‘How long has your daughter been living in Australia?’
‘Over twenty years. Brian and I were so looking forward to visiting her…’
Mary placed her hand on Sandra’s comfortingly. ‘I’m sorry, love. Would it have been your first visit?’
Sandra nodded. ‘We meant to go before but something always came up. They’ve visited us a few times though, when Becky worked as cabin crew. She could have got us cheap flights too back then.’
‘Life has a habit at throwing curveballs at you. Perhaps, when you feel a bit stronger, you’ll go by yourself?’ Mary suggested.
‘I will. It’s top of my bucket list and I’m determined to do it,’ Sandra told her.
After breakfast they sat out on the terrace chatting. Then Mary suggested going for a walk. ‘We can go along the track by the mountains, nothing strenuous.’ She glanced at Keith. ‘Want to join us? Walking is good for you,’ she added. ‘And we can take Rags.’
Keith hesitated.
‘Come on, we can have a chat as we talk,’ Patti coaxed.
He nodded. ‘Okay, but only a little stroll.’
Mary went inside for Rags’ lead and when he saw it, the little terrier started barking and running around happily.
They all changed into their trainers, put on sun cream and sunglasses and set off, turning left outside the gates and walking along a dirt track with mountains in the distance. After a few minutes Mary let Rags off the lead and he bounded off joyously.
When they came to a row of detached houses Mary called Rags to her and fastened the lead onto his collar again. A man came out of the second house, walking a crossbreed on a lead. He was about their age but had a full head of silver hair and was ruggedly handsome, Patti noticed. His face lit up when he saw Mary and Keith, the smile reaching his warm brown eyes. He looks nice, Patti thought.
‘Buenos, Keith, Mary ¿Qué tal?’ He pronounced their names ‘Keeth’ and ‘Maree’. He kissed first Keith then Mary on both cheeks. Patti was getting used to that custom now.
‘Bien, Leo. Es tú?’ Keith replied.
‘It’s our friend Leo, He’s asking Keith how he is,’ Mary whispered.
Leo’s gaze swept to Patti, then to Sandra, then back to Patti.
‘This is Patti, my sister, and her friend, Sandra.’ Patti wasn’t sure whether Keith had exhausted his knowledge of Spanish or was speaking English for their benefit.
‘Encantada, senoras.’ Leo kissed Sandra on both cheeks then Patti. She felt a little flutter as his lips brushed her cheek, his eyes holding hers for a second before stepping back. ‘You are here on holiday?’ he asked in a thick Spanish accent.
Phew! He could speak English, Patti thought in relief. ‘Yes, for two weeks.’
‘Then hopefully we will meet again. Coco has missed her walk with Rags.’
‘I usually take Rags for a walk every morning, we often meet up with Leo and walk along together,’ Mary explained.
‘And you’ve missed the walks because we’ve been here?’ Patti felt really guilty. ‘Please don’t let us stop you going about your normal life.’
‘It’s not a big deal. Our garden is plenty big enough for Rags to have a run around. Besides, Keith has taken him while we’ve been out, so at least it’s got him out of the house a bit. Although I suspect that he hasn’t walked far.’
‘You must pop around for acervezaand a chat, Leo. We’re in most evenings. In fact, why don’t you come around this afternoon,’ Mary said. ‘Come for dinner.’
‘Thank you, that would be wonderful,’ Leo replied. Coco tugged at his lead. ‘I must go, Coco is eager for her walk.Luego.’
‘He seems a nice man,’ Sandra said as Leo walked off, Cocotrotting by his side. Rags barked and pulled at his lead, as if protesting that he wanted to go with them. Patti wondered if Leo’s eyes had lingered on Sandra when he’d pulled away from the hug, as they seemed to do when he hugged her. You’re making too much of this, kissing someone on both cheeks is the Spanish custom, she told herself.
‘He is. His wife, Elena, died a few years ago and he’s lived on his own since. He sometimes pops around. He and Keith like to put the world to rights over a coldcerveza– beer. Although it’s been a while.’
Patti turned to Keith. ‘Well, at least you won’t be surrounded by women tonight, Keith. You’ll have another man to talk to.’
‘I don’t mind. It’s nice for Mary to have company.’ Rags pulled at the lead again, urging Keith to keep walking. ‘Let’s head back now. I could do with a cool drink.’
