Plums and Custard

A Spanish villa in August with a myriad of guests.

 

 

PLUMS AND CUSTARD

 

The sun created a cruel glare on the white walls of the villa that Astrid and her husband Gabriel had decided to rent for a month. They had invited two other couples to join them, and give them a holiday too. Roderick and his wife Karen were not all that keen to be on a holiday in Spain and in such heat, much preferring to be in a colder climate. They had accepted the invitation from Astrid as it was free, and they didn’t want to reveal to anyone, not even to their nearest and dearest friends, how badly off they were. They felt they needed a holiday anyway. Harold and his wife Beatrice were the second couple to be staying with Astrid and Gabriel. They didn’t have any financial problems, or none that could be easily detected. Their clothes were new and the luggage too. Besides, they never talked about money, as if it were a dirty word that mustn’t be spoken out loud. The villa was large and airy with ceramic tiled floors and stairs, the walls were painted white both indoors and out. The atmosphere was that of tranquillity and peace. The nearest villa was quite some way away and practically impossible to hear any noise from one villa to the other.

The days began with what had become a ritual of breakfast at a table by the swimming pool. The women got up later than the men, who were already dripping water after the first swim of the day, when their wives eventually got to the table for breakfast. Astrid thought it would be a great pity if they never did anything else, and every day suggested going out to a local market, or to a town for more serious shopping. Roderick and Karen always reacted in the same way to those ideas, and said they were quite happy to spend the morning by the pool in the large garden. On the other hand, after several copycat mornings, Harold and Beatrice went along with Astrid’s ideas and the three climbed into the four-wheel-drive, and off to the market being held in another village.

 

Gabriel and Roderick sat on the grass and sunbathed, while Karen swam up and down in the pool and then got out and sunbathed too. The overall atmosphere was wonderful for those in the garden, whose memories of an extreme cold and wet winter had almost faded entirely. The sunny, dry climate accompanied by the sounds of birds singing, and the sight of butterflies going from one lovely flower to another, was a healing balm for those whose resources had been depleted by the ravages of the last winter.

 

The noise and colours of the market were a joy to the ears, after the long days in the paradisiacal garden. The majority of the people present were suntanned, making those who hadn’t yet succumbed to the sun look like visitors from another planet. The street vendors were eager to make a sale and thrust their goods under the noses of the public. Harold and Karen managed to acquire cool flowing clothes in a myriad of colours. Those colours reflected how happy they were. Astrid was happy to see how well they were getting on with their shopping. She strolled around the vegetables and fruit, her nose enjoying the pungent smells and perfumes. When Astrid joined up with the married couple, they had so many bags of goods they looked as though they had purchased something from every stall.

“You do look as if you’ve been shopping for every member in your families,” Astrid commented.

“We’ve bought clothes, clay cooking pots, and an express coffee pot, and other household goods we can’t get back there. We’ve got some coffee too, saffron and spices. When we’re home, we intend to try out some of the dishes we’ve been eating here. The food is certainly delicious,” Beatrice said, puffing and panting with the effort of carrying so many things at the same time.

 

Astrid rang Gabriel and told him that she and Harold and Beatrice were going to eat out, as it would be very late when they got home. Gabriel didn’t mind, as he and Roderick would eat and drink what they wanted, and Karen could suit herself. It was no problem for any of them.

 

The shopping was locked away in the four-wheel-drive, and the hot and tired trio went for lunch at a fish restaurant. The chosen venue was pretty full when they entered, and a table was found for them by a young and eager waiter. The menu for the day was an enormous salad with everything one could wish for, followed by a plate of fried fish, and then ice cream. The ice-cold white wine, which Astrid refused as she was driving, was swallowed down very easily by Harold and Beatrice, who had no idea of how it might affect them on going out into the sunshine again.

 

Meanwhile, back at the villa, Karen had eaten what the men had prepared instead of arguing, and was lying down on a hammock in the shade. The two men were watching a sports programme on the television. The mood in the garden was easy. The sun was still fairly high in the sky and there was absolutely no sound from anywhere or anyone.

 

Harold and Beatrice’s heads felt as if they had been hit with a hammer on going back out into the heat. Astrid couldn’t help but smile to herself as her friends staggered to the car. Astrid opened the door for them and made sure they were strapped in before starting up. The two in the back were silent, and Astrid stared at them in the mirror, to find they had both fallen asleep and their mouths were hanging open. Astrid thought to herself, in a moment one of them or both will snore. The sound of Harold opening and shutting his dry mouth in his sleep was funny to Astrid, and she half guessed that they would go up to bed as soon as they reached the villa.

 

“What’s happened to them?” Gabriel asked Astrid, as he watched Harold and Beatrice step gingerly up the stairs to their bedroom.

“Nothing much, only ice-cold white wine with lunch, which they enjoyed no end. I’m off to bed as well. See you later. The stuff I got is still inside the car,” Astrid said as she walked up the stairs. Gabriel went outside to bring the shopping indoors.

 

Inside her bedroom Astrid sat on the bed and removed her sandals and clothes and went into the shower. She felt very tired and all she wanted to do was sleep. In some ways she wished she hadn’t invited her friends, as it was proving too much work for her. She hoped that Karen would actually get down and do some cooking or tidying up. She wondered why Roderick and Karen had gone out there to visit them, when they normally went to Scandinavia for holidays, saying the Mediterranean was not the fashionable place to go to any more. Maybe we should take them to Benidorm for dinner one evening, and then they can see for themselves by the number of tourists present, how popular it is! Astrid towelled her hair and then shook it all out and put her head down onto the pillow and fell asleep.

 

That evening Gabriel switched on electrical insect repellents, which buzzed them away. Dinner was served late. That evening was the one that Astrid remembered well and often commented about to Gabriel.

Karen’s face that night caused a few laughs from the others. She, of course, was, naturally, offended. The right side of her face was sunburn-red while the left was white. The dramatic artistic effect had been obtained by Karen falling asleep in the garden and not moving.

 

That night as the sun set on the garden, and the interior of the villa was filled with reds, oranges, and yellows. The furniture was in darkness, as were the trees and the plants. The two together made a living painting. The only thing that broke it up was the artificial lighting in the swimming pool.

 

Astrid felt restless and walked round the garden enjoying the dark on her own. Her mobile phone rang. She answered it and a voice said, “Hello, Astrid, do you remember me? I’m Celeste, your old pupil.”

Astrid turned her mind back about fifteen years, and thought how on earth had anyone from her past got hold of her number.

“Yes, I remember you, but how did you get hold of my number?”

“I was at a dinner and met up with Nancy, and she gave it to me. Is that OK?”

Astrid didn’t think much of Nancy at that moment, but said, “I suppose it has to be. How are you?” Astrid not really very interested.

“I’m fine. I’d like to see you.”

Astrid didn’t like the direction the conversation was going. “I’m afraid I’m only here on holiday. I haven’t lived here for a long time, and at the moment I’m not alone, there are visitors with me and my husband.”

Celeste was not going to be put off that easily and insisted. “Please, Astrid. I have to talk to someone.”

“Then talk to Nancy.”

“This is too personal to tell Nancy.”

“Oh, very well. Come over for dinner and tell me what it is you have to, and then go. Don’t forget I have visitors. Do you remember the housing estate that used to be so ultra-fashionable? Well, go down the main road, and be careful of the bumps in the road. It’s the large villa on the left. And come alone.”

“Don’t worry, Astrid, I’ll be alone,” and Celeste rang off.

Astrid gave Nancy a quick ring, and told her not to do it again. Nancy said that Celeste had sounded so needy that she’d given in. Astrid knew that Nancy would not repeat the mistake.

 

Astrid buzzed Celeste in when she rang the bell. What she remembered as a twenty year old girl, was now a thin-faced woman with a sadness etched on her face.

“Come in, Celeste. What a surprise! I’ll introduce you to the others,” Astrid said, trying to hide the shock she felt on seeing how aged Celeste looked.

Gabriel and two of their friends were seated on the terrace drinking gin and tonics prepared by Harold, who claimed he was good at making them. Celeste was offered one, which she declined gracefully. At that precise moment Roderick and Karen made their entrance and Gabriel introduced Celeste to them. Roderick was wearing the most startling outfit imaginable, his trousers were of a dark purple red and his shirt was in saffron yellow cotton. He would never get lost in a crowd wearing such clothes, thought Celeste. Karen looked at the others and said, “This is what I call his ‘plums and custard’ get up.”

Astrid came out and told them that dinner was served. She couldn’t imagine in her wildest dreams why Celeste wanted to get in touch with her after so long.

 

Astrid and Celeste were sitting in the living-room. Dinner was over, and the others were all doing their own thing. “What on earth can I do for you?” Astrid asked Celeste, still with the memory of how Celeste’s mother had treated her with her nose-in-the-air attitude.

“My family has fallen on hard times, and I’m divorced, which means I’m hardly in a position to help them. I just wanted to know if you could help me out, that’s all.”

“Celeste, I don’t work any more, I haven’t got the energy. I spend most of my time working in my garden, and doing things around the house. I don’t see how I can help you.”

Celeste said, “I know this is an awful cheek, but I have to leave here and disappear. My ex-husband is after me.”

“Why is he after you?” Astrid asked, intrigued.

“I sold his motorbike and other belongings when he left, and he’s got a lawyer onto me, and I can’t possibly pay him back the money, as I used it to pay off some of my own debts.”

Astrid almost sat back and laughed when she thought back to Celeste’s family with their airs of grandeur.

 

During the second part of August there were, at times, storms at sea which could be observed from the top floor of the villa. Those storms had no rain, they were electric storms, and the streaks of lightning were a true show of light against the dark sky.

 

Things changed somewhat between the friends. Roderick wasn’t much of a speaker, and then he spoke even less. Whether or not it was due to his precarious monetary situation, no one knew.

 Gabriel and Roderick played chess and watched sports programmes on television, or DVDs.

 Karen spent more and more time sunbathing. “She looks as if she’s determined to force people to notice she’s been abroad for a holiday,” Astrid commented to Celeste.

“She won’t be too happy when it begins to fade and her skin just looks plain dirty,” Celeste said.

Celeste was the help that Astrid needed.

Harold and Beatrice used the villa as a bolt hole and came and went as they pleased, which Astrid approved of, and had expected Roderick and Karen to do too.

 

One day Harold and Beatrice drove to Benidorm for a bit of excitement. They were thrilled at the prospect of being among other tourists, especially Brits, who they instinctively trusted. It was early evening when they got there, and managed to park the car down a side street. The heavy evening rush hadn’t begun and so they calmly walked down the main street looking in the bars, restaurants, and discos. Beatrice heard a voice say, “Hello, Luv, got a light?” and saw before her the most disreputable type of Brit tourist imaginable. One of those tourists everyone else is embarrassed about.

“No, I haven’t,” and she turned to Harold, who was looking in a shop window full of fishing tackle.

“Harold, did you see that?” And Beatrice told him about the man. Harold wasn’t at all interested, but made the right noises.

Harold and Beatrice went to a few bars and had drinks before deciding where to have dinner. Harold said, “I’m going to the loo, so you choose will you?”

Beatrice said, “All right, but don’t be long. I don’t like being on my own after that awful man asking me for a light.”

Beatrice sat at the bar drinking mineral water, when she felt liquid pouring down over her right shoulder, “Oh, what’s that?”

A tall man said to her, “Oh. I’m sorry, Madam, I must have tripped over. Here let me take your bag while you dry yourself down.”

Beatrice saw herself being freed of her handbag as the man made a grab for it. A second man, who was behind her, did his best to stop her from going for his accomplice. Then both men ran off as fast as they could. Beatrice burst into tears, and that was how Harold found her on his return.

“What’s wrong with you?” Harold asked.

“My bag’s been stolen by two men. What are we going to do?”

“Nothing. I’ve got the money, and the passports are in the safe at the villa. There’s nothing in your bag except make up and tissues, is there?”

“I know there’s not much in it, but that’s not the point, I like that handbag very much. It’s been good for me when we’re on holiday. Come on, Harold, let’s go back to the villa. I think we’re safer there.”

 

The drive to the villa didn’t take too long, and yet they both felt exhausted by all that had happened.

“Have a nice time?” Astrid asked, as Harold and Beatrice entered the villa hall.

“We’re rather tired Astrid, so, if you and the others don’t mind we’d like to go up and have a rest.”

“Food will be left for you in the fridge if you feel hungry later,” Astrid told them.

Harold and Beatrice had showers and went to bed, and they never spoke about Benidorm ever again.

 

The weather was beginning to change subtly, the sun was still hot but not as glaring as it had been at the beginning of August. Celeste had thought she should do something about Roderick. He always looked so bored.

“Come on, Roderick, I’ll teach you how to cook some simple things for you to make when you get back home.”

Roderick replied, “I’m not the one who bought the spices and colourings in the market, that’s Harold.”

“I know that. How about we go with Astrid to the market and get all sorts of goodies for you and Karen to take back?”

Roderick said, “I don’t know whether Karen will come too, she seems determined to get as dark a tan as she can, rather than leave the garden. Anyway, I’ll ask her.”

 

Celeste told Astrid of her strategy to get some sort of life into Roderick, and her old teacher agreed. They watched as Roderick went to Karen to speak to her. They saw her shake her head. Astrid joined the couple and said, “Would you like to come to the market with us for a change?”

Karen looked up, and said, “I’m happy here in the sunshine. I feel very relaxed. You all go and have a good time.”

As they left the villa, they saw Harold and Beatrice going into the garden.

“Karen won’t be so alone, she’ll have the others for company,” Astrid said.

 

At dinner that same day, Astrid was shocked by Karen’s appearance. She was wearing a white dress that exaggerated the overdone roast beef colour she had acquired. Everyone congratulated her on her tan, and she beamed and looked happy for the first time, at the villa.

 

As the stay at the villa neared its end there were changes in attitude, and then it was Harold and Beatrice who chose to sunbathe with Karen, who had made it her goal for that summer. Karen knew that she wasn’t likely to have a holiday the next year anywhere, and wanted to make the memory last as long as it could.

Harold and Beatrice would have been keener to go out, and they had done so, until the visit to Benidorm, which had put them off for the rest of the holiday.

Celeste told the others of her problems, and both married couples gave her a donation to tide her over till she left and got herself a new job.

 Astrid and Gabriel helped Celeste financially, and were happy for her when she told them she had found a job in the north of England, where it would be cheaper for her to live.

 

Just before Christmas that year, Astrid and Gabriel received an e-mail informing them of the opening of a boutique by Roderick and Karen, called ‘Plums and Custard’. The idea had come to Karen while she was sunbathing in the garden at the villa. They had just about the necessary capital to get started, and people were already interested.

 

Harold and Beatrice went to New Zealand for Christmas, for peace and quiet.

 

Celeste, the celestial one, had already enjoyed one free holiday from Astrid and Gabriel, and then another one at the expense of the other friends. She had never gone without any luxuries in her life, and she considered it was her right to maintain the status quo.

Celeste was to be found in a restaurant at the top of a skyscraper in New York having coffee, and looking round for her next meal ticket. She saw a young man gazing at her. She smiled back.

 

Who said that being a hussy didn’t pay?