Gut Feeling (15 page)

Ash stood looking at the others with a smile, pondering on whether or not to join them.

‘Come on, come on,’ Gina shouted. ‘Come on, it eez so much fun. You on holiday—live a leetle…’

Ash started to laugh then suddenly, perhaps because of the alcohol, she pulled her white dress up over her head.

‘Sod it, you’re right, Gina, but I am going to keep my knickers and bra on.’

They both ran down the beach, Ash laughing, trying to convince herself that it was just a bit of fun. They joined the others at the water’s edge; they had started to swim out to an old wooden fishing boat.

‘Let’s get in.’ Antonio held on to the side of the boat, pulling himself up.

‘No way, I’m fully naked. Everyone will see my fanny,’ protested Rachel.

‘I know. This eez good,’ Antonio pulled her towards him. Rachel laughed and held on to his shoulders; water splashed between them.

‘Where’s Gemma and Zane?’ said Jules.

Rachel pointed to another fishing boat further out. ‘I saw them climb into that boat like five minutes ago, so I’m betting they are getting acquainted with each other… Or shagging, same thing.

* * *

Wandsworth, 3.00am

Dave woke up with a stiff neck, realising he had fallen asleep on the sofa watching the DVD. He stretched out his arms yarning, and then picked up the half-eaten Indian takeaway boxes. As he walked towards the kitchen he paused, thinking he heard a bang from outside. Walking up to the front door he put his eye to the spyhole only to see Peter, Issi, and another girl messing around in the hall. He stepped away from the door to walk back in the direction of the kitchen before they opened the door. The front door opened with a bang as Dave was walking out of the kitchen to bed. All three piled in, making no effort to keep the noise down.

‘Dave. You’re still up,’ Peter said, standing in the doorway looking at his brother, with one hand around Issi and the other up a blonde girl’s top.

‘It’s OK, I’m off to bed now. Enjoy!’ Dave smiled.

‘Have a drink with us, bruv.’

‘Yeah come on, Dave, you can meet my friend Sassy,’ Issi said, smiling as she walked up to Dave throwing her arms around his neck, kissing him on the lips.

Dave pulled away, laughing, wiping his lips. ‘You’re drunk, Iss.’

‘Yep I am and you must stay up with us.’

By this point Peter had Sassy pinned up against the hallway wall and was undressing her.

Dave rolled his eyes. ‘No thanks, I’m off to bed.’

‘Do you want some company?’ Issi put her hand out, tugging at Dave’s belt buckle. Dave grabbed her hand.

‘Wow, Dave, you’re strong. That turns me on.’

‘What are you like, girl?’ he said as he walked off to his bedroom.

Issi stood watching him wishfully as he walked away before she turned back to Sassy and Peter.

Dave lay in bed, unable to sleep. His mind was fixated on Ash; his heart yearning for her to come home. Four more days, he told himself. He tried to close his eyes to see if he could slowly drift off to sleep but all he could think about was Ash, all he could feel was his brother’s bed banging against the wall, all he could hear were the moans and groans of sex, flooding the silence. He lay there eyes closed on his back with his hand above his head, trying to clear his mind, wondering if Ash were out drinking still or in bed sleeping. And he wondered if she was thinking about him. Eventually he drifted into a shallow steady sleep.

He was fast asleep, dreaming sweet thoughts of Ash. Well, maybe not sweet but thoughts none the less. His penis hardened as he felt something touch him. In his dream he saw Ash bend down in front of him, massaging his cock, her hand rubbing it gently, firmly and ever more feverishly, her mouth close to him. He groaned out loud, pushing his pelvis forward so he could slide into her mouth.

Dave suddenly felt a warm, moist feeling, and quickly opened his eyes to see Sassy leaning down over him, her mouth a centimetre from his hard manhood.

‘What the
fuck
are you doing?’ Dave pushed her off him. ‘Get the fuck off me! Get the fuck out… Now, before I throw you through the fucking door!’

Dave had never sworn at a woman before, but he was in such a rage the blood in his head felt like it was going to spill out of his eyes. Peter and Issi ran into the bedroom in a blind panic as Sassy was running out in wide-eyed, full-sighted panic. Issi looked at Dave, who just glared back at her like she was the devil’s best friend, holding a towel against his pelvis. She stared back for a split second before running after Sassy.

‘Bruv, what are you doing?’ Peter stood in the doorway, one hand on his head, not quite awake.

‘What am I doing? What am I fucking
doing
? That girl just got into my bed, trying to give me head while I was asleep!’ He dropped the towel, putting on his bathrobe, ready to see if Sassy had left like he had told her to. Walking towards the door Peter stopped him.

‘Dave, mate, wait! She’s leaving, just stay here and calm down.’ Peter closed the door so they were both inside on their own.

‘What happened? If some girl tried to give me head while I was asleep there’s no way I would be throwing her out.’

‘Yeah, well I’m not you. She has to go, Peter.’ Dave looked square into his eyes.

‘She’s gone, bruv.’

‘
Issi
, Pete.
Issi
has to go.’

‘What? Why? She didn’t try and suck your fucking cock!’

‘No but I said if it didn’t work within three months then she would go—and it was her friend.’ Dave was pacing up and down the room.

‘Dave, it weren’t Issi’s friend. We met that girl in a bar and she was up for some fun so she came back with us. It ain’t Issi’s fault.’

‘Well, where is Issi then? Why did she run after her?’ Dave snapped.

The bedroom door opened. Issi stood in the doorway. ‘Sorry, Dave. We didn’t know she was going to do anything like that. I went after her to check she didn’t take anything.’

Peter stood up.

‘It’s OK, babes,’ Issi stopped him. ‘I checked, nothing is missing and she has gone.’

‘What am I going to tell Ash?’ Dave slumped down on to the bed.

Issi sat down next to him, putting her arm round his shoulders. But he was still sore at her and he shrugged her off.

‘Tell her nothing—it’s not your fault, you didn’t want it to happen. And what’s the point in saying anything? It will upset her. If it was me I would rather not know.’

Dave looked at her. ‘I can’t lie to her.’

‘You can if you don’t want to hurt her. Because you will if you tell her. Trust me, I’m a woman. I know how we think.’

‘How can you say that? You sleep with multiple men, and by the looks of it women as well. What do you know about being faithful?’

‘Low punches, but I suppose it’s a fair comment. But just because I like sex doesn’t mean that when I finally meet Mr Right, I won’t be faithful.’ She glanced at Peter. ‘I’m single and can do as I please. But I do know that if I was Ash and likes you as she seems to, it might upset me. That’s all I’m saying.’

‘She is right. Just keep it to yourself,’ said Peter, putting his hand out for Issi to take. ‘Come on let’s go to bed—it’s been a weird night… Night, brov.’

Dave lay in bed again for what seemed like ages, mulling over the situation. Deep down, if it was not for Ash he would have loved to have a strange, good looking blonde sneaking into his bed. But Ash had got under his skin, and now he felt guilty even though it had been completely beyond his control. Would she believe him if he told her? Would she think there was something cynical in it? Not wanting to rock the boat, he decided the best thing was to forget it ever happened.

* * *

Rachel briefly woke to hear the hotel door close. Light, quick, footsteps ran over the ceramic floor tiles into the bedroom; she observed Gemma sneak into bed and smiled to herself.

Later that morning at a more sociable hour, Rachel walked out of the bedroom to glorious sunshine lighting up the large, modern, open plan living area. The ceramic floor tiles were already warm from the sun shining through the window; Rachel wiggled her toes, giving an extended stretch before walking out on to the balcony where Ash was already relaxing with croissants, jam and strawberries. She sat down beside her, managing to squeeze out a small ‘Morning’ and reached for a croissant.

The two girls sat in silence, looking out over the resort as holidaymakers went for their morning swim in the large figure-of-eight swimming pool. A strong morning wind was blowing across the sea, making it look like a large meringue, or as Ash’s mother said, small white horses riding the waves. They could see the beach filling up with sunbathers, the banana boatman was getting his life jackets out of his locker ready for the holidaymakers, and the pedalos were lying motionless on the sand, waiting for another day’s use.

Rachel sighed; the days were going so fast, rolling into one. The girls wished they would slow down so they could make the most of their holiday.

Ash put down her cup of tea. ‘Just think, this time last year I was in Cornwall, planning a girly holiday with Laura to here.’ Laura was an old family friend

‘Why didn’t you go?’

‘Lee talked me out of it.’ She turned, looking into the living room where she saw Gemma, hungover, stumble to the bathroom.

‘Don’t worry Ash, you live and learn.’

Ash was not missing Lee, just wishing she had left him long before she had, wondering how different her life would have been without him. Now she felt herself thinking about Dave; she missed him, wondering what he was doing or if he was thinking or missing her. She didn’t dwell on it for too long—there was no point in consuming herself with thoughts of events she could not control.

An hour passed; all the girls except Gemma were dressed, sitting out on the balcony ready to head off into Ibiza for a day, for a spot of shopping, sunbathing with one or two cocktails, and the prospect of dishy young Spanish men.

The girls had been excited about their trip into Ibiza town since they had arrived. San Miguel was so far away they did not have the luxury of the town on tap.

Ash went to check on Gemma as she could no longer hear any more noises coming from her room; she wasn’t gone long before retuning to the balcony with a frown then followed by a smile. She explained that Gemma was in no fit state to be walking around Ibiza, as she had just found her sleeping, head in arms, hunched over the dressing table, hairbrush still in her hand.

Ash put Gemma back to bed, telling her to phone her mobile once she was up, and the girls would all meet her at a landmark once she got into Ibiza town.

‘
You
old
drunk!
’ shouted Rachel into the living room from the balcony.

‘Oh don’t be mean,’ Ash protested.

A small voice rolled back from Gemma’s room but no one could quite hear what she said.

‘Speak up, sweetie,’ replied Jules.

‘I said “Bugger off!”’ the croaky voice drifted out, slightly louder this time.

All the girls burst out laughing.

After they had stopped shouting back and forth to poor Gemma, they made their way out of the hotel room, giggling as they went.

Everyone excitedly gathered in the hotel lobby waiting for a cab. Ash was very quiet, concerned about leaving Gemma in such a helpless state on her own. She felt a pang of guilt spread over her, knowing that if she was the one feeling hungover in a strange country and after making such a life-changing decision as Gemma had just done by leaving her husband, she would want a friend around to comfort her. She thought for a while and decided that the best thing to do would be to stay.

‘Guys, I think I’m going to stay here and look after Gemma. Don’t tell me not to because I would do the same for any of you if you were in that state—’

‘Ash, that’s nice of you but it’s your holiday too. You were looking forward to today. She will be OK,’ Rachel pleaded with Ash.

‘I don’t mind. Really, I can bathe by the pool. Check on Gemma… then come in later with or without her… I want to stay—that’s final.’

Ash’s face said it all. Rachel knew her well enough to know that if Ash thought she was doing the right thing, then no one or anything could change her mind. She enjoyed caring for people and it came very naturally to her.

She waved them off, then made her way back up to the room. Ash heard Gemma being sick in the bathroom; quickly she ran in, holding her hair up while rubbing her back. Gemma sat on the floor, not able to move, the room seemed unstable or maybe it was her who felt unstable; her stomach churned, wrenching independently from what her brain was telling it to do, making her throw up again. Ash helped her back to bed and put a bucket on the floor beside her; she sat outside on the balcony reading a book with an ear out listening for any whimpers, checking on Gemma every now and then.

An hour passed with no more tears, or puking. Armed with a mobile phone in case Gemma needed her, Ash made her way down to the pool to have a swim, leaving Gemma with a clean bucket and a glass of water.

Chapter 12

T
he yellow cab pulled up outside McDonald’s over the road from the harbour. The girls paid the cab man then walked toward the harbour. The town was busy. They both decided to stop for a cappuccino outside a small Spanish sandwich bar on the beach front. Rachel lit a cigarette while Jules ordered the drinks from a small, strange-looking Spaniard with an Elvis Presley haircut and the biggest nose she had ever seen.

‘Oh my God, Rach did you see that nose?’ Jules took a cigarette from Rachel’s box, still looking at the waiter as he made the coffee inside the bar.

‘Jules, you freak, stop staring.’

‘I’m not the freak, he is. Have a look when he comes back.’

Jules pulled out a mirror with her powder compact to touch up any shiny patches on her face, dabbing at her nose, then sat back to relax in the sun watching the passers-by.

A few minutes later the waiter came back with the cappuccinos. Jules kicked Rachel under the table, trying not to laugh as the man put the drinks down. Rachel smiled as she took the coffee, staring directly at the waiter’s nose.