2 Weeks ago
Following her victory on Climax Control, the Monday following Bella couldn’t help but walk through the hotel with a little extra zip in her step.
Stopping at the front desk, “Good Morning, Trish!” she says to the attendant.
“Good morning, Bella. You’re in a good mood.” Trish says as she pecks away at a keyboard.
“I am. I had a good match last night, Luka is back in New York with my parents and I got a wonderful surprise all set to go for Mal. We’re finally going to get somewhat of a Honeymoon. I don’t have anything for like 2 weeks and honestly, I welcome it.” she says as she signs a piece of paper Trish slid to her.
“That sounds absolutely wonderful. I know with this pandemic and all the regulations, it’s been so hard to plan anything. Where’s the final destination?”
“Well originally, I was thinking Florida but it’s gonna be Spring Break and Bike Week by the time we get there. I know we’re stopping in New Orleans, maybe that will be the end who knows. It’s my old stomping grounds. I wouldn’t mind seeing some stuff from my childhood.”
“Wait...I thought you were from New York?”
“I am now. I sorta spent the first 12 years of my life in New Orleans. It’s a long story.” Bella says with the wave of her hand as to say ‘Another time’.
“Well, I hope you guys have an amazing time.” she says before looking over Bella’s shoulder, “Good morning to you, Mr. O’Connell. Your wife has you guys all set.”
“Somehow I’m not surprised. She was up before the sun was today.”
“I was and I am just excited. It’s been so long since I’ve done something like this and we haven’t had a good long adventure like this since our trip from the Caribbean Islands to Australia. Remember that?”
“I try and forget. 2 THOUSAND layovers.”
“2 layovers. Texas and LA before it was non-stop.”
“I think we hit something along the lines of 8 time zones and the international date line.”
“Well this one is not going to be like that because we’re not going to be stuck in a glorified tin can for hours on end.”
“No?”
“No. Because if you turn around you’ll get to see your early birthday present.” Mal blinks for a moment at his wife turns and sees- “A 2021 Ford Mustang GT...Convertible.”
“You gotta be shitting me.” He looks back at her, holding up the keys with a giant smile on her face.
“I figured if we’re going to do this, we’re going to do it in style. And yes, iit has GPS in it.”
“Shall we go west or east?”
Days upon Days
No drama, no construction besides what was on the road, seeing the desert, the sites, just the two of them.
Just the interstate. Until they got to New Orleans. It just felt right to stop their adventure there and spend days lost on it’s streets, lost on the beaches. It gave her a chance to dust off her French that she hadn’t really used since she came home. It wasn’t Paris but giving them a chance to just be.
On this particular day, they decided to visit a beach that sits on the barrier near New Orleans, blue skies and just warm enough where some people have come out just to take in the sun, seeing Bella sitting there taking in the Gulf of Mexico, “I wish sometimes, it can just be like this all the time.”
“It has been a wonderful week and a half and I almost feel bad that we have to leave tomorrow but I’m relaxed. I feel like I can breathe and that is a wonderful feeling. For a little while, it felt like I lost control, that things weren’t what they should have been.” she smiles, “Amelia is not what she seems. A family of respect but something is missing. I know of Amelia, our families have crossed paths a few times but for some reason it’s not the same as the previous times. Most importantly, she’s in the way of my unfinished business.”
Noticing Mal making his way towards her, she stands and swipes the sand off her legs and begins to walk towards, “Still wondering what the hell that is, aren’t you?” she turns with a wicked little smirk, “You really should start paying better attention.”
And with a sassy little smirk, tongue out and a wink she takes off running to him.
