I want to thank Nikki for having me on her blog today!
Nikki and I are participating in the Tasha Turner Coaching
Virtual Blog Tour. This week our assignment was to use a photo prompt to write
a story. This story is what came to mind when I looked at the picture of the
baby koala bear…
Her
Vacation, by Laci Paige
Kai stood in front of a baby koala bear in Australia. Tears
rolled down her cheeks. It was a bitter sweet moment. All her life she dreamed
of going to Australia to see a koala in person. The time had finally come and
she was living her dream. Standing there in the park many people came and went
around her. She looked over to her right and saw a handsome gentleman staring
at her. She kindly smiled, and went back to watching the koala.
Joe, her husband
promised her for many years they would go, but as time passed the trip was
never made. Money was sparse in the beginning of their marriage, but then when the
cash was flowing in he was always too busy with work.
Kai made a very
bold decision a few months ago. She divorced her husband of almost twenty
years. She loved him and always would, but he loved his job more than her. It
was too painful to live that way. It would have been one thing if the man was
having an affair, but she followed him and asked around and he was always at
work or at home working. He had an unhealthy addiction to his job.
When she sat down
and tried to talk to him about it for the hundredth time, he shrugged it off.
Told her they would have a good retirement one day. As he walked away she asked
him, “Do you still love me?”
He stopped with
his back to her, and hesitated longer than he should have. Quietly, he said,
“Yes.” Without looking back he walked away and went to bed.
That was all the
answer she needed. She went the next day and found a divorce lawyer.
“Excuse me.” A
male’s voice interrupted her thoughts.
“Yes?”
“The parks
getting ready to close. We are asking everyone to leave so they don’t get
locked in.” The man chuckled.
“Oh, certainly.
I’m sorry, I lost track of the time.”
“It’s no problem.
The park opens again tomorrow at 8.”
“Thank you for
the information.”
Kai spent day
after day of her vacation visiting the park. She spent most of her time there
reading, eating, and watching the animals. Each day the same man would be there
alongside her.
Day three the man
finally spoke to her. “Hello. Nice day we’re having isn’t it?”
Her head snapped
up. “Oh.” She looked to the sky and then to the man’s face. “Yes, it’s a
beautiful day.”
“I wasn’t sure
you’d notice. For days now you’ve had your head in a book or staring off into
space.”
“What?” Kai felt
unnerved. Was this man following her?
“Have you been watching me?”
“I have a good
excuse. I run the place.”
Some of the
tension drained from her body. “Oh, I thought you were some crazy man following
me.”
“Well, I am kind
of crazy, in a good way. And I wasn’t exactly following you, but I don’t
normally spend so much time on the grounds as I have been.”
“And why have you
now?”
“You.”
Taken aback she
rose from her bench where she was seated. “I have to go now. It was nice to
meet you.”
“Wait. Don’t leave on my account. You stay.
If I make you uncomfortable I should be the one to leave. But let me explain
myself first. Please?”
Kai nodded and
sat down on the edge of the bench ready to run if things got weird. It was then
that she looked into his earnest eyes and noticed they were blue. He really was
a good looking man.
“I walked past
you the other day and I stopped dead in my tracks. Never have I seen such
beauty. Each day you returned and I had to see you. I made excuses to my staff
as to why I needed to be out here. I told them I was observing the park as a
visitor. I think they knew better, only this morning Betty told me to talk to
you and get it over with. So this is my attempt.” Kai was aware of her
increasing heart rate, and it wasn’t out of fear. She felt her face warm, and
knew her cheeks probably were a nice shade of pink. It had been ages since
someone paid attention to her, and she could remember the last time someone
commented on her beauty.
“Who is Betty?”
She asked, looking down to her lap she smoothed her skirt over her thighs.
“She is the
elderly woman who greets people at the gate, and she’s also my grandmother.”
“Oh, Betty, she’s
lovely. Always very friendly and helpful. She gave me directions to a really
good restaurant for lunch the other day.”
“Shall we go ask
her for a recommendation on dinner?” His eyes sparkled.
“Are you asking
me out?”
“I think I am.”
“I don’t even
know your name.”
“Robert.”
“I’m Kai. Nice to
meet you Robert. I must be crazy, but sure let’s go ask your grandmother where
we should go for dinner.”
Kai and Robert
walked hand in hand to the gate as the sunset in front of them. Betty watched
them, and smiled with an all knowing look.
***
Laci
Paige’s Bio:
When Laci’s
not reading or writing she can be found spending time with her husband
supporting their children. Laci enjoys camping, hiking, & photography. And
she loves to chat with fans on Twitter and Facebook. Laci and her family
currently reside in Hampton Roads, VA.
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2 comments:
Loved it! What a lovely romance.
Very sweet!
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