them now. She was too ashamed to explain what had happened, how she had been drawn into some fantasy about a guy that barely even noticed her.
No , she’d just go and get a job at some tourist attraction in the Bahamas and carry on her masseuse work, resigning herself to an ordinary life. She’d marry a man who drove a bus or worked in an office, have 2.4 children and a house in the suburbs. At the very thought of such a life she slumped down onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.
She wanted a life with purpose.
Ever since her grandmother had died and the church had been packed with people; each of them waxing lyrical about how kind she was; how she’d helped them when they were in trouble; how she had made them feel like they were family when they needed it most, Angelique knew that her life had to mean something.
Life was short, she had come to realize as she stood in the church that day and watched the sea of black-clothed mourners pass by her grandma’s coffin. She knew she had something to offer the world, some kind of inspiration or encouragement or healing. The feeling she got when her clients got up off the massage chair and straightened up, beaming all over their faces, that was what she was chasing—but on a grand scale.
She stood back up and finally managed to zip up her case. Taking a quick glance in the bathroom, she saw she’d left her toiletries out, but there was no space to pack them in. She left them there, deciding to purchase some at the airport.
She passed Theo’s door as she wheeled her case to the elevator and dreaded to imagine what was going on behind it. She had been so convinced he would understand her and her desire to make a difference in the world. He had come from the slums and risen up to wealth beyond imagination. Now he was writing a book to share his story with the world, presumably to offer hope and inspiration for the little kids still stuck in poverty. But now he’d shown his true colors. If he could not see she was trustworthy, then he could not see her at all.
“Please could you order me a taxi to the airport?” she asked the hotel receptionist.
“Sure. When would you like to leave?”
“As soon as possible.”
Angelique sat on one of the sofas in the lobby, wondering how the dream had died so quickly. She scrolled through her smartphone, looking for flights from Lanai City to Nassau. The cheapest was $1500, stopping in Kahului, Honolulu and Chicago before finally landing in the Bahamas. It would take nearly two full days.
It was the last thing she wanted to do. The idea of it seemed so lonely, sitting at airports and watching happy families coming back from vacation and couples excited about jetting off for romantic breaks, and what did she have to travel back to? Her mother’s sympathy and cooked food would comfort her, but it could not fulfill her.
She couldn’t bring herself to press the Book Now button and put her smartphone back in her handbag. She might be able to get a better price at the airport, anyhow.
“Your taxi is here, Ma’am,” the receptionist said.
“Thanks,” Angelique replied, trying to muster a smile.
She headed out behind the porter who insisted on carrying her bag to the taxi for her. Mumbling good day to the taxi driver, she wiped away the tears that had gathered on her lower lashes and wondered what on earth was to become of her. Would she ever have the life her heart craved?
She rummaged in her purse for some lip gloss, trying to feel normal, when she heard a knocking on the tinted window. She turned, assuming it was the porter, to find Theo looking at her, panicked. A lump in her throat, she brought the window down.
“I know you don’t believe me, but I’m not lying,” she said, her voice almost breaking out into a sob.
“Where are you going?”
She looked ahead of her and held her head high. “Back to the Bahamas.”
“Oh, don’t,” he said. “Please don’t. At least let me talk to you
No , she’d just go and get a job at some tourist attraction in the Bahamas and carry on her masseuse work, resigning herself to an ordinary life. She’d marry a man who drove a bus or worked in an office, have 2.4 children and a house in the suburbs. At the very thought of such a life she slumped down onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.
She wanted a life with purpose.
Ever since her grandmother had died and the church had been packed with people; each of them waxing lyrical about how kind she was; how she’d helped them when they were in trouble; how she had made them feel like they were family when they needed it most, Angelique knew that her life had to mean something.
Life was short, she had come to realize as she stood in the church that day and watched the sea of black-clothed mourners pass by her grandma’s coffin. She knew she had something to offer the world, some kind of inspiration or encouragement or healing. The feeling she got when her clients got up off the massage chair and straightened up, beaming all over their faces, that was what she was chasing—but on a grand scale.
She stood back up and finally managed to zip up her case. Taking a quick glance in the bathroom, she saw she’d left her toiletries out, but there was no space to pack them in. She left them there, deciding to purchase some at the airport.
She passed Theo’s door as she wheeled her case to the elevator and dreaded to imagine what was going on behind it. She had been so convinced he would understand her and her desire to make a difference in the world. He had come from the slums and risen up to wealth beyond imagination. Now he was writing a book to share his story with the world, presumably to offer hope and inspiration for the little kids still stuck in poverty. But now he’d shown his true colors. If he could not see she was trustworthy, then he could not see her at all.
“Please could you order me a taxi to the airport?” she asked the hotel receptionist.
“Sure. When would you like to leave?”
“As soon as possible.”
Angelique sat on one of the sofas in the lobby, wondering how the dream had died so quickly. She scrolled through her smartphone, looking for flights from Lanai City to Nassau. The cheapest was $1500, stopping in Kahului, Honolulu and Chicago before finally landing in the Bahamas. It would take nearly two full days.
It was the last thing she wanted to do. The idea of it seemed so lonely, sitting at airports and watching happy families coming back from vacation and couples excited about jetting off for romantic breaks, and what did she have to travel back to? Her mother’s sympathy and cooked food would comfort her, but it could not fulfill her.
She couldn’t bring herself to press the Book Now button and put her smartphone back in her handbag. She might be able to get a better price at the airport, anyhow.
“Your taxi is here, Ma’am,” the receptionist said.
“Thanks,” Angelique replied, trying to muster a smile.
She headed out behind the porter who insisted on carrying her bag to the taxi for her. Mumbling good day to the taxi driver, she wiped away the tears that had gathered on her lower lashes and wondered what on earth was to become of her. Would she ever have the life her heart craved?
She rummaged in her purse for some lip gloss, trying to feel normal, when she heard a knocking on the tinted window. She turned, assuming it was the porter, to find Theo looking at her, panicked. A lump in her throat, she brought the window down.
“I know you don’t believe me, but I’m not lying,” she said, her voice almost breaking out into a sob.
“Where are you going?”
She looked ahead of her and held her head high. “Back to the Bahamas.”
“Oh, don’t,” he said. “Please don’t. At least let me talk to you
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