Escape To Paradise: A Perfect Escapist Sweet and Spicy Summer Beach Read For 2024

Chapter 2

Closing a Chapter

I escaped to Evergreen, Colorado. Evergreen was a mountainous, lush region, 30 miles from Cosmopolitan Denver. I had nowhere else to go, so I stayed with my friend Lisa in her cabin home; she let me stay in one of her guestrooms. She was the first person I could think of when I needed to get away from Benoit.

I met Lisa at a hospitality conference in Denver many years ago. She was one of those quirky, lovable characters that I instantly connected with. She was nothing like me, who was usually quieter and more reserved. Lisa made me comfortable, and she made me laugh. I was always self-critical, but she was the opposite; she reminded me constantly not to take things too seriously. Because we lived so far away from each other, we mainly communicated by phone.

Lisa had been divorced for years and lived with her two boys—Atticus and Beckett, who were in elementary school. To keep myself useful around the house, I offered to tutor her boys. But to switch things up, after schoolwork, we played out in the backyard, jumping on their giant trampoline.

When Lisa was at work, I would walk her Yorkie, Bacon, on the trail behind her property. Living in the country was new to me; I had lived in Chicago all my life, and Savannah was also a crowded and busy city. I was in awe whenever I encountered wildlife during my walks with Bacon. Sometimes, I would spot an elk; they were bigger than I had expected. Most often, I would see jackrabbits hopping around, which would cause the dog to bark excessively. There were many birds, making my dog walks very pleasant as each bird made a distinct sound.

It was getting cold since it was in November. So, around five p.m., when the kids come home, I would usually start the fireplace. Then, I would cook dinner. Lisa was living a simple life here, and I was adapting.

Tonight, for the family, I had cooked roast chicken with rosemary and lemon, paired with roasted potatoes with chives. For dessert, a freshly baked apple pie. The kids were getting used to my cooking and were loving it. Atticus, the bigger of the two, would always ask for two servings and would lick the plate clean.

“Don’t get used to these, boys. You know your Aunt Harper can’t stay here forever. You’re going to go back to eating microwave dinners again soon,” Lisa said over dinner. She was drinking red wine with her poultry even if I told her it was best paired with white wine. But she was a rule breaker.

Beckett loved the apple pie more as he asked for a second slice.

“These kids look like I have starved them all these years.”

I chuckled as I dug into my chicken. It was full of flavors and the familiar aroma of rosemary.

“Aunt Harper, you made this chicken dinner so delicious,” Atticus complimented me. He was licking his fingers now after finishing his potatoes.

“Are you saying I can’t cook?” Lisa glared at her son.

“Mom, your chicken is always dry,” Beckett chirped.

“Oh, is that so now? Yeah, okay, insult your mother. The one who clothed you and fed you. You’re not getting a Christmas present this year. Also, since we made the dinner, you wash the dishes, then do your homework after. No TV!”

“Why are you saying ‘we’? Only Aunt Harper slaved in the kitchen all afternoon,” Atticus pointed out.

“Well, I pay the bills. So, no more complaints now, okay?”

Atticus sighed. Beckett was still finishing his apple pie. He was eating it slowly, as if savoring it.

After dinner, the boys went about their chores and homework. The adults—meaning Lisa and I—went to the back porch. Lisa started a fire. I could see more stars in the sky than I could count. It was hard to see the night sky in Savannah with all the light pollution. But not in this lovely town.

My job search had yielded nothing yet. There were several positions available as a chef, but most of them were in big cities. I just felt like going to a big city at this point would just burn me out. All the eight years I poured into my relationship and my restaurant had drained me. Now, I had no drive left, especially after I broke off my relationship and partnership with Benoit.

Lisa cautioned me about moving on. She told me it wasn’t easy. Building something back up from the foundations of a past life wasn’t a simple task. When she took me in, she told me I really had to think long and hard about it. When her relationship ended with Bob, she had to rebuild everything from scratch.

Lisa brought her glass of red wine with her. It was getting a little chilly, so I sipped a hot chai tea with some cinnamon. Adding the spice added a little warmth to the drink.

“You’re brave to be doing this. I’ve been at it for a while, but it wasn’t easy when Bob left,” Lisa recalled. She was staring blankly in front of her while sipping her wine.

“It’s not by choice. I just can’t stay with him anymore. I have thought about going back and forgiving him, but I just couldn’t bear it. The thought of him, all this time, with another woman. I just can’t.”

“Well, I forgave Bob several times. Heck, if he hadn’t continued to do it, I would still be with him. But the sixth time was the last straw.” Lisa’s eyebrows furrowed. “But I tell you, it wasn’t easy to move to this small town. To take care of the kids. Luckily, he sends money every month. It helps, at least.”

“I’m sorry about the cheating. I didn’t know he cheated on you that many times.”

“Well, I’m over it. It was five years ago.” Lisa shrugged her shoulders.

“Why did you choose the mountainside?”

“Well, I thought it was my chance to leave the city life. I’ve always wanted to retire in a cabin in the woods. But I guess everything got fast-tracked after my divorce. So, what was your plan when you retired?”

“Retire from what? I love cooking, I don’t think I will ever retire from it.”

“You know what I mean… Like what is your dream later in life?”

“Well, I wanted to still cook but to retire in an island paradise somewhere. You know, close to the sea. Like live in a hut and just enjoy a swim in paradise whenever I want to.”

“There you go. That’s your fast-tracked goal. I have an idea. Give me your laptop?”

“My laptop?”

“Yes, come on, give it to me.”

I reluctantly got up and retrieved my laptop. I handed it to Lisa when I got back to the porch. She opened it almost immediately and typed in the browser. After a few clicks, she showed me her browser search.

“What is this?” I asked. I took the laptop and read the browser search. It was a list of jobs available in the Caribbean for on-board yacht chefs.

“That’s your answer. There are several that need a chef ASAP.” Lisa looked proud of her accomplishment.

“How did you do that?”

“I just have good browsing fingers. Anyway, just take a job, any job. Get out of America. Travel the world. I would have done it if I didn’t have kids in tow. Just invite me there in the summer.”

I shook my head. “I’m not sure.”

Lisa pried the laptop away from my fingers. She then proceeded to type for what seemed like five minutes. Then she clicked on the “Enter” button.

“What did you just do?” I asked.

“I just applied for a job for you. You’ll get the job. You’re an excellent cook. And also, those yachts, they’re desperate to get staff.”

“How do you know?” I asked again.

“I had a co-worker who worked on cruise ships and private yachts before. She always told me how wonderful it was to travel and work at the same time. You don’t have kids yet, so this is very doable for you.”

I placed the laptop on the table. Then Lisa grabbed my hand and dragged me to her backyard, which was lit up with string lights. She climbed up on the trampoline and invited me to join her. She proceeded to jump up and down.

I joined her, albeit reluctantly. She held my hands, and we started jumping together. It felt good to have the cool air on my face, and the jumping made me feel like a young girl again. Then we both collapsed together and looked up at the stars. Right then, a shooting star zipped across the sky.

“Well, that’s a good sign there,” Lisa said.

“I didn’t even make a wish yet.”

“It’s okay. I made a wish for you.” Lisa laughed.

***

I got used to my days at Lisa’s, walking their family dog, cleaning the house, cooking, and helping the kids with homework. I never knew a life outside of running my restaurant. My days here were different, but refreshing. The center of the town was tiny, and there wasn’t a lot that happened there except over the weekend with their farmer’s market and small-town musical festival.

It was Friday afternoon when I received a call from the company Lisa had applied for on my behalf. Lisa had gone to pick up the boys from school; they would be home shortly.

“Hi, is this Harper Aziz? My name is James. I’m the local recruiter for the company that you applied for. It’s for the luxury yacht charter which is based overseas.” James sounded very professional.

Of course, the job didn’t sound familiar. Lisa applied for a dozen positions, and it was hard to keep track of where she sent my resume.

“Yes,” I lied, pretending I knew what he was saying.

“I would like to conduct a phone interview if you’re available now, or if not, we can set it up in a few days. Would you be available now?”

I still did not know what type of job this was and where the job was going to be located. But I had no other choice; I needed a job. My money was still tied up in the restaurant and the house. The lawyer I hired was dealing with everything. Meanwhile, I had to earn a living while the money was being divided, and I wanted to disappear for a few months. I knew this could be my chance.

“Yes, I’m available now.”

“Great! I will conduct the interview now. So, do you own a passport?”

“Yes, I do.” I nodded my head, even though he couldn’t see me.

“Are you able to travel within the next two weeks?”

I was surprised that Lisa chose this job for me. It was too soon, or so I thought.

I wanted to sound calm, so I cleared my throat and responded, “Of course. Yes. I’m willing and able.” Deep inside, I was already nervous about what I was getting myself into.

“It says on your resume that you currently own a restaurant. Is that correct?”

“Yes. I am in the process of divesting myself from that restaurant.”

“For what reason is that, if I may ask?”

“It’s a partnership between me and my ex-boyfriend. I’ve decided to end the business partnership. I’ll get my share.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” James said in a sincere tone.

“It’s okay. I’ve moved on.”

“Based on your resume, you’re overqualified for the job. We were looking for just a chef with at least one or two years of experience. You’ve had eight years. And not only that, but you also helped run your own restaurant. Why are you interested in this job?”

Even if I couldn’t see James, I could picture him staring at me while he asked this question. It was indeed unusual for someone with my experience to just give up everything and work wherever this thing Lisa had signed me up for.

I took a deep breath and said, “To tell you the truth, I’ve been burnt out, running my restaurant and running a kitchen. I just wanted to do something simple. And also, to continue to cook but not handle like an entire team.”

“Sounds perfect. There’s just you and your sous-chef. The other crew members are the stewardess-slash-cleaner, the captain, and the assistant skipper.”

Yacht meant I was going to be a cook for a charter yacht, but he forgot to mention where it was.

“I apologize, but did you already mention the location of this charter boat?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. It’s in the Caribbean. Have you heard of St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines and Grenada?”

Those were familiar-sounding places, all of which I had not been to before. I quickly Googled them and located them on the map.

“Yes, I am familiar with those countries.” Again, a little white lie. I knew little, but with Google’s help, I could learn more about those countries.

“So, you’ll be staying with your crewmates at a luxury yacht that will be sailing throughout those countries I mentioned. And should you accept the position, you will sign a six-month or a nine-month contract, which is renewable after the term.”

“Sounds good.”

“It depends on you, whether you want to sign the nine-month, then sign up for another contract. Your job offer letter will include the pay package and the rate. Should you choose to accept it, I will email it to you shortly.”

Just then, Lisa barged in with the boys. She saw me on the phone, talking to someone, and started whispering, “Is that the job interview?”

I nodded my head yes. James was patiently waiting for my response.

“Say yes,” Lisa whispered.

I shrugged my shoulders.

Lisa reiterated, “Say yes!”

I didn’t know what to do.

Lisa grabbed the phone from my hand and said, “Yes, I accept the position.” Then she handed it back to me.

“Well, okay then. I will send the e-mail for the job offer right about now.” I heard him make a clicking sound.

Still carrying her son’s backpack, Lisa started doing a happy dance.

“Okay, I’ll give you twenty-four hours to look at it and e-sign it. Then, send it back to me. I’ll also attach a document of the list of requirements such as your physical exam. I’ll be the one assisting you with your work permit. The work may start in 2-3 weeks, depending on how soon you can comply with your requirements.”

“That’s it?” I asked.

“Yeah, mainly, that’s it. I’ll still be working tomorrow for just a half day. Shoot me a text or call me if you have questions. But if not, I will talk to you again on Monday.”

“Thank you.”

“Enjoy your weekend.” James hung up the phone, and it left me questioning my decision.

Lisa started screaming, “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

This startled her boys, who were sitting on the couch watching TV.

“We’ll celebrate with pizza!” Lisa said.

The boys turned their heads; they were excited about the pizza.

“Let’s go!” I cheered them on.

The pizza place was a ten-minute drive from Lisa’s house. It served healthier pizza since it was wood-burned and wasn’t as greasy as the commercialized pizzas. It even had a good review.

The owner, Rocco, already knew us. We frequented this pizza place a lot, and the boys loved the pizza there. Rocco was Italian, and he also made the best pasta dishes. I wondered what went through his mind as he moved from the Amalfi coast to this remote town in Colorado. It would take a certain mindset to leave your hometown for a foreign land. He must have been culture-shocked.

Rocco was chatting with Lisa instead of taking our orders right away. My friend flipped her hair, all her attention on Rocco, while Rocco was leaning close to her as they caught up. At one point during their conversation, he touched her shoulder.

“Lisa, what’s that about?” I asked her when, eventually, Rocco took our order, though it seemed he still wanted to talk to Lisa.

“What?” Lisa was nonchalant.

“He was flirting with you.”

“No, he’s not.” She turned red.

“Of course he was.”

“He’s much too young. He’s at least ten years younger.”

“Age is just a number,” I reminded her.

After twenty minutes, Rocco served us our pizza. We got Pizza Margherita and wine for me and Lisa. The Meat Supreme for the boys. As usual, they scarfed the food down. These two were good eaters.

When we were leaving, Rocco smiled at Lisa, and Lisa waved back.

I tapped her on the shoulder. “Now, if that wasn’t flirtatious, I don’t know what is.”

The following day, Lisa planned a family day in town. There was going to be music and the farmer’s market. I felt a pang of sadness. If the job panned out, I wouldn’t see the boys and Lisa anymore. And although I’d only been here for a month, I felt like I’d been with them far longer than that.

***

It was getting chilly; it was forty degrees in the morning. Although I grew up in Chicago, the cold was bothering me. I had been used to the humidity in Georgia. I layered up and took the dog for a leisurely walk. The boys were still sleeping, and Lisa was doing her early morning yoga.

I was walking our usual trail, and it made me sad I wouldn’t be walking Bacon anymore. Although he was an eight-year-old dog, he was always full of energy. He loved his walks, and I loved to indulge him. It made me feel downcast that I would not be on these walks in the forest or spend time with a loving family anymore. I’d be gone for six months, potentially eight months or more. I’d be living and working in a country I had no ties to.

These walks had been healing for me, too. I would walk with the dog sometimes for over an hour or two and just cried and cried. It felt good to just release all the emotions from my breakup. The forest seemed like a safe space for me to grieve in silence. This day was no different. I just allowed the tears to roll down my face.

I tried not to think about the life I had left behind—Benoit, my restaurant, and my house. I had also been leaving voicemails to my mom. And today was no exception.

“Hey, Mom. I hope you don’t think I’m being irrational. But I’m leaving America to work as a chef for a yacht. I hope you’re not disappointed with me. I just couldn’t stay in Savannah any longer. I don’t know what lies ahead for me in the Caribbean, but it would be a different world for sure. Wish me luck, Mom. I love you.”

When I got back to Lisa’s house, the boys were already awake and ready. Lisa had decided we were going to get breakfast at the market. We squeezed into Lisa’s tiny red car. The town center was a mere ten-minute drive away. When we got out, I held Beckett’s hand. There was a stand at the farmer’s market that sold Belgian waffles. We all got waffles with different toppings. Lisa and I opted for the fruit toppings, but the boys had chocolate and nuts. Lisa and I got a hot coffee from a coffee stand, and the boys got chocolate milk. We then walked close to the stage. There was a band already playing their set; they played country music.

We bumped into one of Lisa’s friends, Laura, and she introduced me to her. Laura used to be in the army. She’s a heavy-set woman with red hair. She was also six feet three and towered over the crowd. As one of the event organizers, she informed us we could occupy one of the vacant plastic tables.

There were tables close to the stage, but it was a long communal table. We sat across a group of four guys. It was only 11 in the morning, but the guys were already drinking. I was directly across from a man who was obviously getting drunk. He was wearing shades, and his hair was thinning. He had a round-ish face, but it was reddish already.

He looked at me and said, “What’s your name, sweetie?” Already, he was slurring his speech.

I didn’t respond as I was getting uncomfortable.

“What’s wrong with you? Cat got your tongue?” He was starting to spill his beer.

Lisa heard the rude man and interrupted him. “Hey, buddy, mind your own business. We’re on a family outing here.”

“I wasn’t talking to you, bitch!”

“Come on, boys, Harper, let’s get out of here,” Lisa commands.

We all got up.

But the man still had something to say. “Hey, you! You can’t leave until I tell you to! You’re a bitch, too, and your mother, too!” He pointed his index finger at me. One of his friends tried to stop him, but the man got up and tried to follow us. I was terrified, not just for myself, but for the kids as well.

Lisa approached Laura and told her about the man who was bothering us.

As she approached, Laura turned to me and asked,” What did this man tell you?”

I replied, “Well, he called me the ‘B’ word, and then told me my mom was a ‘B’ too.”

Laura got mad and grabbed the man by the collar. The man was only five foot nine, so she easily overpowered him. He was also drunk and not coordinated.

“Did you harass these women?” she asked threateningly.

He was shaking his head.

“We’re sorry. This is not how he usually behaves. He is our co-worker. He’s usually very quiet,” one of the man’s friends said.

“Well, get him out of here,” Laura ordered.

“Sorry again, ladies. We’ll just take him home. He’s had too much to drink.”

“For Chrissakes, it’s not even noon. Get your friend sobered up,” Laura barked; she looked intimidating.

The men had no recourse but to take their friends with them, grabbing him by the arm, and walked with him out of the event.

“I’m sorry about those assholes, girls. You know, they serve alcohol at these events. And some idiots just can’t control themselves.” Laura turned to me and asked,” Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay.”

Laura tapped on my shoulder. “You guys should just go sit with me over there.”

We tried to forget the incident and ended up staying at the event until 4 p.m. The kids were tired, so when we headed home, they were already ready to take a nap. By five, I started cooking dinner; Lisa helped cut the onions and garlic. We had spaghetti and meatballs.

“That was certainly an exciting time we had earlier,” Lisa recalled. She had opened a new bottle of red wine and poured me a drink.

“Yeah, unfortunately.” I was forming the meatballs with my hands.

“Can you imagine, insulting you and your mother, too?”

“I can’t imagine what was going on in his head. But he was drunk.”

“I’m sorry, though, that happened.”

“You have nothing to apologize for.” I formed more meatballs with the palms of my hands. I was very OCD about making sure they were the right size, so I measured them.

“Anyway, thanks for cooking dinner. As always. You certainly spoiled the boys with your delicious cooking.”

“That’s the least I could do. You gave me a roof over my head.”

“You’re welcome anytime. Hopefully, when summer comes, me and the boys can visit you in the Caribbean.” Lisa seemed pleased by this idea.

“Of course. I don’t know where I’ll be staying there exactly. But sure, I’ll let you know.”

“You have to write to us.”

Lisa set up the table while I cooked the meatballs. After twenty minutes, everything was ready. The boys woke up from their nap and sat at the table.

Lisa proceeded to lead a prayer. She wasn’t religious, but this occasion seemed like an opportune time for it. We held hands and joined her.

“Thank you to the Universal Intelligence for this meal, the gift of friendship with Harper and this family.”

***

Two weeks had passed, and I had finished my application for the job. James was very thorough and made sure I had gotten the work visa. He had connections, and he was good at his job. So, everything went smoothly.

I had some trepidations about leaving America. The last trip I had was five years ago with Benoit. We visited his family in France. We spent three weeks in Paris and the French countryside. It was our honeymoon, of sorts. But since our restaurant business started booming, everything just got busy. Suddenly, Benoit and I were too busy to travel.

Lisa and the boys dropped me off at Denver International Airport. I hugged the boys tightly, and they started crying, which I didn’t expect. I never knew I could get attached to them.

I bent down and told them, “Don’t worry, boys. We’ll see each other again. If things work out over there, you guys can come visit me during the summer.”

They both nodded their heads.

Lisa gave me a bear hug. “Don’t forget to send us a postcard!”

“A postcard? Do such things still exist?” I joked.

Lisa was old-fashioned that way. She still believed in writing checks, writing letters, and sending postcards, whereas I had fully embraced automation and technology. I knew it was going to be a tough adjustment once I got to the Caribbean.

Lisa helped unload my two pieces of luggage from her tiny red car. After that, I was on my own. I waved at them and felt a heaviness in my heart. No more long walks in the woods. No more Lisa and the boys. I was alone again, and being alone was depressing. So, on the way to boarding the plane, tears started flowing down my cheeks.