Chloe Rayban - Footprints in the Sand

‘Lucy… Lucy!’

She was back.

Making my way across to the terrace, I prepared myself for a forceful introduction to a change of plan.

She dumped her bag down on the table. She looked hot and tired. She didn’t look as if she’d had a lot of luck!

I slid on to a chair opposite her.

‘Phew, what an afternoon!’ she said. (I felt sure she hadn’t found anywhere.) But then she leaned forward with a triumphant look on her face.

‘It’s all settled. I’ve found a fabulous place. You’ll love it.’

‘I can’t understand why you’ve changed your mind like this,’ said Mum. ‘You couldn’t wait to get out of the place at lunchtime.’

‘Yes, I know but… I went down to the other bay this afternoon. The beach is much nearer and it’s quite nice really.’

‘I hope you didn’t sit in the sun.’

‘Don’t fuss. Mum. I had a closer look. It should be fine for swimming. There are plenty of channels through the weed.’

‘But the beach I’ve found hasn’t any weed at all.’

‘Really?’

‘I’ve left a deposit on the room. Said we’d arrive by lunchtime. If we get up early and pack before breakfast, we can settle up with the Old Rogue and be there by mid-morning.’

‘He’s not really an old rogue. He’s actually quite nice. His name’s Stavros. He brought me some hot crispy onion rings, free with my drink.’

‘This new place has got a proper water heater and everything. We have to share the bathroom, but at least we can have decent hot…’

I leapt on this shred of hope.

‘Oh, we don’t have to share a bathroom, do we?’

‘It’s only with one other room. And that room may not even have people staying…’

‘But I had a hot shower here this afternoon. It was fine…’

‘Is the water on again? Thank God for that. I’m feeling really anti-social.’

She got up and reached for her bag.

‘Mum, do we have to go?’

‘What do you mean – have to go?’

‘Well, it’s not really so bad here, is it?’

‘Lucy, what’s going on? I’ve been half-way across the island in a stuffy bus, searching in the broiling heat. And all because you said you absolutely loathed the pl…’

Mum paused. An arm leaned over and took my glass and empty plate away. It wasn’t the Old Rogue’s arm. It was a nice bronzed one, flecked with golden hairs.

‘Hi,’ he said. ‘Welcome to the Paradisos. My name’s Ben. Can I get you anything?’

Mum looked up and smiled at him.

‘I’d love a glass of white wine. Chilled white wine?’ she said.

‘Coming right up.’

He turned and gave me a half-grin and walked away, disappearing into the kitchen.

Mum sank back into her chair and looked at me wryly. She raised an eyebrow. ‘Oh I get it now,’ she said. ‘A lot can happen in an afternoon, can’t it?’

Half an hour or so later, Mum was sitting on her bed wrapped in a towel. She’d perked up a lot after her shower.

‘It’s not like that, honestly. I haven’t even spoken to him,’ I protested.

‘Does he work here or what?’

‘I don’t know. I wish you wouldn’t keep going on about him. Wanting to stay here has nothing to do with him. ’

Mum wasn’t buying that. ‘Oh, I suppose it’s the view of the bay that’s the big attraction.’

‘Maybe it is. There was another fantastic sunset. You missed it.’

‘Lucy, you get sunsets everywhere. You said yourself, there’s absolutely nothing for you to do here.’

‘Yes there is.’ I racked my brain for inspiration. ‘We could hire a pedalo.’

‘I saw the pedaloes on the beach, in pieces. They’re wrecked.’

‘Well, we could hire donkeys then.’

‘Correction, donkey. There’s only one – one of us would have to walk.’

‘You’ve already made up your mind, haven’t you?’

‘I’ve paid a deposit. For two whole nights. And the beach there is far nicer.’

‘How much have you paid?’

‘Umm – two nights, about fifty quid.’

‘Why did you have to go and do that?’

‘It was the only way to secure the room.’

‘Well you could’ve checked with me first.’

‘I think you’ve forgotten, Lucy. It’s because of you we’re moving.’

I could tell Mum was losing her cool. She was right of course, it was because of me.

I tried a new angle. ‘But you said you really liked it here.’

‘I did, yes. But, I don’t particularly want to waste fifty quid. Do you?’

‘It’s only fifty quid.’

‘Only!’

‘No, I suppose not.’

We had a meal down at the port again. It was a warm evening so we sat at the water’s edge. The fishermen were setting out in their boats. Each had a tiny lantern in the bows. They rowed out really quietly and you could see their lights reflecting in the water going further and further out to sea. It was so still, their voices came over the water to us as if they were sitting at the very next table.

The lady at the taverna had cooked a cheese and spinach pie. I think maybe she’d been expecting us to come back – she looked really pleased to see us.

Mum said her fish wasn’t nearly as nice this time. And she noticed the bits floating in the water. She kept going on about them.

‘It’s only weed,’ I said.

She looked at it darkly. ‘You can never be sure.’

When we got back to the taverna Ben wasn’t around.

He wasn’t there next morning either. We packed up first thing and Stavros brought us breakfast. I kept expecting Ben to turn up. I’d felt sure he’d be around and I’d purposely worn my favourite T-shirt – the one that didn’t have a flattening effect. But he must’ve gone off somewhere – windsurfing perhaps. I scanned the bay for a glimpse of his pink and blue sail as I listened to Mum explaining to Stavros why we’d changed our plans. It was really embarrassing.

‘But you say you stay one week – two weeks maybe? Why you change your mind?’ said Stavros in a grumpy voice.

‘I’m really sorry. But you know, my daughter…’ Mum glanced apologetically in my direction. ‘You know what they’re like, young people!’

She was making out it was my fault. That was so unfair!

Stavros frowned and shrugged his shoulders. ‘I make the bill,’ was all he said.

I felt terrible. And he’d been really nice to me.

‘How could you blame it on me?’ I hissed to Mum.

‘Well, what was I meant to say? There was no water yesterday. And honestly, look at the breakfast…’

The dredger started up at that moment, drowning out her voice.

‘Oh yes,’ said Mum in the direction of the dredger. ‘Thanks for reminding me – that too.’

I spread my bread carefully, hoping that maybe, given time, Ben might turn up.

‘Hurry up Lucy. We’ll miss the bus.’

‘I’m not really hungry.’

‘Well, leave it then, I don’t blame you. Perhaps we could have a proper breakfast when we get there.’

‘Mmmm.’

I shrugged my backpack on and followed Mum to the bus stop. We didn’t miss the bus. It was standing waiting in the square. It wasn’t full up either. There were two seats free at the back.

I sat staring miserably out of the window. The bus took off with a lot of honking at some chickens that had wandered into its path. The sun gleamed on the little white dome of the chapel. A dog which was lazing in the sun raised its head and then flopped back again, basking in the warmth. The donkey brayed in the distance. Mum had been right – it was all so unspoilt.

I didn’t see him until the bus had practically turned the bend in the road. He was running along the goat track. He ran effortlessly, as if running was his natural way of moving. God it wasn’t fair. He was so gorgeous.