Hired To Love

Chapter Nineteen

                  Naiya Parker-Wyatt

I opened my eyes the next morning to an empty spot beside me. Then I began to smile as I continued to lay there on my stomach remembering our conversation the previous night over a lobster dinner. In so many words, Keon apologized and told me that he didn't want us to have a shitty time on vacation. He said that today he wanted to start fresh and that we would leave the past in the past. I went to sleep happy that when I woke up, he and I would be back to our silly antics again.

I hoped that was the last argument we had.

It was unusually dark in here. I figured Keon would open the shades before he left the room or something but the shades were still closed. In fact, it was super quiet. Like I didn't even hear anyone speaking outside of the bedroom. The only noise I heard was the quiet hum of the air conditioner starting back up from its automatic on and off setting. Yawning, I pushed back the sheets over me and sat up from the plush bed. I swear, I could sleep in this thing all day, every day.

I stretched and yawned, again, before getting out of bed. Something that felt like a string lightly hit me in the face. I quickly moved it only to get hit with another. And then another.

"What the hell?" I turned on the lamp beside my side of the bed and screamed in surprise to what I saw. In the room, balloons of different colors were hanging on ribbon. Written on each balloon was a random word...

Weird, AWKWARD, Funny, Respectful, Intelligent, Shy, Faithful, Brown, Quiet, SPECIAL, Gentle, Indecisive, Compassionate, BEAUTIFUL, Amazing, BRAVE, Bright, Patient...

18 words for 18 balloons and then a huge 1-8 ballon hanging out by the window in gold. And at the bottom of each balloon were Kodak pictures of me from when Keon, Shanelle, Torrence, Brendan and I hung out the entire weekend. 18 different pictures of me smiling, laughing, eating, frowning, staring off into space and pouting. I remember Brendan taking pictures but I definitely didn't know that he took some of me.

My hands were clasped together covering my mouth as I scanned the entire room. Tears welled up in my eyes but I quickly wiped them away. I think I cried enough for this trip. I faintly heard some music starting up. I rushed to the door and opened it to see more balloons but other party favors as well. Still, I saw no signs of Keon or Zaire for that matter. The chef, however, appeared when he closed the fridge door.

He smiled at me widely, "Happy Birthday Miss Naiya."

I swear my jaw was to the floor. He laughed at me and brought the glass pitcher of orange juice to the table. And that's when I noticed my favorite breakfast laid out. A plate of an omelette that I hoped was meat lovers, honey dew, pineapples, and home fries sat on the table in front of my chair that was decorated with balloons tied to it and streamers wrapped around the back and arms of the chair. There was another chair next to mine with a plate of french toast, bacon and watermelon on the table in front of it.

A presence appeared behind me but before I could ask who it was, I smelled him. He covered my eyes. "It's about time you woke up."

Keon.

I smiled and placed my hands on top of his. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"It was more fun this way." He kissed my cheek directly on my dimple. "Happy Birthday."

I pulled his hands from over my eyes, turned around and threw my arms around his neck. "Thank you, the balloons were amazing."

I now realize that the words written on them must have described me. Keon thought all those things about me...