Page 36 of Atticus Arnott's Great Adventure
Circling the site again, Ruby slowed as they kerb-crawled past a sizeable open-air bar with a stage. ‘There’s nightly entertainment here,’ she said, ‘and you’ll also find another bar, café, and restaurant.’
Atticus was staggered as he took it all in. He knew that the site had decent facilities from the website, but what he now saw was beyond his expectations. Remembering to keep Jake and Arthur up to date, he reached for his phone and began to take photos.
‘Selfies?’ Cheryl asked.
‘I’m taking pictures for my grandson,’ Atticus said. ‘I promised to send them to him, as he wants to keep a record of my holiday.’
‘Sensible grandson,’ Cheryl said. ‘But let’s give him a true flavour of life at Solma Vacaciones.’ She reached for Atticus’s phone, checked his number, and then stored it on her own phone.
Taking it back, Atticus felt his mobile vibrate.
His eyes widened as Cheryl AirDropped images from the night before. Atticus appeared to be at the heart of the party, and, with hischeeks flushed with pleasure, he pressed ‘Save’. Then, adding hashtags as Jake had instructed, he began to upload them to Instagram for Jake and Arthur.
‘I trust they like the photos,’ Atticus muttered as he pressed ‘Share’, hoping he wasn’t boring his grandson and best friend.
Pulling away from the campsite, Ruby reached the junction that had confused Atticus the day before. She pointed out a long building set back from the road.
‘That’s Nancy’s, and there’s always a warm welcome if you call in,’ Ruby called out. ‘Especially for cowboys,’ she added, watching Atticus in the rear-view mirror.
Atticus thought the building looked like a motel and wondered if Nancy was a friend of Ruby and Cheryl’s. Suddenly, Ruby put her foot down, and as the pedal hit the metal, a rush of wind from all directions hit Atticus, perched in the back. The little Fiat picked up speed as it careered around corners, and its tyres screeched on the road.
Ruby’s wild ride was terrifying, and Atticus closed his eyes.
Ness, sitting beside him, held her head high, her ears flapping in the breeze, and Atticus hoped she wouldn’t be blown off the seat. He visualised a slower mode of transport and, circling an arm around his dog, remembered the bike hire shop at the campsite. He wondered if he could hire an extension trailer for Ness.
‘It’s the first thing I’ll do when we get back,’ Atticus said anxiously under his breath.
Chapter Fifteen
When Atticus felt the Fiat’s motion slow and realised that they must be close to the market, he opened his eyes. Sure enough, Ruby was slotting neatly into a parking space, and as she cut the engine, Cheryl clambered out and held the door. Relieved to be in one piece and not splattered over a verge, Atticus forced a smile and gave a nod of thanks as Ness hopped out ahead of him.
‘Our first stop is for a drink and a bite to eat,’ Cheryl said as they set off.
Atticus walked with Ness, and Ruby and Cheryl held hands as they negotiated a narrow path crossing a tree-lined park. As they reached the market, he could hear people laughing and chatting, and his eyes widened at the sight of hundreds of stalls coming alive with the hustle and bustle of vendors and visitors vying for bargains. Atticus felt a sense of excitement and wondered what lay ahead.
‘This beats Kendal marketon a wet and windy Saturday,’ he said as he was met by a kaleidoscope of colour and aromas.
In the brilliant sunshine, the market was a hive of activity, with shoppers weaving their way through the narrow aisles. The air was filled with the sweet scent of ripe fruits and the pungent aroma of spices, and Atticus took photographs as people of all nationalities inspected goods and haggled with vendors, filling their bags with fresh produce.
He’d never seen anything like it.
Goods of every description were displayed. Clothing hung on hangers or was piled on tables alongside electrical goods, handcrafted pottery, jewellery, and artwork. Snippets of conversation in Spanish, French, German, and Dutch fascinated Atticus as everyone shared the communal experience of shopping outdoors. Open-air cafés were crowded, and delicious smells filled the air. Stalls selling local cheese and cured meats were bustling as vendors called out prices and enticed passers-by with samples.
‘This way,’ Cheryl said, taking his arm. She led Atticus through the crowds to a quieter corner, where a path was lined with vibrant flowers and the sound of music filled the air. ‘We like it here at La Tasca,’ she said, guiding him to the bar.
Atticus looked at tables and chairs positioned under the shade of overhanging trees in a small square and noted a group of musicians gathered nearby.
Ruby commandeered three seats, and as Atticus sat down, she picked up a menu and asked, ‘Are you hungry? We normally have tapas at this time of day.’
‘I’ll have whatever you are having,’ Atticus replied. ‘This is on me,’ he added as Cheryl and Ruby studied the menu, deciding what to eat.
Ruby disappeared to the bar to order their food and Atticus turned to Cheryl. ‘We didn’t get a chance to chat about you last night,’ he said. ‘Will you tell me what brought you and Ruby to Spain?’ He removed his hat and took a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his hot brow as Ness placed her head on his knee.
‘I used to have a place out here,’ Cheryl began, ‘in the days when I was married.’ She looked thoughtful. ‘My old man and I ran a bar in Quesada, on the main street. It was busy, and I worked my backside off, beginning with breakfasts for the expats in the morning, right through to bingo and karaoke at night.’ She paused, a hint of nostalgia in her eyes.
‘That sounds like hard work.’ Atticus frowned.
‘It was backbreaking, to be honest,’ Cheryl sighed. ‘But we made decent money and sensibly bought a property, then applied for Spanish citizenship.’
