"Hello, Mary-Anne will you calm down! I can't hear you, I'm in the parking lot, wait till I've come out. I'll call you back." However, Mary-Anne could not wait so she whatsapped Ava that her aunt Cecelia's party was going to start in two hours. "Hey, I have to head back to the hotel. Apparently, the bachelorette party is scheduled for this evening," said Ava after glancing at her phone screen. "Sure, let's go," he says as he guides her to the parking lot on the lower ground floor. They get into the car and he looks at her and says "thanks for helping me out today." "Hey you helped me too, would not have found the mall without you," said Ava. He drove them out of the parking lot, "free parking?" asked Ava. "Yup" he replied. "Cool, most places these days you have to pay by the hour," she added.
"So we have heard about me today, what about you?" "What's your story Ava?"
"Me, let's see…I was heartbroken when I found out my boyfriend just out of the blue fell out of love with me." "We're not even friends these days and he is happier I guess without me and that bugs me sometimes, because I still miss him."
"Besides the break up…how's the fam?" he asks her, diverting her off the topic.
"Fam is great, my sister might be getting engaged anytime soon. Mom and Dad are retiring soon, so that just leaves me and I'm keeping my options open at the moment."
"I see," he says. "You believe in that stuff?" He asks her suddenly out of the blue.
"What stuff?" She asks puzzled, looking at him as he drives.
"True love," he replies slowly.
"Of course, I do, that's why we exist today it's why we're able to achieve anything in this world, it's this thing called love," she adds on.
"When you put it like that I guess it makes sense," he says.
"You and I are celebrating it a day after tomorrow, it's the big day," she says.
Which he adds "Yeah it is, bound for a lifetime is the price tag."
"It's the 'love tag'" she says correcting him and laughing at his expression as he scrunches up his nose to keep from sneezing. Which fails as he full out sneezes uncontrollably in front of her.
"Haha, here you go" she says putting tissue into his hand.
"Thanks", he says as they get closer to the hotel. He parks the car and then they take the lift to ground floor which is the lounge area.
"Finally, we thought you were gone for good" said Mary-Anne, shooting Jaxon an accusatory look. "It's not his fault, it was my idea," says Ava.
"Whatever sissy just go and get showered and changed, you can't go looking like that."
"Alright, I'm going." "Thanks Jaxon I had a good time."
"Same here," he says waving goodbye at her, before the doors of the lift slide closed again with him inside.
"Jaxon, there you are." "Come and take a look at this article?" says Kayla before shoving her laptop in front of his face.
"Woah, I didn't know that," says Jaxon glancing at the title and the picture of Shawna on the website.
"She was a pregnant with a top-shot governor's baby," says Kayla. "Thank God you broke it off, at least he acknowledges its his and they are planning to get married."
"That's good for them," he says before stripping down and putting on his swim trunks.
"There's this thing called personal space bro," says Kayla annoyed.
"We're siblings, deal with it woman," says Jaxon laughing. "I'm going for a swim," he informs her. "Clearly," she replies dryly. "Mom and I will be at the bachelorette party." "Aren't the guys doing something together?" asks Kayla.
"Yeah, but later in the night," replies Jaxon. "When all the ladies are safely in bed," he says jokingly. Which earns an eye roll from Kayla, who says "Mom, Jaxon might do something indecent tonight." "You snitch," says Jaxon laughing at his sister who at the moment was horrified her brother might do something he would later regret. "Don't worry I won't do something that will make ya'll mad," he says.
Jaxon put on a bathrobe and took his phone with him as he left the room to go to the swimming pool area. However, before he got into the water, his phone rang and this time it was his boss calling him.
"Jaxon, as soon as you return, you need to follow me to the Four Seasons Hotel, I have an important meeting to attend and I've made arrangements and booked you a room opposite mine." "Ok sir I'll make sure I'll be there on time, not to worry it just so happens I'm at the very same hotel right now. So all I have to do is just switch rooms."
"That's splendid". I won't bother you again, enjoy your stay then." says the voice on the other end of the line.
"Thank you sir," replied Jaxon.
God he thought his boss needed to have a break before he got sick, the man needed to understand the meaning of having a 'break'. All this and more went through his mind as he got into the cold still waters sending ripples everywhere. He swam up to the surface and took in a breath of air, he swam a few laps from one end of the swimming pool to the other.
Concentrating on his movements and emptying his head of work and everything else that came into his mind in that moment. He thought he would just enjoy the cool feel of water against his skin. The tiles of the pool were navy blue, sky blue and white scattered, forming geometric patterns under the water. It was relaxing, as he floated in the corner of the pool, chest upwards, inhaling air with his hands spread out. God days like these were a luxury to have, just floating on water, mind clear, heart free and body relaxed.