Clouds Below the Mountains by Vivienne Dockerty Page B

perhaps she’s stayed and sorted things out.”
    â€œThey’ve probably made it up. They’ll be like a couple of lovebirds as we speak,” said Doreen.
    â€œYou know what the young ones are like, one minute they’re friends and then they’ve fallen out.”
    â€œIt looked a bit more serious than just a tiff,” Jean remarked. “That waiter had to be helped out and the young girl looked a nervous wreck.”
    â€œAh well, it will all come out in the wash,” said Doreen, as the flashy looking keyboard player began to sing
“Save the last dance for me.”
“Let’s drink up, shall we, and make for the door after this.”
    ***
    Lucy switched the light on in the apartment, then stood back for Jenni to come through the door.
    â€œWelcome to my little abode,” she said, trying to keep upbeat for Jenni’s sake, but wanting to crawl wearily into bed.
    â€œThis is nice,” said Jenni, looking around the small dilapidated room that served as a sitting room, with a kitchen area at the back and two doors off leading to a bedroom and bathroom. “Does this go with the job or do you have to pay rent for it?”
    â€œI have something taken out of my salary each month, but poor Anna and Tina have to pay money to the hotel to live next door, as they work for an employment agency. I think the hotel was quite glad to have these places occupied, because they wouldn’t dare put a guest in here.”
    â€œWell, it only needs a lick of paint and maybe some new plaster on that damp patch,” said Jenni, thinking how happy she would be to have a place like this to herself. “Can I use the loo? I was getting a bit desperate with all the drink I’ve consumed tonight.”
    â€œHelp yourself, do you want to get changed in there? I can let you have a nightie. It’s clean, though it’s like a long T shirt, I don’t go in for frilly things.”
    â€œAnything will do, I’m just grateful that you’ve allowed me to come here. I wouldn’t know what to do if Simon came back and I was asleep in our bedroom. Did they take the key off him at Reception, do you know?”
    â€œI didn’t see the night porter doing that, but when the police bring him back, it will be up to the owner whether he’ll be allowed back to stay in the hotel.”
    â€œOh, I hadn’t thought of that.”
    ***
    â€œThere seems a lot of clouds on those mountains,” said Jean, as she sat on the third bed in her long blue nightdress looking out of the window, as she waited for her turn in the bathroom next morning.
    â€œOh, they will have cleared off by the time we’ve had our breakfast,” replied Milly, rootling around in her part of the wardrobe for something comfortable to wear. “Though I suppose until we’ve decided what to do today, it would be best not to put on shorts and a T’ shirt. I’ll wear this sun dress instead.”
    â€œThe rep’ wasn’t confident that we were going to get good weather. I heard her say so when we were on the coach. I think I’ll wear those black trousers I got from Bon Marche and my brown twin set, that way I won’t have to get changed again after breakfast.”
    â€œDo you want me to get them for you while I’m here, Jean?” asked Milly. “There’s not enough room to swing a cat in this place, is there? Did you sleep all right on that “put you up”, only with me and Doreen being bigger than you, we thought it was only fair?”
    â€œIt was fine, thank you,” said Jean. “ I drank more than I am used to last night as you know and I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.”
    Milly threw Jean’s clothes over to her, then averted her eyes as Jean began to take her nightdress off. Strange that after all these years, she felt uncomfortable with her cousin. When they were little girls’ together she had no such