s angry face, decided to walk directly over towards Hatty, mostly to find out what was going on between her and the Spanish man. ‘Hello.’
‘Oh hello,’ said Gabriel, releasing Hatty and shaking Jake’s hand enthusiastically.
‘Jake,’ said Hatty, avoiding eye contact as he discreetly eyed her up and down, realising he’d been caught by Gabriel, who grinned.
‘You look nice.’
‘What do you want?’ she sighed, crossing her arms across her chest in the usual defiant manner. ‘Because you weren’t very nice this morning.’
‘I was joking!’ Jake laughed.
‘He said because you were a therapist and painter it would ‘kill two birds with one stone’,’ she hissed. Gabriel laughed. ‘It’s not funny!’
‘Hatty is no more mad than the next person,’ smiled Gabriel, putting his arm tightly around her waist. ‘And I can assure you she’s very creative in every way.’
Jake noticed the man looked at Hatty and his eyes travelled to her breasts before smiling back.
‘That’s good,’ said Jake. He met with Hatty’s eyes and tried to hide his jealousy realising Gabriel had touched her intimately. She glared at him before turning to Gabriel and kissed him gently on the cheek. ‘When do you go back to Spain?’
‘Me? I’ve got four days and nights left,’ he said, bending to kiss Hatty’s forehead as she smiled sweetly. ‘Then home it is. This is a beautiful island. I can see what lures you back. Hatty said you have a job at the local paper for three months. You must have missed this place to come back so soon.’
‘I want to spend time with my father,’ Jake said, not diverting his stare away from Hatty. ‘And I’ve got a few things to sort out.’
‘Like Gina Glory Glory?’ smirked Hatty. ‘Someone told me she’s moved on to some other American tourist, this time married.’
‘You’re not being nice,’ Gabriel gently said. ‘I know you don’t like Gina but she seemed very nice when we met her.’
‘Well she’s not and you’re more than welcome to her because I really don’t care who you sleep with,’ shrugged Hatty, walking off. ‘Or anybody else, come to think of it.’
‘How do you know she’s not mad?’ asked Jake, annoyed at Hatty’s cutting remark aimed at him. ‘She’s certainly not acting level headed.’
‘I know what happened between you and her,’ Gabriel whispered, stepping closer. Jake frowned. ‘She was pretty upset when she told me but I understand why.’
‘She’s a virgin,’ Jake whispered, desperately wanting to know if the man standing near him had changed it.
‘Is that what she said?’
‘Isn’t she now?’ Jake studied Gabriel’s face.
‘You like her a lot, I can tell,’ laughed Gabriel, shaking his head from side to side. ‘The way you look at her reminds me of a badly treated animal wanting to be hurt some more.’
‘You’ve met Barney?’ he replied, getting instantly riled. ‘My father’s dog who she treats badly and I’m no dog.’
‘But you’re not willing to beg for her?’ Gabriel let out a little laugh. ‘When it comes to Hatty, there’s a lot of begging to be done.’
‘And you’d know?’ Jake wanted to know if he’d made her beg for anything, especially sex. ‘I like her and that’s it.’
‘Is it?’ Gabriel stared at Jake for a moment and it made him feel uneasy. ‘You are very handsome so I can see why there’s the attraction but you’re both young. We do make foolish mistakes.’
‘That you can apologise so much for,’ he mumbled, seeing Hatty in the distance and wishing she’d just run up to him and smother him in her sweet kisses.
‘Has she ever spoken to you about Simon?’
‘Briefly but what’s that got to do with anything? Some young guy who died?’ Jake shrugged and continued to watch her from a distance as Gabriel quickly glanced at what was catching his eye.
‘It has got to do with why reacted the way she did,’ sighed Gabriel. ‘I’ve become very close to Hatty and, in the short time I’ve known her, I’ve come to like her very much. She spoke to me quite freely about things that bothered her and, you’re right, it is good being a therapist, an artist and a lover.’
Jake immediately felt the need to smack Gabriel in the mouth but forced a smiled, before walking away to have a large rum.
Later on that evening Jake saw Philip, Hatty and Gabriel talking in the corner. All three looked engrossed while glancing around to see who was watching.
‘Mister Jacob, so you returned to the island just to work with me,’ said Louisa, smiling brightly, glancing over at what he was staring at. ‘Something’s going on between those three and they’re not saying. What do you think of Gabriel?’
‘Is she sleeping with him?’ Jake asked, bolder after downing a quarter bottle of rum. ‘He’s good looking but what’s the point if he’s going back home to Spain?’
‘Maybe he’s very good in bed,’ hissed Louisa, openly eyeing Jake up and down. ‘Now Mister Jacob, me not tink ‘avin’ sex with the island dog for Hatty to see was a nice ting, aye boy?’
‘She seems to be telling a lot of people things,’ he whispered, looking at Hatty. She caught Jake’s eye and focussed on Louisa before walking towards them. ‘I think she’s coming to see what we’re talking about.’
‘I won’t tell you any of Hatty’s secrets,’ laughed Louisa. ‘I think the interesting thing is if you find out for yourself.’
‘I know a few she doesn’t know,’ he replied as Louisa did a double take and Hatty stood directly in front of him. ‘Hello again.’
‘What are you really doing back?’ she asked as Louisa rolled her eyes. ‘You only left at the end of August and here you are, back in November.’
‘I’m not explaining anything to you as I said everything this morning. I wanted you to hear me out about what happened before I left and you told me to go.’
‘She blunt,’ said Louisa, nodding then sipping her drink. ‘Some say too direct.’
‘I know what the score was back then all those weeks ago. We don’t have to mention it ever again,’ she huffed.
‘Hasn’t stopped you from telling your new squeeze and Louisa?’ Jake laughed as he examined her pretty angry face. ‘It obviously bothered you.’
‘I had to share it with the people I care about. Rejection is not nice,’ Hatty said calmly to him. ‘It hurts.’
‘I didn’t mean to hurt you,’ he gently replied.
‘What was said is all forgotten and I don’t know what I was thinking but Jake, keep away from me. Don’t go sneaking to my home.’
‘How can I? It’s like Fort Knox!’
‘Keeping out unwanted people,’ she said, seeing Gabriel and Philip walk to the door. ‘Better go.’
‘Don’t you want a lift home with us?’ he asked, wondering if Gabriel was going to make love to her that night, slip off her dress and cover her body with kisses which Jake desperately wanted to do.
‘I’m spending the night at Philip’s because he’s taking me to the market first thing.’
She walked past him and gave Louisa a big hug. Hatty walked away. He stared at them as they got into a car and headed in the opposite direction.
‘Ya jealous?’ whispered Louisa to Jake.
‘A little,’ said Jake, knocking back his drink.
‘Just ‘a little’?’
Fifteen
‘And you’re not bothered at all?’ smiled Gabriel, standing to the side of her stall as Hatty tidied up her goods on the table just to avoid looking at him. ‘For someone who isn’t bothered about someone, you’re acting like you are.’
‘I’m just surprised to see him again,’ she said, forcing a smile as prospective customers walked past.
‘That’s why you couldn’t sleep last night?’
/>
‘I didn’t mean to keep you up.’
‘And Philip too,’ Gabriel laughed. ‘All that pacing.’
‘It’s good to walk things off,’ she sighed and closed her eyes for a moment, the image of Jake in her head. ‘And walk him off I will!’
‘Something made him want to come back to the island,’ grinned Gabriel, pushing back his straw hat. Hatty smiled at his very wide grin before grimacing. ‘And you don’t want to talk about it? Now I’ve met the man in question I can see why he’s a threat.’
‘Threat to whom!’ she snapped.
‘To you,’ he laughed, walking off.
She stood there for a moment and watched the openly flirtatious man chat to passers-by. Someone distracted her to barter on the cost of a jewellery box. As she took some money, she noticed a figure standing opposite. Hatty did a double take and decided to ignore as her heart thundered hard in her chest.
‘Good morning,’ Jake said, smiling brightly at her.
‘It’s before twelve, shouldn’t you be in bed?’
‘Is that an offer?’ he laughed as she flashed him a dirty look before starting to put her things away. ‘Sorry, sore subject.’
‘If you came back to laugh at me go ahead. I made a complete fool of myself and, at the time, I wasn’t thinking straight because I thought you cared. Things have changed and let’s forget about it. You shouldn’t have come back here, you know that don’t you?’
‘I start my new job tomorrow and I don’t care what you think,’ he said, picking up one of the large bowls and examining it closely. ‘And you made this yourself?’
‘Look,’ she said, grabbing the bowl back. ‘Don’t touch the goods if you’re not going to buy!’
‘Depends what ‘goods’ are on offer,’ Jake laughed, leaning up against the stall.
She glanced at the extremely handsome young man who seemed to be clicking something over as he stared at her.
‘Gina Glory Glory will be pleased to see you. Run along and play your games with her.’
Hatty looked up and saw Gabriel then smiled. Jake glanced over his shoulder then back at Hatty.
‘Are you sleeping with him?’
‘Sex, as you now know, is not my strong point,’ she said, going bright red. ‘And he’s very kind to me, considering.’