by Carly Spade
“Randomly found some when I went to Bullseye the other day. I cleared their shelves,” I said with a snicker.
I had an epiphany and dropped to the floor, peering under the couch. There, resting amidst a modest collection of dust bunnies, stale corn chips, and cat fur, was the remote.
“Doing pushups now? Good for you,” Sara said, making the couch creak when she flopped onto it.
I snorted. “Me? Pushups? Maybe for my forefinger.” I mimicked the motion of clicking a mouse.
Sara shook her head with a smile and popped a cube of cheese in her mouth. As soon as I sat down, Sammy hopped onto the TV stand, his tail sticking straight into the air. The opening music started, and he paused right in the middle of the screen, rubbing his head against the people groping.
“He has three seconds before I start throwing cheese at him,” Sara mumbled.
She wasn’t kidding. Sara hated cats and never let me forget it. “Down, Sammy!” He turned and looked at us with pure boredom before continuing his head rub against the television. I sighed, stood up, and yanked him into the crook of my arm. Once he was on the couch, he did several circles and curled up in a ball next to my leg.
“That cat is so spoiled,” Sara said, sneering at him.
“If you owned more than betta fish, maybe you’d spoil a pet too.” I grabbed my wine glass and curled my feet underneath me.
Sara stuck her tongue out, and we watched Dirty Dancing for the rest of the night. I knew the movie so well I could quote it word for word. After the second time of me doing this out loud, she requested I keep my trap shut unless it was a commentary on Swayze’s glowing posterior. Instead, I resorted to “mouthing” the dialogue because I just couldn’t help myself. When I zoned out during Johnny and Baby’s first sex scene, my thoughts fluttering to the processing case in my office, I realized my worst fear. I was already invested.
The movie ended, but I stared into oblivion, gripping onto the remote like I’d fall through an invisible hole if I let go. Sara reached over me and yanked it from my grasp. The screen turned black.
“We’re going on vacation,” she blurted.
My eyes fluttered me back to reality. “I’m sorry, what?”
She flipped her phone around. A resort, with mountains in the background, a pool with crystal blue water, and a swim-up bar lit up the screen.
“Wow. That’s gorgeous,” I replied. It also looked very familiar.
She grinned and slipped the phone back in her pocket. “I’m glad you think so because it’s where we’re going.”
“Sara.” I chuckled, but it faded away when she didn’t join in. “Are you serious? You know I can’t afford anywhere like that.”
“It’s already planned and booked. Squared away our vacation time with the boss. And we leave tomorrow.” She stared at me with a mischievous smirk.
A breath hitched in my throat, and I stood, pacing the length of my living room. “Tomorrow? I have so many things to do. Packing, figuring out someone to watch Sammy, get shots.”
“All you have to do is pack a few dresses and a swimsuit.” She gripped my arms. “The bikini. Not the one piece. I already asked my friend to watch your cat. And we’re going to Greece, not a country known for malaria, Steph.”
The brochure. Was Sara psychic?
I stared at her blankly. “You knew I’d try to talk you out of this, didn’t you?”
“I did. Besides, this isn’t out of left field. You’ve known about this for a month, but have been putting it off.” She sighed. “You need this. We need this. I need a break from looking at dead bodies, and I’m sure if you find porn on one more suspect computer, you’re going to scream.”
Sara knew I was never one for spontaneity. Her act of prepping everything before telling me made me love her that much more. How would I ever repay her for this?
“Thank you, Sara. I—I can’t give it all to you right now, but I will pay you back,” I said, giving her my best pout.
She shook her head. “You put those big blue puppy dog eyes away. We can argue about you paying me back later.”
“How do you know my passport is current?” I narrowed my eyes.
She grinned. “Stop trying to weasel your way out of this. The department requires all employees to maintain current passports, and you are not the type to be out of compliance.”
Son of a nutcracker. I hated how well she knew me.
I bit down on my lip with such force I tasted blood. “Well, you better go then. It’ll probably take me all night to pack, unpack and re-pack again. You know me.”
Her grin widened. “I’ll need to wrap up a few things at work tomorrow morning. Meet me there, and we’ll take a cab to the airport. Deal?”
I nodded, already dreading the thought of a crowded airport.
After she left, I stared into my closet as if it were a mysterious cave. My wardrobe wasn’t what one would describe as…eclectic. Dresses with pockets were my go-to outfit for work. Comfortable and accessible. They were not, however, the type of attire you’d wear to some swanky resort. I shoved the work clothes aside, revealing skirts I hadn’t worn in years and a prom dress from fifteen years ago. Why had I even kept it? Like I could still fit into it. Not that I tried or anything.
The dress stuck out like a sore thumb, nestled into a particular corner of the closet. A simple light pink dress with an a-line cut and straps. The skirt portion flared out with flowy material like a cloud when you spun around it. It was the closest I could find to the dress Baby wore in Dirty Dancing. Before now, I never had an excuse to wear it.
I carried the dress to my bed like it’d wither away in my hands if I weren’t careful. Placing it down, I smiled, imagining myself dancing in it. By myself. Certainly not groping on some random stranger. Okay, so maybe this vacation wasn’t such a bad idea after all. I continued to grab items I imagined one would need for Greece. Holding the bikini in one hand and the one-piece in the other, an internal battle ensued.
To me, a bikini suggested I was single and ready to mingle. I was single, but the mingling part? Work took most of my time. It didn’t seem fair to date anyone. To be with someone meant they should be a priority. My brain never shuts off when it came to working, and there wasn’t room for much else.
I groaned, throwing both suits into the bag. I’d figure it out when I got there. Who knew packing for a time in a paradise could be so stressful? Me. I knew. Sammy hopped onto my bed, kneading the top part of my suitcase before curling himself on top of it.
I slipped into the bathroom and braided my hair. It was a ritual I’d done nightly as a silent tribute to my mother, who’d shared the same chocolate hair color. Memories of the house engulfed with flames infiltrated my thoughts with each overlapping section of my hair. Holding back tears, I sniffled.
When I returned to my bedroom, Sammy slept on my suitcase. I ran my hand down the length of his spine.
“I really do need a vacation.” I furrowed my brow and fished for the dress I’d worn today from my hamper.
Removing the brochure from my pocket, I stared at it in awe. Not only did Sara pick Greece, but she chose the same resort. Coincidence. It had to be a coincidence.
I drummed my fingers against the mousepad on my desk. The processing was still going, and I wanted to make sure it finished before we left for the airport. My suitcase rested on the floor next to me, and I bounced my knee impatiently. Staring at the screen with dried eyes, I regretted my decision to wear contacts for travel.
“How long have you been here?” Sara asked from the doorway. Her hand was on her hip, the other curled around the handle of her suitcase.
“Only since 5:30. I wanted to make sure the processing finished so I could save the case file.”
“I know what you’re doing.” She looked down at my erratic knee.
I slapped my hand over it. “What am I doing?”
“You feel guilty. You promised Mrs. Conroy you’d take another look at the evidence, and now you’re going on vacation.”
My eyes narrowed. “I’m simply cellophane to you, aren’t I?”
“Mrs. Conroy won’t know you’re going on vacation and even if she did…you’re doing this to clear your head. If anything, it’ll help you, right? You’ll come back, sit down at your desk, and have that big eureka moment.” She grabbed my mouse and pulled up my playlist, using the scrolling button to search through hundreds of songs.
“You’re right. You’re absolutely right. I can’t remember the last time I didn’t think about work.” I stared off into space. Imagine everything I could do non-work related.
“Vacation starts now.” Her full lips spread into a grin, and she yanked my earbuds cord from the computer.
The song Push It by Salt n Pepa blared through the speakers. It was our anthem. I couldn’t remember the last time we’d danced to it. Leaping from my chair, I pumped my hands near my chest, bumping hips with her. Our dance wasn’t music video level, but it was ours. She always made exaggerated “ah” sounds before singing the words “push it”, and it never failed to make me laugh uncontrollably.
Taking a moment to simply be, was going to be like a breath of fresh air. I’d have to figure out a way to return the favor. She’d refuse monetary compensation, so it’d need to come from the heart. We were so caught up singing the lyrics at the top of our lungs and bouncing around, we didn’t hear one of the troopers come in.
“Hey! Before you go, can you push these papers? They’re for your case that closed last week.” He threw a stack of papers onto my desk.
We both froze, attempting to hold back our giggles. He shook his head, snickering as he left.
We took a taxi to O’Hare Airport and arrived three hours before departure, as I requested. My theory was, the lines would be shorter, and I could nab a seat facing the windows at our gate.
The runway bustled with workers carting luggage across the tarmac outside. I sipped on my iced coffee, enjoying the aisle seat that Sara graciously allowed me. The straw made slurping sounds as I drained every last drop from my cup.
“How are you with airplane bathrooms?” Sara slouched in her seat to the point where her neck was resting on the back support.
I plucked the straw with my teeth. “Not a big fan. Why?”
“Just wondering. Remember, we nabbed the non-stop flight.” Her gaze dropped to my empty cup.
I made a pfft sound. “I’ll go right before we board, and I’ll be fine.”
“I bet you five dollars you’ll have to go on the plane at least three times.”
As if this woman had a personal relationship with my bladder.
“Fine.” I glared at her and wiped my hand on my shirt to rid it of condensation before jutting it out to shake.
“Oh, my God. Is that who I think it is?” Sara asked, staring wide-eyed.
Women surrounded a man with long blonde hair. He wore a tan leather jacket, ripped jeans, and boots. His bright smile flashed wide.
“Holy crud. Holy crud.” I sunk in my seat like he’d somehow recognize me if he spotted me. “That’s Ace from Apollo’s Suns.”
“Steph. Go talk to him. Get his autograph, a selfie, whatever. You love that band.” She pushed my shoulders, trying to get me to stand, but I dug my heels into the carpet.
“No. He’s in an airport trying to travel. Who in their right mind is ever in a good mood traveling? It’d be rude.” I bit on my thumbnail, watching him drag his hand through his hair, pausing now and again to throw up the rock horns gesture for another selfie.
“All those girls don’t seem to care. Judging by that smile which hasn’t left his face, I’d say he doesn’t either.”
I shook my head, feeling my heartbeat against my chest like a jackhammer. “I can’t, Sara.” The moment the words left my mouth, I knew I’d regret not working up the courage to go and meet him. Mental facepalm.
“Alright, then. I will.” She plucked one of the squared white napkins from my knee and reached into the front pocket of my backpack, grabbing one of seven pens I kept there and then marched over.
“Oh my gosh.” I sunk further in my seat.
She brushed past several women, demanding Ace’s attention. They exchanged a few words before she held up the napkin and pointed in my direction. Ace looked over with a wide grin and waved.
My cheeks flushed, and I slapped my hands over my eyes. Parting my fingers enough to see Sara, she leaned forward and hugged him. She hugged Ace. I wouldn’t have gotten out a coherent sentence, let alone brush my boobs against his chest in an embrace.
As she walked back, Ace dipped his hand behind his back for a fraction of a second. A shimmering orange glow flashed from his palm. He shoved his hand in his pocket and then removed it, showing one woman a guitar pick. What the—I stared at the ice cubes in my empty cup. I shouldn’t have gotten that extra espresso shot.
“Here you go.” She slapped the napkin on my leg. “Apparently, he’s headed to Buffalo, New York, for a special gig.”
I picked it up, and my jaw dropped. “To Stephanie. Never lose your sparkle. Love, Ace,” I read out loud. “You told him I’m—sparkly?”
“No. He made it up after he looked over at you.” She shrugged.
“Thanks, Sara. You gotta stop with these favors, though, or I’ll never be able to make up for it.” I slipped the napkin behind a cover of one of my notebooks for safekeeping.
The attendant announced our flight was getting ready to board. After going through the ritualistic process, we nestled into our seats and geared up for hours and hours of travel. It’d be worth it once the gorgeous island of Corfu came into view.
I wrapped the u-shaped pillow around my neck, secured my seat belt, and took out my iPod. After scrolling through my playlist, I settled on You Spin Me Round by Dead Or Alive and rested my head against the window. With any luck, I’d sleep through most of the flight and not have to use the restroom.
That didn’t happen. Four hours in, I’d woken up in a panic, practically crawling over Sara and some stranger’s lap to get to the aisle. Squeezing my knees together, I wobbled to the bathrooms only to find several people waiting in line. I’d never peed myself as an adult and didn’t want to start now.
I pursed my lips together and tried not to think about it. Naturally, my mind went straight to thinking about the plane flying over water.
“Miss?” The older man in front of me said. He was shorter than me by several inches, with a short gray beard, wide-rimmed glasses, and a sizeable slanted nose. “Would you like to cut in front of me? Looks like you need it more than me.” His colors burst with bright blues and greens.
“Really? Are you sure?” I pursed my lips together, trying to hide how genuinely uncomfortable I was.
He laughed, watching my feet bounce. “Absolutely. Go for it.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much,” I said as I moved past him and into the next available stall. It took all I had not to moan out loud at the relief I felt.
After washing my hands twice, I came back out and stopped in front of my hero. “Thank you so much again. What was your name?”
“Pan,” he answered.
I blinked. “Pan?”
“Stan,” he repeated with a chuckle.
“Sorry. Ears must be clogged.” I smiled. “Stan, I’m Stephanie, thanks again.”
I shuffled back to my seat, and the stranger whipped off her seatbelt to let me in this time with an exasperated stare.
“I’m so sorry about before. It was Mission: Critical.” I gave a nervous chuckle as I scooted past her and Sara to my seat.
Sara held up a single finger in my face.
“One what?” I asked, scrunching my nose.
“Two more times and you owe me five bucks.”
Throughout the flight, let’s just say she got her five bucks.
My eyes fluttered open, feeling Sara’s elbow nudging me. After checking my face for dried drool, I peered out my window. She leaned over me, and we gawked at the gorgeous blue water, mountains, and whitewashed
houses. A portion of my family was Greek, but I never considered visiting the country itself. Traveling so far as downtown Chicago was a feat, let alone overseas. Seeing its beauty staring up at me like a beacon, I regretted never considering it.
“What made you pick this place, Sara?”
“Something just called to me about it. That and I remember my friend talking about it not too long ago.” She rested her chin in her palm, still staring out the window. “Naturally, my mind went straight to Athens, but she told me if we’re going to go, it should be Corfu. Now I see why.”
“No kidding. Are there temples here?”
“Tons. Byzantine churches and Venetian fortresses too. But the first thing we’re doing after throwing our suitcases into our room is changing into our bikinis and hitting the swim-up bar.” She leaned back into her seat, shutting her eyes with a sigh.
I chuckled, pressing my forehead against the window. “Sounds like a glorious plan.”
Besides the fear of our taxi cab driver killing one of several people in swimsuits swerving through traffic on four-wheelers, or them killing us, the ride was rather pleasant. Mostly the scenery. Long winding roads through hills and mountains. Vibrant green trees and shrubs as far as the eye could see. And of course, the blue water surrounding the island.
We arrived at our home away from home for the week. To say the resort was gorgeous would’ve been a monstrous understatement. It was two buildings nestled amongst hundreds of olive trees, seconds away from the beach. Mountains were off in the distance, and the sand was almost white.
Sara curled her arm around mine. “Amazing, right? Wait until you see our room.”
“Sara, seriously, how much did this cost you? And what did I do to deserve this?”
She clamped a hand over my mouth as she pushed me toward the hallway. “You work your ass off, and I’ve lost count of how many favors you’ve done for me. Shut up and enjoy it, Steph.” She didn’t move her hand, so I nodded instead.
Marbled floors and Greek statues on Ionic columns lined the hall. We stepped in front of a room with a gold number seventeen. She scanned the card over the reader and bit down on her lower lip. My jaw would’ve hit the floor if I could’ve unhinged it. The room was a vast open space, with one wall open to the outside. The wind whipped through, making the curtains sway. It led to a veranda complete with lounge couches and direct beach access. We could wake up and walk right outside to the beach.
