by Linda George
After lunch, they walked on the beach for a few minutes before boarding the bus again. Alex strolled close to Lynn. When his hand brushed hers, she stepped closer to him so it would happen again. The next time, he took her hand and didn’t let go.
On the way back to the hotel, they got stuck in traffic for an extra hour. People had swarmed into the city by the thousands for the festival planned for Saturday. It seemed the celebration had already begun. By the time they finally reached the hotel, they were ready for some rest before a late dinner at the hotel restaurant, on their own.
After collapsing on their beds for half an hour, Lynn and Sharon went down to the restaurant and sat with Cathi, Barb, Vicki, Dorothy, BJ and Sheila, who were already there, looking at menus.
<><><><>
Alex had seen the ladies come out of the elevator and go into the restaurant, followed soon after by Lynn and Sharon. He started to get up to join them.
The driver’s quiet laughter caught his attention. “It would seem that you like one of the turistas more than the others.”
“Why would you say that?”
He only smiled and went to the bar to order another drink.
The remark bothered him until he realized it was true. Alex had to be more careful to pay attention to each of the lovely ladies in the group, and not only to Lynn. He didn’t want to be accused of favoritism again, by anyone. He headed for the elevator and went up to his room.
<><><><>
They were up early again the next morning for breakfast, then went straight to the airport for their flight to Cusco. It took more than an hour to get there because of the traffic.
They checked in with Peruvian Airlines this time. The procedure was easy, thanks to Alex’s tour documentation, with all their names and flight reservations. They had to provide their passports again, just as they had at customs the first night, then at the hotel in Lima. No one ever asked to see a driver’s license, which made sense. Passports were the primary identification for tourists. Per the guide book’s recommendation, Lynn and Sharon had copied the pages of their passports and carried those copies in a separate place from their passports, just in case that valuable piece of ID should be lost.
The flight took an hour and a half. Since they were flying above the clouds, and since Lynn sat by a window, she was able to glimpse the grandeur of the Andes through the clouds from time to time. She had seen beautiful mountains in the US, but the Andes were grand in a completely different way. They weren’t as rugged, at least for the most part, and the huge mountains in the range seemed smoother and more uniform in shape and size than the Rockies. They also seemed to soar straight up from the valleys below instead of spreading out at the bottom into foothills, as the Rockies did.
About halfway through the flight, Sharon got up to go to the restroom. As soon as she’d left, Alex moved into her seat next to Lynn.
“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” he asked, leaning closer to her to see the mountains out the window.
“Incredible.”
Without looking directly at her, Alex picked up Lynn’s hand and laced his fingers with hers. “It is an honor to share my beautiful country with you, Sunshine.”
She gave him a puzzled look.
“It is a perfect name for you. Your hair, your eyes, your personality all shine like the sun. Thank you for coming to Peru.” He kissed her hand.
She still didn’t know what to say.
Sharon got back about then. Alex stood and stepped back to make room for her to sit down. “I can’t stop being a guide for even one flight.” He went back to his seat.
Lynn could tell from Sharon’s smile that she’d seen them holding hands, but she didn’t say anything. Lynn was glad. She gazed out the window again, and could still feel Alex’s hand holding hers.
<><><><>
In Cusco, they left the airport and stepped into brilliant sunshine among buildings painted in a rainbow of colors, with people everywhere, dressed in colorful clothing and costumes. With the festival only a few days away, everyone had gotten totally into the spirit of celebration, with music, laughter, and happiness evident everywhere they looked.
Lynn breathed a sigh of relief. This was the Peru she’d come to see! Everything about Cusco matched the photographs she’d seen, and her impressions of what being in Peru really meant.
Alex welcomed them to Cusco—his home. “You’ll notice that every building has a red tile roof. There is a law that requires all the roofs in Cusco to be red tile, because it enhances the beauty of the city.”
The bus they’d be using in Cusco was much larger and more comfortable than the one in Lima. There was no need for anyone to sit next to anyone else. They all sat next to the windows to give them an excellent view.
One of the first things Lynn noticed was the traffic. It wasn’t nearly as congested or frantic as Lima’s traffic had been. Thank goodness! They had a new driver who smiled more than the one in Lima. Alex introduced him as Rudolfo. He seemed a lot more relaxed than the driver they’d had in Lima, and that was completely understandable.
<><><><>
After lunch, they wandered through the crowd, looking into shop windows the best they could with hundreds of people gathered for the celebration.
Lynn stopped suddenly. “Oh! I almost stepped on him!” An old dark brown dog, gray around the muzzle, obviously well-fed, lay sprawled on the ground. His eyes opened, then fluttered closed again after hearing Lynn’s exclamation. “Who does he belong to?”
Alex pushed his way to where she was standing. “He belongs to everyone. He’s a stray, without a family, so everyone becomes his family and takes care of him.”
“That’s wonderful!” She wanted to pet the dog but thought better of it. He was sleeping peacefully, even in the midst of the chaos of music and happy people laughing and chattering. He clearly wasn’t disturbed by the crowd noise.
“If you’d gone with us to the top of the pyramid at Pachacamac, you would’ve seen dogs there, too. They live at the top, where there is no food or water for them. But those who work at the site take food and water to them, and put sweaters on them to keep them warm in the winter. Peruvians love their dogs.”
“Do they have names?”
“Yes. They all have the same name—Perro.”
Everyone laughed. Lynn gave Alex a happy smile, and he returned it. She noticed, though, that his smile vanished when he turned away to look for something else he could point out to the group.
So it had come to that. Sharon had told her everyone knew about their attraction to each other, but Alex didn’t know that they knew. That was probably best.
After weaving their way through the much calmer traffic in Cusco, they came to the hotel, Costa del Sol Picoaga, which had a completely different look and character from the Casa Andina in Lima. A couple of young boys waved from where they stood in a parking space just past the hotel entrance. Alex tipped both of them after they took the space. Two young women sat near the entrance, holding cards covered with cloth, with what looked like pendants pinned to the fabric. There were dozens of designs. Most of them were silver.
“Miss, you want to buy? Fifty soles! Thirty soles! Two for forty soles!”
Lynn declined each offer and followed the others inside. Rudolfo and employees of the hotel busily unloaded their luggage.
Inside, they gathered in a small area with couches near the front desk. A table against one wall had a carafe of hot water and a large bowl of dried green leaves. Alex suggested they fix a cup of Coca tea, “to help with the altitude.”
Lynn picked up three leaves for her cup. Alex reached across her to the bowl, picked up half a dozen more and added them to her cup then filled her cup with hot water. Packets of natural sugar filled another bowl. Lynn added one packet to her cup and stirred. She sipped carefully, intrigued by the flavor. It had an earthy green taste she liked a lot.
“Grácias, Señor.”
“De nada. Cusco is above 11,000 feet elevation. The peop
le here drink Coca tea or chew the leaves to help them breathe the thin air. While you’re here, you’ll need to drink two or three cups a day so you won’t have awful headaches.”
As far as Lynn could see, they all enjoyed the tea. A doorway led outside to the center of the hotel—a large courtyard, paved with bricks. Grass grew between the bricks, and to her delight a dusty-colored lamb wandered around, eating the grass. In the center stood an incredibly beautiful stone fountain, filled with red, yellow, orange and purple flowers. Water cascaded from the top and over the plants, keeping them well-watered.
Lynn looked up at the second floor, then turned all the way around. Open walkways with beautifully sculpted columns circled the courtyard, creating a classic Spanish home. Off to the right a wide stone staircase led to the second floor. The rooms opened onto the walkways on both levels. This hotel met all of Lynn’s expectations of Cusco.
She realized Alex was standing just behind her. She turned her head just enough to let him know she was aware of his presence. He took it as an invitation to move closer. He walked around in front of her, watching the door behind them, then reached for her hand, squeezing her fingers gently. “Do you like the hotel?”
“I love it. I know the rooms will be just as beautiful.”
“They are. Be sure to ask for a room at the back. Otherwise, the street noise and traffic will keep you awake tonight. During the festival, people stay up all night, celebrating, and drinking more than they should.”
“Thanks. I’d better do that now.”
He glanced toward the door to the lobby. “I think Sharon has your assigned room already.”
Sharon came out with keys in her hand. “Our room is right above the lobby!” She pointed over her head. “We’ll be able to see what’s going on in the street!”
Lynn laughed at her friend. “That won’t work. There’s going to be a lot of traffic tonight, and people on the streets won’t worry about waking anyone. We need a room on the back if they have one available.”
“Oh. Okay. I’ll see if they have another one that’ll be quieter.” She hesitated. “How did you know that?”
“Our guide told me.” She raised their clasped hands.
Sharon grinned a lot more than she should have, Lynn thought, but somehow it was okay.
“Great guide!” Sharon gave her a thumbs-up on her way back to the front desk.
“She knows,” Lynn whispered.
“Is it a problem that you and I have become special friends?”
“No! Of course not,” she said too quickly. She didn’t know how else to answer him. The attraction between them—especially his attraction to her—had been a complete surprise. She still hadn’t decided how she felt about it, other than pleased and flattered. Part of her wanted to explore these unexpected feelings, while another part of her insisted it was an impossible situation. How could two people who lived so far apart ever be able to make a relationship work?
Chapter 8
After they’d been assigned a different room, Alex watched Lynn and Sharon going up the stairs and around the walkway to the back of the hotel. They were in the back corner, where their sleep would hopefully be undisturbed.
How could he have been so impulsive, holding her hand at the Larco, then on the plane, then again in the courtyard? Each time, he’d done it almost without thinking, without remembering she was part of a group, a turista. His letting her know that his feelings went beyond those for a typical turista was completely inappropriate. Yet, it seemed she’d acted impulsively, too. She didn’t seem to be embarrassed, exactly, when he’d asked about their “special friendship.” Only thoughtful, as though she weren’t sure about her feelings. His feelings, though, were becoming more clear to him all the time. She didn’t feel like only a friend. He knew what was happening, in spite of having known her only these few precious days.
He had to remember that he was, in essence, their employee, hired to make their visit to Peru memorable. Lynn was only a turista, nothing more. How could he have forgotten that? There would be no taking any of it back, but maybe he could keep reminding himself that she lived half the world away. He could never leave Cusco. It was his home! He’d dedicated his life to learning everything he could about Peru and how this country had grown from the land of the pre-Inca to the country it was today—thanks primarily to turistas. Peru would always be home to him. He suspected Lynn felt the same way about her country, and Virginia. It was time for him to return to reality.
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In the room, which was as lovely as Lynn could’ve hoped, she said very little, embarrassed that Sharon had observed both times Alex had taken her hand. It was one thing to be impulsive and enjoy the attentions of this handsome Peruvian. It was quite another to allow her emotions to run wild and open her heart to him.
After they’d unpacked some of their things, Sharon stood in the middle of the room and stared at her.
Lynn knew what was coming. “Just say it.”
“I’m proud of you!”
“Proud? What are you talking about? I’ve lost my mind!”
“I disagree, my friend. You may have found your mind for the first time in two years! No, make that four years. Bill was never right for you. He didn’t have the personality, the drive, the fire that you have. At least, you had it before you met him. I haven’t seen it much lately. Now, you’ve met Alex—someone who has all those qualities—and you aren’t hesitating! I’m proud of you for going with your heart instead of analyzing everything to death, then backing away! Alex is wonderful! He’s handsome, intelligent, and he’s a history teacher!”
Lynn released a huge sigh. “But it’s impossible! He lives in Peru. I live in Virginia. End of story!”
“Where there’s love, there’s a way.”
“Love? Hardly. Attraction, yes.”
“Love begins with attraction, but not just physical attraction. Why are you making me tell you all this? You know as well as I do that love never analyzes before blooming in your heart like those gorgeous flowers downstairs in the fountain! Love won’t grow if there isn’t more than physical attraction. Alex has depth! He loves taking tourists all over his country, and I’ll bet he’s a great kisser, too.”
“Now you’re sounding like a soap opera. I like Alex. A lot! But that doesn’t mean I love him. We’ve known each other less than a week! I couldn’t possibly fall in love in only a week. And neither could he.”
“See? See! I knew it! The thought has already occurred to you, too!” Sharon hugged her friend. “Just don’t get in the way of your feelings, okay? Explore them a little. Take this handsome Peruvian for a spin! And don’t forget Cher’s advice.”
“Cher?”
She sang, “’If you wanna know if he loves you so…’”
“Enough! I held his hand! Big deal!”
“Three times. He reached for your hand on the plane and in the courtyard, but you didn’t pull away, the way you did at the Larco.”
“You saw that too, huh?”
“Sweetie, I see everything that happens to you. I’ve prayed for this day! I’ve seen how he looks at you! This could be your chance for something incredible. Not just a fling!”
Lynn sat down on the bed and put one hand over her eyes. “Why did I have to meet him here? Why couldn’t he at least live at least in the same country?”
“Just because you live in different countries right now doesn’t mean it always has to be that way.”
“Right. Just pack up and move to Peru.”
“Or, pack up and move to Virginia.”
“What would he do in Virginia?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Teach Peruvian history maybe?”
Lynn glanced at the clock by the bed. “We still have some time off before going to the Museo del Pisco tonight.”
“That’s so we can get used to being at more than 11,000 feet.”
“I don’t want to spend our free time in this room. I want to walk down to that little plaza. It’s only a couple of
blocks, right?”
“I’ll go with you. I want to check out some of the shops. Vicki saw a quilt in a display that she wants to look at, and Dorothy mentioned taking photos for Tony to paint when she gets home. Not sure what the others have in mind but I’m betting it will include spending money.”
“So, let’s go! I just want to sit on a bench and watch people go by. I want to enjoy being in Cusco.”
They met the others in the lobby and set out for the plaza. The two ladies were still camped out right outside the entrance to the hotel, begging them to buy their silver pendants. One of them hurried over to Lynn the minute she stepped onto the sidewalk. “Please, buy from me! I will make you a good price!”
Lynn told them, “Later. I’ll buy something from each of you later.”
“We’ll be right here! Don’t forget!”
Sharon leaned closer. “How could you forget?”
At the plaza, the group divided into pairs and headed in different directions. Everyone except Lynn wanted to shop. She wanted to relax and soak up some heavenly Cusco sunshine.
She selected a bench close to one of the flower gardens. Peruvians obviously loved flowers. They’d seen flower gardens even in Lima, where there didn’t seem to be enough sunshine to grow them. Yet, they’d adjusted to the low light. Here in Cusco, flowers grew everywhere and flourished, lending their subtle fragrances to the thin air. Conversations drifted from group to group all over the plaza, including some couples who had their arms around each other or held hands. Everyone looked happy. She didn’t hear anyone arguing, and she didn’t even hear any babies crying or children quarreling. They ran and played, laughing and happy to be in the plaza. There didn’t seem to be much concern about children wandering farther than six feet away from their parents. Cusco was truly a completely different atmosphere from a metropolitan area in the US—or the gloom of Lima.
