Page 42 of The Old Gals’ Bucket List

MARY

Mary was so pleased to see that Keith had a spring in his step the next morning as they all got ready for the trip to Marbella for the ride in the vintage Cadillac. It had been awful to see him so down, not wanting to go out or do anything but now she felt like she was getting her husband back.

He put on his fedora and beige trench coat. ‘How do I look?’

‘Perfect, Humphrey!’ She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a hug. ‘I think you might be hot though.’

‘Yeah, me too.’ He kissed her forehead. ‘It’s going to be a scorcher today. But it will be cooler this morning, and Leo said it will only be a short ride. Can’t blame his friend for that, if I had a Caddy, I wouldn’t want to lend it out to anyone. He must think a lot of Leo.’

‘He’s a good chap, Leo. Salt of the earth. Have you noticed how friendly he and Patti are getting?’ Mary asked, stepping out of the hug to grab her red lipstick off her dressing table. ‘It’s a shame she isn’t stopping longer. I think they’d be good together.’

‘Yes, me too. It’s a bit weird though, my sister and my mate fancying each other – just like when we were teenagers.’

‘Do you think they’ll keep in touch? It would be so nice for Patti to find love again. She’s been on her own for so long.’

‘I don’t think she’s that interested in a relationship. She’s very independent.’

‘You can still be independent and have a relationship. Leo has been on his own for a long time too and he’s very independent. I think they’d be a perfect match.’ Mary applied the lipstick and blotted her lips with a tissue. ‘Now I just need my sunglasses and scarf.’

‘Very sexy!’ Keith said in approval as she tied the silk scarf Audrey Hepburn style over her head and knotted it loosely under her chin then slipped on her sunglasses. He pulled her into another hug. ‘Thanks for arranging this, love.’

‘You’ve very welcome, but it was Leo’s idea.’ And what a brilliant idea it was, Keith looked more cheerful than she’d seen him for a long time. And they hadn’t even had a ride in the Cadillac yet.

Leo arrived a little later and they all got into his large estate car and set off for Marbella.

Rupert lived in a luxurious large villa on the outskirts of Marbella.

‘Wow, this must be worth over a million,’ Mary said as the electric gates opened and Leo drove inside.

Rupert came out to greet them, and was amused to see them all dressed up as forties’ film stars. ‘That’s brilliant! I must take a photo of you all.’

‘Talking of photos, would you mind if we posted one of us all in your car on our Instagram account later?’ Patti asked.

‘Oh yes! You can say it’s one of the things on Keith’s bucket list,’ Mary suggested.

‘What bucket list?’ Keith asked, in surprise.

‘The one you’ve just started!’ Mary grinned.

‘Of course. Leo told me about your bucket list, and I checked out your account. You’re certainly living your life. Good for you!’

The Cadillac was parked in the drive. Shiny maroon with a black fabric convertible top, that Rupert had already put down, it looked like something out of an old movie. The Cadillac crest was on the front, and the trademark silver bird on the bonnet.

They all posed in front of the car for a couple of photos, which Rupert said he’d send to Leo, then Rupert opened the doors to show them inside.

Keith whistled at the chrome with wood veneer steering wheel, the polished wooden dashboard with chrome dials, the beige leather bench seats in the front and back. ‘This is amazing!’

‘I’m rather proud of it. It was my father’s. I’ve kept it in pristine condition,’ Rupert said.

‘Do you often hire it out?’ Keith asked.

‘Yes, hiring out vintage cars is my business. I have a Mercedes Benz too and an MG. They make me a tidy income. Not that I’ll be charging you. I owe Leo a favour, he saved my life.’

‘It was only what anyone would have done,’ Leo told him. ‘I was in the right place at the right time.’

‘What happened?’ Patti asked.

‘A bunch of us were sailing on my yacht and it was a bit rocky. I got up in the middle of the night to check the sails, got knocked out and fell overboard. Luckily Leo couldn’t sleep and came on the deck, saw what happened and rescued me. That was ten years ago.’

Leo had never mentioned this and they’d been good friends for a few years now, Mary thought, but then he wasn’t one to talk about himself much. She could believe it of him though, he was that sort of man.

They all got inside the car, Leo and Keith sitting on the bench seat at the front and Patti, Sandra and Mary in the back.

Sandra looked for her seat belt to fasten. ‘Oh, of course there’s no seat belts!’ she said.

‘It’s not a problem, I won’t be driving fast,’ Leo told them. ‘And it’s perfectly legal in a classic car.’

‘Enjoy your trip!’ Rupert waved as Leo started up the engine.

‘Gracias, we will only be an hour or so,’ Leo promised. He drove smoothly out of the drive and along the road.

‘You’ve obviously driven this a few times,’ Patti said.

‘Yes, I help Rupert out sometimes if he needs a driver.’ Leo turned onto the coast road, the views were spectacular. It was breathtaking. Driving along, the warm breeze on their skin, the ocean sparkling in the sun, Mary felt a flood of happiness. Life was good.

When they’d returned the Cadillac, Leo offered to take them to Puerto Banús. ‘Unless you’re in a rush to get back.’

‘Absolutely not! These two are only here for a few more days, and Puerto Banús is definitely worth seeing,’ Mary said.

So, they piled into Leo’s car and he drove them into Puerto Banús, parking in the underground car park by the marina there. It was getting hot now so Leo and Keith left their trench coats in the car. Then they headed off to walk around the marina.

‘Look at that yellow Lamborghini,’ Patti exclaimed. ‘Imagine driving along in that.’

‘Unfortunately, I don’t know the owner of this one, so can’t take you for a ride,’ Leo told her.

‘Well at least I can have my photo taken by it. Come on, ladies!’

Keith took photos of Patti, Sandra and Mary posing in front of the Lamborghini, and some of the luxury yachts. Then they splashed out on lunch in a bar overlooking the marina – with Sandra insisting on treating everyone as a thank you – and that had gone on their Insta page too.

Later, as Leo drove them home Mary thought she had never felt happier. Thank goodness that Patti – and Sandra – had come to visit. Between them, and Leo, she was getting the old Keith back.