Whatever It Takes

Chapter 27

As soon as we landed in Nassau and got cleared in the immigration, we rode a silver car going to a port. There were yacths, charters, and catarmans in the marina.

"We will reach our destination about some thirty- minute ride from the docks." He told me. I was marvelling at the shore of Nassau. Carlisle was right, the weather here was hot compared to New York- and I liked it just right.

"It's more beautiful in the Rose Island." He added as he saw me admiring the pristine sea water. A man in printed yellow shirt went to us and greeted Carlisle.

"Good day, Mr. Hughes." Welcome back to the Bahamas." He said. Carlisle shook hands with him and he took our bags.

"By the way, this is Adriana, my companion." Carlisle said.

"Hello, Miss Adriana. I am Toussaint. I will be your guide here in your stay." He said jolly.

"Hello to you, too, Toussaint." I replied with a smile. With that, we went to ride a boat charter.

"They speak English here, right?" I asked softly to Carlisle as soon as we got settled in the boat.

"Yes." Carlisle answered without looking at me.

The thirty minutes boat ride seemed very short. Bahamas was a very beautiful place to go snorkeling or diving. There were many visitors during this time of the year. I had seen lots of boats cruising around. I instantly fell in love with the sea and the breeze of the tropics. We arrived at a private resort in the island. An old  woman who seemed to be in her sixties named Ashnae welcomed us. She came running to Carlisle as soon as we set foot on the shore.

"Look at you. Getting more and more handsome. Are you still breaking hearts? Or you decided to be a good boy?" She asked while hugging Carlisle like a kid.

"I missed you, too. By the way Ashnae, this is Adriana." Carlisle introduced me to her. She stared at me for a while, looked at Carlisle momentarily, and smiled at me.

"Hello, Adriana and  welcome to Puerto del Sol." She said with a warm smile. I smiled back. She looked at me like she knew me.

"So lets go inside the villa. The sun is unforgiving during this time of the day. Come on, I have prepared some guava duff and fresh fruit juice." She told us.

We went inside a magnificent villa. Its walls were painted white and the design was modern Phoenician. The furniture were new and hip. Every thing looked tropical and relaxing.

"It' very beautiful here." I said.

"Yes, especially during sunset. We should go swimming with the pigs." Carlisle answered.

"Pigs swim in the sea?" I inquired with surprise. Ashnae came back with a food tray.

"Carlisle what do you like for dinner? Does your lady friend have seafood allergy, too? Ashnae asked Carlisle. He just looked at her and frowned.

"No, she's fine with seafood. Seabass and lobster would be fine." Carlisle answered.

"Good, I think I like her better than the other one." Ashnae said looking at me.

"Are the bedrooms prepared?" Carlisle asked her trying not to pay attention to what she was saying.

"Yes, she can take the room beside yours. When I thought you came back for honeymoon, you requested for two separate bedrooms." She answered laughing.

"Honeymoons are for married people. And I won't get married, ever, Ashnae." Carlisle said seriously. She simply rolled her eyes on him.

"Maybe she can change your mind." She continued saying now pinpointing me. I blushed with what she said.

"You know she can hear you, right?" Carlisle told her shrugging his broad shoulders.

"I know, and I intend to let her hear it. I'm not dumb Carlisle, I see the way you're looking at each other. I am old and I know things more than you do." Ashnae said in defiance.

"All right, we'll eat what you prepared and take a rest for a bit." Carlisle said.

"Come on, Adriana. Eat up, you'll need strength to defeat and change the mind of this stubborn boy." Ashnae told me. I walked towards the table. I took a slice of guava duff and put it in a plate. It actually tasted very refreshing. Ashnae's coconut juice also tasted well.

"I need to call someone." Carlisle told us and he left the living room with his phone.

"Your place is very beautiful." I told Ashnae as soon as Carlisle went outside to the porch.

"It's not mine. It his grandmother's. Carlisle oversees the place and visits from time to time. I only maintain their villa." She answered.

"It must be nice to have a very wealthy grandmother." I said out loud.

"Not really. She thought he'd cling to her like his dad because of her money. When Carlisle finished college, he decided to go on his own. He did not take any thing she gave him. He looked for jobs and did not contact her for a while. He started a small business and tried his luck in real estate development. Imagine how furious Madam Elizabeth Hughes was when she couldn't control her only living heir." Ashnae told me laughing. She must have imagined every scene in her mind.

"Carlisle was doing so well, until his dad got ill, left by Margaret, and decided to come back to his grandmother. Poor boy." Ashnae told me teary.

"Margaret? The one who looks like me?" I said trying to fish information.

"Ah, so you knew about her? Yes. God must have been playing Carlisle meeting another girl with a great resemblance to that witch. That girl has cold eyes, very much like her feelings and soul. So tell me, Adriana, what's your relationship with him? How did you meet my boy?" Ashnae asked me with a serious face.

"We are just friends. I am going to work for  him for three weeks until I go back to college again in January. Everything between us is only temporary until our business deal expires." I said as truthfully as possible. But that is the truth, I am just a temporary friend with Carlisle. No more, no less.

"But the way you look at him tells another story." She said with a little smile.

"I am old, Adriana. They say the eyes are the window to the soul. Your eyes tell me that your intentions are pure, you have a kind heart, but it seems you don't easily trust people. Sometimes girl, you need a leap of faith." She added. I did not know how to react or answer back. Carlisle went back to the living room.

"What are you two talking about?" Carlisle inquired curiously.

"Girl talk, my boy." Ashnae answered quickly. Carlisle lifted his arms in the air. We all laughed. We continued to finish what Ashnae prepared for us and headed to our bedrooms.

I was in admiration to see the all white bedroom with high ceilings accented by teal curtains. There were potted caladium plants in the bedside. It was minimalist in style yet very sophisticated. I quickly went to the terrace. There were colorful bougainvillea planted in white large ceramic pots. My room was facing the sparkling blue waters of the Bahamas.  Being here was like a dream and if I wake up, I know it is not true, and so is Carlisle's existence in my life.