Tropical Fling

Can paradise heal a broken heart

James sat at the kitchen counter with his head in his hands; Cindy was sitting beside him. He tried to contact Julia. He called, sent text messages, he even called everyone he knew at her work, even her boss. Where could she go? It's not like she has family around. Then it hit. He and Cindy were all she had, and they let her down. “James, what are we going to do? She won't speak to me,” Cindy whined at that moment, Her voice made James annoyed. “Cindy, please just take your things and go. I am sorry, but what we did, Julia, did not deserve that.” Cindy couldn't believe what she was hearing. They had been having an affair for a year, and now he is acting like she was in this alone. “Whatever this was, it's over,” James continued. Cindy looked at him in anger. “Just so you know, I am not going to crawl into a corner and take all the blame,” Cindy shouted in anger. “And I will definitely let Julia know this was not a one-time thing,” her voice cracked as she slammed the door behind her.

Julia looked out of the plane window. She felt nostalgia as she saw the beautiful island come into view below. She had not been home for the past seven years. She had always been too busy. She frowned slightly as the thought crossed her mind. Julia felt too embarrassed to stay with her family. She had called her mom before she boarded and told her she would be on vacation for a while, but didn't let on that she would be closer than they thought. Julia stepped out of the airport and into the sun in the beautiful town of Montego Bay. The airport was busy as she looked around. She saw the excitement as people greeted their families with warm hugs and loud laughter and, for the first time, she really felt alone. This was not what she had planned for her first time back home. Then again, she had not planned to be cheated on. She finally located the taxi she booked. She had booked a popular hotel in Negril. All she wanted now was that beautiful stretch of 7 miles of white sand beach and alcohol. Yes, a lot of it, “While I am here I will forget those two,” she smiled inwardly as she leaned her head on the car window, the lush greenery passing by and the warmth seeping into her body.

After checking in, Julia dropped her suitcase and went to the balcony. The view was breathtaking. It was close to sunset and the sun glistened burnt orange on the pristine blue seawater, the fresh air filled her lungs. Julia smiled as paradise spread out before her and, for the first time in a long time, she truly felt free. As the evening wound down, Julia decided to take a walk on the beach. It was still bustling with activities as the tourists were still swimming, and the locals were up and down the stretch of beach selling local fruits and craft items. All the bars were also busy. She chose to have dinner at a small restaurant where she got some fried fish and a salad. While eating and taking in the surrounding activities, she started to feel a wave of sadness. She really wanted to share her culture and her home with James. She settled her bill without finishing and made her way back to the hotel. As she dropped onto the bed, tears fell, her heart was heavy as she drifted off to sleep.

Meanwhile, James was in London frantically searching the entire City of London for her.