“It’s okay, Tay. I promise. I’m back in my villa. This bed is just too damn comfortable to lay in for a second without falling asleep. I guess the stress from earlier really took it out of me.”
“I take back what I said about this vacation. I don’t like that you’re there all alone.” A laugh bubbles out of me when she huffs.
“I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?” Her hesitation makes me feel bad.
“I’m sure,” I say with as much sincerity as I can muster.
“What did you find out at reception?”
“The resort could only extend the reservation two weeks. They said things are too uncertain here to promise more. What did you find out about the flight?” Taylor is silent for a minute. A sign she doesn’t want to tell me the bad news.
“I booked you on the first flight out.”
“Great. When is it?” Luckily, this time I’m prepared for the answer.
“Unfortunately, it’s still three weeks away. BUT I am doing everything I can to find something sooner.” Tay sounds like she is waiting for me to explode.
Thanks to Preston, I remind myself to think about the things in my control. I cannot control flight scheduling. I can control how I respond to my best friend.
“Okay, not ideal.”
“Not ideal? That’s it? I’m not gonna lie, girl, I expected a meltdown of epic proportions. Are you just waiting until we get off the phone so I don’t feel bad? Because if so, I can take it. I promise, I?—”
I cut her off mid-sentence with a small laugh. “No meltdown. I kind of already had one of those earlier in reception. Someone else also had their flight canceled and he said it was three weeks for a new one back to the States.”
“He?” Taylor asks, suggestively.
I roll my eyes at her antics. She would love for me to have a vacation fling.
“Calm down. It’s just this guy staying at one of the villas. I ran into him at the reception desk while I was trying to figure out what to do. He got the brunt of my meltdown.”
“Yikes.” She pauses before switching to PR-mode. “How bad was it? Do you think he noticed you? Do we need to prep for damage control? Were there cameras?”
“Jesus, Taylor. How bad do you think I am?” Throwing my hands in the air, I lose my cool. “I didn’t go postal and bash the counter with an umbrella or throw a bitch fit. Is that really what you think of me? Am I that incapable of handling things for myself that you think I am just one big case of damage control?” She doesn’t deserve my outrage but she hit a nerve, especially after I already felt so incapable.
“Oh, honey, no, that’s not—” My phone beeps with an incoming video call from my dad.
“My dad is calling. I have to go.” I hang up before she can say anything else. Brushing my hair out of my face, I stand and relocate to the couch on the deck needing the fresh air to calm down.
“Hey, dad.” I hold the phone up so he can see me.
“Hey, bug. How’s my girl?” His brows dip in concern at whatever emotion he sees still on my face.
“I’m okay. What’s up?”
“I was just calling to check on you. You come home tomorrow, right? I saw some of the news about flights and was worried.” I frown.
“Um, well, no. My flight was also canceled.” His lips thin.
“I was afraid of that.”
“Yeah, not great but there is another flight out. It’ll just be a while before that happens.”
“That doesn’t sound promising. How long?” He scrutinizes me with a firm gaze.
“Three weeks, but Taylor is working on finding an earlier flight so I’m sure it won’t be that long.” I speak quickly to avoid a potential lecture. Hopefully he won’t read the lack of confidence on my face too.
