Chapter 2 #2
“You have no idea,” I replied. Then Kin gestured to my daquiri to see if I wanted another, which I declined.
I wanted some time in one of the pools later, so I needed to allow myself time to sober up.
A nap sounded really tempting right now.
Matter of fact, a hot shower and refreshing snoozefest. Hopefully I’d wake up energized and ready to get out on one of the decks for some sun and water.
I gave him my cabin number and sat a little longer to finish my water, just soaking up the vibes of the restaurant.
So many people enjoying a good time and a good meal. This was what I needed.
Work had been so hectic lately at the clinic that I was grateful for this reprieve, if only for a few days.
Being a nurse practitioner at a small family practice had its good days and bad.
We were a small staff, and the two doctors that ran it together still had some work to do in modernizing some of our protocols.
It made more work for everyone from the receptionists to the nurse practitioners and everyone in between, because the doctors rarely checked in with patients themselves unless it was a rare consult or a specialist referral needed.
Adding to the workload, we’d lost one of our NPs last month, and they hadn’t yet hired anyone else.
The medical field wasn’t for everyone, but it was something I’d strived for since I was a teen and made it my mission to accomplish what I’d set out to do.
Meanwhile, in the back of my mind, I was still fixating on my brief reunion with Jackie.
The optimist in me hoped we could talk and maybe repair our years of estrangement, be friends again.
The cautious optimist in me was worried I’d revert to crushing on her since I’d been single so long.
I wasn’t desperate by any means, but the glimpse I got of her was enough to notice that her new look, and that womanly body, could easily draw me back in if I wasn’t careful.
I hopped down from the barstool, gathered my wits about me, and decided on that hot shower and long nap.
Feeling refreshed would give me a new sense of focus.
I was here to relax and escape. Maybe get a little sun, even though I had the most sensitive skin and was prone to lobster-red sunburns on my pasty skin.
I’d packed some high SPF sunscreen in my suitcase among the clothes, shoes and books. You can never be too careful.
Once I got back to my room, I unpacked everything and turned on the shower to let the water get hot.
I looked around and took the time to soak in the décor.
A double bed against the wall with stark-white bedding that was as fluffy as a cumulus cloud with nightstands on each side.
The walls were light, wood paneled and the carpet striped in burgundy and ivory.
Bright sunlight shone through the large deck windows with heavy curtains that matched the ivory tone of the carpet.
Generic oceanic art graced the walls above the headboard of the bed.
I woke up groggy from the weirdest dream where some ninjas were fighting a group of three-titty purple aliens.
Hmmm… Interesting. I chuckled to myself.
An extra tit wouldn’t be so bad. More to play with!
Now that had me laughing out loud to myself.
I sat up and stretched my arms in the air.
I checked my cell and noticed I slept for three hours.
Okay, that was more than just a nap, but much needed.
I headed to the ensuite bathroom, and once I’m done with my business and washed my hands, I figured no time like the present to rifle through my suitcase and pick what my beach read will be.
I decided on a young adult mystery/thriller book written by one of my favorite authors featuring a Black non-binary teen who solved cold cases the police didn’t care about, using intuitive powers.
It was a new release topping bestseller lists and was getting rave reviews, so I was super excited to see it in my local library.
I set the book on the bed and snatched my phone off the table next to the bed to see if I had any notifications.
I was glad that I splurged on internet access while I was out here.
I probably should’ve completely unplugged, but I had to stay connected to my friend group since I came solo.
I opened one of our group chats on social media to catch up on the conversation to see an array of hilarious GIFs sent by my bestie Jesse Ramirez.
They were GIF-sending royalty, always choosing the most apropos clip for whatever is happening in the moment or creating their own.
Jesse was an architect by trade but also a wiz with technology and electronics, both software and hardware.
They’d been my best friend going on four years now, being especially comforting when I decided to go no contact with my parents after years of dealing with their bigotry and hate toward my “lifestyle” as they liked to call it.
Jesse was even the person who convinced me to get into therapy to unpack all the childhood trauma of having parents who may not have blatantly taught us to hate, but they certainly didn’t lead with love.
I shook off the memories and scrolled up to the beginning of all the missed messages.
The thread included Jesse, their partner Sakora Allen, and Sakora’s coworker Gina Reyes.
Gina had announced a big promotion, so the group was planning a congratulatory dinner upon my return.
I added some heart eyes emojis and GIF of a champagne toast with the message “Congrats babe. You earned it!”
As I sat my phone down and laid down to start my book, I heard a gentle knock at my door. I wasn’t quite tall enough to see through the peephole, so I slowly opened the door to see Jackie turning away as if she was about to leave.