Page 80 of Benidorm Again

‘All the more reason to get out of here,’ yells Ged, already crossing the patio towards their villa. ‘I can’t afford to catch any pre-moon bugs.’

Cherry and I make eye contact. I can’t believe they might both be pregnant in the middle of all this chaos.

‘See you tonight, babes,’ says Liam to me, chasing after Ged. The Dollz follow suit and scatter, leaving me alone in the kitchen.

Okay,’ I say, unfolding the huge shopping list. ‘I guess I’ll just have to go shopping for a pink sparkly suit and these other impossible-to-get items alone then.’

Chapter 28

After I’ve showered and changed into my denim shorts, flip flops and T-shirt, I walk into town to go shopping. It’s not long before playful photos of Big Mand, Big Sue, Ged and Liam flood the WhatsApp group. They are having a great time up at Algar Falls. I laugh at the photo of Big Mand and Big Sue, where they have Ged and Liam on their shoulders as they wrestle under the waterfall. There’s a video of an increasingly tanned Ged jumping off the ledge into the rock pool below. He looks impossibly shredded. It must be all that jogging and intermittent fasting he does. There are photos of each couple gazing adoringly at each other, endless group selfies and a brilliant one of all four of them sitting cross-legged on a rock ledge, with their backs to camera, as they face the imposing mountains that the waterfalls are nestled in.

I love heart emoji the photos while I troop from one shop to the next, in the old town, hunting for a pink sequinned pant suit.

PING. Big Sue reveals that Ged has actually painted abs on his chest, but that the water has now washed it off. We all laugh emoji it.

PING. There’s a message from Tash saying thanks a bunch for leaving her behind. Asking why they didn’t have the decency to wake her up and invite her.

PING. Big Sue reminds her that she bit her arm the last time she tried to wake her and still has the scars to prove it. Besides, Tash was very clear about not being disturbed.

PING. Seconds later, Cherry posts that Tash can help her with the costumes as there are still lots of adjustments to make and hems to sew, and bizarre stains that are difficult to remove.

PING. Tash is too busy to help all of a sudden. Something unexpected has come up.

PING. Big Mand guesses that the unexpected thing to come up is another four hours in bed. We all cry-laugh emoji it.

PING. Dan warns me that we are following Bongos Bingo tonight at Voices, which means that the crowd will beextra rowdy. I inform the group that he has invited us all to join in, if we fancy it.

PING. Everyone is up for Bongos Bingo. We agree to meet at Voices at 5pm for food and Happy Hour before it starts.

After trailing around what seems like every shop in Benidorm, I’m not in the slightest bit surprised that I cannot find a pink sparkly suit anywhere. I’ve done a DuckDuckGo search, and the only shop to come up is a drag costume warehouse nestled in the heart of the cobbled Old Town.

I stop for a quick break in the vibrant Tapas Alley, breathe in the enticing aromas and marvel at how quaint it is compared to the British end of Benidorm. The restaurant-lined narrow lane is bustling with lively chatter from people sitting outside with beers, bottles of wine, plates of fresh-looking seafood, tiny fried fish, and baskets of crusty bread. The smells drifting on the air are incredible. I lose myself in the selection of quintessential Spanish light bites behind the glass counters on top of each bar, stretching as far as you can see down the street. There’s almost too muchto choose from, and it all appears bursting with flavour. Just as I’m about to decide which of these charming bars to sit in, I get the sudden feeling of sixth sense as though I’m being watched. I immediately spin round and spot Luke in the crowd, because he is a foot taller than your average tourist. He is laughing at something someone is saying. That someone is not Liberty. It is an older woman who looks very sophisticated. I watch as they exchange cheek kisses before she leaves him. I’m still staring at him when he catches me. The surprise on his face seems genuine which immediately throws me off guard. We stand rigid as people bustle around us. Neither of us seem to know how to react.

A few seconds go by while I assess the situation. We should really clear the air.

Luke bites his lip and frowns as though contemplating whether our speaking is a good idea. I decide to take matters into my own hands and walk towards him. ‘What have you done with Liberty?’

‘I swear this is a coincidence,’ he blurts at the same time, while I’m still a few feet away, pushing through the crowd. ‘Wait. What?’

I’m not buying it. ‘Liberty,’ I shout back above the heads. ‘The woman you were with before that one, evidently.’

‘That was a family friend. They own property out here,’ he says loudly. ‘Up in Denia. We met for coffee. I haven’t seen Liberty.’

‘Sure you have,’ I say, squeezing past the last of the throng to stand in front of him, my hands on my hips. ‘Did she stay the night with you?’

Luke is surprised. ‘Certainly not. No.’

‘No?’ It’s very unlike Liberty tonotget her man. ‘We all saw you leave with Liberty and she hasn’t come back home yet.’

Luke frowns trying to remember. ‘Yes, we left the show together. I could see that my presence was causing some, erm, some arguments. So, we took a cab to the old town. We went for a nightcap so that I could explain why I was there, and I asked her to let you know that I only came here to apologise. Not to cause any trouble. Then I went back to my hotel.’

I take a moment to think my answer through. He must think I’m an idiot.

‘I swear she hasn’t been with me. Should we be calling the police?’

Good point. Should we?

‘She definitely did not stay the night with you?’

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