“Sure, why not? Just ask the driver to wait for us, just in case.”
They slipped out of the van together. Ana got the driver’s attention and did her best to explain they were going to see if there was a room available while Chance hung back.
Friendly, smiling faces greeted her as she walked into the expansive entry and she felt her face flush as she took in the grand surroundings. Large, oversized plants spotted the lobby. A huge fountain flowed into a reflective pool that led outside to a patio where guests were sitting and relaxing and holding colorful drinks that made her mouth water.
Ana walked up to a man at the front desk. He beamed welcomingly at her and she ventured ahead with her request.
“Yes, miss, I will check for you.”
After a moment, he gave her a kind smile and said, “We have a room available on our deluxe plan. This includes your meals and drinks and is only one-hundred a night, per person.”
Ana swallowed hard. “Muchas gracias. Un momento por favor.”
She waved to Chance, who was leaning against the van. He pushed away from the vehicle and joined her. “What’s up?”
“They have a room and it includes everything but it’s two hundred for the night. Can we afford that?” She did the math in her head. She only had a thousand left. Although it was more money than she was used to having, she could tell at this rate she would be out of money in no time. She didn’t want him to have to pay for everything. It wasn’t fair.
“Don’t worry.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Let’s do it for tonight and hopefully we won’t have to pay for another hotel as long as we find Balam. Remember, grandfather left me gold. We have a safety net.”
Ana glanced up at the tiled ceiling and her shoulders sank. “Yah, but Niyol left that for you, not me.”
Chance’s soft fingers touched her chin and traced her jaw. His serious gaze held her attention. “Listen, you’re a part of all of this now. I would be here anyways. Grandfather considered you part of the family and so do I.”
Humbled and touched, she wasn’t sure what to say in return.
“Here, take this and I’ll go let the driver know we’re staying.” He handed her his passport, a folded handful of money wrapped around a credit card and placed a kiss on her cheek before he went back outside to the taxi.
They were checked in quickly and Chance returned, carrying their bags. The man behind the desk waved over a valet and handed them their passports along with the room keys.
“Thank you Miss. Hughes and Mr. Morgan, we hope you enjoy your stay with us.”
They were led through the grounds of the hotel and Ana marveled at all the beautiful flowers. Easily the size of her hand, their petals rippled in the breeze like colorful skirts. Tall palm trees arched above the rooftops of the brightly painted buildings, and their fronds whispered as they brushed against each other. The valet led them around an orange, two-story building beside the pool and up a flight of stairs. He held his hand out for a key and Ana obligingly handed it over so he could let them into their room.
The door swung open, revealing a sun-drenched space with flowing curtains and tiled floors. She caught sight of the ocean out their balcony and ran to the sliding glass door. After she let herself outside, she leaned against the railing and closed her eyes. Emotion unlike anything she had ever felt overtook her. Happiness bubbled up, making her eyes damp. The sounds of music, children and laughter filled the air, along with the high trilling calls from birds. The breeze whipped her hair around her face and tickled her nose.
“Completely worth it.” A deep voice whispered beside her.
“What is?”
Chance’s hand slipped over hers. “It’s worth every penny to see you this happy.”
His warm breath tickled her neck and she turned and met his lips in a kiss.
He muttered into her ear. “Well, we may not have this opportunity again. What do you want to do first? Beach, pool or dinner?”
She frowned. Such a hard decision. It was her first time visiting the ocean. She couldn’t wait to feel the sand between her toes and dip her feet into the wet surf. It was an experience she had always dreamt of. A deep rumble came from her stomach.
“My stomach’s been bothering me since we landed. Maybe I should eat dinner and see if that helps. Hopefully I’m just hungry.”
Chance grew serious. “Are you sure? Let me know if you need me to track down some Tums or something.”
“I’m sure I’ll be okay. C’mon let’s have fun.”
Ana opened her bag on the bed and pulled out a spaghetti strap dress and a pair of sandals. She locked herself in the bathroom and stared at her reflection. After a long day of travel, her hair was frizzy and the jeans and tank top she picked out in Denver no longer seemed suitable for their location. She changed, brushed her hair and washed her face.
Chance had changed into a pair of shorts. He was just buttoning up a short sleeve shirt when she came out of the bathroom. He let out a low whistle, walked toward her and slipped his hands around her waist. “Beautiful. Perfect.”
She held the collar of his shirt, lifted herself up onto her toes and gave him a kiss on the lips. His spicy scent played at her nostrils and she wondered how he could smell so good after a long day of travel.
They packed away their things, put their valuables in the room safe and walked out carrying only their key.
“I can’t believe we’re really here. Can’t believe I am,” she said as they strolled along the pathway up to the main building.
Chance squeezed her hand in response. A large iguana lay stretched out on a broad porous rock and watched them walk by without moving its head.
“Oh,” he exclaimed, “let’s stop up front and see if there’s a tour or something.”
Chance strode through the spacious entry to the large marble desk. “Excuse me,” he asked the concierge, “are there any tours to Ek Balam for tomorrow?”
The woman’s fingers fluttered to smooth her hair back and said, “Ek Balam? Are you sure you don’t want to visit Chichen Itza or Tulum?”
“No, thank you. We have been waiting to see Ek Balam.”
“Yes, of course, sir. I can arrange that for you. Is it just yourself?”
Ana stepped forward, joined Chance and said, “For two.”
The woman nodded and began typing into her computer. After the short delay, they walked off with two tickets for the next day’s tour of Ek Balam.
They followed other guests to the dining hall. The smell of food filled the air and Ana’s empty stomach groaned. They grabbed plates and loaded them with different colorful foods.
Ana felt a little guilty as she looked down at the heap of spaghetti, mashed potatoes, steak, salad and pizza. They found a free table near some windows and sat down. Neither of them spoke as they cleared their plates. She marveled at Chance’s ability to shovel so much food into his mouth as quickly as he did without making a mess of his face.
“Oh, well.”
“What?” Chance asked as he took a big swallow of his soda.
“I was hoping to eat some traditional food. I didn’t come to Mexico to eat American. I mean it was good and all, I was so hungry, but I dunno.”
Chance stretched his arms above his head, flexing his muscles, then let them drop to his side as he answered, “I hear you. Don’t worry, I bet we’ll have lots of chances to eat local.”
Ana regretted eating so much dinner. Her stomach felt bloated as they left the restaurant. But she realized her belly hadn’t gotten any bigger since her appetite had increased.
“Ana, you hear that?” Chance asked with a straight face.
“What?” She strained to listen. All she heard was the sound of soft music, birds chirping and the sea.
“It’s calling you—the sea.”
“Well, you’ve never seen the ocean either…”
“Yeah, but you never thought you’d live to see it.”
He pulled at her hand and they ran ahead. Ana couldn�
�t help giggling as her sandals slapped against the paved walkway. The darkened sky glowed indigo and the horizon glimmered as the day exhaled into night.
The gray path ended, dipped down into the sand and appeared as though the beach had swallowed it up. Ana slipped her shoes off and held them in her hands. With a quick sidelong glance, she leapt forward. Her toes sank into the gritty sand. Just below the cool surface, warmth trapped from the heat of the day pressed against her skin. She stood still and burrowed her feet down.
Chance kicked off his shoes and stood beside her. “You want to feel the ocean now?”
Ana nodded in silence and stepped out of the hole she had made. They walked to the dark water and let it lap over their toes.
“Are you happy?” he asked.
“This ranks in the top ten moments in my life. And you’re a part of most of them.”
He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. The warmth from his fingers spread through her thin dress. She wouldn’t have been surprised if he left handprints on her back.
She winced and doubled over from a sharp pain in her abdomen. The blissful moment quickly ended as she clung to her side.
“Oh, ouch.”
Chance’s hand met hers, and his eyebrows furrowed with concern. “What’s wrong?”
“My stomach. Let’s go back to the room.”
Without flinching, he swung her into his arms and carried her all the way back, hoping this wasn’t a sign of things to come.
Chapter 14
Chance was roused from a restless sleep early the next morning. Birds began singing their song even before the sun crested the horizon and the soft footfalls of hotel employees echoed in his ears.
He checked on Ana, who lay still by his side, exhausted from her long night of stomach pain. Worried about her well-being, he threatened to call a doctor but she assured him she was okay, it was probably just her lunch that hadn’t sat well. After the drama subsided, he ran down to the bar and got her some soda water, which helped, and allowed her to fall asleep. All night he lay half-asleep, checking her temperature, making sure she was on the mend. Having her warm body curled up by his side would have been enjoyable if he wasn’t so concerned for her health.
He slipped from the bed, leaving her undisturbed. He checked his watch. It was just after five in the morning. The bus tour was scheduled to pick them up at eight. After he glanced once more at Ana nestled in the sheets, his shoulders slumped. They would have to reschedule, he thought, disappointed.
He darted into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Hopefully it would relieve his stress, because thinking about delaying one more day when he was so close made him crazy. The hot water that soon coursed down his body loosened his tight muscles considerably.
A soft tap on the door alerted him. He flicked off the shower and reached for his towel.
“Chance?” Ana’s soft voice whispered.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. Do you need to use the bathroom?”
He drew the towel across his body briskly, wrapped it around his waist, leaned over and snatched up his dirty clothes. He hooked his finger around the doorknob and pulled it open to see Ana in her wrinkled sundress. If he hadn’t felt badly for her, he would have chuckled at her appearance. But even with bags under her eyes and tousled hair, he considered her the most beautiful woman he had ever known.
She took one look at him and laughed behind her hand. “Your hair.”
He reached up. Wet strands stuck out all over his head. As he slicked it back, a rivulet of water streamed down his spine.
“How are you?” he asked, frowning.
“Well, I’ve felt better but I think with a shower and a very light breakfast I’ll be okay.”
“You sure? Don’t want you pushing yourself.”
“My turn to take a rinse.” Ana pushed past him and kissed his cheek as she went by. No doubt about it, she was stubborn, just like him.
He dressed and put his toiletries into his backpack while she was in the bathroom.
Ana emerged with a towel wrapped around her body and head, appearing a world better. The bags under her eyes were gone and there was a smile on her lips.
Chance suggested she get her belongings ready. “I’m going to run up to grab some breakfast for us and maybe some fruit and water for the road.”
When he returned, he found her clothed and nearly packed. All her things were folded in neat piles on the bed. “Ugh! I’ve got my essentials packed, but now I’m trying to get my dirty clothes back in. How’d you do it? Roll them?”
Chance chuckled and sauntered over, setting an armload of food and water bottles onto the bed. “I dunno. I guess I used the cram-them-in-with-brute-force method,” he said as he offered her a plate with fruit and yogurt. “A light breakfast, as requested.”
They sat on the bed and ate in silence. Chance was too excited to talk. When they were done, they grabbed their things and headed out into the morning sunlight.
It was approaching eight in the morning when Chance strode up to the front desk to talk to the same woman who had arranged the tour for them. When she saw him, she beamed. “Hello, señor. How may I help you?”
“We need to check out.” He pulled out a handful of money as she printed their bill and kept his eyes outside, searching for their tour bus. Then, hand in hand, he and Ana walked out into the sun and waited for their ride.
The large palm fronds nearby rustled in a soft breeze. Chance breathed in a lungful of humid tropical air and let it seep out slowly. His skin drank in the sun’s rays and quickly grew hot to the touch.
A white van drove up to the hotel entrance. The passenger door opened and a man stepped out and grinned at them. “Hola. Are you waiting for the Ek Balam tour?”
Ana touched Chance’s arm and he glanced nervously at her before answering. “Yes, hello. I’m Chance Morgan and this is Ana Hughes. We’re ready to go.”
“Welcome. Please take a seat and we will be on our way.” The man opened the side door and waved them inside. Another couple was sitting in the back and smiled at them as they climbed in and set their backpacks down.
The man shut the door and jumped into the passenger seat. He lifted a microphone to his lips and turned to face them. “My name is Miguel, and I will be your guide today. This is our driver, Joseph, and he will get us safely to the ruins of Ek Balam.” His dark eyes sparkled as his round cheeks lifted into a joyful grin. It appeared that he truly enjoyed his job.
The van glided along the curvy drive until they turned onto the highway. Miguel continued in an almost singsong voice. “We will be going to the ruins of Ek Balam today, which is not as visited as its more popular cousins, Chichen Itza or Tulum. Let me first begin to tell you about the Mayan peoples,” he said and paused to look at each of them. “The Mayan civilization lived and thrived in the Yucatán Peninsula for around three thousand years until their sudden collapse in the ninth century. No one knows why this happened.
“The Maya had their own writing system, and it is now believed they may have even invented writing in Mesoamerica. They also had a deep understanding of mathematics, which allowed them to chart the stars and planets far better than anyone else at that time.”
He paused to wink at Ana, who rubbed her chin against her shoulder and shyly kept her eyes down. “This allowed them to create a highly accurate calendar. The sky meant many things to the Maya. They followed the seasons by watching the stars and movement of the sun and they thought the night sky was a window to the supernatural. They believed the universe was divided into many layers and that the crust of the earth was a thin layer separating the living from the spirit world - the Underworld, or Xibalba. The Maya thought the doorways to the Underworld were through caves in the earth. The last level was the heavens, where the gods lived.”
Miguel paused, patted his brow with a white cloth and tucked it into the front pocket of his shirt. Chance glanced out the window at the wilderness darting by his window. Although he was interested in
learning more about the Maya, he was having a hard time focusing on what their guide was saying. Too many thoughts were bouncing around his mind.
It didn’t look quite as lush as he had imagined or as green as he remembered in Niyol’s memories. But then, Summer was over, clearly, the rainy season hadn’t started yet.
Ana slipped her fingers through his and he stared at her thin, pale, delicate hand. He gave it a squeeze and hoped he wasn’t putting her in harm’s way.
“The Maya were once thought to be peaceful but we know that is not wholly true. They were known for warfare as well and some think they were barbarians from the bloodletting and sacrificial ceremonies they held. It is important to understand why the Maya did this.
“They valued life, and this is why they offered blood and human lives to the gods. This is possibly why they waged war. Kings would take opposing rulers captive, torture and kill them for sacrifice to the gods. It was believed offering up blood would give you divine powers.”
Chance shared a glance with Ana and ventured to ask, “Did the Maya think people and animals were linked or had special powers?”
Miguel beamed at him in response, clearly pleased to have an interested audience. He nodded and answered. “Si, the Maya believed that every person had an animal companion spirit. When you were born, the same soul was placed in an animal's body. They believed that some could transform into their animal companion. A king had the animal companion of the jaguar and so wore jaguar pelts. It was a sign of leadership. There was even a jaguar god of the underworld. Because jaguars walked at night—the time of the dead—they could travel from the earthly plane to the spirit world. Does that answer your question?”
Chance swallowed and nodded. “Yes, thanks.”
Ana’s grip tightened on his hand as she whispered to him. “That’s so cool.”
For another couple hours they drove into the center of the peninsula and deeper through the jungle. Chance watched out the window as he listened to Miguel speak, trying to catch sight of anything interesting. He stared at the pavement when he realized there wouldn’t be any ruins visible from the highway.
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