Page 23 of The Summer Request
“It’s too hot,” Michelle said. The UV index was sky-high too. The sun would age them three years.
“Come on. It’ll be fun,” Val pleaded. “We can sit back and relax and watch the ocean.”
Unfortunately, the butler overheard Val and ran over to tell her he’d already reserved the best cabana for them. Michelle felt bad turning him down, so she relented.
Val ended up being absolutely right. Under the shade of the bright yellow cabana, they could feel the breeze off the ocean while enjoying the view of the striking blue water.
“It’s not the Maldives,” Lisa said, “but it’ll do.”
Michelle laughed. Perhaps it was the two Mai Tais the butler had brought her, but this beach vacation was far more enjoyable than she’d expected. Their ever-attentive butler never appeared empty-handed. If he didn’t have a drink, he’d show up with a tray of chilled strawberries, or ice-cold chocolates, or raspberry cake pops. It was like something out of a movie. Michelle was starting to see what Val meant about getting used to luxury.
She ended up being the only one who actually went into the ocean. The waves were surprisingly high, and she leapt and played, bodysurfing like a kid. It was the most fun she’d had in weeks. Months, maybe.
That night, they had dinner at a local Cuban restaurant. It wasn’t fancy in the least, but the food was spectacular. It felt much more Justine-like than the hotel – the place was family-owned, down to earth, and genuine.
Afterwards, Michelle suggested they spread some of Justine’s ashes at the beach. “She obviously loved this place if she wanted us to be here.”
“You’re right,” said Val. “Let me get my candles.”
“Candles?”
Val nodded, digging through her bag. “Yes. I brought a candle for us to light for her at every location. You know how she loved candles.”
Lisa’s face faded into a quivering frown. “She really did.”
They made their way out on the beach, struggling to walk until they abandoned their shoes. The sand was oddly cold despite the heat of the day.
They reached the edge of the black ocean. They couldn’t see any stars, and the wind was fierce, ripping through their clothes and hair. The waves had picked up enormously, crashing with a fury they hadn’t seen during the day. The spray from the water sent a chill through Michelle’s body.
Val struggled to light the candle until Lisa stepped in to block the wind.
When she’d finally lit it, she cleared her throat. “Here we lay to rest our beautiful friend, Justine Miller. She had all of the fun, color, and beauty of Miami in her soul, and was the most generous person we’ve ever known. Rest in peace, Justine. We love you.”
Michelle opened the box and stuck her hand in, removing a handful of fine, sand-like ash. “We love you, girl.”
Nine
The next morning, they were enjoying breakfast on their balcony when there was a call from the front desk.
Lisa answered, “Hello?”
It was the butler. “Hi. I’m so sorry to disturb you, but I believe you may have a visitor? It’s actually for Miss Valerie Villano.”
Michelle and Val had followed her inside and Lisa poked at the phone, trying to figure out how to put it on speaker. She finally found the right button. “Oh okay. Who is it?”
“She says her name is Chloe Evans. Is that someone you’re expecting?”
Lisa dropped her plate onto the floor. Somehow, it didn’t shatter. “I told you,” she whispered. “We’re going to get in trouble.”
“I’m not here!” yelled Val.
The butler hesitated. “Yes, of course. I never confirmed you were here.”
“Hang on,” Michelle said. “Shouldn’t we listen to what she has to say?”
“No!” Lisa said. “We should be trying to sneak out of here.”
“Oh, stop.” Michelle shook her head and leaned over the speaker. “Tell her we’ll meet her in the café.”
