Starting Over

From under her large dark sunshades, Ellen looked across the sun drenched patio at the twenty women and few men who were participating in the group aerobic session in front of the hotel pool and groaned. She had no idea why she'd come, it had bad move written all over it, and now....here she was sat on a lounger in the shade of a parasol wishing she was invisible.

Facing the band of misfits was a lithe athletic woman, petite in height yet muscular in build, her black hair braided into dozens of tiny plaits, her dark skin gleaming with a fine layer of perspiration.

"Come on, lift those knees....two...three...four, and pump...two...three...four."

The menagerie of participants consisted of several middle aged women bouncing around in swimsuits, some younger women in athletic clothing purposely brought along on their luxurious holiday and the odd husband and child guffawing at the back of the group.

Ellen was amazed that so many had turned up on a hot sunny morning. Crazy the lot of them, she thought, here they were in a Mediterranean paradise and they were leaping around like fish out of water! She was no watercolour, she knew that, without her copper highlights her shoulder length mousy brown hair would be average, in its defence it was thick and in good condition and her heavy fringe framed her face well. She looked younger than her twenty five years, she had large bright blue eyes with thick naturally curled eyelashes and full dark lips. Richard had always said it was her kissable lips that had attracted him at first. Well at five eight she was average height and thicker built than she'd like, her hips were a little over rounded, and her breasts too heavy for her frame, average but far from repulsive.

She reached for her ice cold orange juice and sipped it gratefully. Why oh why had she come here at all? This was supposed to be her honeymoon, but instead she was here alone, escaping the pain and embarrassment of it all blowing up in her face. A huge ugly mess. Her mother had told her the holiday would be hard, both her sisters had offered to buy the tickets off her and travel themselves. But she'd been insistent, she'd slaved to pay for this, and enjoy it or hate it, she'd be the one to experience it.

The hotel and spa was described as the height of luxury. Intimate, opulent and with large portions being deemed adult only. She'd always imagined that she'd honeymoon in the Maldives, or the Seychelles, but she'd found a man who hated to fly, so this complex on the Balearic island of Majorca was as good as it got, only a two hour flight from home but hopefully good weather and a level of lavishness that befitted a honeymoon.

But since she'd arrived late the previous evening she had become aware that the whole place was governed by an Animacion team, organising events and competitions all day and rather loudly and enthusiastically encouraging everyone to join in. The aerobics was just the start.

Ellen knew that her place tucked away in the corner of the terrace was not safe enough. She'd have to move, investigate further. The haven that she'd hoped for was already a disappointment....why couldn't people have their own space and anonymity in this world?

Throwing her book, iPod and sun screen into her apple green straw beach bag, she retied her sarong around her neck, then stood slipping her feet into her flip flops. Steps led down from the large terrace, and at the bottom she wandered through a grove of fruit trees before bursting out onto a small idyllic beach. The sand was almost white; the water azure blue, rocky crags hid the bay from other buildings further along the coast.

Ellen dumped her bag and then kicked off her shoes, allowing her feet to sink into the warm sand. Curling her toes she sighed. This was more like it, peace and quiet. There were only a few sun beds here, but she found one under a rather weather ravaged large straw umbrella. Spreading out a towel, she unwrapped herself and lounged on the bed. She wasn't a sun worshipper per se but she enjoyed the tranquillity of the coast, and the warmth of the partial shade. She glanced down at her new bikini, one of seven that she'd purchased in earnest over the last few months, with each buy she'd imagined it being ripped off in by Richard in their newly married passion. Huh! So much for that!