In order to find tranquilly and a new beginning to get past my past, I travelled to the island. I discovered HIM instead—he was charming, considerate, and everything I didn’t realise I needed. But a single incident destroyed everything just when I began to think that fresh starts were possible.
Despite the fact that I had lived there for decades, my living room still felt alien. I was fifty-five when I looked at the open suitcase and wondered how my life had devolved into this.
“How did we arrive here?” Before discarding the broken “Forever & Always” cup in my hand, I requested.
My hand swept across the couch. “Adieu to Sunday arguments over pizza and coffee.”
I was unable to evict the unwanted guests that were buzzing in my mind. The void struck more strongly in the bedroom. Like an indictment, the bed’s opposite side looked back at me.
“Stop staring at me like that,” I whispered. “I didn’t do everything wrong.”
Packing turned like a treasure hunt for items that were still important. Like a lighthouse, the laptop rested on my desk.
“At least you stayed,” I patted it.
I’d been working on my manuscript for two years. I was able to prove that I wasn’t completely lost even if it wasn’t finished.
Then Lana’s email arrived:
“Retreatment for creation. Island that is warm. new beginning. “Wine.”
“Wine, of course,” I said, laughing.
Lana had a knack for making catastrophes sound like fun. The notion seemed rash, but wasn’t that the point?
The flight confirmation caught my attention. I had a persistent inner voice.
What happens if I dislike it? Or do they despise me? What if sharks eat me after I fall into the ocean?
But then a second idea appeared.
What if I find it enjoyable?
With a sigh, I shut the suitcase. “Happy running away!”
I wasn’t escaping. Something was in my path as I ran.
I was welcomed by the island’s mild wind and the steady sound of waves lapping against the coast. I closed my eyes and took a big breath, allowing the salty air to fill my lungs for a time.
This is precisely what I required.
The calm didn’t last, though. The island’s tranquilly was broken as I got closer to the resort by loud music and laughter. Most of the people were in their 20s and 30s, and they were lounging on brightly coloured beanbags with drinks that looked more like umbrellas than liquids.
Actually, this isn’t a monastery, I mumbled to myself.
Everyone at the pool started laughing so loudly that a bird in a nearby tree was terrified. I gave a sigh.
Lana, creative breakthroughs, huh?
Lana emerged before I could hide in the shadows, holding a margarita and her sunhat at a jaunty angle.
“Thea!” she exclaimed, as if our email hadn’t been sent yesterday. “You succeeded!”
“I already regret it,” I muttered, forcing a smile.
She gestured with her hand, saying, “Oh, stop.” It’s here that the magic happens! Believe me, you will adore it.
I responded, raising an eyebrow, “I was hoping for something… quieter.”
“It’s absurd! You must interact with others and take in the vibes! Speaking of which, I have someone you need to meet,” she said, grabbing my arm.
She dragged me through the crowd before I could defend myself. At a high school party, I felt like a downtrodden mom attempting to avoid tripping over discarded flip-flops.
I’m not kidding when I say that the man we stopped in front of looked like he should have been on the cover of GQ. A smile that is comfortable and sun-kissed, a white linen shirt that is slightly undone but not sleazy.
“Thea, come meet Eric,” Lana exclaimed.
He said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Thea,” in a voice as silky as the sea air.
“Likewise,” I responded, hoping that my nervousness would not come through.
Lana grinned as though she had just arranged a royal engagement. “Eric also writes.” I told him about your novel, and ever since then, he has been eager to see you.
My cheeks turned red. “Oh, it isn’t done.”
“Not important,” Eric remarked. It’s amazing how much effort you’ve put into it over the past two years! Please tell me about it.
Lana retreated with a sly smile. You two converse. I’ll locate more margaritas.
I glared at her. After a few minutes, though, I found myself agreeing to a walk, either due to Eric’s indisputable charm or the alluring coastal breeze.
Surprising myself, I said, “Give me a moment.”
When I got back to my room, I dug through my bag and found my favourite sundress.
What’s the point? I might as well make a nice impression if I’m going to be pulled about.
Eric was waiting when I came out. “Are you ready?”
Despite an unusual flutter in my tummy, I tried to be nonchalant and nodded. “Set an example.”
Eric showed me areas of the island that didn’t appear to have been affected by the “retreat’s” mayhem. Things that weren’t in any guidebook included a secret route that led to a cliff with an amazing view and a remote beach with a swing suspended from a palm tree.
“You’re skilled at this,” I remarked with a laugh.
“Good at what?” he questioned, perched on the neighbouring beach.
“Giving someone the impression that they are completely out of place.”
His smile got bigger. “You might not be as uncomfortable as you believe.”
I laughed more as we conversed than I had in months. Similar to myself, he related tales of his travels and passion for books. His appreciation of my book seemed genuine, and I experienced a warmth I hadn’t felt in a while when he made a joke about one day framing my autograph.
But beneath the laughter, I felt a tug at the periphery of my mind. I couldn’t understand the slight uneasiness. He appeared too flawless.
It was a great start to the following morning. My mind was racing with thoughts for the next chapter of my book as I stretched.
I said, “Today is the day,” as I reached for my laptop.
I woke the keyboard up by sweeping my fingertips over it. But my heart stopped when the desktop came up. The folder that contained my novel—two years of sweat, blood, and restless nights—was gone. In the hopes of losing it, I looked everywhere on the hard drive. Not a thing.
That struck me as strange.
I had my laptop, but the most significant portion of my life’s work was nowhere to be found.
Grasping the edge of the desk, I muttered, “Okay, don’t freak out.” “It’s likely that you simply lost it.”
However, I knew I hadn’t. As soon as I left the room, I went directly to Lana. I heard muted voices as I went along the corridor. With a racing heart, I froze. I walked slowly towards the sound. The neighbouring room’s door was open a crack.
He stated, “All we have to do is submit it to the appropriate publisher.”
I felt my blood chill. It was clear that Eric was speaking. I could see Lana leaning in through the opening, her voice a faint hum of conspiracy.
In a sweet voice, Lana remarked, “Her manuscript is brilliant.” “We will determine how to claim it as ours. She will never know what happened to her.
Anger and treachery filled my gut, but disappointment was far worse. Among such was Eric, who had listened to me, made me laugh, and whom I had come to trust.
I walked to my room and turned aside before they could see me. I stuffed my things into my suitcase haphazardly and banged it shut.
“This was meant to be my new beginning,” I said resentfully.
Despite my hazy eyesight, I resisted crying. I was finished crying for someone who still had faith in second chances.
Upon my departure from the island, the brilliant sunshine seemed like a terrible joke. I refused to look back, instead keeping my eyes forward. I wasn’t obliged to.
A few months later, the bookshop was a hive of activity. Conversation filled the air as rows of chairs were occupied. I tried to concentrate on the cheerful smiles as I stood at the platform with a copy of my book.
With a firm voice despite the whirlpool of emotions beneath it, I said, “Thank you all for being here tonight.” “I never imagined the journey I took, but years of work have culminated in this book.”
The cheers were warm, but as I glanced out over the audience, I felt a pain in my chest. Yes, I was proud of the novel, but it had not been an easy journey to success. I could still feel the betrayal.
When the final customer had departed and the signing queue had thinned, I collapsed into a chair in the store’s corner, tired. At that moment, I noticed a tiny, folded note on the table.
“You should sign this for me. When you’re free, stop by the café around the corner.
The writing was very legible. It made my heart skip a beat. Eric.
With a bewildering mixture of interest, annoyance, and an unidentified emotion, I gazed at the note.
I thought for a second about crumpling it up and leaving. I groaned instead, picked up my coat, and made my way to the café. I recognised him right away.
I responded, slipping onto the seat opposite from him, “You’re brave to leave me a note like that.”
“Brave or desperate?” he smiled wryly in response. “I doubted you would show up.”
“Neither was I,” I acknowledged.
I must explain, Thea. The events on the island… I didn’t initially understand Lana’s actual intentions. She told me it was all for your benefit. As soon as I realised her true intentions, however, I grabbed the flash drive and forwarded it to you.
I remained quiet.
“You were too modest to publish your novel yourself,” Eric said when Lana brought me into it. She said you needed someone to surprise you and encourage you to pursue your skill because you didn’t think you had it. I believed that I was assisting.
“An unexpected development?” I took a shot back. “Are you saying that I should secretly take my work?”
That was my initial thought. I snatched up the flash drive as soon as she told me the truth and proceeded to look for you, but you had already left.
“So, what I heard wasn’t what it sounded like?”
“It wasn’t.” The moment I realised the truth, I decided on you, Thea.
I allowed the quiet to grow, waiting for the old rage to come out. However, it was no longer present. Lana had stopped manipulating me, and the book had been released according to my wishes.
Breaking the pause, Eric remarked softly, “You know, she always envied you.” She felt overshadowed, even while she was in college. She saw a chance this time and tried to grab what wasn’t hers by using both of our trust.
“Now?”
She’s no longer there. vanished from all of my acquaintances. I wouldn’t support her lies, thus she couldn’t handle the consequences.
“You made a wise decision. That makes a difference.
“Is that a sign that you will give me another chance?”
“One date,” I said, gesturing with my finger. “Avoid messing it up.”
He grinned more broadly. “Come to an agreement.”
I noticed that I was grinning as we were leaving the café. One date became another, and then another. I fell deeply in love before I realised it. It wasn’t one-sided at the time, either. The relationship that began with betrayal had grown into one based on forgiveness, understanding, and yes, love.
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