23. Chapter 23
Mermaid Motel
Smuggler’s Hideaway
Dear Ben!
You’re coming home! Your letter surprised me so much, Cora thought I was going to faint. She was traumatized by my reaction. If she had just delivered the letter and left like a normal mail delivery person instead of being Ms. Snoopy, she wouldn’t have been ‘traumatized’.
I’m so excited, I’m full of nervous energy.
I can’t sit still. I even cleaned the windows in the reception area of the motel.
My cleaning staff thinks I have smugglers’ fever.
Smugglers’ fever is what we islanders call it when someone has unexplained physical symptoms. There are a lot of terms you’ll have to learn once you move here.
If you move here, of course. You don’t have to move here.
You can visit from time to time, and we can try the long distance thing.
We’ve basically been doing long distance for nearly a year.
And we rock at it, if I do say so myself.
Although, I did prefer it when we spent the night together.
Not together sweaty naked bodies together. But in each other’s arms.
Oh great. Now my face is red again and everyone probably thinks I’m writing you a naughty letter. Which I’m not opposed to doing. I’m willing to try anything once. Except being gagged and choked. No thanks. And now I really am writing you a naughty letter.
Moving on before I end up having to stick my face in the freezer to stop the heat coming off of my cheeks from warming the oceans.
I can’t wait to show you the island. You’re going to love it!
We can do a beer flight at Five Fathoms Brewing Co.
, play Mermaid Mini Golf, go on the rollercoasters at Mermaid Mystical Gardens, try every baked goodie on offer at Pirates Pastries, and – last but not least – go horseback riding at Sirens & Saddles where I will not so quietly show off my boyfriend to Warren. Mwa-ha-ha!
I bought one of those advent calendars. Turns out you can buy them in the middle of summer.
But instead of counting down to Christmas, I’m counting down until you come home.
And no one has to know I’ve eaten all the chocolates from behind the doors already.
And then maybe replaced them with new chocolates. And then eaten those as well.
I have a problem. It’s not the chocolate. It’s ‘I can’t wait for Ben to come home’-fever. It’s not a known medical condition but trust me it feels like one.
Can’t wait to see you!
Your Sadie
PS I should probably tell you I love you at some point.
I think it’s pretty obvious. There’s no one else I’d buy an advent calendar for.
??I’ve loved you since the moment you sent me that goofy drawing of your camp.
And when you smiled up at me from your hospital bed, it was a done deal.
You’re mine, Benjamin Ward. I’m not letting you go. Come home safe to me.