Chapter 36
36
BABS
Tuesday
‘What do you think?’ Geoff asked. ‘You have to admit that it’s beautiful.’
‘And no mountains, seňora, ’ Santiago said, opening his arms wide. ‘This is better, no?’
The house owner, who Santiago had introduced as Alonso, beamed and held out his arms wide too.
There were mountains in the distance, Babs noticed – there seemed to be mountains everywhere in Spain – but the house was in a valley and the land was flat. It was also the only house around for miles, at least it seemed to be, although she could see a couple on the horizon.
Babs looked around her at the orange and lemon trees, the purple bougainvillea, the brilliant blue sky, the acres of olive trees. The absence of people, shops, life. There was no way she could live here. And every house they’d been to so far had been in a similar location.
‘It’s beautiful, but it’s too isolated .’ She turned to Geoff. ‘Think about it, Geoff, do you really want to live here away from everyone? Just the two of us rattling around in a big house, all this land to tend to?’ She thought again of poor Edna, and how she could have lain injured for days before anyone had realised. And she lived in a busy little village. If something happened to Babs or Geoff they would have no one. She couldn’t bear to live like that. She loved having people around her. And thought that Geoff did too.
Geoff avoided her eyes, looking down at the ground as he scuffed the hardened soil with his toe. ‘It’s peaceful. And there’s plenty of room to put up Molly and Lennon, and the grandkids when they have some.’
‘There is, but they’d be bored stiff after a day. What would they do here?’ she pointed out.
‘There is the pool, seňora. And all this fresh air is good for the children. They can run around and play,’ Santiago said persuasively. He and Alonso led the way around the land – there was too much of it to call it a garden – pointing out the various trees. Geoff hung on to every word.
‘What’s this?’ Babs asked as they came to a small concrete shed.
Santiago asked Alonso who replied in rapid Spanish.
‘That’s the pump house, seňora,’ Santiago translated.
‘Pump house?’ she repeated.
‘ Si , the water, it is pumped up from the well and then sent to the house. All the… workings… are in here.’
‘“Well”? You mean we have to pump the water up in a bucket?’ Babs asked faintly. She looked over at the house. How many times a day would they have to carry buckets of water over? ‘There is no running water?’
‘No, no.’ Santiago sighed and was silent for a moment as if wondering how to explain. ‘There is no town water. We are too far. The water, it is pumped up from the well.’
‘How?’ Geoff asked. Even he looked worried now.
‘By the electric. Then it is sent to the house. You turn on the taps and the water, it comes out.’
‘And if the electric goes off there is no water?’ Babs asked, just to make sure she’d fully understood.
‘Sadly, no. But it will soon come back on again. Let me show you.’ Santiago spoke to Alonso and they both led the way back to the house. Babs and Geoff followed. They walked into the kitchen and turned on the taps. Water came gushing out. ‘See. It is no problem.’
Suddenly the kitchen light went off and water stopped running out of the taps.
‘Ah, the electric, it goes sometimes.’ He shrugged his shoulders. ‘It will be back on soon.’
Babs shot Geoff a look of dismay and was relieved to see that he was alarmed by this too.
The next house was nearer to the town and had town water. It also had a chicken run and a cockerel. This time the owners were out. ‘The seller, he say that you can have the animals,’ Santiago said. ‘They give many eggs.’
Geoff’s eyes lit up. ‘Imagine that, Babs. Our own fresh eggs.’
Babs wasn’t impressed, hens were noisy and messy. ‘How far away are the nearest shops?’ she asked.
‘Very near, maybe ten minutes,’ Santiago told her. ‘Come see the views from the terrace.’
He led them up the terracotta steps to the huge terrace. Babs tried to ignore the cracks in the walls and the balustrades, there had been cracks in most of the houses they’d seen, Santiago had said that it was normal because of the heat. She looked across the land. It did look beautiful from up here, she had to admit. She imagined herself sitting on this terrace with a glass of wine, enjoying the peace and quiet.
Suddenly a cacophony of barking burst through the silence. It sounded like at least a dozen dogs were all vying with each other to be heard. She peered over the balustrade. ‘Whose dogs are those?’
‘They are from the rescue centre over the road. You will soon get used to the barking. You will ignore it and sleep on,’ Santiago assured her.
‘You mean that they bark at night too?’
Santiago shrugged. ‘They are dogs, seňora. Who knows when they will bark?’
Chickens, a cockerel and now dogs. This certainly wouldn’t be a peaceful life. Babs looked over at Geoff who was still gazing in awe at all the land.
Suddenly there was a screech below and a scrawny black cat went running past, a rat dangling from its mouth. Babs screamed and clutched Geoff’s arm. ‘That cat, it’s got a rat!’
Santiago studied her thoughtfully for a moment. ‘Perhaps a town house would suit you better, seňora ?’ he suggested.
Babs nodded.
Santiago took out his phone. ‘My friend, Maria, she has town houses. I will contact her for you.’ He dialled a number and started to speak in rapid Spanish.
‘Tomorrow, Maria will meet you in the square in the town and take you to see some townhouses,’ he said when the call was finished.
At last! Now we might find something more suitable, Babs thought.
Geoff was silent all the way back in the car. Babs wondered if he was sulking because she’d asked to view some town houses. She waited until they were back in the villa and broached the subject.
‘I think it’s a good idea,’ he agreed. ‘We need to see as many properties as possible, and I think you would be happier living in a town.’
Actually, I’d be happier living in the UK, Babs thought, but she didn’t say anything. She had promised to give Spain a fair chance.
They drove out to a nearby Spanish restaurant for supper and had a glass of wine on the terrace before they went to bed. It was an enjoyable evening and Babs felt more relaxed when they went to bed that night. Maybe a house like this, on the outskirts of the town would be okay.
The next morning they were woken by barking. It sounded like it was coming from the villa’s garden. Geoff jumped out of bed and hurried over to the window, pulling open the blinds. Sunlight poured in. Babs joined him at the window. Two border collies were running around the garden barking trying to round up what looked like a herd of goats who were chewing the hedge.
‘We must have left the gate open when we came back last night,’ Geoff said. ‘I hope the goats don’t destroy the garden.’
Babs sank down onto the bed. She was glad they were going to see town houses today. Surely there were no goats, rats, barking dogs and huge drops off a mountain in the town.
* * *
The town houses were big and spacious, there were people and shops around, but it was obvious Geoff didn’t like them. And Babs had to admit that she didn’t fancy living in a town either. There were no gardens, only courtyards or terraces and they were all very noisy. They could hear the next-door neighbours talking. And their dog barking.
‘You don’t like?’ Maria asked, looking worried as she showed them around the final house. They had already viewed five.
‘Well—’
Geoff butted in. ‘Not for me,’ he said adamantly. ‘Too dark and no views.’
Maria smiled. ‘No problem. We have big apartments with beautiful sea views. Tomorrow I will show you them.’
Now that was more like it, Babs thought happily. She fancied living by the sea. She could imagine Molly and Lennon would visit a lot then.