Page 34 of Deep Blue Lies
I’m not so sure about the girls, there’s no one I’ve really bonded with yet, except – luckily – Imogen. She’s actually really nice and super funny, but in a dry way. She’s going to be working in reception (when we get the guests I mean, they don’t arrive until Saturday). She was helping me this afternoon, getting the bar ready, making sure we’ve got all the drinks, and then making a menu of what I’mgoing to serve. So that was really fun, making up cocktails and testing them out!
Imogen’s actually really pretty. I didn’t notice at first, maybe because she’s got a bit of puppy fat still, but she’s got this long dark hair and big, round eyes. Today she said she wished she had my figure, which was sweet of her. But I think she’s way prettier than she realises. I’ve already seen guys staring at her.
We had this weird thing happen today. The resort manager is called Jason. He’s also going out with Mandy, the deputy manager. He’s alright – kind of sexy – but also super tough.
Anyway, he lined us all up, the whole staff, and he gave us this lecture about how we had to follow his rules, and if we didn’t, there wouldn’t be any warnings – it would be bang, first plane home. And he stared at us, one by one, while he said it, like he really wants someone to mess up so he can prove it.
And the biggest rule of all is no drugs. He sounded super paranoid about them, but apparently it’s because the police here are super-hot on them. Like if they catch anyone it’s years in prison. They could even close down the whole resort. It all sounded a bit full-on to me, but I guess they have to be strict. Anyway, alcohol isn’t such an issue, thank God. Jason did make the point that we have to get all the work done first. But when we do, he doesn’t mind us letting our hair down. In fact Jason said he was looking forward to going into Skalio and dancing on the tables. I’ve no idea if he was serious or not, but Neil swore he was.
We actually had a bit of a session this evening. Someone brought out a bottle of Metaxa that they bought in the supermarket in town. So we just sat on the balcony of the staff block, and drank out of plastic cups that the nannies stole from the nursery. It was fun, a nice way to get to know people a little better. Metaxa and Diet Coke is super delicious!
TWENTY-SIX
May 18th, 2000
OK, so I’m writing this in the morning, because last night all the staff headed off into the town. Tomorrow is when the first guests arrive, and Jason said we’d all worked really well, and he wanted us to gel together as a team. He kept buying rounds of drinks for everyone – every time you went near the bar someone just gave you another one, so everyone got wasted. And then by midnight, Jason shouted it was time, and he pulled off his shirt, climbed up on the bar, and started dancing like a maniac. And pretty soon we were all up there, dancing away. It was so awesome.
It was actually cool, because there were people there from some of the other resorts and hotels on the island, like all the workers together. You can sort of see how we’re like this big family. Or maybe like a family that all wants to hook up together.
I had to save Imogen today from this geeky guy on the beach team, his name’s Gregory, and he’s weird looking, a proper nerd. He came up to reception to print out the new prices for the waterskiing and wakeboarding, since they don’t have a printer down on the beach.But then he just wouldn’t leave. He kept wanting to change things and get her to do them, adjust the layouts and that, and all the while he was staring at her, and asking her all these questions about where in America she was from, what other places in Europe she’d visited. I sensed she wanted to get rid of him, so I asked her to remind me what position her boyfriend back home played in American football. After that Gregory went really quiet and went back down to the beach. Imogen said she felt sorry for him, but she thanked me as well.
Another thing about Imogen. Because she works in reception, she’s really close with Mandy, the deputy manager, because her office is right behind the reception desk. I hadn’t really noticed before, but Mandy is really dumb. Like amazingly stupid. Imogen says, when you ask Mandy a question, you get this thirty-second delay while she processes it, before she gives you an answer. Part of Mandy’s job is to make sure all the guests get from the airport to the resort OK – organise the buses and taxis, that sort of thing. But Imogen says that basically Mandy can’t do it, and Jason has to come in and help, and it’s not like he doesn’t have enough to do. So basically Imogen reckons Mandy’s only here at all because Jason’s shagging her. Imogen’s pretty funny sometimes, like when you don’t expect it.
Speaking of shagging, I probably could have hooked up last night. I sort of half-tried, with Neil. But I didn’t want to overdo it and seem too easy. But it definitely counts as groundwork. At the same time, I did see some other guys that I liked too. I hadn’t really considered the local guys until last night, but some of them are way hot. There’s one of the gardeners from the resort. I think he’s called Kostas. He’s dark and handsome, kinda mysterious but with muscles. I’d totally do him.
I’m quite tired now. But I’ve got to go work now. More later!
TWENTY-SEVEN
I take a break. It feels so strange, reading Mum’s thoughts from when she was here. Invasive and unsettling. She doesn’t even sound like Mum, she’s so obviously immature. But then, I didn’t know her at that age…And am I so different? An image of Kevin comes into my mind: I’ve made my own mistakes.
Partly this is the problem though – the whole reason I’m here. I just know so little about this part of her life, even though in her case it’s whereI came from. And doesn’t that change it? Doesn’t it give me a right to know… something, at least.
I feel a sense of something else now, just for a moment, and I guess it’s kind of shame. Like what am I doing here, reading my mum’s intimate, private thoughts from years ago. She’d hate it if she knew, I know that much about her. But then, she had her chances to tell me. She had the opportunity, but instead she drove me out here.
I catch the eye of the waiter and order another coffee. He makes it with a heart shape in the froth, and sets it down carefully in front of me, then he tells me it’s a beautiful drink for a beautiful girl. Maybe another time I might appreciate it – though probably not. I’m careful not to do anything that might lead him on, and I turn my chair so it faces away from where he’s sitting.
I’m just about to go back to reading when I see Sophia’s moped go by on the road. But rather than drive past, she stops, gets off and walks into the cafe.
She goes right up to the bar without noticing me, and starts speaking with the waiter who just served me. I don’t know what they say – it’s literally all Greek to me – but both of them seem angry about something. A few moments later, he hands her a wrapped parcel of something, and she takes it and goes to walk out. And then she can’t not see me, because of the route she takes.
“Hi!” I say, as she gets to my table.
I don’t know, maybe I overestimated how friendly she was the other day, or whether it meant something that she lent me her moped, because now she doesn’t smile. She seems irritated, like she just wants to get away.
“Oh. Hi,” she says. She stands there a second, holding the parcel, which I see is some pastry thing. She looks awkward. And suddenly, I don’t know what to say either.
“Thanks again, for the loan of your scooter,” I go on, because I didn’t get the chance to thank her properly the other day.
“Yeah. No problem.” She looks uncomfortable for another moment, then flashes an unconvincing smile. “I have to go.”
She turns and walks out at once. Then she gets on her moped, and drives off without looking back.
I don’t know why, but this unsettles me more. It’s not like we’re friends or anything, but she was definitely much more friendly the other day, and I just assumed…I don’t know, that she would be again? I guess I got that wrong.
I turn back to the battered diary in front of me on the table, and I know what I have to do. I pick it up. Back to hunting for clues about my identity. And this time it doesn’t take long. Because when it comes to sex, it turns out my mum didn’t mess around.
TWENTY-EIGHT
