Roatan Plunge | Love Travels #2

Twenty-Three - Lorena

When I find Bianca to tell her I'm leaving with Óscar, she doesn't even look surprised. She just tells me to go have fun, kisses my cheek, and goes back to her dancing.

"I don't want to miss the rest of your party," I try to argue with her, but she won't hear it.

"I'll have other parties."

Carla doesn't let her get away from us, pulling her wrist and leading us across the room where Divya is sitting, nursing a glass of water and staring out over the horizon at the coming storm.

"It looks so calm," she says.

"The calm before the storm," Bianca replies, wrapping her arm around Divya's shoulder. "It's a good name for it, don't you think?"

We all hum our agreement, but Carla says, "I've never been much for calm before anything, personally."

"We know," Divya and I say at the same time.

"I'm not going to get mad about that, because I love you both, but also... Rude."

"I've always liked the calm before the storm," I say, letting Carla pull me into her side. "It always feels like a special little treat from nature for what we're about to go through. Like the world knows we'll need the comfort in the trying times."

Divya and Bianca nod along with me, and we squeeze each other into hugs. I can't believe we're all really going our separate ways. I know it's not true, and I'll be back home in no time at all, but it feels like everyone is moving on.

A tear slips out of my eye and I squeeze Divya tighter.

"So," Carla whispers into my ear. "Is Óscar the calm or the storm?"

"Carla!" I frantically look around but it looks like no one has seen.

"What? It's an honest question."

"He's not anything," I answer.

"He might not be anything. I can see you're determined to keep it that way. But you're about to go on a press tour with him. Whether you finally get what you want romantically or not is up to you. But no matter what, you're stuck with him. And he's got press following him everywhere."

"No, he doesn't. We haven't had to deal with that at all this week," I protest.

"Sure, maybe. But tomorrow begins a major tour of the country specifically for the press. You sure you can handle that?"

"No," I answer honestly. "But you should have seen Marcia's face. She needs the help and I happen to be currently unemployed."

"What happened to that Mercurio job? Did you ever hear back from them?"

"Nothing is decided yet," I answer, unable to look her in the eyes when I do.

"Well, I guess it's only a couple weeks..." she trails off, eyes glancing over the horizon. "But if it's only money, I wish you'd let me hire you."

"It's not just money, Carla. You know that. I'll be just fine."

"Fine," she says, raising her hands in supplication. "I yield. Just remember to be yourself, okay? You can't go wrong being chaotic, fun Lor."

"I think you're probably wrong about that. I've gone wrong many times before." Like all of my recent job interviews. And my not-so-recent job interviews. "But you're right. I'll be fine."

"I know you will," she says again, giving me one last squeeze of a hug. "Be safe."

Marcia appears in the doorway across the hall from me, waving that it's time to go.