Clouds Below the Mountains (37 page)

***

“Still feeling glum, Miguel?” asked Lucy, as she met the downcast waiter on her way to the dining room. “Would you like me to give Jenni a bell on my mobile, when I've finished in there?”

“No, Lucy,” Miguel said hastily, “I don't want her to think that I asked you to do such a thing.”

“Well, I said I would keep in touch with her, what's wrong with me ringing her later on?”

“There would be nothing wrong. I am sorry, please say that I am missing her.”

***

“Guten Harben, Lucy,” said Uwe admiringly, as she joined him and Heiko at their table. “ May I say you are looking very pretty, that shade of purple suits you very well.”

Compliments too, thought Lucy, as she settled in the chair that Heiko had quickly jumped up to pull out next to him. “Why thank you, kind sir,” she replied, smoothing down the front of her georgette dress in an effort to quell her thumping heart.

Both men were looking relaxed in shirts and trousers, though they each had a sweater over the back of their chairs. Uwe looked divine in beige and tan, whilst Heiko having chosen white and black, looked a bit more businesslike.

“I understand Sanchez will not be joining us this evening,” said Uwe, as Juan came with a wine list and hovered by his side. “The red I think. Lucy, do you like red wine or would you prefer a bottle of white and a bottle of red?”

“White for me,” said Lucy, looking towards the door as she saw that somebody was walking in, “but wait a moment, Juan, let's see what Lesley prefers to drink.”

***

“Did you have a good day, Senora, Senorita?” asked Juan, dashing over to help put Chantelle in a highchair, as he saw the two women looking around for a spare. “ Here is a table with chair for el nina, let me help you with her.”

Denise smiled at his eagerness and wondered if he genuinely liked children, or was he trying to get into Vicky's good books? If it was the latter, then he would be sadly disappointed as Vicky had never had a date after her child had been born. She hated men and could she say she blamed her, as the boy who had got her pregnant wasn't paying for his sins.

***

“I wonder what's the matter with Paul and Cheryl this evening?” Sonya asked, as she came back from the dessert section. “I've waved once and smiled twice, even the kids are looking down in the mouth.”

“They're probably still fighting over this villa Cheryl wants to get. Me and your dad saw them in Las Americas this morning and she was looking in at an estate agent's window.”

“And I bet you put the boot in,” Greg said dryly, “ and told her of your problems in getting your own way.”

“That will do, Dad,” said Sonya quickly, “I'm sure we don't need to bring that old chestnut up again.”

“I'll get some pudding,” her mother said huffily. “ It will give you time to talk behind my back.”

***

“Do you also work in the travel industry, Lesley?” Heiko managed to ask, once he had plucked up courage to talk to her.

“Oh no, I'm a teacher, Herr Rennsburger. I'm on holiday in Tenerife.”

“Please do call me Heiko. Would you like me to pour you another glass of wine?”

“That would be very nice, thank you.”

“Have you been to Tenerife before?”

“No, this is my first time. I only arrived yesterday, but from what I've seen it is very pleasant.”

There was a silence between them, as both busied themselves eating their meal, though Lucy and Uwe seemed to be getting on very well, leaving their meal to go cold as they talked.

Lesley snatched glances at Heiko, wondering why the man was so reticent? He looked a pleasant chap, fair haired with a firm jaw and smartly dressed in his casual outfit. She knew that the two men were partners in a travel agency in Germany as Lucy had told her the night before, but Uwe seemed the more outgoing of the two of them.

Heiko, for his part felt tongue tied. He had no experience with women at all. He was twenty nine, by now he should be married, but neither he nor Uwe had wanted to settle down. Their love in life was the firm they had created. Their small child that they hoped would grow and grow.

***

“How about sitting over there with that older couple?” asked Anthea, as she and Brian came to have their after dinner coffee in the Sunlight Bar.

“The couple with the lady in the wheelchair?” said Brian, looking rather puzzled and wondering what his wife was up to.

“No, the couple who are sitting with their daughter and grandchild with them, silly. I was thinking that the husband seems rather nice.”

“Good evening,” Brian said politely, as he and Anthea hovered at the side of Kate and Greg's table. “Would you mind awfully if we joined you, only the people we sat with yesterday seem to have disappeared tonight? Oh, you're the young lady who sang for us. I hope you don't mind me saying, but we thought you have a wonderful voice.”

“Do sit down,” said Greg, shifting his chair so that the couple would have a bit more space. They seemed quite a dignified couple and he thought the wife looked extremely elegant in her rather smart dress.

“I think we met at the pool bar, you had just arrived yesterday. Let me introduce my family, this is Kate, my wife, Evan, our grandson, Sonya, my daughter and I'm called Greg.”

***

“We'll sit in that other bar tonight,” said Cindy, after she watched Anthea and Brian leave the restaurant. “ He knows that you know what he said to me, or he wouldn't have ignored us throughout the day.”

Phil laid his spoon down after eating a portion of cherry cheesecake. Women, he thought, he liked Brian and Anthea. Okay, so maybe Brian had had a bit to drink and said something naughty, but whoever hadn't when they were enjoying themselves?

“Cindy, chill will you, you probably misunderstood what he said? I thought him a good bloke. We had some laughs together and you'll be doing us out of a freebie at their guesthouse if you carry on like this.”

“So why have they ignored us then, go on Phil answer me that?”

“Well, I don't know do I? Perhaps they think we want to be on our own.”

“I do want us to be on our own, so we'll be going to that quiet bar.”

***

“Lucy,” Miguel said anxiously, as he served her party with drinks,” did you telephone Jenni?”

“I did, Miguel, but sorry I couldn't get an answer. Let me see,” she looked at watch. “It's quarter past eight, perhaps the family have gone out to dinner. Shall I try later?”

“No Lucy, not for me. I will use the telephone card myself.”

***

“Lovesick young man?” asked Uwe, who couldn't help but overhear the conversation.

“Oh, he seemed to form an attachment to a guest who went home yesterday.”

“It is my opinion that holiday romances never work out,” said Uwe. Lucy wondered why she got that feeling that he was putting her in place?

“So what do you think of the Valia, Uwe?” said Lesley, determined that she wasn't going to sit all night toying with a gin and tonic. If she couldn't get a peep from Heiko, then she'd try to chat to Uwe instead. Lucy up to now had talked him exclusively, but surely now it was her turn to talk to Heiko as well?

“Early days, but first impressions are favourable. We had a tour of the hotel with Lucy and Sanchez earlier and we will be considering the Valia as a place to recommend.”

“It's little things though that someone like me considers,” said Lesley, pleased that Heiko was listening intently now to everything she said. “Like having to pay a supplement, because I'm on my own.”

“Ja,” said Heiko enthusiastically. “ That is a wrong, we hope to put right soon.”

***

“Thank you for my ice cream, Daddy and Jack says thank you too,” said Annabelle, hopping around her father, after the family came out of the little cafe just off the promenade.

She was being on her best behaviour that evening, because her parents had looked sad most of the day and she had been quite alarmed by it. It seemed to have started around lunchtime when she and Jack had come out of Kid's club. Mummy had said that she wasn't hungry and she would sit with a book by the pool. Daddy had said that was fine with him and had taken them into the dining room.

Mummy had sat reading her book all afternoon while Daddy had played with them, even taking them to the supermarket where he had bought them both a toy. Jack had chosen an Action Man and Annabelle had chosen a sparkly dress and handbag for her Barbie doll. Suddenly though after they had eaten dinner, Daddy had suggested that they find their umbrellas and macs and go for a walk along the sea front. That's when things had started to get better. Mummy had kissed Daddy when he said she could have her blooming house, they'd get a mortgage or something. That was what she had heard anyway, when she listened outside the bedroom door.

***

“So what do you do, Greg?” asked Brian, as the two men went up to the bar to get them some more drinks, whilst the Spanish dancers were on the stage.

“I have a manufacturing company,” Greg replied, raising his voice over the tapping of the dancers shoes and the castanets clacking. “ And what line are you into?”

“We have a small guesthouse down in Bournemouth. There are nine bedrooms and we provide bed and breakfast. We don't do lunch or evening meals.”

“Must be quiet in the winter months. Do you close it down until the weather gets warmer, Brian?”

“Oh, we still keep it open. We have our regulars and our daughter steps in while we're away.”

“I've never been to Bournemouth,” Greg shouted. “You must give me your details, we may come for a week ourselves.”

“Right Mum, I think me and Evan will get off,” said Sonya, who had noticed that Mikey was gesturing from the stage after the Spanish dancers had finished performing. “He's tired and he's no one to play with tonight. I haven't seen Paul and Cheryl around, have you?”

“Perhaps they're having an early night or found somewhere else along the sea front. I think we should go out for a walk one evening. It's certainly getting boring having the same routine every night.” Kate kissed her daughter and grandson then settled back into her seat again. Maybe this Anthea would like a womanly chat?

“How long have you been here then, Kate?” asked Anthea. “ Unfortunately we could only manage seven days.”

“It seems like a lifetime,” said Kate grimacing. “I'll be glad when next Tuesday comes.”

“So long have you two been married?” Anthea was quick to ask, once Sonya and Evan had gone from the room, after saying goodnight to Greg at the bar.

“Too long,” said Kate.

“Do I detect a note of resignation?” asked Anthea, feeling rather curious about the state of the couple's marriage, especially as the woman was very attractive in her top and trousers that were certainly not bought from a high street store.

“I wouldn't call it resignation. It's a case of if we were to split up, where would I go?”

“Oh, but your husband looks such a darling,” said Anthea, looking over to the men. “ If I were you I would certainly want to hold onto him.”

Kate smiled and began to polish off her drink.

***

“Well ladies, would you excuse us from your company?” said Uwe, yawning behind his hand politely. “We have had a long day and as you know. Lucy, we need to have breakfast before we set off to, where did you say, Loro Parque?”

Lucy nodded, the happy glow from her face leaving, as Uwe and Heiko stood up in readiness to depart.

“So shall we say, that we will meet when the dining room opens at half eight? We must hope that your forecast of a showery day is incorrect.”

The two men walked away leaving Lucy feeling thoroughly disappointed with the way the evening had panned, though what she had expected from Uwe, she wasn't sure herself.

“They didn't get very excited over the entertainment, did they?” Lesley remarked. “ Though I suppose once you've seen a Spanish dancer you've seen them all.”

“Well, I feel gutted,” said Lucy moodily. “The first time I've met a guy that gives me the butterflies and he's off like a rocket and it isn't even midnight.”

“Yes, I thought you were getting on rather well. I hardly managed to get a word out of Heiko.”

“Sorry about that Lesley, my job was to entertain both of them. Uwe and Heiko equally. It's just that, well you're right, Uwe and I were getting on extremely well.”

“I didn't mind, Lucy, it makes a change meeting new people. Once I've locked the door at home, I'm on my own until the next day.”

“Oh, listen to me, when it's you that has all the problems. Let's take our drinks over there to my friends and we'll maybe have a boogie.”

***

“Would you like to strut your stuff, Greg?” Anthea asked, once Damion had started up the disco. “Would you mind, Kate? Perhaps you and Brian would like to dance?”

Kate made a shooing gesture and took another sip of her drink. She knew she'd had too many, because now she'd lost count.

“Would you like to dance, Kate?” Brian asked her politely. “ Why not?” she replied.

To say that she was a bit unsteady was an understatement and Brian found he had to shuffle around with her instead of dancing apart, but it served it's purpose. He got his kick from being close to her, feeling her breasts through the thin gauzy material of her top and the warmth of her body snuggled up to him. He would confess all to the love of his life later, when they lay in bed,in each other's arms.

***

Miguel walked gloomily through the foyer. He had managed to get an answer from the number that Jenni had given him, though it wasn't Jenni who had picked up the telephone. She was out, the woman had said. Ring back tomorrow evening, who shall I say called?

So where was she? Out with Simon or another lover? Suddenly Miguel was full of fear and doubts.