by Avery Aster
An Invitation to Eden, it reads.
“What’s that?” Mom asks. She is chopping peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes for a Greek salad. She sets down the knife and looks at the invitation. “Aha.” She smiles. “So he did do it.”
“Who? Who did this, Mom?”
“I promised I wouldn’t say.”
“Mom,” I protest.
But she goes back to chopping and I realize she really isn’t going to answer me.
I get my sense of responsibility and my need to be self-sufficient from Mom. I’m now twenty-six, and she had me when she was in her mid-thirties. She wanted to build a career before having kids. Her parents’ marriage lasted for fifty years, up until they passed away, but Mom knew they hadn’t been happy for a long time. Essentially, my grandparents put up with each other, even though they didn’t like each other, which made for interesting Christmas dinners.
My dad left when I was five—he ran off with a younger woman—and died in a car accident when I was ten. So Mom had to rely on herself. She built an accounting firm and worked long, long hours. When Ryder and I split up, she retired, sold the business, and came to live with me.
She is trim at sixty-one, with ash-blond hair. Dedicated to building her business and raising me, she never dated. I keep telling her it’s not too late to find someone, but I know she’s cautious. She was really unhappy when my marriage to Ryder failed. I assumed she wouldn’t be surprised, but she was. She believed Ryder would love me forever.
I guess he still does love me.
“Mom, this is crazy. Why won’t you tell me?”
Mom sets down the knife again and turns. “He wants it to be a surprise for you. I can tell you it’s a man you know very well—someone you care about. Someone you’ve known since you were twelve.”
I remember what Xavier said to me about going away to paradise. “Xavier did this.”
Mom draws in a breath. I look at her and she’s flustered, blushing. She refills her wine glass. “I—” She frowns. “It’s supposed to be a surprise. I can’t give it away.”
“I don’t know what he’s thinking. I can’t go. I mean, it’s sweet, but I have a job. I have Jakey—”
“I can look after Jakey, Tessa.”
“Mom, no. I wouldn’t ask that of you. He’s a handful, and you always told me that I should never expect you would raise my children.”
“A woman can change her mind. And it’s all arranged, Tessa. I’ll have help while you are away. A live-in nanny and a cook. That way it will be like a vacation for me, and I’ll be able to play lots with Jakey.” Mom smiles. “I’m looking forward to it. And Rob will be there.”
A soft blush colors my mother’s cheeks.
Rob Stanton is our next-door neighbour. He moved in six months ago. Divorced, he’s the same age as mom. He’s taken mom out to movies several times, and he’s come over for dinner often. Obviously a romance is blossoming. Tall, with greying hair, he is a retired teacher. Rob is great with my son, though he spoils Jakey—which I am sure he does to win my mom’s approval.
With a staff—hired by Xavier—and Rob right next door, I realize I could leave Jakey and not worry about Mom coping.
I could really do this. I could really go to an exotic island and live out a week of wicked and decadent sexual pleasure. I could submit to Xavier’s every desire. He told me he loves me. We could launch a relationship in paradise.
My heart pounds. I can’t forget what I felt when I saw Ryder. The confusion. The belief that maybe I am still in love with him.
But a relationship between us won’t work. Maybe it really is time to move on. Maybe I have to see if I really am falling in love with Xavier…
“Go,” Mom says. “I’m going to have help in the house and I think it will be fun for it to be just Jakey and me for a week.”
I make my decision. “Okay. I’ll do it. But Mom, don’t let Jakey sleep with you. Do it once and you’ll never get him back in his own bed.”
Chapter Three
Eden
My instructions on how to travel to Eden arrive the next day, along with a gift certificate to a cruise wear shop in our nearest factory outlet shopping mecca.
I’m standing in the kitchen, holding the gift certificate in my hand, staring at it in shock. “This is for two thousand dollars. I’ve never spent that much on clothes in my life. I can’t accept this.”
Mom walks over to me. She puts her hands on my back and propels me toward the front door. “It’s a gift, Tessa. You can’t not accept it. Call a friend to go with you. What about Serena?”
Serena Donovan is a friend from Yardley College. Serena and I started college together and were dorm roommates for our first two years. Then Ryder and I got married and I dropped out. I’m working part-time and slowly finishing my degree, while Serena is now working part-time toward her masters.
“I know you, Tessa,” Serena says, as I pull into the parking lot of the outlet store for Beaches, a new swim and resort-wear franchise. “Even with a gift certificate, you’ll be frugal. If you’re going to paradise, you need to indulge.”
Now I know why Mom suggested I bring Serena.
I looked up the Eden resort, which is on a private island off the coast of Florida. A week-long stay costs thousands of dollars, though that can vary depending on what fantasy you want to play out on the island and what services you desire. Apparently a prince stayed there and his week of fantasy cost over one million dollars.
The other thing I learned is that the island is inside the Bermuda Triangle.
At Yardley, I was in the Geology program. I was always fascinated by rocks and minerals, by earthquakes and natural forces and how the planet works. Back then, I read all sorts of books on the Triangle just because I was so interested in it.
So I’m even more excited to go—I would love to see the Bermuda Triangle firsthand. I would love to see what effect there really is on flight instruments. I’m intrigued to see if anything happens. But if anything did happen—
I might not be coming home to Jakey.
That made me wonder if I should just turn down the invitation. Then I realized: nothing is going to happen. Lots of people have gone to this Eden resort and have returned safely. There is no mention of any disappearances. On Google, it does say the island was purchased by a Greek businessman—a man named Theodosius Vardalos who had suffered a tragic accident and who, after his accident, purchased the island. It sounds mysterious and creepy, but then, other billionaires have private islands and they aren’t creepy. Well, I assume they aren’t.
Serena and I walk into the store and within two minutes, she has a plan of action. We cruise through the racks of bikinis first. I get three new skimpy bikinis. Since I spend my days rushing around on my feet, waitressing, I’ve lost weight. Maybe too much weight, I fear, when I see the excess air space in the padded bra cup of the bikini.
Serena pushes me to choose sundresses, cover-ups, silky sarong skirts. Even big sunglasses and sunhats that make me look like a movie star from the 1960s.
“Isn’t this fun?” Serena asks. “More fun than being stuck with a tight budget?”
“Way more fun,” I agree.
Then, as we stop by another rack of one-piece suits, she says, “Do you think he’s taking you there to propose?”
“Who?” Then I realize she means Xavier. And I repeat, shocked, “Propose?”
“Yeah.” Serena eyes a black swimsuit with one strap and gold rings; very retro. She has long, curly black hair, light copper-toned skin, huge eyes. The suit would look stunning on her. She levels her gaze at me. “I bet he’s putting on this big, elaborate show for a reason. He intends to ask you to marry him.”
I laugh. “That’s impossible.”
“Why?”
“We haven’t even really dated much yet.”
“He’s known you for years, hasn’t he? You were what—twelve when you first met?”
“Yeah, I was twelve and he was fifteen.” I take the black suit off t
he rack. “Why don’t you get this? A treat from me—well, from Xavier.” I keep working on her, and finally I coax her to agree.
While she tries it on, I mull over what she suggested. Is Xavier really thinking of asking me to marry him? He did say he couldn’t imagine having kids with anyone else…
Oh God. If he does, what is my answer going to be?
* * *
Mom, Rob Stanton, and Jakey take me to the airport. It’s so hard to say goodbye to Jakey. He hugs me tight and doesn’t want to let go.
Then he says, “Will you bring me a souvenir? Rob says that if I’m good, you’ll bring me something!” He starts jumping up and down with excitement at the idea.
Oh great. I don’t want to get into bribery with him. I look at Rob, and realize I’m reflexively frowning. Rob doesn’t see because he’s buying coffee for mom and him, along with a muffin for Jakey. I don’t want to get in an argument at the airport, but I do wish he hadn’t said such a thing to my son without clearing it with me.
I say, “I expect you to be good even if you don’t get anything. But if I do see a place that sells toys or something fun, I’ll bring you something back. But it won’t be a huge something.”
Jakey nods. Mom’s coming back with a bag with Jakey’s muffin. She hugs me. “You should go through security, dear. It could take a long time.”
I give Mom and Jakey last hugs, say goodbye to Rob Stanton and hide my annoyance over his comment to Jakey, for Mom’s sake. Then I get into the line to check my bags.
Two hours later, I have settled into my large, luxurious seat in First Class and I’ve just been served champagne. I can’t believe I am actually on my way to paradise. I don’t even know how Xavier managed to get my boss, Tony, to agree to give me a week off work.
Being pampered is amazing. I am served a delicious lunch of grilled salmon along with two glasses of white wine. That’s on top of the champagne and I’m getting pleasantly buzzed. I try to read, but drift off to sleep.
I wake up when my stomach dips—at that very instant the pilot comes over the loudspeaker to announce we will be landing at Miami airport in a few minutes. After collecting my bags, I find a uniformed chauffeur waiting. He’s carrying a sign with my name on it. I feel like a celebrity.
Xavier has gone all out to make me feel special.
The driver takes my bags, leads me to a sleek black car, and within minutes we’re pulling into the parking lot of a smaller building on the coastline.
“I’ll take care of your bags, miss,” he says, “And have them taken through our security and onto the flight. It’s a two hour run to Eden. Should be good flying today.”
The sun is dropping, but the south Florida air is sultry. I feel my hair curling against my neck. I wore a snug-fitting black shirt, along with a wrap-around sweater and jeans. I undo the sweater and slip it off as my driver leads me into the building. A young woman with straight blond hair and a perfect tan smiles a greeting. “Hi,” she says. “You must be Tessa King.”
That’s my married name and the name on all my ID cards, so I guess Xavier had to use it. But I say, “I’d actually prefer to use my maiden name. Tessa Tate.”
The girl looks surprised. But then she smiles brightly and hands me a glossy folder filled with paperwork. “These are the special details of your stay at Eden, Ms. Tate.”
Inside there is a flyer with a photo of the resort. This one shows the island by night. The main building looks like a castle. It sparkles with light, stark and medieval against a purplish-blue twilight sky. The surrounding ocean is a stretch of deep blue.
The receptionist shows me to a seat and brings me a coffee. I sip and thumb through the flyer, while waiting for my flight. I expect a brochure that will show the rooms, talk about the pool and workout facilities, and the things you can do on the island. I expect to see pictures of pale beaches, turquoise water, dipping palm trees. Instead I’m holding a brochure done in rich dark blue. The picture on the front is of a fairy castle at night, illuminated so it shimmers like gold.
Below, in script, is the tagline: “Welcome to Eden, where reality is whatever you wish it to be…”
My heart pounds.
What do I want my reality to be?
Am I falling in love with Xavier, do I want to marry him, be with him? Am I completely jumping the gun? Just because Xavier invited me on a surprise fantasy vacation doesn’t mean he’s planning to propose.
I hate to admit it, but a part of me thinks: marrying Xavier would be the solution to everything. Fortune magazine estimated his wealth at $1.2 Billion. As if any amount under hundreds of millions is insignificant. I know Xavier wouldn’t object to helping me finish college. I wouldn’t have to worry about Jakey’s future. Xavier adores Jakey, who would have a father in his life again. Ryder loves his son, but with his training schedule and the traveling he does for fights, he doesn’t have a lot of time for Jakey.
But Ryder would support me too. If I let him.
I made love to Xavier and it was incredible.
But I keep remembering Ryder’s kiss.
Another memory comes to me, unbidden. Of the night, four years ago, when I told Ryder I was pregnant. I was sure he’d be unhappy. I thought he’d complain that he wasn’t ready to be a father—he was building his career as an MMA fighter then. There were so many times he became brooding and unhappy.
I never dreamed Ryder would lift me in his arms when I revealed the news, that he would spin me around, and be deliriously happy.
I have to wipe away a tear. All I asked him to do was open up to me and stop pushing me away. But he is never going to do that
If I’m falling in love with Xavier, it’s for more than his money. It’s for who he is—
“Would you like another coffee, Ms. Tate? Your flight will be ready to leave soon, but I’ll be happy to make another cappuccino. Or would you prefer a glass of wine?”
I shake my head at the pretty receptionist. “No, thank you. I’m fine.”
I open up the brochure. There is a picture of the castle in daylight—old mellowed stone and soaring turrets. A privately owned island, Eden is a convenient two-hour flight from Miami. It gains its reputation for positive energy from its location within the mystical Bermuda Triangle.
All magical forces on Eden have been shown to be physically beneficial to the island’s visitors.
According to the brochure, the stories of boats and planes that have gone missing have been exaggerated or inaccurate, and travel to Eden is perfectly safe. There are quotes from satisfied guests, who found their lives changed for the better after a vacation on Eden.
I flip to the next page. And swallow hard.
A seductive picture of a woman tied artistically with black rope meets my gaze.
My heart beats faster.
Eden lists its premiere sensual attractions. A fully equipped dungeon with discreet, well trained staff. Specialty rooms designed for different role play. Fetishes of every sort can be explored in a safe, sane, consensual environment.
As well, there is a gourmet restaurant, workout amenities, tennis courts, boating, scuba and snorkling, and a five star spa.
It makes me think of Fantasy Island, the T.V. show that I’ve seen on retro channels. Except with kinky sex.
The receptionist walks up to me. “Ms. Tate, the plane is ready for boarding. Let me take you there.” She grabs my carryon bag and wheels it ahead of me as I follow. I expect to go out onto a runway. We exit a glass door and take a ramp down to a series of docks. A white pontoon plane bobs, tied up at the center dock. I realize my luggage is being wheeled to this tiny, almost toy-like aircraft.
I didn’t realize I would be flying into the Bermuda Triangle in that.
* * *
My pilot is named Joely.
She smiles patiently when I ask her if she has ever had any weird experiences flying over the Bermuda Triangle. Green-eyed and slender, she looks young, especially with her light brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, but she exudes calm an
d confidence.
We take off, heading out over the water, away from Miami. I look out the window. Below, the sea is a roiling, sparkling expanse of blue. It’s a beautiful day.
Joely had explained she’s never had any instrument malfunctions. We are tracked by GPS from Eden. I’d read about all the phenomena that could be responsible for disappearances. Electric fog. Releases of methane hydrate from the underwater rock. Ball lightning, which travels horizontally. Even wormholes that could send you traveling through time and space.
I look out the window seeing nothing but clear sky, endless water…
When I open my eyes again, I have no idea how much time passed, but the sun is lower. Ahead, I see an island in the water. Beyond it, the sky is turning lavender-blue since the sunset is behind me. Wow, there really is a castle on top of the island. I can’t explain it, but I feel as if my whole body is tingling. I feel a sort of sizzling in my blood. Then the sensation vanishes. I sit up as we approach Eden.
My hands tighten into fists as we near the water to land. I’ve never flown in anything this small. The plane sways a bit in the wind and I shut my eyes tight.
I feel a lurch and tug as the pontoons touch water and the plane slows. I figure it is safe to open my eyes.
A dock juts out from the island. The boards are laid in a zigzag pattern, making a line of hexagons that ends in a large u-shaped docking area. The pattern created against the pure blue water is fascinating and complex.
Then I see a rock sticking up above the water. A bronze plaque is fixed to it, and it reflects the setting sun, making the letters on it glow. It reads:
Welcome to Eden, where reality is whatever you wish it to be…
Joely guides the small plane expertly to the dock. From my window, I see her get out and throw ropes. Two young men, dressed in white uniforms, tie off the sea plane. One unloads my luggage from the plane; the other opens the door and helps me out.
