Gillian walked through the door of their suite and took it all in.
Jake reached forher and she purposefully moved away further into the room.
“Wow, this is really lovely,” she said, innocently.
“Yeah, and look at the view,” Jake said, settling down on the bed.
“Thank you for bringing me here,” Gillian said. “But you really
didn’t have to doall this.”
“Yes I did, for you. You deserve it, Gillian. You’re my beautiful princess.”
Gillian drew back as if she had been struck and felt her body grow tense.
“So much has changed since I came to this country. It doesn’t seem
like I am.....not anymore,” she paused, drawing in air and exhalingagain
before she went on. “Please don’t call me that ever again.”
Jake was more then a bit surprised at her reaction but didn’t let it show. He
beckoned to her from his place on the bed.
“Come sit beside me,” he said.
She crossed the room and stiffly sat next to him on the bed. Jake
looked over ather and could immediately notice how jittery she was.
“Gillian, what’s wrong?” he asked, gently.
This is stupid, she told herself. All along a small part of her had
been hoping for
someone or something to come and stop this. But, there was nothing. Andsince
she was sure she wasn’t strong enough to stop it herself, she knewthere
would be no way out.
“I just...I....I’ve been living at the Boarding House for awhile now.
I guess I’ve
just grown unaccustomed to all this. It really is a bit overwhelming.”
“Well, I don’t want you to feel rushed, Gillian, and certainly not
overwhelmed. I
want tonight to be very special,” he reached over and tipped up herchin so
she looked him in the eye, “ - for both of us. Tell you what, I’llstay here
and unpack. Why don’t you go do a little shopping? That will put youmore at
ease.” His last comment put a smile back on her face and she could feel some
of thetension slowly melting away.
“That would be nice,” she admitted. “But for all the things this resort has, it
doesn’t have any stores, just a little gift shop in the main buildingnext to
the lobby.”
Jake hid his amusement at the fact that she had already memorized the
location of the one store the resort did have, and he stood up in mockhorror.
“How dare they build a beach resort without dozens of upscale
department stores for you to shop in?!”
“Ha, ha,” Gillian said. “Very funny.”
He took her hands in his, still smiling, and pulled her up.
“Look, why don’t you take the car and drive into town. There are lots of stores
there. I remember you had your eye on a few when we drove through. It’snot
that farreally - maybe fifteen, twenty minutes. The signs are easy enough to
follow. And there’s a map in the car.” Jake reached into his pocket.
“Here are the keys.”
“Jake, are you sure? I mean, I don’t want to leave you here all by
yourself doingall the unpacking,” Gillian said.
“Yes, I’m positive.”
Gillian held out for a minute longer, then broke out in a huge smile and headed
towards the door with Jake laughing behind her. “Ah, Gillian?”
She turned around.
“Just one more thing. Be sure to bring your cell phone, just in case.”
She smiled. “It’s in my purse. ‘The signs are easy to follow’,” she
said, playfully
mocking him. “You think I’m going to get lost, but I’ll show you.”
She turned around and walked out of the room.
“Stay out of trouble,” he called after her as the door shut.
Gillian walked down to the car and started the engine.
“Shopping will be good. It’ll clear my head,” she said good-naturedly
to herself as
she fastened her seat belt.
“Stay out of trouble,” she repeated. “What
trouble can Ipossibly get into in town?”
