she’d come here a dozen years ago. It was hard to believe her life was nearly over now.
She sat there for what might have been hours, but during that time, she committed her moments to the universe. And asked it to be kind and keep her from lingering too long in a body that no longer let her be a part of all this…of life.
A t some point, her thoughts were only of Koen.
“Thank you, universe,” she whispered, “Thank you for him.”
This part of her Magnificent Journey was over. It was just the first part, but she needed to go home, rest, check in with her doctor, let Percy know she was okay, and prepare part two of her final visits tour.
She was leaving tomorrow morning for home, so she stood up, stretched and headed back to her hotel.
Only the finest would do, according to Percy, who had booked her into one of the best hotels in Cairo. Sentimental man. She loved him for it.
She’d spent the night under the stars, and although it was nearly morning, she needed to sleep.
On her way back to her rental car, an overwhelming tiredness struck her. Like someone sapped every remaining bit of her energy.
Luckily, she didn’t have far to go to get to her room and just let herself drop. A valet took her car and she headed up to get her key at the elaborate desk where guests came and went.
Alisa waited anxiously behind a couple finishing registration for their rooms in the luxury hotel. Her eyes wandered to a big man beside a gorgeous petite woman who was speaking to the desk clerk with a French accent. He reminded her of Koen, something about his height and carriage, and extremely handsome as well. Were all these amazing men she was suddenly seeing a little gift for her messed-up fate? Or had they been around all along and she just hadn’t been open enough to notice them? Now, she couldn’t get Koen off her mind. Well, Koen’s body. Koen’s naked body.
Suddenly the beautiful French woman turned around and stared at her. She smiled softly at Alisa, but kept staring. Then she stepped forward.
“I am sorry, but would you mind if I touched your arm? Just briefly?”
It took Alisa back a little. What an odd request from a stranger. But her smile was genuine and her manner gentle. Alisa could see no harm, so she nodded.
Glancing at the big man beside her, the petite woman touched Alisa’s wrist, then slid her fingers into her palm. Her eyes captured Alisa’s, who realized she did not want to look away. A calmness came over her and she felt her body respond to the touch, a connection to this strange woman, not like the one with Koen, but as if she knew her.
The woman stepped back, and with her hand still on Alisa’s wrist, she tilted her head and spoke.
“You have a beautiful soul. Your journey does not end where you think it will.”
“What makes you think I’m on a journey?”
The woman nodded. “I know. It is a noble one. Ultimately necessary, I think. Have a great life, magnificent girl.”
The French woman turned to the big man . He looked into Alisa’s blue eyes, smiled at her, and took the French woman’s arm to escort her to the elevators.
How could she know? Did she know? It seemed like she did. Oh, God, could some people tell she was dying? Was there something they could see?
She shook her head. No. It had to be a coincidence that she used that word, magnificent. It was common, wasn’t it?
Alisa took the elevator to the third floor and closed the door to her room as soon as she was inside as if she could keep everyone and everything out. She was beyond exhausted. Was it her condition? She didn’t know. But she needed a shower and a full eight hours sleep. Thankfully, she was in the perfect place.
As she lowered her bag, she felt a little dizzy and stepped over to the bed to drop down carelessly. Why was she dizzy?
Probably the exhaustion and lack of food. As she walked to the bathroom, she
She sat there for what might have been hours, but during that time, she committed her moments to the universe. And asked it to be kind and keep her from lingering too long in a body that no longer let her be a part of all this…of life.
A t some point, her thoughts were only of Koen.
“Thank you, universe,” she whispered, “Thank you for him.”
This part of her Magnificent Journey was over. It was just the first part, but she needed to go home, rest, check in with her doctor, let Percy know she was okay, and prepare part two of her final visits tour.
She was leaving tomorrow morning for home, so she stood up, stretched and headed back to her hotel.
Only the finest would do, according to Percy, who had booked her into one of the best hotels in Cairo. Sentimental man. She loved him for it.
She’d spent the night under the stars, and although it was nearly morning, she needed to sleep.
On her way back to her rental car, an overwhelming tiredness struck her. Like someone sapped every remaining bit of her energy.
Luckily, she didn’t have far to go to get to her room and just let herself drop. A valet took her car and she headed up to get her key at the elaborate desk where guests came and went.
Alisa waited anxiously behind a couple finishing registration for their rooms in the luxury hotel. Her eyes wandered to a big man beside a gorgeous petite woman who was speaking to the desk clerk with a French accent. He reminded her of Koen, something about his height and carriage, and extremely handsome as well. Were all these amazing men she was suddenly seeing a little gift for her messed-up fate? Or had they been around all along and she just hadn’t been open enough to notice them? Now, she couldn’t get Koen off her mind. Well, Koen’s body. Koen’s naked body.
Suddenly the beautiful French woman turned around and stared at her. She smiled softly at Alisa, but kept staring. Then she stepped forward.
“I am sorry, but would you mind if I touched your arm? Just briefly?”
It took Alisa back a little. What an odd request from a stranger. But her smile was genuine and her manner gentle. Alisa could see no harm, so she nodded.
Glancing at the big man beside her, the petite woman touched Alisa’s wrist, then slid her fingers into her palm. Her eyes captured Alisa’s, who realized she did not want to look away. A calmness came over her and she felt her body respond to the touch, a connection to this strange woman, not like the one with Koen, but as if she knew her.
The woman stepped back, and with her hand still on Alisa’s wrist, she tilted her head and spoke.
“You have a beautiful soul. Your journey does not end where you think it will.”
“What makes you think I’m on a journey?”
The woman nodded. “I know. It is a noble one. Ultimately necessary, I think. Have a great life, magnificent girl.”
The French woman turned to the big man . He looked into Alisa’s blue eyes, smiled at her, and took the French woman’s arm to escort her to the elevators.
How could she know? Did she know? It seemed like she did. Oh, God, could some people tell she was dying? Was there something they could see?
She shook her head. No. It had to be a coincidence that she used that word, magnificent. It was common, wasn’t it?
Alisa took the elevator to the third floor and closed the door to her room as soon as she was inside as if she could keep everyone and everything out. She was beyond exhausted. Was it her condition? She didn’t know. But she needed a shower and a full eight hours sleep. Thankfully, she was in the perfect place.
As she lowered her bag, she felt a little dizzy and stepped over to the bed to drop down carelessly. Why was she dizzy?
Probably the exhaustion and lack of food. As she walked to the bathroom, she
Similar Books
