The Last Word

By Jane Goodhew

The weather was abnormally hot for the time of year instead of an average 23C it had remained in the high 30s even at night it had not dropped below 26C.  They were not complaining it was why they travelled abroad especially at this time of year when in the UK the weather was becoming cold and wet and the nights were drawing in so they seemed to be in perpetual darkness.   She hated the dark days of winter and would love to be able to live permanently in the sun but in reality that was unlikely to happen.

They decided not to spend the days just going to the beach or by the pool, tempting as it was just to laze in the warmth and enjoy the sight of blue, blue skies and be thankful for the occasional breeze.  They got up early and by 8.20 am were on the first local bus to Varna 100km away.  As she sat on the bus looking out the window she noticed a young man sitting on a bench, his head in his hands and a look of total despair and rejection on his pale face.  She wondered what could be so bad to make someone who was only in his mid-twenties look so lost and as the bus pulled out she realised she never would and also that it really was none of her business.

The miles passed and the bus continued to climb the steep road until it reached the top and the view was spectacular, fields, woodland and in the far distance the sea.  What more could a person ask for?  The sound of a snore told her, as it would seem her daughter preferred to sleep than to enjoy the scenery but at least she was there and had not refused to go with her.  Nearly two hours later they had reached their destination but had not a clue what they really wanted to do as although they had done their homework and looked up on Trip Advisor ‘things to do in Varna’ she had completely forgotten any of it so they just wandered.  They started at first at the shopping mall as it was next to the bus station but there was nothing of interest so they moved onto the many streets that led???? Exactly were did they lead as instead of remaining on the main routes she kept taking shortcuts in the direction that she believed must lead to the coast.  They did not really want to go to the museums or to the Opera House and although Emma had mentioned the beach prior to leaving the hotel as someone had told her of Golden Sands which was meant to be one of the best beaches in Bulgaria when we started to walk in the direction that the sea must be in, she started to complain, but I ignored her as I think it was all part and parcel of her being on holiday with me.

We stopped at a café well we actually stoped at 3 as the first two were either not suitable or we were just ignored as the other customers were young mothers with noisy children so we decided to move on.  The third was a small place frequented by locals, on the corner of a back street, a young boy and his mother sat eating and laughing at something the other had said.  A very young girl came to give us a menu, the only snag it was completely in Bulgarian and the girl try as she might could not understand that we just wanted a drink and some small snack.   She went away with a smile and came back with a lively, older girl who had been to London and could speak some English, so we were sorted and enjoyed a cup of coffee and blueberry cheese cake before starting on our way.

Emma was becoming more irritated by each passing moment as we walked further and further yet seemed to get no nearer the sea just one dead end after another.  Her phone informed her that she had walked 12,000 steps, not that that meant anything to me and anyway walking is good for you although perhaps not in this heat and not when the last dead end seemed to drop down onto a motorway!   The consolation prize was that the sea could be seen in the distance so keep positive and walking.

Finally, we found a tourist information and were shown the correct directions to get us to the beach and just in time for lunch we found the ideal restaurant right on the sandy beach, overlooking the crystal clear, turquoise sea and unlike our resort not completely taken over by sunbeds and umbrellas.  The cost of the afore said at 28 Lev per day would be an unnecessary extravagance when there were so many places to explore and public transport reliable and cheap.  Once again we seemed to be invisible as waiters went to other customers and continued to ignore us, that is until I helped myself to a menu.  It had the desired effect and the most charming as well as tall, dark and yes, handsome waiter with a smile that would melt the hardest of hearts asked if we were ready for him to take our order.  If I were 20 years younger I would be more than ready but back to reality, we both ordered and then just sat back and watched as the world went by and we appreciated the end result of our long walk.

A few tables down were a glamourous middle aged couple; they sat and ate in silence barley looking at one another or at the beautiful surroundings.  If one were a cynic you might assume they were married as for so many once that ring was put on your finger all the sweet nothing whispering and long, lingering looks seem to vanish and be replaced by a stoney silence.  She was made up immaculately, as if she were going to the theatre, her dress was pure silk in a pale lilac with a long scarf draped over her delicate shoulders.  He was in a light coloured day suit not the way one would dress to be literally down on the beach but more at one of the expensive restaurants high up on the cliffs overlooking it with a far reaching view to capture the sunset over the horizon and watch the moon and stars as you sip your wine late into the night.  She looked up at him and a sad expression crossed her face as she put down her knife and fork and reached across at him and holding his hand whispered into his ear.  He pushed the chair back with such force and he turned and went but before he did he could be heard saying ‘Morte’.   He did mumble something else but it could not be heard and he was gone.  She tried hard to look as if nothing had happened, the waiter came and put the chair back into place and took away the plates and returned with her desert of a simple fruit cocktail.

Sometime later the waitress went across to ask if she required anything else or would she like the bill, it was then that the silence and peace was disturbed by a shrill scream and the waitress cried out for assistance.  Something terrible had happened to the lady, people went over to see if they could help and eventually an ambulance arrived but nothing could be done, the lady in lilac was dead.  We all had to remain where we were so that we could tell the police exactly what we had seen or heard, I remembered quite clearly her husband's final words but then I also recalled as her head had been lifted up to see if she had choked on something, a wasp had flown out.  Therefore, the verdict anaphylactic shock.  What an ending to a day out. 

 

                                          

Copyright Jayne Goodhew