Page 4 of The Caged Girl

“Your role is to serve and entertain our guests. Our female guests primarily are drawn to this resort as they heal and recover during their married phase of life, while their partners are brought here to learn to displace any resentment or anger they may feel as the attention is shifted from them to the demanding roles that being a wife entails. That’s not our only focus, as we’ve recently added and expanded to any couple who is on the brink of demise in their relationship. Ultimately, we separate the couples and then bring them back together when it’s time to depart. Mr. Alister Ivory has always been an advocate of a healthy marriage and family dynamic because of his own quite damaging upbringing. He believes divorce could be significantly reduced if couples go through this program, which is very much disguised as a fun, all-inclusive, but also an exclusive resort vacation.” I found myself completely taken aback. This was different… This was…strange. Alister wanted to help couples?

“There are countless success stories as seen here.” Suzanne clicked the remote and on the large screens behind her, images of smiling couples and quotes from them appeared.

“La Gabbia saved my marriage, but also allowed me time to rest and pour back into my cup as a mother and wife before going back home with our baby, which we were also able to have made possible thanks to La Gabbia. My husband and I have never been as close. Thank you, Mr. Ivory and team!” A woman’s voice played through a video clip, and then was seen rocking her baby as her husband looked on lovingly.

Suzanne clasped her hands together and looked at us before opening her arms wide. “My beautiful doves, you will each be assigned a section of La Gabbia and begin working with new guests today. Remember to smile and speak quietly. The guest is always, always right. However, I must add that no one, and I mean no one, is allowed to depart from La Gabbia under any circumstance unless they go through our check-out process. This is simply to maintain the utmost safety and security of our guests.” Suzanne took a sip of a pink liquid from a champagne flute and lifted it into the air. Within seconds, an entire group of women dressed exactly like me swiftly moved through each row and gave us all a champagne flute as well.

“Cheers to the most amazing experience of your life, and a job you’ll never retire from or leave…” Thea tipped her flute gently as the girls around me did the same, and I mimicked them.

I didn’t actually drink the champagne because, as soon as I inhaled the fragrance, nausea pooled in my belly.

The scent of peonies made my head feel light.

“Do you smell that?” I turned to the girl next to me, who was licking her bottom lip after she finished drinking.

“Smell what?” She shrugged.

“Floral? Peonies, maybe?” I whispered.

Her forehead crinkled as she eyed me with confusion. “No?”

I nodded and looked away, swallowing the saliva in my mouth to coat the dryness of my throat, which felt like it was closing in on me.

“I’m Taylor, by the way.” She reached her hand out and I looked down at it.

“The music industry didn’t work out?” I added with an awkward laugh.

Taylor looked at me with annoyance. “You are the strangest person I’ve ever met. I don’t understand what you are talking about.”

“Like Taylor Swift?” I had just recently learned about Taylor Swift from Marcie, who loved to quietly hum her songs before bed.

“Oh, yeah. Okay. Ha.” Taylor let out a fake laugh and then looked at the girl on her other side.

I felt embarrassed. I was trying to be this normal girl talking to someone, but I made a fool of myself. Maybe the truth was, I’d never be normal or even able to pretend to be.

“Time to stand and shuffle out quietly, little doves. Someone will be there to guide you to your stations and guests as soon as you exit.”

Taylor stood excitedly as I stared at Suzanne. She was looking right back at me without blinking. Tilting her head, she lifted her hand and wiggled her fingers at me.

I wasn’t going to depict weakness or fear, so I forced a smile on my face. Suzanne knew something about me already—maybe everything—and now I needed to know everything about her and this so-called family and marriage saving resort.

CHAPTERFOUR

I was assignedto shadow my roommate Marcie for half of the day, and then I’d take over and jump right in to helping guests get situated with their stay. “Essentially, the couples come through and check in. The bell boys will collect their luggage and put it in their separate rooms.” Marcie was walking rapidly, and I was jogging to keep up. Her blonde hair shook with every turn as she pointed at buildings. “This is for our female guests. Do you want to peek into the room to familiarize yourself with it?” I shrugged and nodded as she scanned her badge and a door slid open. Repulsion grew in my body as it resembled the doors at the Ivory estate back in Charlotte.

Except there was no small all-white twin bed or white brick walls. Instead, it was a beautiful room with ocean views and a large bed. A towel crafted into a bird was sitting on the end of the bed, while a bottle filled with blush-pink liquid, along with a unique set of products, sat on the nightstand.

“What is that?” I pointed, knowing it was the same ‘champagne’ we had toasted with just a mere hour ago.

“Infused-sparkling water, and the Ivory-exclusive skincare.” Marcie walked to the balcony and slid the door open. Something buzzed in her pocket.

Marcie lifted a phone-like device in the air. “This will warn you anytime your assigned guests open their doors.”

“Why would we need to know that they opened their door?” I walked over and joined her on the balcony. The scent of sea salt as the sunshine warmed my skin was comforting.

“So they don’t escape.” Marcie was staring straight at the ocean without a hint of humor on her face.

“Are you…” I started, but she jerked her body toward me, and I walked backward into the white brick wall.

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