- Resort
- Resort
Michelle
The ride is filled with laughter and funny stories. The hotel sent a shuttle van to pick us up, so we traveled comfortably and relaxed. Vero and I sat in the front row, while the guys settled in the back seats. Dylan, on the other hand, took the passenger seat next to the driver.
Every now and then, I feel his gaze on me as he makes a comment. I don’t know if it’s a coincidence or if he’s really seeking my reaction, but the tingling on the back of my neck caused by his attention puts me on alert.
“Have you been here before?” Vero suddenly asks.
I shook my head with a smile.
“No, never. It’s my first time here.”
The others start telling me about the times they’ve been to this place and how much fun they’ve had. Their enthusiasm shows that it’s a special place for them. I, on the other hand, can’t help but think about how long it’s been since I last went
on vacation.
Three years ago, when Ryan had to travel for work, my mother-in-law convinced him to take Candace and me. Despite the forced nature of the situation, we had a good time, at least on the surface. Back then, I thought maybe a brother or sister for Candace was on the way, but in the end, it was a false alarm. After that, intimacy with my husband drastically decreased. At the time, I thought it was because he didn’t want to be a father again, and despite my attempts, there were few occasions when we were intimate again. After all, I was only twenty-six and in my most fertile stage.
What I never imagined was that the real reason for his rejection was that he no longer needed me. Someone else was satisfying him in bed, and I, unknowingly, had become an invisible presence in our own home. Now that I think about it, it’s been at least six months since he last touched me. Blake’s words echo in my mind: they sent him home “well looked
after.”
A bitter feeling rises in my throat. I grab a bottle of water and drink quickly to avoid the feeling of nausea.
“Are you okay?” Dylan asked, his voice filled with concern.
His gaze holds me for a moment, bringing me back to the present.
“I will be,” I replied, trying to smile.
He says nothing more, but his eyes reflect something I can’t decipher. Fortunately, the others don’t seem to have noticed anything, and if Vero did, she prefers to remain silent.
Twenty minutes later, we arrive at our destination. From the entrance, there’s an atmosphere of tranquility and relaxation. It’s incredible that such a place exists within the city. The landscape is serene, surrounded by nature, and the air seems
purer.
Dylan is the first to step out of the van and, without hesitation, hurries to offer his hand to Vero and me to help us down. His touch is warm, firm, and for a moment our eyes meet. I feel a slight shiver. To ease the awkwardness, he winks at me, making me chuckle. I smiled at him in gratitude.
Since the moment we reunited, there’s been nothing to reproach him for. He’s been kind, attentive, chivalrous… and for the second time, I wonder what I didn’t notice before.
“I’m handsome, I know,” he jokes, but the others want to get off too.
1/3
< 16 Resort
In a playful moment, I stuck my tongue out at him, provoking the group’s laughter.
18 Points
Vero takes my arm and leads me to a viewpoint overlooking the entire area. The blue sky reflects in a calm lake, and the
fresh air caresses my face.
“We’re going to have an amazing time,” she says with a knowing smile.
And, for the first time in a long time, I really believe it.
“The last one to get in the water is a slowpoke!” someone shouts, followed by contagious laughter.
I can’t help but laugh at the nonsense my friends say… now, my new friends. I’m surprised at how right it all feels, as if I
have always belonged here.
When I was younger, there never seemed to be enough time. My adolescence was spent juggling responsibilities and obligations that left no room for a normal teenage life. I was rarely invited to parties or gatherings, and the few times I was, my shyness and inexperience prevented me from truly connecting with others.
Now that I look back, I realize I lived life in the fast lane until I was nineteen, until I married Ryan. And then, everything
stopped.
I don’t blame him. It would be easy to do so, but the truth is, I also had a role in it. Because now I understand: love, by
itself, is not enough. Without commitment, without the will to make others happy and to build together, everything falls
apart sooner or later.
Maybe destiny brought me here to make up for lost time. To live what I left unfinished.
So I took off my sarong without thinking too much and ran.
I ran as if the wind could carry away my doubts, as if each step brought me closer to a version of myself I thought was
lost.
I ran hoping that the twenty-nine-year-old Michelle can reconnect with the nineteen-year-old Michelle.
The water greets me with a refreshing embrace. I let myself sink, not fighting against the gravity of the lake water. It’s a
moment of absolute silence, of peace. And when I feel I’ve gone deep enough -more than I expected, but without
touching the bottom- I push myself with all my strength and break the surface, inhaling a gulp of fresh air.
A pure, sincere laugh bursts from my chest.
I looked to the right and there he is. Dylan watches me, with a smirk and a thumbs-up. His gesture unsettles me. I get the feeling he knows exactly what I’m thinking. And that scares me.
I’m terrified of the idea that he might see right through me. That he might notice my vulnerability.
“You did great, Michez,” he said, his voice warm and assured. Wonderful things await you in your future.
Something in his words makes me feel understood. As if he had witnessed my small act of liberation and respected it without invading it.
I smile. Maybe, just maybe… someone who can see you like that isn’t a bad thing.
**
Ryan
We arrived at the resort Blake chose. From the moment Blake mentioned the name of the place, a shiver ran down my spine, an uncomfortable and hard-to-explain sensation. It wasn’t the first time we came here; in fact, it was a place he really liked, which is why I agreed to return.
213
mura sifile.
I didn’t respond immediately. Of course, I remember. It was the first time I left home for several days, the first lie to Michelle. I told her I had to travel for business, and she, as always, believed me without doubt. That trip marked the beginning of many other getaways with Blake, all under the same pretext, all wrapped in an illusion of clandestine happiness. Michelle never had a clue. She always saw me off with a smile and welcomed me back with a hug. But the truth is, I hardly ever took her and our daughter out. I could count on one hand the times we had family vacations. “Are
you upset?” Blake asks with a hint of concern in his voice.
I immediately shook my head, trying to dispel any doubt.
“No, I was just thinking about some company matters for Monday,” I lied.
She takes my arm with familiarity, and we walk together to the reception to check in.
“Good day. We have a reservation under the names of Mr. and Mrs. Allen,” she says naturally, not giving me a chance to speak.
The receptionist nods and checks the system.
“Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Your usual suite is ready. The bellboy will assist you with your luggage.”
The young man approaches, takes our suitcases, and guides us to the elevator. During the elevator ride, Blake reaches for my hand and intertwines it with hers. A strange impulse makes me want to withdraw, but she squeezes it tighter, as if sensing my resistance and wanting to dispel it with her touch.
As we enter the suite, everything feels familiar. The room is spacious and cozy, a recurring backdrop in our story. Blake tips the bellboy, and as soon as the door closes, she throws herself into my arms, eagerly seeking my lips.
“Thank you for indulging me, darling,” she whispers against my skin. “You know? Now that your divorce is final… Wouldn’t you like to have a baby with me? A child born of our love.”
Her voice sounds sweet, hopeful. But inside, something breaks. A child. A child with her. The idea is suffocating,
stifling. An impulse makes me pull away gently but firmly.
“No, Blake. I don’t want that right now.”
Disappointment shows in her eyes, though she tries to mask it with a smile. But I know her well. I know that conversation isn’t over. I know that, sooner or later, it will come up again. And I know that, for the first time in a long time, I am uncertain about what I truly want with her.
