Page 219 of Daddy, Take Me Away
But there was a problem. Every time I tried to do something with the same level of adventurousness, I froze. And I couldn’t go from skydiving to skiing bunny hills. In a moment of brilliance, I started a series on my Youtube channel called Weekend Adventuring for Beginners.
I figured I might lose some followers, but I’d save face while working my way to bigger adventures gradually. And as it turned out, there were a lot more armchair adventurers who wanted to get out there but didn’t know how or where to start than I thought.
The buzz was so huge over the upcoming series Hella Life magazine emailed me asking for an interview. I agreed, and hoped they wouldn’t ask me too much about my former adventures.
When the interview crew came to my place, the videographer turned out to be one of Fiona’s old friends from high school.
Mark stayed back after the interview and after reminiscing for a bit, he asked me out. I always thought he had a crush on Fiona in high school, and rightly so, since they were both part of the popular crowd, but before I knew it, we were in the middle of a whirlwind romance.
My followers grew even more, as did the offers for all-expenses-paid trips, these ones geared for couples because almost every video I made with the two of us went viral.
Then, three months after we started dating, I left on a trip to Canada’s longest suspension bridge where I planned to do Ontario’s longest, fastest, and highest zipline as well. Mark couldn’t come as he had a trip of his own for the magazine.
The zipline was the scariest thing I’d done since I started adventuring for real. My eyes were shut for more than half of it, but the rush I felt once I was untethered and safely back on two feet, was amazing.
The walk across the suspension bridge afterward was boring in comparison, at least until I saw Mark waiting on the other side—on one knee.
I remember standing there, the bridge a little unsteady beneath me, thinking, this is soon, way too soon. But I was filled with endorphins and coming down from my adrenaline high, and there was a camera crew behind him, a stunning backdrop, and a huge ring.
My second thought after, this is too soon, was, how embarrassed he’d be if I said no.
And my final thought, however fleeting, was that if I embarrassed him, I was going to look like an asshole in front of the world.
So I said yes. For all the wrong reasons.
Zoe Wayz Adventures exploded yet again. And the whirlwind continued, this time including wedding planning.
And everyone wanted to know how the great adventurer, Zoe Wayz was going to tie the knot.
Before I knew it, I had over twelve million subscribers on my Youtube channel and the pressure was higher than ever.
But six months before the wedding, it was like I was standing on that damn suspension bridge again, only this time, it fell… because I caught Mark and my sister together. And that’s when I knew his crush on her had never ended and that I should have known better.
The memories pop like a bubble when my sister clears her throat.
“I actually linked that TikTok video you made of your bucket list travel plans that included both The Pellegrino and their biggest competitor, highlighting that it went viral.” She swallows hard. “I know it was wrong?—”
“Wrong?” I force out an angry breath. “Wrong was screwing my fiancé in Sleeping Giant National park, while I finalized the ceremony plans for our wedding.” I take a pull of the humid oxygen-rich air.
“Wrong was getting caught bent over a pile of rocks with your ass on display, my fiancé going pound town on you, by Pastor Miccah and Great-Granny Agnes,” I growl in frustration.“But using my livelihood to score yourself a spot here, where I’m trying to start fresh is heinous, Fiona.” I don’t mention the friendship I’d started with Amadeo Pellegrino, that had become a beacon of light in my otherwise dark personal life.
“Lower your voice,” Mark scolds in a hushed tone.
I check myself, not because he told me to, but because I am a fairly famous influencer and this is not the time or the place to freak the fuck out on my twin and ex-fiancé.
“When did you do this?” I yank my phone out of my pocket and start scrolling through my emails. I hadn’t spoken to Amadeo in three weeks, which was unusual since we’d spoken at least once a week until then.
“I deleted it.” She closes her eyes.
I growl, but tears burn behind my lids. Can this so-called sister of mine ruin my life any more?
“I can’t deal with this right now. I’m going to check in. I’m meeting the owner of this resort in a few hours and I’ve got to figure out how I’m going to explain that I basically blackmailed him into giving you your honeymoon.”
I spin on my foot to leave, but a hand clasps on my upper arm stopping me.
“Here’s the thing, Zo, when we booked,it went under Mr. and Mrs. Mark Hallman and uh…”
“They put you in my suite.” My shoulders slump. Because that’s what I originally booked it under.
