The Virgin Vagabond

Chapter 3

Standing in front of her parents’ building that evening she felt a few butterflies starting to rumble about in her stomach. How would she explain everything. She had already told them about the trip, sure, but only because they tried to make plans with her. She didn’t really have the time then to make up a good story, a good explanation. Instead, she planned to explain everything this evening, over dinner. After a deep breath and repeatedly telling herself that everything would be ok, she rang the doorbell. 

”Oh, hi honey!” her mother exclaimed when she opened the door. ”So good to see you. Come on in!”

Kesia stepped inside and took her shoes off. The scent from the kitchen revealed that the meal they would have this evening was lasagna, one of her favorites. Her mother hurried back into the kitchen and Kesia went into the living room to sit down next to her father. He was reading the newspaper, as always. 

”Hi dad!” she said and sat down.

”Hi sweetie” he said and put down the paper. ”Your mother told me you are going on a trip?”

”Yes, it’s a work thing.”

”But you are only an intern?”

”No, I’m not at the office anymore, I have a new job now.”

Her dad looked at her, puzzled.

”A new job? Since when?”

”Since a few days ago. It’s a long story but I wasn’t happy at the office, dad. This is much better for me. I have a nice work environment, colleagues that I like, a job that is challenging in a very good way and a generous boss who appreciates me.”

”And now this boss is sending you on a three weeks long trip around the world?”

”Yes. But I’m not going alone, I’m going with a colleague.”

”Is this colleague a man?”

”Yes.”

Her father was quiet for a few seconds, seemed to be processing all this information. He looked at her daughter and Kesia thought she saw the shadow of concern in his eyes. 

”I can’t stop you from going, Kesia. You are a grown woman now, just barely but still. All I can tell you is that you should be careful, mindful and available.”

”Of course, dad, I can take care of myself.”

”I know you can. Just make sure to check in every once in a while.”

”Will do.”

Kesia left her parents house that night and felt a little sad. There was definitely a part of her that didn’t want to go, the comfortable part of her, the part that wanted to stay in the comfortable familiar place where she had always been. But the larger part of her saw the opportunity to go on an adventure. She would most likely never have the chance to do anything like this ever again.

The new everyday routine included morning sessions with Luke now that the departure was so close. In just three days, they would leave for Cape Town and they had to go through every detail of what they knew.

”So, counting ourselves, there are three teams from Europe. We are the Kesia-Luke team, from Germany comes the Marcus and Jemima team and from Spain the…

”John and Kerenhappuch team?”

”Well, only Keren actually. How did you know?”

”It’s kind of obvious. The female team members are named from the daughters of Job and the male team members are named from the apostles. What happened to Matthew though?”

”I don’t know, someone had to go I guess.”

After going over all the rules again, they took another look at the itinerary. Kesia suddenly realized that she hadn’t thought about the funding at all.

”Who pays for everything?” she asked Luke bluntly. 

”Cornelia of course. She will give us each a credit card. She has quite a few, you see, and some of them are specifically for this purpose.”

Kesia nodded and felt her speeding heart slow down. 

”Ok. Good” she said with relief.

Luke looked at her, clearly amused by her reaction. 

”What, did you think you were gonna have to pay for everything yourself?”

”What? No! I just realized that I didn’t know who were gonna pay for everything. No surprise though, that Cornelia is paying. I mean, of course she is.”

Luke laughed a little. 

”You’re cute when you’re freaking out.”

Kesia snorted.

”Well, I’m glad you think so because I think you will see it an uncountable amount of times during the weeks to come. It’s really surprising that you agreed to do this with a girl who has no experience whatsoever.

Luke laughed harder now.

”Well, I’m glad you have some self-knowledge! Also, I didn’t have much of a choice but I trust Cornelias judgement.”

”I hope that trust is well-placed.”

”It is. Believe me.”

Luke looked at her, he was not laughing anymore. Their eyes met for a few seconds and Kesia couldn’t think of anything witty to say so she looked down, blushing a bit.

”What do you want to do for lunch?” she asked to change the subject.

”I think Cornelia already has plans for all of us” Luke replied, pretending to go through the papers one more time. 

She felt like she was standing on the edge of a cliff, looking down. The feeling was both breathtaking and terrifying. The term ”cold feet” felt completely insufficient, her feet were frozen solid, ready to be amputated.

”There you are!” 

To hear Luke’ voice felt slightly calming but it was not enough.

”I don’t want to do this!” she exclaimed. 

Luke smiled at her.

”Yes, you do, Kesia, you just have second thoughts. It’s normal. This, what we are about to do, it is no small thing. In fact, it is huge. We are going to face a lot of challenges, get lost, loose sleep, be sick from all the weird food and probably be very stressed and maybe even scared at times.”

”You are not making me feel any better!”

”My point is, Kesia, that we are going to do all those things together. You will always have me and I will always have you. Let me see if I can make those feet thaw.”

Before Kesia could make any sense of the situation his lips were on hers and they were warm and soft. She closed her eyes and decided to just go with it. He kissed her for a long time. It seemed like an eternity. The tip of his tongue played a little with hers and Kesia felt tingles all the way from her throat to the depths of her belly. At one point she realized she forgot to breath so when Luke finally withdrew she had to catch her breath. 

”I didn’t see that coming” she said after a few seconds.

”Neither did I” replied Luke. His eyes were still closed and his forehead leaned against hers.

In that moment Kesia realized she had become the old Kesia in every way now. Even become intimate with Luke. For some reason though, it didn’t bother her. 

”Hey” she said, ”what is your real name?”

He looked at her.

”I think it’s best if just don’t know each others real name. What is a name anyway?”

She nodded.

”Ok.”

They suddenly heard their flight being called out in the speaker and it was time to go to the gate. Luke grabbed her hand like it was the most obvious thing in the world and led her in the right direction. It hit her that this might just be his way of making her feel safe. The kiss, the handholding, it all might just be a strategy. Weirdly, she was ok with it. 

It was a huge airplane that first took them to Istanbul. Kesia tried to remember the last time she flew and came to the conclusion that it was a few years ago, when ske finished elementary school with almost straight A:s. Her parents had rewarded her with a trip abroad. They had gone to France. Realizing that, she also came to the conclusion that this was the first time she would leave Europe. A tingling sensation ran through her body and she could almost feel physically how she grew a little as a person. 

”What are you thinking about?” Asked Luke and it made Kesia jump a bit since she thought he was deep asleep. 

”I just realized this is the first time I leave Europe” she said. 

”Oh” he suddenly sat straight up, calling on the flight attendant. ”We are going to need some sparkling wine and strawberries. Can that be arranged?”

The flight attendant nodded politely and disappeared. 

”We are going to celebrate” he said.

Kesia smiled and looked out the window. She could only see clouds out there but it was still beautiful. With a content feeling creeping up her spine she felt Luke fingers being intwined with her own and for the first time since she had made the decision to go she felt so ready for this adventure. When the champagne and strawberries arrived Luke raised his glass.

”To you” he said and smiled. 

In Istanbul, they spent their wait in a nice little café on the airport, they weren’t allowed to leave anyway. Kesia looked out through the windows, that was all she was going to see of Istanbul this time. Luke drank his coffee and Kesia noticed that he was becoming more and more on the edge as time went by. 

”So, listen” he said, ”when we get to Cape Town there will be a cab waiting for us, the sign will say ’Cornelia’. The driver will already know where to take us and at the hotel, most likely, the first clue will already be waiting for us. As well as our footprints.”

”Yes, the black cubes.”

”Exactly.”

”What kind of hotel will it be?”

”A nice one.”

”Are we in one room or do we get one each?”

”No, we’re in the same room. They do everything they can to keep us together. You see, for the seekers to win a round they need to get us both on picture, not together necessarily, but still us both. So, anything they can do to keep us together they will do.”

Kesia drank some of her coffee and thought about that for a second. 

”What do we get if we win?”

”Not just us, Cornelia also gets something out of it. The deal is that you and me share the cash prize, but she gets the other part, which is of course much more interesting to her.”

”What is it?”

”Real estate. This year, it’s a hotel in Las Vegas that is the prize.”

Kesia raised her eyebrows.

”Wow! And she won’t get it unless we win?”

”No. So we better win.”

Luke smiled. Kesia could tell that he was very excited. 

”How big is the cash prize?”

”Usually it grows a little every year, last year it was about 2 million euros.”

Kesia dropped her jaw for a second. She hadn’t even considered there would be something in it for her. Something that significant. That amount of money would change her life.

”How many times have you played?” she asked.

”This is my third time.”

”And have you ever won?”

”Once. Two years ago.”

”Cool” said Kesia and realized that there was a feeling starting to form deep in her belly, a feeling that they might actually win this.

The flight from Istanbul to Cape Town felt short. Kesia fell asleep and woke up from the pressure change in the plane as it started descending. The clouds outside the window scattered and she started seeing little buildings on the ground. Luke was still asleep beside her and she decided not to wake him up. She needed to have this moment to herself. The little buildings were now bigger and within seconds they landed on the ground, nice and soft. Luke woke up from the slight shake and looked out the window.

”Oh, good, we’re here” he said and wiped the drool off his chin. 

Kesia suddenly felt the urge to talk about the kiss that happened back in Stockholm but she stopped herself. It would get weird if she did. He just kissed her to make her feet thaw, he had even said as much. It was probably nothing. 

Just as Luke had said, there was a cab driver waiting for them with the name ’Cornelia’ on a sign. Luke walked straight up to him and slipped him a little something. They gave him their bags and then followed him to the car. When they stepped outside Kesia realized that she had expected heat but it wasn’t really that warm. The car was waiting really close so they weren’t out for more than a few seconds.

”Funny, I thought it would be warmer” she said when they had stepped into the backseat.

”No, June, July and August is the coldest months of the year in Cape Town. It’s the opposite to home” answered Luke. 

The hotel was not far away, the car ride was only about five minutes long. Kesia was almost disappointed. She enjoyed sitting in the car and looking out on the new city they had come to. Luke jumped out and opened her door, just like back home. She smirked at him and he rolled his eyes.

”I know! Old habits die hard I guess…”

The cabdriver took their bags from the trunk and followed them into the hotel. Luke paid him and whispered something that Kesia couldn’t hear. The driver nodded discretely and then went back to his car.

”What did you whisper about?” Kesia asked.

”Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Luke smiled a little and went to the front desk to check them in. With the key card to their room he also got an envelope. He looked excitedly at Kesia.

”This would be our first clue! Let’s open it when we get to the room.”

A valet took care of their bags and pressed the elevator button for them. They all stepped in and the few seconds that it took to go to their floor was awkward in that way they can only be in an elevator. The doors opened at their floor, which turned out to be the penthouse. Kesia dropped her jaw again and Luke looked at her.

”Don’t get too excited, we’re only here for two nights at the most.”

Kesia chose to ignore him and opened the door to the balcony. She stepped outside and was again reminded that it wasn’t that warm. The valet disappeared in the elevator as soon as Luke had given him a generous tip. Kesia looked at the envelope that Luke was holding.

”Open it” she said.

He tore the edge and took out a small piece of paper that said ’It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.’

”Oh, my god! I know this one! It is the first line in the book Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen” said Kesia when she saw the paper. ”What does that mean?”

”I don’t know” said Luke and took another look in the envelope. ”There is something else in here.”

He found a small note with an adress on it. 

”This must be where we will find the key to the clue” 

”Dockrail road?” Kesia took out her phone, ”that’s actually close to here.”

”Yes…” he said hesitantly. ”A little too close.”

”What do you mean?”

”I mean that we have to be careful. The games has begun and we cannot be caught by our seekers. We should wait until nightfall.”

”Does that mean we can’t leave the hotel at all?”

”Not while the sun is up.”

”Let’s go to the hotel restaurant then”

”No, we can’t do that either. Our seekers might be in the same hotel.”

Kesia was disappointed at first but then she discovered that the bathroom had a gigantic tub. She filled it with steaming hot water and immersed herself. After the long trip, this was exactly what she needed. With a deep breath, she leaned back and closed her eyes. 

Nightfall came eventually. Luke and Kesia dressed in dark clothes and slipped out of the hotel as discretely as possible. As it turned out, Luke had payed the driver from the airport to be on their beck and call at all times. Kesia wasn’t surprised. 

”Dockrail road, Mike, and then wait for us there.”

The driver, who’s name apparently was Mike, just nodded slightly before he took off. Dockrail road really wasn’t far away, it just took a few minutes and once again Kesia was a little disappointed. They put on their hoods and quickly got out of the car and hurried into the hotel. In the foajé, they stopped and looked around. 

”What are we looking for?” asked Kesia.

”I don’t know exactly, some kind of safety deposit box maybe?”

”But we didn’t get the key or anything.”

”Let’s ask” said Luke and went over to the front desk. 

”Excuse me, we are looking for an envelope maybe? Or something similar.”

”What’s the book title?” the man behind the desk asked in return.

”Pride and Pejudice” said Kesia.

The man behind the desk disappeared behind a wall for a second and then returned with a whole briefcase for them. Luke took it and thanked for the help. 

”A whole briefcase? What is in it?” asked Kesia.

”Probably our footprints, we haven’t gotten those yet. Come on!”

They went back outside where Mike was waiting for them with the car. He started driving as soon as they were in side the car. Luke opened the briefcase and his guess was confirmed. The black little cubes were neatly stacked inside and on top of them, an envelope. Kesia took the envelope and peeked inside. She took out a piece of paper, as big as the paper with the quote on it back at the hotel, only this one had a bunch of holes in it. 

”When we put this on the quote it will probably give us letters!” She said, failing to hide her excitement. Luke raised his eyebrows.

”Cool!”

When they arrived at the hotel they hurried up to their room and found the piece of paper with the quote on it. They put the paper with the holes on top of it and it immediately gave them the letters I, S, A, S, S and I.

”Isassi?”

”No, it’s not in the right order. We have to move them around to make a word.”

”Well, then, this one was easy. It must be Assisi right?”

”Oh! Of course!”

”What do we do with that information?”

”For now, nothing. We will probably get a delivery that will tell us what the next step is.”

Kesia sighed and threw herself on the couch.  It looked so hard and perfect, like it was just for show, a splash of color in an otherwise beige room but it was actually surprisingly soft and comfortable. She stared up in the ceiling and admired the chandelier for a few seconds. It got boring quickly.

”What do you want to do now?” she asked Luke who was on his phone.

”Well, you can do whatever you want, I’m getting a visitor” he said smiled.

”A visitor? What kind of visitor?”

”The good kind.”

”You’re gonna have to give me more than that, Luke. Who is coming to visit?”

”I just have this friend who I call whenever I’m in Cape Town.”

”Is it a woman?”

”Yes.”

”Do you have to bring her to our room? What am I supposed to do?”

”You can always go down to the bar or something.”

Kesia was insulted but also disappointed with herself. She should have known this would happen. Of course Luke was that kind of guy.  

”Why can’t you and your friend (she made bunny ears with her fingers at the word ’friend’) hang out in the bar?” 

Luke looked at her like she was an i***t.

”Because we’re gonna need a bed!”

They were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"There she is now!"