Chapter 27
Back at the villa, I toss and turn all night, unable to get Matteo out of my thoughts.
By next morning, I’m unbelievably down about it all, even though Matteo sent me a text to say that he was sorry the evening had turned out the way it had, and he would explain, but he’d need a little time.
Time. That’s the one thing I might not have.
We have our final gig tonight and then decisions have to be made.
I wander through to the pool to find some of the girls up.
‘So it’s all off again, is it, honey?’ says Big Sue knowingly. ‘Can’t be easy finding out your fiancée has cheated on you. Christ, I wonder what sort of hottie would out-hottie him?’
‘Must have been Chris Pratt or Thor or the Bridgerton buttocks guy,’ Liberty is speculating. ‘Or all three at the same time. I can’t imagine why else you’d even think of doing such a thing. Connie, you are so lucky to get a jump on those bones,’ she says dreamily. ‘What was it like?’
I sigh dramatically. How could I explain that it was like roaring flames, crashing waves and a thunderbolt to the heart all at the same time?
She wouldn’t believe me anyway. At the thought, I’m reminded of my second big conundrum.
Martha was very convincing last night. I loved the apartment she showed me.
It was gorgeous. And right on top of The Strip.
I could imagine myself sitting on the roof terrace gazing down to the sea, reading books and writing songs.
It was small but perfect in every way with the many bookshelves, the kitsch wallpaper, cute little open-plan kitchen into a sunlit lounge, and it had a lovely Spanish vibe.
I let out a huge groan.
‘What do I do? I feel like I’m on the edge of a precipice,’ I say. ‘I’ve spent so long doing nothing. Absolutely nothing. What a waste of all that time. And now I finally have the chance to do something, this happens.’
‘Firstly,’ says Liberty, turning over on the sunbed. ‘Those years you think you’ve wasted simply mean the ones ahead of you have tripled in value. You’ll make them count. You’ll get everything you can out of every minute.’
The words waft over me like a soothing breeze.
‘And secondly, what are you waiting for? No one is going to come along and tap you on the back. We are responsible for our own happiness and success. Don’t rely on anyone to make it happen for you. It’s too much pressure to put on someone else, isn’t it?’
‘You’re right. That’s so true.’ It’s like a penny dropping. ‘I think I have been waiting for someone to give me permission to finally live my life. I guess I’m ready to give myself that permission. To start a new chapter.’
I must speak urgently to my therapists about my monumental shift in mindset. I ring Ged, but his phone is off. Likewise, Liam’s.
‘Has anyone got any Greek yoghurt? I’ve burnt my shoulders. And my lips,’ croaks Cherry from the patio door. ‘It must be from when I fell asleep on the sunbed yesterday.’
‘Cherry! What have you done? That was the extra virgin olive oil, wasn’t it?’ yells Big Sue from the pool.
We all see Cherry stumbling towards us, her hair fried, shoulders blistered, her nose and lips peeling and her face red and swollen. ‘And I’ve got the squits. I’ve been on the toilet for the last four hours. I’ve lost six pounds already, which is good, but I really don’t feel well.’
‘That’s nothing,’ says Big Mand, coming up behind her, holding her arm. ‘I can’t feel my arm. It’s gone completely numb and it’s blue. I think it’s going to fall off.’
‘Stop panicking!’ shouts Tash, hobbling painfully out of the patio door to stand next to them. ‘We’ll drink through it for tonight. It’s the last gig then we can all see a doctor when we get – Argh! ’
Tash looks down at her foot.
‘Christ Almighty. When did that happen?’
Tash’s ankle is now the size and colour of a pumpkin. I leap up and race back to the cottage yelling, ‘Wait there! I’m calling a doctor.’
I grab the card that Doctor Sanchez left me on the kitchen bench. I fleetingly remember Matteo and how tender he was that evening, his kind eyes as he listened to all my woes. I hurriedly ring the number and return to the pool.
‘It’s okay,’ I say. ‘He’s coming straight round.’
Half an hour later, we gather in the kitchen to listen out for the doctor.
Liberty and Big Sue look worried. Nancy rang Big Sue in the middle of the panicking as though she was watching us on CCTV.
It was a very short call involving screaming at both ends until Cherry fainted with a splash into the pool.
I do feel the universe is trying to tell her something.
‘At least we managed to get them back to bed. I doubt they’ll be able to perform tonight,’ says Big Sue, looking downcast as we plonk onto the stools to wait.
‘Nancy is going to kill us. That was our last warning. Alex must have rung her and told her we turned up pissed, even though we were all brilliant.’
‘Mine too,’ I say. ‘This whole trip was my last chance to impress her, or I’m out the door. No more singing jobs. No career to fall back on. No nothing. Maybe I should stay here and sing at Voices. I mean, what have I got to lose? But then, it’s such a huge step…’
Just as I’m flapping my hands philosophically about, the doctor rings to say he’s at the gate. I race through to find not only Doctor Sanchez, but also Jorge screeching up in his minibus and the doors flinging open to reveal Ged and Liam bounding off the bus towards me.
‘We’re here now. Don’t panic! We’ll get through this together!’ Ged is yelling dramatically.
‘Poor Connie! Poor, poor Connie!’ Liam is bawling as he scoops me into a huge hug. Doctor Sanchez, Big Sue and Liberty watch as Ged and Liam fuss over me.
‘You’ve called the doctor?’ gasps Ged, spotting Doctor Sanchez. ‘Things must be really bad. What do you need? Sedatives? Prozac? Uppers? Downers? Tell us, Connie. Tell us! ’
It takes me a few moments to understand what’s going on as I explain in Spanish that my newly arrived hypochondriacs think I’m heartbroken, but the real patients are upstairs.
Doctor Sanchez smiles at me while the Dollz make a huge fuss of our new guests.
I take the doctor upstairs and stay with him while he quickly assesses the three patients, writes them prescriptions and gives me instructions on what to do for the sunburn, heatstroke, the arm and the ankle.
When I come back down, the remaining two Dollz have Ged and Liam sipping cocktails at the kitchen table, discussing me and my recent failure at bagging a man.
‘So, you’re saying that Matteo wasn’t actually getting married?’ Liam asks Liberty in an incredulous tone. ‘And there was no big drama after all?’
‘But then Connie told everyone she was married to him, when she isn’t, which created a new drama but this time involving Alex?’ Ged is repeating what Big Sue is telling him.
‘Then she saw Matteo and Alex making out, which then created a bona fide drama?’ Liam is saying in a mystified voice. ‘And the wedding is back on, we think?’
There’s a bit of unnecessary tittle-tattle from Liberty. ‘I think things began to sour after she kicked him in the face while pole dancing on The Strip.’
‘And what’s this about David Guetta? A fire? Jet-skiing? The black eye? A sex shop?’ Liam says as though seeing me for the first time. He breaks into a huge grin.
When put like that, I guess I am made of sterner stuff than I gave myself credit for. ‘I’m fine. I’m sure I’ll cope somehow.’
‘Who is this glorious goddess and what have you done with Connie? I’m not sure she even needs us any more, Liam, honey. We’ve had a wasted trip,’ Ged fusses, loving being the centre of the Dollz’ attention.
An hour later, we go out to sit by the pool.
‘Thanks so much for the cottage. It’s a dream,’ sighs Liam, sitting down with his latte. ‘And this villa is to die for.’
‘No problem,’ I say. ‘Consider it part of your engagement present. It’s all thanks to Tash for agreeing to share her room with me.’ And hopefully wearing a muzzle.
‘I’ll try not to bite you.’ Tash gives me a thumbs up. Her leg is bandaged up to the knee. Big Mand is sitting opposite with her arm bandaged up in a sling, and Cherry is in bed with strict orders not to move. She is dehydrated, severely sunburned and has heatstroke.
‘So, what do we do about the show tonight?’ Tash asks.
‘There’s no way the rest of us can go on stage without you girls. We’ll have to cancel,’ says Big Sue glumly.
‘But we don’t want to let our fans down, do we?’ says Tash. ‘The nuns are coming to see us.’
‘Where can we get another three singers?’ Big Sue says forlornly.
‘Ged and Liam can sing,’ I say tentatively. ‘We all did a music degree together.’
The boys’ faces light up. ‘We’d die to go on stage with you. Dream come true.’
‘And Connie, you can take lead vocal,’ says Tash.
‘Oh no,’ I say, panicking. ‘I’d never be able to learn the dance routines. I’ve got two wooden legs. I’d look so out of place.’
‘We’ll change the routines. Easy ones for you three while we do more complex ones around you,’ says Liberty firmly.
There follows some excited discussion as Tash chatters away to me about song choices while the Dollz commandeer Ged and Liam to discuss dance routines and outrageous costume ideas.
On Tash’s insistence we must captivate our audience early doors before they get too drunk to remember to like us on social media.
I try to put Matteo out of my mind. I’m not expecting him to get in touch with me.
He’s got a lot on his plate without me adding to it.
My whole heart feels heavy as we spend the next two hours locked away in the living room practising dance routines and songs.
Luckily, we can put the lyrics up on the big TV screen at Voices to sing karaoke style to and the audience can join in.
When we finally break for refreshments, talk turns to the festival.
‘Connie,’ Ged says. ‘Play us your song. The one you did at the festival.’