Lily....
Vibrant shades of blue paint her oval window, growing lighter as the turbo-prop descends towards the mass of land. Lush greenery multiplying with each second as sandy shores divide forest and clear blue oceans. A ball of nerves coil in her stomach, noting the ring of reef around the island where the twin prop plane was descending upon. The slim airstrip felt like an ocean away from the main island where the end drops right into aqua waters.
Closing her eyes as the plane's wheels expand and the wings was close to kissing the ocean itself. She couldn't watch. She refuse to see her life flash right before her eyes as they prevent themselves from a watery death. The jerking never gets old as Lily's white knuckled hands clasp the armrest. But as her stomach tightened, the tension on her seatbelt eased and the flight attendant welcomes the passengers to beautiful Bora Bora. She releases a guttural sigh, thankful for the open seat next to her as she flexes her swollen ankles.
She was grateful for booking first class seat that catered to her sleepless night at the hospital. Winter season was their most busiest time of the year despite the tropical weather. Too many sick children needed her attention but thank God she was granted vacation even though she wanted to take off the day before Christmas Eve to travel.
When she clocked out the morning of Christmas Eve, she hadn't expected the sudden adrenaline. The mixtures of excitement and nervous anticipation ruining her morning breakfast. Straight after work, Lily rushed home and grabbed her luggage before hauling her butt to the airport just in time for her flight. Her little sugar glider was staying with London for the week she will be gone. Hani wasn't having it the night before when she dropped him off with the Berkeleys. But before she left the house, she gave him extra kisses for the days that separated them.
On her first flight from Melbourne to Auckland, she couldn't keep her knees from bouncing. The tingling sensation of nerves radiated from her overthinking made the three and a half hour flight feel like ten minutes.
Grateful for the four hour layover due to delays, she had time to enjoy something more proper than airplane Chex mix. Her flight from New Zealand to Tahiti was a struggle with her nightmares preventing her from staying asleep for the five hour ride. And also the fact her anxiety was piquing which added to her babies being quite active.
When she arrived in Papeete at nearly four in the morning, two and a half hours pass her original arrival time, Lily had called the overnight hotel she booked to retrieve her and her carryon. She needed a warm shower from all the traveling she did and by the time she had her belly filled with breakfast, she was right back at the airport an hour before her flight.
The turboprop she boarded added to her already high strung body. Each dip and sudden jerks didn't compare to the sounds of the propeller slicing through the air. Fortunately, the flight was just a hop to the next island where she could finally rest. Well, after the boat ride.
The air became thick, consuming her whole body with moisture. The thin linen shirt was no match for the humidity. The material felt more like a towel for her sticky surface as she reached for her carryon above her. Luckily, her hair felt relaxed, most likely being accustomed to the Australian weather.
She wiggled her way through the short narrow aisle and met the hot air at the open door where a flight of stairs greeted her. The obsidian tarmac blazing with heat that could mimic the sun's surface. Through her sunglasses, Lily shielded her face with a hand whilst carefully walking down the steps. She was guided towards the terminal that was small and cozy to retrieve her luggages.
The morning of her birthday hadn't gone well. One of her two luggages hadn't made the connecting flight and there was no way in tracking it. According to the airline agent that explicitly spoke French to conceal her true comments, Lily would be lucky if her suitcase arrived at all considering it was the holidays. Hopefully it would arrive before the wedding considering her dress was in that specific bag.
After giving her information to the agent, Lily stepped out of the airport an hour after her posted arrival time. Her linen shirt soaked through from the immense humidity leaving her in her camisole. Where there was suppose to be a hotel greeter to take her to the boat and towards her hotel, Lily was met with nothing. No one. She searched through a handful of people until she gave up and called the resort. Then, she stood for another hour until a boat and an escort arrived and loaded her things on a damn yacht boat. She spent the ten minutes skimming through the hotel information guide, tempted to go straight to the spa center and erase the exhaustion she accumulated over the last fifteen hours. Upon that her twelve hour shift. She was just a walking zombie at this point.
And yet, the salty mist through her tendrils only tempted her for a swim. Each wave they drifted over, soothed her weariness. The private cove where overwater bungalows sat lured her in, bringing tranquility until she was on the wooden docks on unsteady legs. She was here. Finally. And yet, Lily felt as if she ran the whole way to French Polynesia.
Hot salty air in her lungs ramped up the emotional luggage she hauled from Melbourne. Hell from New York actually.
"Ma'am, if you're ready I could take you to your bungalow."
Lily sways tiredly, her body waiting to collapse before Lily entered the golf cart and they were off. Her fists open and close nervously. She surveyed her surroundings for the sole reason of recognizing anyone. More so, if anyone would catch a glimpse of her. She wanted to crawl into her room and shut the world off for a few hours.
When the cart continued along the wooden bridge, connecting all of the overwater bungalows, Lily's heart paced rapidly against her chest. She didn't even come up with a plan or have a sense of control over her reaction if she ran into anyone. She prayed they wouldn't see her because at this point she needed sleep before she would become irrational and difficult. She couldn't even keep her eyes open at this point.
The cart had pulled to her front door and still Lily felt out of place by the sheer luxury engulfing her. She didn't dwell on the outside that was immaculately amazing as she rushed inside to hide from the ghosts of her past. She tipped the porter heavily hinting her weariness before she dropped her bags at the door and rushed to find a bed. The canopied bed was a piece of heaven as she gradually fell onto the silky smooth sheets.
She didn't bother closing the open balcony for the breeze was blissful on her skin. She wiggles out of her camisole, flinging it on the floor before attempting to rip her olive green palazzo capris but only succeeding in pulling the elastic band down to expose her belly. The last thing she remembered was the lapping waves before darkness overtook her.