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Gabby
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My alarm went off and I was out of bed like a shot. Today was the day, and I was giddy with excitement. I couldn’t wait. I dressed, brushed my teeth and put on just a little makeup. The Uber was waiting for me outside. It was bright and early with most of the city still asleep, and within minutes, my bags were loaded and we were off to the airport. In eight hours, I would be on the beach.
After getting through security, I sat down and waited to board. I had my phone with me, but it wasn’t on. Today I was officially on vacation and I didn’t want to check email, the news, or my phone. I was in my own little bubble. I had three books with me, which I knew I would burn through in no time. The cottage owner promised a well-stocked bookshelf along with puzzles and cards for a little solitaire. I wasn’t worried about being bored. I was looking forward to it.
While I waited, I watched the hustle and bustle of my fellow travelers. Everyone was in a hurry. Most of them looked like they were traveling for business. There were plenty of families heading out on vacation. I remembered those mornings when we would leave for vacation when I was younger. My parents would be on the phone the whole time. Each of them talking to their nurses and fellow doctors. While we were on vacation, they were still connected to their practices. We were out of town, but their hearts were still at home.
That was why I wanted to take a real vacation. My parents didn’t know how to relax. I had picked up that trait, but after my father died last month, I realized life was short. He’d been seventy-nine, but he worked up until he was seventy-two. He retired and relaxed for a whole seven years. Seven years was not enough life. I wanted real living. I didn’t want to be like my dad and look back on my life and thinking, ‘Boy I sure worked a lot.’ Granted, he’d saved countless lives, but at what cost to his own?
I heard my flight called and quickly grabbed my purse and carry-on. This was it. The flight was just under six hours. Then it was an hour’s drive to the dock where I was supposed to meet the boat that would ferry me out to the island. Just thinking about a glass of wine while I watched the sunset was making me feel like I was going to spontaneously combust.
My plan had been to try and sleep a little on the plane to lessen the impact of the jetlag and to try and catch up on the months of no sleeping. I didn’t want to spend my vacation sleeping. I was going to sleep in and take it easy, but I wanted to be present in the moment.
Six hours later, the plane landed at the small airport and I quickly found the Uber I had reserved days ago. I was a planner. I didn’t want to get to the airport and waste time waiting around for a ride. The driver was waiting for me with a little sign. It was very cute and made me want to stay forever.
“Hello,” I greeted him.
“You must be Miss Kingston,” he said with a bright smile.
“That’s me.”
He took my bags and led me outside. The weather was similar to what I was used to in California, but the humidity was much higher. “You’re here on vacation?” he asked.
“I am,” I said as I got into the front seat of his car.
“Where are you from?”
“LA,” I answered.
“Ah, one coast to the other,” he laughed. “Is it different?”
“The ocean is on the other side,” I joked.
“What brings you out to our little corner of the woods?” he asked.
“I’m on vacation,” I told him. “I’m just hoping to slow down and enjoy the quiet.”
“You’ll definitely have that here,” he said.
I wasn’t going to tell a complete stranger I was going to be on a deserted island all by myself. I wasn’t that naïve. I’d seen the results of women trusting men they didn’t know and vice versa. I was not trying to find myself sliced and diced and tossed in the water.
He pulled up to a boat launch and parked. “Here?” he asked.
“Yes,” I told him. “This is the place. I’m meeting a man here.”
“Would you like me to wait with you?” he asked.
“Nah, I’m good, but thank you.”
He insisted on carrying my bag to the single bench at the dock. I was expecting the dock to be busy with fishing boats, but there were a few trucks with trailers parked in the lot and nothing else. I hoped like hell I was in the right spot. The website said a man would be waiting to take me to the island. He was supposed to be wearing a neon orange shirt. So far, I saw no one matching that description. I hoped like hell I hadn’t gotten scammed.
Soon enough, I saw a boat coming up to the dock. The man was wearing a neon orange shirt. It had to be him. I wasn’t surprised to see the boat was nothing fancy. The website said it was a quaint ride, so I had lowered my expectations, but not quite this low. It made me nervous about what the cottage was going to look like. I prayed I hadn’t been totally taken advantage of. I did not want to be one of those people writing about some horrible bait and switch experience.
With my suitcase trailing behind me and my carry-on slung over my shoulder, I made my way down to the dock. “Hello,” I greeted him with a smile. “I’m Gabby. I believe I’m supposed to be meeting you.”
“Hello, Gabby,” the grizzled, bearded man returned. “Captain Oleg Macdonald at your service.”
I shook his hand and let him take my bag. “It’s a beautiful day,” I commented.
“Yes, it is,” he said, slightly out of breath as we walked towards the boat. “I delivered the groceries earlier. Do you want to take a minute to grab anything else?”
This was the moment. It was starting to sink in. I was about to desert myself on an island with no stores, no anything. What I had was what I had for the week. “Um, no thank you,” I said. “I think I’m good. If not, I’ll survive.”
He chuckled and climbed into the boat before reaching for my bag. “If you need help, shoot up that flare. You might need to send up two. In the daylight, I won’t see it. You’re really on your own out there, but if there are plenty of fishermen that pass by this island who you can try and flag down if you need to. They’ll radio me and I’ll get out there as quickly as I can. I live right over there.” He pointed to a tiny house not too far from the shoreline.
“I will do that, thank you,” I said. He reached out and helped me onto the boat.
“You got some warm stuff in that bag?” he asked.
“Yes, why?”
“We get some cold nights when a storm kicks up,” he said and moved to start the boat.
“Is it normally stormy this time of year?”
“It happens,” he said with all the wisdom of a man who’d lived by the sea the bulk of his life.
He reminded me of an old sailor with the white beard and matching shock of hair. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to discover he had a wooden leg. “I brought some warm clothes.”
“Do you know how to start a fire if needed?” he asked over the sound of the engine.
“In a fireplace?” I asked.
“Yes. Just in case it gets chilly. There’s already wood cut and stacked.”
“I have started fires in the past,” I told him. Although, it had been a long time since I’d had to do it. People accidentally started fires all the time. It couldn’t be that hard.
“So, what brings you all the way out here to this little piece of nowhere?” he asked.
“Peace,” I answered honestly. “I’m looking for a little peace and quiet.”
He chuckled before bursting into a coughing fit. “You’re going to find that here. Trust me. I’ve seen plenty of people come out here for a little getaway and not make it a full week. People are too used to the noise. They don’t want it, but they can’t live without it.”
“You’re probably not wrong, but I think I’ll last longer than a week,” I told him confidently. “I’m planning on staying the full month.”
The boat bounced over the choppy water. My long, blonde hair was free and blowing in the wind. I always wore my hair up when I was at work. I was enjoying the freedom of it being loose. The wind burned my eyes, but I didn’t look away. I could see an island in the distance. There were several technically, but I was certain that the one we were drawing close to was mine.
As the shoreline came into view, the excitement I’d been feeling all day ramped up. He slowed the boat and pulled up to an old wooden dock. “This is it,” he said and cut the engine. I waited while he tied the boat up and climbed out. “Hand me your bag.”
I tossed it up, along with my purse and other bag. He reached for my hand and once again helped me out of the boat. “Want me to walk you up to the cottage?” he asked.
“I’m good,” I said with a bright smile. “At least I know I can’t get lost on an island,” I joked.
“Just follow that path up to the house,” he said. “I’ll be back on Friday. Again, if you need anything, shoot the flare. You might get a bar on your cell, but it isn’t a guarantee.”
“I’ll be okay,” I promised him. “Thank you for everything.”
He hopped back into his boat. “Enjoy your time,” he said and gave me a wave.
I waved and watched him drift farther out in the water. “Yes!” I shouted at the sky.
I started up the path that was a combination of wood shavings and dirt. My suitcase bumped along behind me. I could see the little house through the trees and walked faster, pausing when the house came fully into view. I couldn’t stop smiling; it was perfect. The house was small with a small covered front porch, and two rockers sat on either side of the front door. It was so cute and welcoming.
I lifted the flowerpot and found the key just like the owner said. I quickly unlocked the door and pushed it open. The kitchen consisted of a single door fridge and one counter. The propane fueled stove sat against one wall with a wheeled island parked beside it. The place was small, but it was just me. I didn’t need big.
I checked out the single bedroom with a standard queen-size bed. The bathroom was across the small hall. All very standard and what you would expect to find in a standard hotel room. I didn’t bother unpacking. I left the suitcase on the bed and checked out the small pantry that had been locked. I assumed it was locked in case nosey intruders found the cottage while out exploring.
The refrigerator had all the stuff I had asked for and then some. I picked up the hard salami before putting it back in the fridge. That was definitely not on my list. I assumed it was the good captain improvising. There was a small liquor cabinet, also locked with the key stashed in the freezer. It was stocked with a little of everything. The wine I had requested and paid for was lined up on the counter next to the fridge. To the naked eye, I probably looked like a lush. I just wanted to make sure I didn’t run out.
I opened one of the bottles and poured myself a glass. “Officially on vacation,” I declared, and held up my glass.
I took a drink and looked out the large picture window that faced the water. The view was blocked a bit by the trees, but I could see it out there. I was a hundred percent alone. There was no one around for miles, which meant it was time to do the one thing I promised myself I would do. I kicked off my shoes and shimmied out of my shorts and panties. Then it was my shirt and bra. I laughed and opened the front door. I grabbed a towel from the bathroom, slid on my sunglasses, and walked down to the beach in all my naked glory. I spread out the towel just above the water’s edge and stretched out. The sun beat down on my skin. The sound of the water gently lapping at the shore and birds screeching overhead surrounded me. It was like being transported away in a dream, except it was all real. This was better than any dream I had been having in anticipation of this day.
