Page 33 of The Old Gals’ Bucket List

‘Time to blow up the toys,’ Patti said, they’d all come out of the pool for a drink and to top up their sun cream. ‘Shall I fetch your donut ring, Sandra?’

‘Yes please, it’s on the chest of drawers in my bedroom.’ Sandra poured some sun cream onto her hands and rubbed it onto her face and neck.

Mary disappeared into the house to get her Pegasus.

‘I’d better get my electric air pump to blow those up,’ Keith said, looking amused when they returned with their inflatables.

He soon had them all pumped up. The unicorn and Pegasus were huge. ‘I can’t wait to see you all trying to get on those!’

‘I’d forgotten quite how big they were,’ Mary said.

‘Who’s going in first?’ Patti asked.

‘Me!’ Sandra threw the big pink donut into the pool then jumped in with a huge splash. She reached out for the donut and scrambled into it, perching herself across the hole in the middle, her head on one side and legs dangling on the other. ‘Come on you two!’ she called.

Patti and Mary picked up their inflatables and carried them over to the pool, placing them on the water where they immediately floated off.

They both jumped in, swam over to the inflatables and tried to climb on.

After several unsuccessful attempts where they ended up falling off into the water, they finally managed it.

‘Let’s have a race!’ Patti shouted. ‘You too, Sandra!’

Sandra paddled with her hands to move the ring across the pool whilst Mary and Patti paddled furiously with their feet. The huge blow-ups glided majestically over the water, with Patti and Mary clinging to their necks.

‘You’re going to crash into me!’ Mary shouted. ‘Change direction!’

Patti paddled faster but her unicorn refused to turn and continued heading towards the Pegasus. ‘I can’t!’ she shouted.

She reached out to push the Pegasus away but toppled off into the water, the unicorn on top of her, swallowing a mouthful of water in the process.

A roar of laugher erupted from the side of the pool.

Keith had obviously been watching – well at least she’d made him laugh.

Patti managed to swim underneath the unicorn and bobbed up, ‘Glad you think it’s funny!

’ She laughed, water dripping from her hair all over her face, she wiped it away to see that Keith wasn’t alone, standing beside him was Leo, they both had their heads thrown back and were howling with laughter.

Way to make an impression, Patti! Thank goodness her body was submerged in the water up to her shoulders.

She wasn’t going to get out until Leo had turned his back!

The swimming lessons had given her and Sandra more confidence about their bodies, but she still felt awkward with someone like Leo.

She could see that Sandra was a bit embarrassed too, but Mary didn’t seem bothered.

She was obviously quite at ease with Leo.

‘Perhaps I should have brought my swim shorts.’ Leo chuckled.

‘Borrow a pair of Keith’s and you can both join us,’ Mary suggested.

Patti was relieved when Leo declined and he and Keith went into the kitchen to start on dinner.

Mary had cooked a huge paella for dinner, with more crusty bread, followed by a tiramisu, and they all chatted away as they ate, with the conversation mainly in English, although Leo resorted to Spanish when he couldn’t think of the word he wanted and then they all tried to translate for him.

Patti turned her head as Mary laughed, tears streaming down her face, at something Leo said.

She hadn’t seen Mary laugh like that all the time they’d been here.

Her sister-in-law seemed to have come alive in Leo’s company.

Patti remembered Mary saying that she and Rags often joined Leo and Coco for a walk.

A little fear crept into her mind. Keith and Mary seemed distant with each other, could Mary be attracted to Leo?

No, surely not. But that’s what had happened to her in her own marriage, wasn’t it?

They’d both been busy working, become more like ships in the night, then Adrian had met Sally who’d given him the attention he craved.

Is that why Mary had invited Leo over tonight, because she was missing him?

‘Are you all right, Patti? You seem a bit troubled.’ Sandra’s voice dragged her out of her thoughts. They were both sitting next to each other at the far end of the table.

‘Yes, I’m fine.’ She gave Sandra a reassuring smile. ‘I think all that fun in the pool has tired me out a bit.’

Leo glanced over at them both and smiled ‘Are you enjoying your stay in my country, seňoras?’

‘We are, Keith and Mary are wonderful hosts,’ Sandra replied.

‘They certainly are. They’re really looking after us,’ Patti agreed.

‘They’ve been out gallivanting every other day,’ Keith said, taking a long sip of his beer. ‘It’s been nice and peaceful for me.’

‘Where have you been?’ Leo asked.

Mary filled him in. ‘And tomorrow we’re going jet skiing.’

‘Jet skiing! You’re all mad. Those things aren’t safe,’ Keith retorted.

Leo looked surprised too. ‘It is many years since I went jet skiing. Do you seňoras go often?’

‘It’s going to be our first time,’ Patti told him.

‘You have… How do you say…?’ he paused. ‘Spirit. Spirit of adventure.’

Was that admiration in his voice?

‘I think they’ve lost the plot!’ Keith exploded. ‘They’re much too old to be cavorting about like this.’

‘Usually it is something you do when you’re younger, but it is a pleasurable experience and safe if you are sensible,’ Leo said reassuringly.

‘Of course it is. We’ll check them all out and make sure we go on an approved one.’ Mary looked annoyed and Patti didn’t blame her. Keith didn’t have to be so scathing.

‘Why don’t you at least come for the ride, Keith?’ Patti suggested. ‘You can just sit on the beach and relax. You might have fun watching us. And you probably won’t worry so much about us if you’re there.’

‘You’re crazy. The last thing I want to see is my wife, sister and her friend careering across the sea, strapped to a contraption that could tip them into the water any minute, or crash into a boat.’

Mary raised her eyebrows. ‘We’ll check that the water is clear, and only go for a short ride.

Thousands of people jet ski every year quite safely.

’ She picked up her phone and started tapping the screen.

‘Look, it’s perfectly safe. We’ll have a tutorial and a lifejacket, an instructor will be with us, they ride in a boat nearby, and we’ll only go for the short run, twenty minutes max. ’

‘I don’t want you to go,’ Keith stated.

‘Well, I’m going. Remember – not so long ago – we both said we’d try it one day. We were both going to do a lot of things! Just because you no longer want to doesn’t mean that I should give up my dreams too.’

Sandra held her breath as Keith and Mary locked gazes. She hoped this wasn’t going to lead to a big row. Then Keith got up from the table and stormed out.

‘I think it is time I go too.’ Leo stood up. ‘Goodnight, seňoras. I hope tomorrow, it goes well.’

They all said goodbye and Mary walked with Leo to the gate. Patti watched as they stood, huddled together, heads almost touching as they talked. They looked so close.

‘I can’t help feeling guilty that Keith and Mary had words, it was our talk of fulfilling our bucket list that started all this off.’ Sandra sounded worried.

‘I think things haven’t been right between Keith and Mary for a while.’ Patti told her. ‘I just hope that it’s a blip and they’ll get over it.’

Just then Mary came back. ‘I’m sorry about that but Keith has to realise that he might want to sit and rot all day, but I’ve got a life to live and I’m going to live it.’

‘It’s the heart attack. It’s left him feeling vulnerable…’

‘I know, Patti. And I don’t mean to sound harsh but – whilst I understand his fear – I don’t think it’s wise to pander to it any longer.

Maybe if I start getting out and doing things, Keith will want to join in.

It’s worth a try. Besides, I’m not going to let you two sit around the pool every day.

I want to show you some of Spain while you’re here.

Leo agrees with me too. He said Keith isn’t the man he used to be. ’

She picked up her phone again. ‘Now let’s book us in for our jet ski ride; 11.30 tomorrow okay?’

‘Great!’ Patti agreed but Sandra hesitated before nodding. Patti could see that her friend was a bit reluctant.

‘Okay, they only have double or single jet ski so I guess we had better book one each.’ Mary looked up from the screen. ‘Unless you two prefer to go together and I’ll go by myself. I don’t mind at all.’

Patti thought it was a shame that Keith wasn’t joining them then they could all pair up. She didn’t like to go with Sandra and leave Mary to go alone. ‘What do you think?’ she asked Sandra.

‘How about you two go together? I’m not bothered about going jet skiing to be honest.’

Patti could see that she was nervous. She didn’t want to push her into doing something she didn’t want to do but was sure that Sandra would regret not joining in when she saw how much fun it was. ‘It could be fun to have one each. We can race each other.’

‘But we’re the three musketeers! We have to all do it,’ Mary protested. She looked so disappointed. She really was enjoying the comradeship, Patti realised.

Sandra must have realised the same thing because she nodded. ‘You’re right. I’ll be brave and do it.’

‘It’ll be three jet skis then. And don’t worry, it’s all perfectly safe and an instructor will be with us.’ She tapped a few keys then Patti thrust her credit card in front of her.

‘This is my treat because it’s on my bucket list,’ she insisted.

She couldn’t wait until tomorrow!