Off The Cretan Track Chapter 42

Sal and Fay discuss Jen

Mike was restless, pacing the confines of his hotel room in the new town he'd found himself in. Was he really interested in being there? No. His only interest was in this ridiculous quest that the couple had mentioned. He laughed to himself; now that was entertaining. But for more amusement, he needed to get busy and make some phone calls. Nevertheless, all the details of his plan were not clearly thought out yet. He was impatient and wanted results now; not to be stuck there alone in that room. Still, he'd bide his time. The fun would soon begin.

 

"Ah, he's on his way back," Fay informed Sal, reading the text message that had just come through on her phone. "Oh, and Nick is with him."

 

Sal's hand froze midway in between supplying her mouth with another cheesy puff.

 

"He is?" Her eyes widened with surprise and , what seemed to Fay like, a sparkle of pleasure. Then a frown of confusion developed. "But what about Jen?"

 

"Apparently she's gone back to the airport for some kind of meeting," Fay answered, watching Sal inquisitively.

 

"What? But she's only just got back. She's nuts," Sal concluded, devouring the cheesy puff.

 

"Quite possibly," Fay agreed.

 

"I mean, doesn't she at least want to spend a bit of time with Nick before she rushes back to work again?" Sal asked, sweeping up her glass of wine. "They haven't been together for more than two seconds!"

 

"Yeah. There are workaholics, and then there is Jen; she's in a whole other league," Fay commented.

 

Sal sighed and took a sip of wine.

 

"Poor Nick. I don't like Jen," Sal announced.

 

"Well, neither do I much, considering..." Fay said.

 

"Yeah," Sal agreed, before turning to Fay. "Considering what?"

 

Fay became still for a moment, searching Sal's face. "You know, last year and all that."

 

"Last year?" Sal said, confused.

 

Fay tutted. "Come on Sal, think about it. Adam and Jen."

 

Sal gasped and turned herself on the sofa, placing a hand on Fay's arm. "Oh God yes, I'm sorry. I completely forgot about that." Falling back against the cushions again, she added, "Still, that was only a one night fling before you got together with Adam."

 

"Hmm, listen Sal, we are best friends; you don't have to pretend with me. I know how Jen feels. I've heard the gossip."

 

Sal turned again to Fay with interest. "What gossip?"

 

"Sal, are you serious?"

 

"Sorry, I might be being stupid or something tonight, but I really don't know what gossip you mean," Sal replied.

 

Fay contemplated her with disbelief. "Well then, you must be the only person in Agios who doesn't know that Jen is supposed to be madly in love with Adam."

 

"What?" Sal's hand dropped then slightly, spilling some of the contents of the glass of wine over her jogging bottoms. She placed the glass back on the coffee table and wiped away the moisture with one hand. "But...but...why? How can she be?"

 

"Well, if you ask me she isn't really. She hardly even knows Adam. Like you said, it was just a one night fling, and even then, Adam was so drunk, he hardly knew what he was doing. I think she's just delusional," Fay concluded.

 

"Hmm," Sal nodded, chewing her thumb nail thoughtfully. "But why the hell is she with Nick then?" She gasped suddenly. "Does Nick know?"

 

"I don't think he did for a while, but I think he must do now. I do honestly think that you are literally the only person not to know," Fay answered.

 

"Oh," Sal responded, then she sighed again deeply. "God, how awful for Nick. She probably just got together with him on the rebound..." Sal glanced at Fay, "...not that there was much of a rebound anyway from what happened between them. She must have given up on that when you two got together, realizing that she didn't stand a chance. I wonder why..."

 

Sal's comment was cut short by the sound of the doorbell ringing.

 

"...why Nick says with her?" Sal finished on a whisper, before jumping up off the sofa, but pausing to wait for Fay's response.

 

"That's the sixty four million dollar question. She's a bossy b***h though," Fay whispered back, "and you know what Nick is like, he's so laid back, he probably just goes along with her for a quiet life."

 

Sal's face was awash with compassion and sympathy for Nick. "It's all so bloody sad. Why can't all the nice people in the world find all the other nice people and be happy together?"

 

The doorbell sounded again and Sal suddenly looked panicked, covering her face with her hands and trying frantically to pull herself together enough to greet Adam and Nick. What was wrong with her tonight? She needed to get a grip.

 

"Here." Sal felt one of her arms being tugged down, and something pushed into her hand. "Sit down and drink some more wine; I'll get the door," Fay said.

 

Sal moved to the sofa again, pausing to take a quick glance in the long mirror on the lounge wall before she took a seat. She had appeared vaguely normal, apart from perhaps a bit of a sullen expression on her face. She sat, took a sip of her wine and forced a big, if not a little fake, smile. It wasn't going to work. She sighed as the smile fell away, and sipped her wine once more. Then the apartment was filled with the bustling sound of her visitors.

 

Sal turned to see Nick rushing through the door. She smiled a little weakly at him, slightly bewildered by his apparent urgency.

Upon reaching Sal, he crouched down in front of her so that he was on her level, taking her hands in his. "What is it Sal? Why are you upset?" he asked, his eyes searching her face disconcertingly.

Oh God, she wasn't prepared for either him knowing that she'd been upset, or his close scrutiny of her.

 

"Oh, I err... it's..." She could feel the tears still threatening the back of her eyes but she fought to stop his concern from letting them form.

 

To her relief, Nick interrupted and sent her a lifeline.

 

"Was it what happened in the police station?"

 

"Yes," she said, exhaling with relief.

 

"I should have made sure you were okay before I left you. I'm really Sorry Sal. It's just that Jen seemed a bit angry with me...it was all my fault...but now I feel like a real scum bag because you were here alone and upset."

 

How can Jen give him a hard time about anything considering how she is using him? And why should he feel like a scum bag? He hasn't done anything wrong.

 

Sal didn't even realize that she was crying until Nick rose his hand, cupped her face and wiped away a tear with his thumb.

 

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. But he wasn't just referring to leaving her that evening, it was what had happened after he'd left her. His heart was sorry for more than she knew.

 

"It's not your fault," she cried. "You had to go. I knew that...it's okay," she wept, contradicting her own words.

 

"Oh Sal," he said, pulling her to him and wrapping his arms around her. "It's not okay. You mustn't be alone and upset. Next time you must phone me right away and I'll come round."

 

"I can't expect you to do that," she replied, her body shuddering, her breathing unsteady, as she fought again to curb the outburst of emotion. "What about Jen?"

 

"I don't care about that!" he shouted out, more abruptly than he had meant to. She moved backwards slightly to search his face with surprise. He sighed and softened his tone. "You can phone me at any time, do you hear me? Any time," he repeated.

 

She gave a watery smile. "Thanks."

 

Fay had been standing at the doorway, watching their interaction with fascination. She turned, looking for confirmation from Adam that she was seeing, what she thought she was seeing, but Adam wasn't behind her. Where on earth was he anyway? How could he be missing this?