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“So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be.” Stephen Chbosky,The Perks of Being a Wallflower
We sat sunning on the yacht’s upper deck as Captain Sarah navigated the vessel around various cays and islands surrounding the Bahamas. We fished for most of our dinners and caught Tuna that we had a local clean and filet. With the large Tuna, we handed out three-quarters of the fresh fish to locals, who were thrilled and honored. All thanked us as they retreated home with their precious meal for that evening.
We played in the water and made love in the sand when the beaches were deserted for the evening. Then we sat for hours talking about the future, and the possibility of us consulting our respected previous employers. I shared what had happened with El moments before the wedding and showed Parker the letters. I thought there was nothing that could be better in life than these moments.
Today, we had decided to rent a Jeep and explore more of the island in a vehicle instead of just hanging on the beachside.
We discovered two or three markets that sold mostly to tourists. I bought two hammocks for home while Parker picked up some supplies, mainly fishing supplies for the boat. We ate local chicken and rice; I partook in iced tea while Parks had the local beer.
“I can’t believe the time is passing so quickly,” I said.
“I know. We have two more days. Then it’s back to reality,” Parker said with a laugh. With a faraway look, I wondered if we could just cruise around the islands for the rest of our lives. Though I loved home and our friends and family, I cherished this time of freedom that allowed us to focus on our wants and desires.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Parker questioned.
“Ahh, just thinking of how lucky we are. Also, wishing it didn’t have to end.” I smiled as I took his hand, and we walked along the shoreline.
“I know. The good thing is, we can do this as often as we want; we’re allowed to escape anytime.”
I liked the sound of that and suddenly had a thought.
“What about buying a little shack right here on the beach or a cay or island? Something secluded, like our own private lagoon.” With a rush of excitement in my voice, I continued. “We have enough money. But we could sell the yacht; it’s too big to use often, and a smaller boat would help us navigate here locally and around other islands. With the money from the yacht, we could buy a place here and another boat.” I could tell Parks was thinking about what I just proposed. His eyes and mouth opened in possibility as he thought about our options.
Finally, Parker spoke up after what felt like hours but was only minutes. “I think we could work something out.”
I did a little jig in excitement as we discussed where we’d get the most privacy, but would remain close enough to access necessities when needed.
We stopped at a local smoke shop and picked up a map of the islands and a juice to share. Sitting under a tree with abench on Freeport in the Bahamas, we looked at the options for housing. Excited to start our search, we reached out to a local realtor and set up an appointment to meet her that afternoon.
Returning to the boat to shower and prepare for the meeting, we discussed what we wanted in a vacation home.
“Are you excited?” I asked.
“I am, actually; it would be nice to have our little hideaway,” I agreed as we snacked on some leftover Tuna steaks Parker had made the night before. He heated them and put them on a bun with some wasabi sauce.
Full, I carried the rest of my sandwich and pitched it into the trash bin. We were off to meet Chandra to look at some properties. She had picked the exclusive area of Berry Island, Great Harbour Cay, specifically. It was a beautiful location, with long stretches of smooth white sand and clear aqua water. After showing us a few condos and resort homes, we didn’t think she understood what we were looking for; it had occurred to me that maybe she was just trying to upsell.
“Can you find us something more secluded? We’d like a small loft-like home or a one-bedroom, open-air, on the beach. It doesn’t even need to have air conditioning. We simply want a little one-room hut with neighbors miles away. Do you have anything like that?” I finally asked.
Chandra looked deep in thought before answering, “Yes, I believe we do have a few properties that might fit your needs. I have an evening appointment. How about I set things up for you to look at tomorrow, say, ten o’clock?”
We agreed, thanked her, and went on our way. It was starting to get late out, and the sun would set soon, so we headedback to the boat. Tired, I opted for a single glass of wine before retiring for the evening. Parker stayed up for a bit on deck and did God only knew, as I dozed off a few times, wondering when he’d be coming to bed.
I was tossing and turning when he took me in his arms. Smiling, with my head on his chest, I relaxed.
“Mmm, you feel good, sleepyhead,” Parker murmured.
“You feel good, yourself.” I wrapped my arms a little snugger around his waist as I lay there feeling his warmth. “I love you.”
“I love you too, baby,” Parker said, kissing the top of my head.
The next morning, we woke up at the same time. We made love, taking our time before getting up. Our passion for each other was feverish as we devoured and cherished our lovemaking.
“Mmm, that felt amazing,” I said as I tried to steady my breathing.
“It’s always amazing with you,” Parker said, and we lay there until our breathing began to normalize.
“Okay, handsome. Let’s get moving; we’ve got another big day ahead of us.”
