CHARLOTTEI opened my eyes the next morning, a few minutes before the alarm went off and the memories of the previous night danced through my mind. I smiled wistfully, content with the decision I had made, but still feeling like I had lost something.I tried to shake it off and focus on the fact that I had given myself quite the experience. I turned off the alarm and got out of bed. I looked around the hotel room and realized that I had forgotten to check for cameras or get an extra lock for the door.“Need to make better decisions,” I muttered, eyeing the room’s disarray, a reflection of my current state of life.It wasn’t terrible, but I had a flair for the dramatic. Clothes were strewn about, my notepad upside down—it all amplified my self-criticism. I had to remind myself that this wasn’t Milan; littering didn’t mean I was stressing the person cleaning up after me. This time, I had to take care of my mess. It felt good and terrifying at the same time.I clicked my tongue against t
In the Halls of RemembranceCHARLOTTEThe scene shifted abruptly. One moment I was on a plane, anticipating my destination, and the next, I found myself standing in the old apartment I had lived in with my parents as a child. My mouth felt dry, and a metallic taste lingered on my tongue, preluding an overwhelming sense of dread.This was a different dream—a very unfamiliar one. I had been plagued with dreams about Rogerio and me a few weeks before our divorce and a few weeks after we had concluded the separation, so I knew this had nothing to do with him.I looked around for signs of any other person, but it was eerily silent. The walls were painted pale pink and adorned with a rainbow on one side. I searched my mind for hints regarding the direction of this entire experience, but for the first time in a very long time, my mind was silent. I was used to thoughts bouncing all over the place as I struggled to keep them in check, so I wasn’t sure how to respond to a quiet mind.The feeli
CHARLOTTE“I’m sorry, you were crying in your sleep,” he uttered as I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “Are you alright?”My eyes darted to and fro as I tried to remember where I was. The sound of the plane’s engine hummed in the distance as I realized what had happened. While I was having what seemed to be one of the worst times of my life, he was watching it happen in real time. I looked around, wondering if anyone else was watching this, but thankfully, they were lost in their worlds.I turned my attention back to the man on his knees. “Please stand up,” I said, but he ignored me and watched me curiously.“Do I need to get the medic?” he asked.“Oh, no. I’m fine; I just need to catch a minute,” I replied, closing my eyes for a moment.“You’re sure?” he asked, and I opened them and turned to look at him. I nodded in response and wiped the tears off my face. I looked around for the tote bag I had carried with me and found it on the floor. Some of the contents had spilled out in fron
CHARLOTTE“Looks like nature delights in letting us cross paths,” a familiar voice said behind me. I turned around and locked gazes with Thiago.“That’s such a poetic way to say it,” I replied as a smile formed at the corners of my lips before turning away. I had just gotten off the plane and was trying to stop a taxi to take me to the hotel.“You think so?” he inquired as some men picked up his luggage and walked towards a black SUV. I resisted the urge to ask why he had people following him around and decided to focus on getting to a nice hotel room.The last thing I needed was a conversation I was trying to avoid, but I turned around and chuckled. “No. I think it’s corny.”He chuckled in response and stepped in front of me, hailing an oncoming taxi. “I would’ve offered you a ride, but I don’t think you’d like that.”“You’re right about that,” I wanted to say, but stopped myself before the thought formed words. “We might be going in different directions too,” I said instead.“I trie
CHARLOTTEI entered the room and let out a low whistle. The scene in front of me resembled a beautiful dream.“This is so beautiful.”“Thank you for your kind words about the suite, Ms…" the receptionist said as I walked slowly to the middle of the room and turned around to stare at the breathtaking décor.“Edwards," I replied, turning my eyes away from the decor to gaze out the window. The stunning California landscape greeted me, and a smile crept across my face. “This is the perfect way to begin my new life here.”She smiled at my response and assured me she’d ensure I had a great time in the hotel. I thanked her for her service and fully turned my attention to the room as she quietly closed the door behind her.I walked towards my luggage positioned in the corner of the room and placed it in the closet that had too much space than I could care to use. When I was done with that, I took one step back and sighed. “My life seems like a movie. I don’t know who’s in charge, but I need t
CHARLOTTEI had spent a few hours in the shack, and quite frankly, I didn’t want to leave. The food was great. The service was wonderful, and the general ambiance made me feel comfortable. However, as time passed, I knew it was time to go.I ordered takeout and exited the place, making a mental note to return the next evening. I was glad to find somewhere I liked and was happy to explore other restaurants and establishments, but I was so impressed with the service here that I was willing to make it a favorite.I stepped out and looked around for a taxi, but there was none in sight, so I decided to walk. I wasn’t sure which way to go to get back to the hotel, but I felt like that was part of the experience. If I took a cab everywhere, I wouldn’t learn how to navigate the city on foot.I considered going back in to ask for directions, but decided to follow the couple who had stepped out of the gym closely. I kept enough distance between us to ensure I didn’t come off as a weirdo, which
CHARLOTTEIt had been two weeks and five days since my arrival in Los Angeles, and I spent most of my days sitting at my new favorite spot at the beach, listening to the waves, and watching people come and go. It started as a form of relaxation but soon morphed into a weird sense of nostalgia, and something I couldn’t quite label.Watching couples surf together reminded me of all the things I wanted to do while Rogerio and I were together. Watching parents run around with their kids, whose happy laughter filled the air, made me feel like I had lost something. But I was determined not to let my past ruin my enjoyment of the present. So, I stayed put and focused on why I was there: to breathe, to find myself, and to ensure I was in a different headspace so I could aptly prepare for other experiences.I didn’t want to be the architect of my misfortunes anymore, and I knew it would take a conscious effort to get to that point. When I wasn’t sitting next to the sea, I walked through the st
ROGERIOYou’d think my problems would go away as quickly as I wished. Well, that would disprove the relationships beggars have with horses, wouldn’t it? My job, the upcoming wedding, my life in general; everything made me feel uncomfortable. Waking up meant I was saddled with the responsibility of living like a lab experiment, someone’s fun science project. Only, I wasn’t having any fun. The lab rats never do anyway.I disliked being here and perhaps taking the offer to be in charge of the family business was the worst decision I have ever made. On a personal scale at least, if I dared to look beyond my needs, I could understand why doing it was for the greater good. But how many of these greater good projects would I have to do before I can finally do something that I wanted?“Ironic, isn’t it? One would expect the richest billionaire in the city to be having the time of his life,” I said to myself and looked around the room.When my thoughts started to follow this path, it filled me