The Tangled Web (29 page)

BTW, Pamela’s honey has stopped trying to seduce me all of
a sudden.  Should I be worried?

Christos

xx

*****

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Cyprus Baby!

Date: 30
^th
June

I agree, somewhere beautiful and peaceful where we can have
a proper chat and won’t be disturbed :)

No, I wouldn’t worry.  She’s just finished school.  Exams
are over.  She’s probably enjoying her social life.

Vicky

xx

26

14
^th
July

‘Do you think they’ll do cocktails on the plane?’ Flic
asked.

‘Probably not, but you could always buy some miniatures and
make one up yourself,’ Vicky suggested.

Almost two weeks had passed since they officially quit
HunE-trap Investigations and they accepted their first and last independent,
real life investigation.  Nerves seemed to be getting the better of Flic.  She
had been talking about alcohol all day – something Vicky had learned Flic did
when she was struggling to cope.  She hadn’t had any alcohol yet, but Vicky
guessed that was because she had nothing but Euros in her purse and the local
Oddbins only accepted Sterling.

Vicky checked the contents of her suitcase one last time
and then sat on it, reaching round for the zip.  It was a short trip so she was
only taking a small case, just big enough for some dresses, underwear, a couple
of pairs of shoes, a bikini, her toilet bag and her straighteners.  If she
needed anything else, she would buy it over there.

She peered over at Flic’s gigantic case which would have
lasted her a fortnight or more.  She could have guessed Flic wouldn’t be the
type to travel light, but she had a hard time figuring out exactly what was in
the case that was absolutely essential for a two night trip.

‘This is a hell of a long way to go for two nights.  Why
couldn’t he just have gone to Ibiza or somewhere closer?’ Flic hissed.

‘I’m glad he didn’t.  Christos isn’t in Ibiza,’ Vicky
grinned.

‘Just be careful there.  I know he’s sweet and friendly and
all that, but remember he has a psycho girlfriend and twelve kids,’ Flic
warned.

‘Thirteen kids actually,’ Vicky jokingly corrected her,
although the truth was he only had five.  ‘I’m not stupid.  I don’t want
anything to happen between the two of us.  I wouldn’t let it.  We’re just
mates.’ 

Vicky turned away from Flic as she spoke to avoid eye
contact, knowing that Flic was right to be warning her off Christos.  The words
coming out of her own mouth were exactly what she should be thinking and
feeling, but a little voice inside her was screaming, “Why can’t things be
different?”

‘At least we won’t have any of this grotty weather in
Cyprus,’ Flic chuckled. 

They both turned to look outside and saw the rain battering
against the window pane.  Vicky smiled.  This was going to be the first time
she had been abroad since before Sasha was born - and the first time she had
been abroad without her ex boyfriend in her adult life.  She had felt twinges
of guilt all day about leaving her daughter, but her parents had arranged to
take Sasha to Edinburgh with them for a weekend anyway.  Even if she hadn’t
decided to go to Cyprus, she and Sasha would still have been apart.

‘Look!  There’s Lumi coming,’ Flic announced, pointing her
finger at the window.

Vicky thought that she had been travelling light compared
to Flic, but Lumi made her own modest little suitcase seem diva-esque.  All she
carried was a large black handbag.  It was highly unlikely she had everything
she would need for the trip in that bag.

‘Where’s her suitcase?’ Vicky asked.

‘Something’s wrong.  Look at her face, it’s all twisted,’
Flic worried. 

Vicky had only been thinking about the lack of luggage
before Flic had drawn attention to Lumi’s expression.  Her eyes were scrunched
tightly and her lips were pressed into a thin line.  Everything about her body
language made her look sad, from the way her shoulders were hunched, to the way
she hugged her arms around her chest and the fact that her jacket had a hood
but she’d neglected to protect her head from the rain.

‘I knew things were going too well,’ Vicky snorted.  She
shook her head in frustration.  Why did nothing ever go smoothly for her?  A
moment of panic made her wonder if she now wasn’t going to make it to Cyprus. 
But she reminded herself that she could still go, even if Lumi didn’t.  She’d
just need to work out a plan B for trapping George.

Flic rushed to her front door and threw it open in
preparation for Lumi’s arrival.  Vicky followed Flic, deliberately walking
slower than Flic had so that she didn’t have to look too eager to see the
unlikely temptress who had stolen her man. 

Lumi reached the door.  It was obvious that her face was
wet with tears as well as rain.  The whites of her eyes had turned red.  She
had been crying for quite some time.

‘Are you ok?  What’s happened?’  Flic quickly switched on
her big sister mode.

Lumi shook her head and sobbed harder.  Vicky fought back a
wave of sympathy.  Why should she feel sorry for her just because she was
crying?

‘Here, take off your wet clothes.  You’re soaked through. 
I’ve got plenty of clean clothes you can borrow.  Right, in the shower you go. 
Warm yourself up,’ Flic instructed and ushered Lumi into the bathroom. 

Vicky looked around herself awkwardly, feeling like a spare
part.  She decided to put the kettle on and check her Tête-a-net news feed to
fill in the time while Lumi showered and Flic got spare clothes organised.  She
began to pour water from the tap into the kettle as she read the comments on an
update she had written that morning, but the water overflowed as she read the
conversation that had taken place.

Victoria Robertson is leaving on a jet plane! :) 09:31 on
14th July

The Pink Cougar at 10:01 on 14th July

Me too!!!  :)))))))))  I saw u changed your relationship
status from seeing someone to single :(  Don’t worry, this weekend is going to
be FAB, I guarantee it!  And I am on a mission to get you high on hugs!  X

Magnus Pellicci at 10:20 on 14th July

It’s about time you changed it.

Adam Robertson at 10:22 on 14th July

Have fun sis xx

Christos Polycarpou at 10:43 on 14th July

Text me to let me know that you’ve arrived.  Saturday can’t
come quick enough ;)

Wee Mela at 10: 44 on 14th July

Why can’t Saturday come quick enough?  What’s happening?

Magnus Pellicci at 11:31 on 14th July

They’re probably meeting up at a nightclub or something. 
All she ever did when we were seeing each other was text him.

Adam Robertson at 11:35 on 14th July

Don’t think so mate, Vicky’s going to Ibiza.  Christos is
in Cyprus.

Scarlett McDonald at 11:37 on 14th July

No, she’s going to Cyprus.

Adam Robertson at 11:42 on 14th July

No, it’s definitely Ibiza

Magnus Pellicci at 11:44 on 14th July

Cyprus?  Wasn’t that where that Amy Goodbody wanted them to
go?

Adam Robertson at 11:45 on 14th July

Yeah.  But she definitely said Ibiza.  I gave her a list of
nightclubs to go to in San Antonio.

Scarlett McDonald at 11:46 on 14th July

Why do you always have to contradict everything I say? 
IT’S DEFO CYPRUS.

Adam Robertson at 11:50 on 14th July

Drop it Scarlett.  Don’t you have to double check all the
lies you’ve told so you don’t slip up on TV tomorrow?  Roland Reading hates
liars!

Magnus Pellicci at 11:52 on 14th July

Vicky, if you read this before you leave and you’re flying
out from Glasgow, can you give Diana a lift to the airport please?  She’s going
home to Poland for a few days and travelling from Glasgow tomorrow morning.

Wee Mela at 11:53 on 14th July

You’ve got a bit of a cheek asking her that!

Betty Rice at 11:55 on 14th July

Have a lovely time girls  x

Betty Rice at 11:56 on 14th July

Tell Flic to bring her old granny home a hot Cypriot
pensioner x

Ruth Watt at 11:59 on 14th July

How come you’ve got the money to go on holiday, yet you
have still not replaced the Bag For Life you stole from me at New Year? Hmmm?

Scarlett McDonald at 12:00 on 14th July

Vicky’s actually not supposed to be going anywhere.  She
phoned our boss earlier to tell him she won’t be at work until at least Tuesday
because she’s sick as a dog!  She needs to remove this from Tête-a-net before
word gets around!

Wee Mela at 12:02 on 14th July

Haha, liar liar pants on fire!

Adam Robertson at 12:14 on 14th July

They’re not going to Cyprus Betty, they’re going to Ibiza x

Wee Mela at 12:15 on 14th July

Now I have a cheesy Vengaboys song stuck in my head.  Maybe
I could write a Vengaboys tribute musical next???!!!???

Adam Robertson at 12:22 on 14th July

I’d stick with Chaka Demus and Pliers, Pamela

Magnus Pellicci at 12:32 on 14th July

Will someone please explain to me why everyone thinks
they’re going to Cyprus except me and Adam?

Adam Robertson at 12:35 on 14th July

They wouldn’t have accepted that job and not told us, would
they?

Maria Robertson at 12:52 on 14th July

Wow!  I LOVE Tête-a-net!  Reading other people’s updates
and conversations is almost as good as Eastenders!  Especially when it looks
like there’s lies and deceit.  Love it!

Bob Robertson at 12:55 on 14th July

I know!  I’m half expecting one of the Mitchell brothers to
leave a comment next.

Maria Robertson at 12:56 on 14th July

Or Maybe Peggy!

Bob Robertson at 12:59 on 14th July

Or Maybe it’ll be Tiffany! 

Maria Robertson at 13:01 on 14th July

Now that really would be something, seeing as she’s dead
lol

Bob Robertson at 13:02 on 14th July

Spooky!  Social networking from beyond the grave! Lol, you
can tell I haven’t watched it for years!

Magnus Pellicci at 13:02 on 14th July

Hey, what do you mean by this is almost as good as
Eastenders?

Bob Robertson at 13:05 on 14th July

Maggie, I was comparing the goings on in this comment
thread alone to the popular long-running British soap opera! :)

Wee Mela at 13:06 on 14th July

This is getting ridiculous!  Why can’t you just talk to
each other like normal parents?  Get a life!  Go and enjoy Edinburgh :P

Adam Robertson at 20:01 on 14th July

Hey Mags… You’re wrong, they ARE going to Cyprus, I just
checked THE DRAWER.  She stuffed a copy of the flight confirmation printout in
there.

Wee Mela at 20:08 on 14th July

Ha ha… they’re going to do that job you two turned down :P 
Don’t bully Vicky and Flic into doing what you two want cos they will just go
ahead and do their own thing anyway