Page 1 of An Island Promise

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JULY 2013, TEN YEARS AGO

10 p.m. – Belle

‘To friendship, fun, success and good times!’ Belle shouted over the thumping electronic beat from Café Mambo’s DJ booth. She slapped her hand palm down on the table that was sticky with spilt gin and grinned at her friends. Laurie pressed her hand on top then Gem did the same, her numerous rings glinting in the neon pink light. They threw their hands in the air with a whoop, picked up their drinks and downed them.

‘And to returning in ten years’ time!’ Laurie slammed her glass on the table.

Gem grimaced. ‘Bloody hell, we’re going to be flipping ancient by then!’

Laurie playfully whacked her arm. ‘Thirty-one is not ancient.’

‘Nope, but I want to be twenty-one forever.’ Gem sighed. ‘This week has been the best.’

Belle reached across the table and grasped her friends’ hands. ‘And it’s only going to get better, I promise. Ibiza is just the beginning.’

It really did feel like the start of the rest of their lives, with so much possibility in their futures. Best friends since they’d met at secondary school when they were eleven, this was their long-promised holiday together celebrating the end of an era, with each of them having recently graduated: Belle with Business Management and Marketing from Sheffield Hallam, Laurie with English Literature from Loughborough, and Gem with Art and Design from Bath Spa University.

At the end of a memorable week which had included an unforgettable booze cruise from San Antonio and an epic pool party at Ocean Beach, it had been Gem’s idea to treat themselves to an evening at the iconic Café Mambo where they could watch the famous west coast sunset while celebrating their last night in Ibiza. Gem’s idea to book a table had been a good one, made even better when their waiter brought over their food and replenished their drinks, his bulging biceps as appealing as the plates of croquettes, calamari, patatas bravas and the loaded nachos he placed in front of them.

‘Maybe after we’ve eaten we should go somewhere a little less busy?’ Laurie gestured across the packed terrace to where the path in front of the DJ booth heaved with people.

‘Are you fucking kidding me?’ Gem practically recoiled. ‘It’s our last night and Eric Prydz is playing. We have lucked out big time.’

‘Gem’s right,’ Belle agreed, ‘although I do still want to go to the club later.’

‘Ha yes,’ Gem snorted. ‘As long as you get to see a certain someone of the tall, ripped, epically handsome Spanish variety…’

All Belle really cared about was getting to see Diego one last time. She considered Laurie to be the prettiest with her long sleek black hair and beautiful doll-like half-Italian, half-Japanese features, while Gem was the most outgoing and eye-catching, but Belle had been the one to pull the ridiculously sexy club promoter. Although to be fair, Laurie and Gem both had boyfriends back home; not that it had stopped Gem getting up close and personal with a handful of guys. But Diego… Belle’s insides somersaulted at the memory of the two toe-curlingly good nights she’d spent with him.

To Belle’s left was a sea of tanned faces, people eating, drinking and fanning themselves in the oppressive heat, while beyond them others danced to the music’s strong beat, the familiar Balearic tunes capturing Belle’s attention. To the right, people spilled onto the narrow stretch of rocky beach, and San Antonio’s curving seafront lit up the night with its multitude of bars, hotels and cafés. Now the blood-red sun had set, the sea was violet-black, calm and placid. Half a dozen boats were anchored out in the bay silhouetted against the silvery night sky with beacons of light topping their masts.

Laurie picked up one of the chicken and jalapeño croquettes. ‘Talking about coming back here, what do you think you’ll be doing in ten years’ time?’

Gem wrinkled her nose. ‘It’s boring predicting where I’ll be because I know what I want. What would be more interesting is to predict where we see each other a decade on. Belle will definitely still be pulling hot Spanish guys,’ she said with a cheeky grin, ‘if the last week is anything to go by!’

‘I can absolutely live with that.’ Belle sipped her vodka, pomegranate and lime cocktail. She knew her words were full of bluster because she couldn’t imagine being with anyone who could match Diego. He was constantly in her thoughts, and the intense all-consuming feeling when she’d been with him was more than just about sex, she was sure. Over the last few days the thought of not leaving had flashed through her head. Like that could be a possibility. The strength of her feelings scared her, coming out of nowhere and crashing into her heart.

‘What about me?’ Laurie asked as she bit into the croquette.

‘You’ – Gem waved a finger in her direction – ‘are so going to be married with at least three kids in ten years.’

Belle shrugged in agreement as the beat of the music switched up a notch and a cry went up from the crowd gathered round the DJ booth. ‘You’ve already got the man – I mean, you’re halfway there.’

Laurie pursed her lips, momentarily looking put-out before grinning. ‘I thought I wanted to focus on my career after uni but all I can think about is starting a life with Ade. Like a proper life, not crashing at each other’s or putting up with his housemates smoking weed in the living room.’

‘Sounds all right to me.’ Gem raised her eyebrows.

Belle cupped her hands round her glass and leaned closer. ‘You’re going to move in together?’

There was an excited gleam in Laurie’s eyes. Talking about the guy she’d fallen in love with during her first year at university was obviously filling her with joy. ‘We just need to decide where.’

‘You do realise you can have both,’ Gem said forcefully. ‘A career and a family. You don’t have to choose one over the other. We’re the generation that can totally have it all. Establish your career for a few years, have the wedding of your dreams then start a family. You can have everything you want –ifit’s what you want?’

‘Since meeting Ade, absolutely. I was always so focused on what I wanted to do career-wise and I still am, it’s just he’s changed my whole outlook. I can’t imagine my life without him. And oh my God I never understood anyone who said they were broody, but since being with Ade I get it!’

‘Ah, true love.’ Gem pretended to stick her fingers down her throat, dramatically gagged then laughed. ‘Go on then, what about me? What will I be doing in ten years?’

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