Chapter 25
TWENTY-FIVE
I climb into bed when Patsy calls and thanks me once more for coming this evening.
‘I’ve just nipped outside for a quick vape, before I settle down for the night,’ she says. ‘I really must quit.’
‘I’m sure you will eventually. Anyway, I will call you in the morning and see what’s what,’ I tell her. ‘I am sure Tasha will also want to know how Irene is doing too.’
‘I’m sure she will, although I don’t want to worry her, especially as she will be back off home to Australia soon enough.’ She frowns.
‘She would want to know though,’ I assure her. ‘Anyway, goodnight, Patsy. Make sure you get some rest.’
‘Oh, I will, I’m pretty pooped now, it’s all caught up with me,’ she says, stifling a yawn. ‘Thank you for coming, Mia, I was in a right old state earlier.’
‘My pleasure, I don’t think I would have settled either, wondering how Irene was doing.’
Before I close my eyes, I think of how the phone call from Patsy caused my evening with Christos to end abruptly.
Then I think of the date I have the day after tomorrow with Andreas and my head is filled with confused thoughts.
It seems I enjoy the company of both of these men, even though they couldn’t be more different.
It takes me a little while to get to sleep. What an eventful day this has been.
I’m awakened the next morning by the sound of a shrieking alarm. It takes me a second to realise that a fire alarm is going off in the apartments.
I grab my robe and pull it around me as I head out into the corridor, where a member of staff is leading everyone to a fire escape.
‘Is it a real fire?’ I ask someone, bleary-eyed.
‘We are not sure just yet,’ says the staff member as he ushers everyone along, speaking to another colleague quickly in Greek.
A few minutes later, a fire truck arrives and the other guests and I are gathered in the car park of the apartment, while someone does an inventory of the guests using a laptop.
‘Good job the weather is so nice,’ says a woman I recognise from the wedding. ‘I wouldn’t fancy standing out here in the rain.’
‘Me neither,’ I agree.
A group of us stand chatting for a few minutes, when I hear a familiar voice behind me.
‘Oh my goodness, what on earth is going on?’
I turn to find Tasha and Owen, who have returned from their few days away.
Tasha glances all around, as the crew from the fire engine head in the direction of some smoke billowing out from a ground-floor window.
‘And oh my goodness, where are Irene and Patsy?’ Her hand flies to her mouth as she glances around, unable to locate them. ‘They are not still inside are they?’ she asks, panicked.
‘No, no they aren’t,’ I assure her.
I suddenly feel cold, even in the warmth of the morning sun, and I pull my robe tightly around me.
‘So where are they?’ she asks, puzzled.
‘At the hospital,’ I tell her. ‘But please, don’t panic, it isn’t anything serious.’
At least I hope not. I haven’t actually spoken to Patsy yet, to have an update about Irene.
‘What happened?’ asks a concerned Owen, a frown crossing his face.
I tell them all about Patsy calling me, after Irene had taken a tumble.
‘I’m sorry you weren’t told, but Patsy didn’t want to ruin the final day of your honeymoon. As it didn’t appear to be too serious at first.’
‘Typical Patsy.’ She smiles. ‘We were just popping in en route to our hotel to see you all and make arrangements for this evening. We will head up to the hospital now.’ She turns to Owen.
‘We can bring her home if the doctors discharge her. I will give Patsy a call. And thank you so much, Mia, for being there for them both.’
‘No problem, I was happy to. We have become rather good friends lately,’ I tell her. ‘And I promise I would have contacted you if the doctor had any real concerns.’
‘I know you would.’ She gives me a hug. ‘And don’t worry, we are here now. I will give Patsy a quick call and let her know we are on our way. Catch you later,’ she says as they set off.
The fire that apparently began in a kitchen has been successfully extinguished, and fifteen minutes later, we are all allowed back into the apartments.
‘I hope it hasn’t affected the kitchen too much,’ says one of the residents. ‘I could murder a coffee,’ he says, and his partner rolls her eyes.
Once in my room, I quickly dress and am about to ring the hospital when Irene herself calls me.
‘Irene! How are you feeling?’ I ask, relieved to be hearing her voice.
‘Oh, I’m as right as rain,’ she says and I breathe a sigh of relief. ‘I just wanted to thank you for coming here yesterday, even though I was wasn’t aware of any of it, being zonked out.’ She laughs.
‘Not at all, I was happy to be there. So are you okay? What have the doctors said this morning?’
‘I am being discharged. All the tests were negative, although the doctor has told me to keep an eye on my blood pressure when I get home, maybe see my GP. He is also the second doctor to tell me that I could do with losing some weight, so I intend to really try and make an effort.’
‘Well I am pleased the tests did not reveal anything too serious,’ I tell her.
‘Oh me too, and it really has made me determined to look after myself,’ she says positively. ‘I’m lucky I never broke anything as I went down like a ton of bricks. But then, I suppose I have plenty of padding.’ She chuckles.
She tells me she fell down some steps when she lost her footing in the glare of the sun, so it seems there was a reason for her fall.
‘Anyway, Tasha and Owen will be here soon, so we will see you later. She is booking a table for dinner tonight for us all, so we can have a good old catch-up.’
‘That’s sounds lovely.’
‘Oh, and is everything okay at the apartments?’ asks Irene. ‘Tasha mentioned something about a fire alarm going off when she arrived. I don’t think she meant to, but she let it slip.’
‘Yep, don’t worry. It was nothing really, just a small fire in the kitchen. It’s all been sorted now,’ I reassure her. ‘I’m so glad you are okay, Irene. See you later.’
‘Me too, see you later, love.’
I decide to take a walk along the beachfront this morning and enjoy a coffee and a toastie from a beach café. I watch a couple walking a dog, throwing a stick into the water as the black dog bounds after it.
A little further along, a guy who has been for an early morning swim comes striding out of the water looking a bit like Daniel Craig in a certain Bond film. It takes me a moment to realise that it is Andreas. After drying himself off he strolls towards the café.
‘Mia, good morning.’ He smiles as he spots me. ‘Can I get you another coffee?’ he asks, noticing my empty cup.
‘No really, but thank you. One coffee in the morning is about my limit.’
He orders himself a fruit smoothie as he takes a seat opposite me.
‘Are you not working this morning?’ I ask him, recalling that he is taking a day off tomorrow.
‘Yes, in around an hour.’ He glances at his watch. ‘My cousin will be there to open the shop as I sometimes like to take an early morning swim.’
Looking at Andreas, it is obvious that he likes to look after himself.
We chat easily, and he asks how Irene is doing, as his smoothie is placed on the table.
‘She is being discharged today, thank goodness. All her tests came back clear,’ I tell him.
‘That is good to hear.’ He smiles. ‘I think Patsy will be relieved too.’
I tell him a little about the fire alarm at the hotel earlier.
‘It seems you have had quite the drama these last couple of days then,’ he says as he sips his drink. ‘Tomorrow, I hope you can relax.’
‘I am sure I will. I am looking forward to it,’ I say, realising that I really am. He arranges to collect me in the morning, before he finishes his drink and departs.
As I sit relaxing in the sun a little longer, just watching the sea rolling onto the sand, I decide to give Mum a call.
‘Mia, how lovely to hear from you.’
We have a nice catch-up and she tells me Gran has finally decided to go to the Thursday social club at the village hall, something I have been trying to persuade her to do for a while now.
‘What made her change her mind?’ I ask.
‘Bingo.’ She laughs. ‘Although I think it is more down to the fact that her old neighbour who used to frequent the club no longer attends as she has moved out of the area to live with her daughter.’
‘I take it Gran didn’t like her?’ I ask, which is unusual for Gran to dislike anyone.
‘Couldn’t stand her. She said she was, to use Gran’s words, “A gobby cow”. Although I think it may have been down to the fact that she used to flirt with your grandad, which he found quite amusing.’ Mum laughs.
‘Oh dear. Well, I am pleased Gran is going to the club. I know she has plenty of visitors, and you take her out shopping, but it will be good for her to spend time with people her own age, I guess.’
‘My thoughts exactly. Anyway, how is the holiday going? I am loving the pictures you send me.’
I keep Mum updated with regular photos on Messenger.
‘It’s lovely, Mum. I have so much to tell you when I get back.’ I might leave out the bit about going out with two different men though.
I can’t wait to let Mum know that I have been singing on the karaoke and to tell her all about the lovely people I have met and the places I have visited.
After finishing our call, I walk the long way back to the apartments, along the beachfront. Maybe watching Andreas swim in the sea this morning and observing how he looks after himself has inspired me to get fit.
I pass restaurants that are beginning to fill with diners enjoying breakfast as well as a few joggers, headphones on and racing along before the sun gets too hot. It’s just so wonderful here, I wish I could stay for just a bit longer.
Strolling to the water’s edge, I watch the foaming sea wash over the pebbles, before I pick one up and toss it into the water.
Then I give myself a reality check. My apartment thus far has been paid for, so to stay here any longer I would have to pay for it myself, as well as reschedule my flight.
I idly wonder if I could earn some money singing?
Or perhaps Andreas could give me a job in the shop?
But then, what good would that be, with nowhere to live long-term?
Not to mention the fact that the summer season will eventually come to an end, when everything will quieten down.
No, I must face the fact that my time here is coming to an end, and if I want to return here any time soon, I had better start seriously looking for a job that pays a regular wage.
I tell myself that many people probably feel this way after spending time in a wonderful place, as I throw another stone into the foamy water.
Taking a right turn from a stretch of beach that leads to the apartments, I pass a restaurant and look forward to spending time with everyone this evening.
Bryn and Ash will be joining us too, which means it should be a lot of fun.
I guess it’s time to count my blessings and make the most of the time I have left here.