And then there was Tommy.
Whatever else was going on, I couldn’t ignore what had happened between us. He might have regretted it, but it hadn’t been one-sided – I was certain he’d felt it too. Which meant…whatexactly?
I had to stay on Aetheria long enough to find out.
14
Thought of the day…
It’s okay to disagree with your former self.
If something’s not working, make a different decision.
(This is even truer if new shit comes to light.)
I sleptsowell that night. It surprised me all things considered, but when I woke up refreshed, raring to help Julian sort out his troubles, I didn’t look the gift horse in the mouth.
I took my coffee out to the porch and sank into the cushioned rattan chair, sipping as I surveyed the incredible view. As I stared across at Naxos, I inhaled the herbaceous, briny air, boosting my already buoyant mood.
It’s divine here.
I was scheduled to spend the afternoon in the resort’s spa being pampered Aetherian style, something I was looking forward to. And that may seem like a no-brainer, but all spas arenotcreated equal. I’ve endured a floatation tank with pink mould (disgusting), a pedicure that felt like sanctioned torture, and a facial that left me with an angry rash for five days.
That’s why we spent weeks vetting partners for our nation-wide Spoil a Divorcee initiative – a program that gifts low-income, recently divorced women a day of pampering, fully funded by a very generous corporate sponsor. And no pink mould in sight.
But I had zero fears regarding Spa Aetheria – I was sure it would be the pinnacle of luxury. Everything else about the resort had been exceptional (if I ignored that it was haunted by two of my exes). And Julian intended for the spa to be one of the resort’s biggest drawcards – he would have spared no expense.
Niki and Minh would be on hand to document the experience, but hopefully not the entire time. How many photos of a woman wearing a fluffy white robe would they need?
Kee-kee-kee.
I looked up to see a bird arcing across the sky – a falcon was my best guess. It seemed to be riding the air currents, turning, dipping, soaring. It was as good a metaphor as any for my situation. It was only my fourth day on Aetheria and there had been enough twists and turns to make my head spin.
And one extraordinary moment when my heart had soared. Last night with Tommy.
Baby.
It had been more than a make-out session – for me, anyway – and the word still rang inside my head. Only it wasn’t taunting me, it was seeding hope – both electrifying and terrifying.
And I couldn’t discuss it with Claude, because I’d lied.
There was also the matter of Elsa – that Tommy had cheated on her with me. I didn’t want to be that woman. I didn’t want him to be that man.
What on earth were we doing?
As these insistent thoughts intruded, pummelling my upbeat mood, I looked across the water again. Calm washed over me, hard-won wisdom edging out confusion.
When emotions and thoughts have twisted themselves into knots, the best way forward was to forge a plan – focus on what was within my control.
I had the entire morning to myself, which gave me ample time to seek out Julian and start delving into his mess. So that’s what I would do. I drained my coffee, then went to get ready for the day.
I’d intended to skip breakfast and head straight to Julian’s office, but as I neared the restaurant, the aromas lured me in. Freshly baked pastries have that power.
‘Ally!’ exclaimed Trudy, sat at her favourite table alone.
I headed over.
‘Sit, sit,’ she said, gesturing to the chair opposite her. ‘You can keep me company.’
