Page 18 of Vitamin Sea
Six months ago, she had certainty. Certainty of a husband, certainty of a family, certainty—as juvenile as it might sound—of a happily ever after. That certainty had been brusquely torn away, and a hollowness had settled in instead. Which was an apt description of how she was feeling in that moment—hollow.
She took a deep breath in and tried to reframe her thoughts. The breakup was bad, yes. But, she thought, it could have been worse. If Liam had cheated on her and ended up with a baby, thatdefinitelywould have been worse.
A wave of nausea swept over her as it suddenly hit her that, not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday, he would end up with a baby and a partner. She had known with every fiber of her being that the two of them were going to get married, have a family, and grow old together. It was a fact. Something she had known just as she had known that the sun would rise in the East every morning and set every evening in the West.
Being hit with that realization while on a vacation she was supposed to be taking with her ex was shattering.
Chloe’s stomach suddenly turned and she thought she was going to vomit.
“You’re awake!” Lala’s jubilant-sounding voice cut through her thoughts and Chloe looked over to see her friend.
Alarm crossed Lala’s face as she took in Chloe’s expression.
“Hey.” Lala’s voice took on a more serious tone. “What’s going on?”
Chloe grimaced.
“Liam,” she said with misery. “It just hit me. At some point he’s going to have a family with someone else.”
“Whoa,” Lala said emphatically. “That’s a lot.” She paused. “Listen—I don’t know how to help you out with that one right now, but let’s get you some tequila,” she turned to a passing waitress in a black skirt. “Two margaritas, por favor.” She glanced again at Chloe and then turned back to the waitress. “Better make them doubles.”
The sun lounge next to Chloe creaked as Lala flopped down onto it.
“I’m sorry.” Chloe was apologetic. “I’m not trying to be a downer. My mind just started to wander. I think keeping myself so busy the past few months has kept me from thinking about it. But being here . . .,” she trailed off.
Lala nodded.
“I get it. Don’t beat yourself up over it. We’re here to relax, rewind, and refresh. And,” she added as an afterthought, “for you to write. On that note, we’re going to start off with some relaxation.”
Chloe spied the waitress on her way back with a tray that held two margaritas.
“Margarita relaxation?” Chloe inquired.
“Something something—‘tequila makes her clothes fall off’.” Her friend quoted a popular country song about the harsh-tasting liquor. “If your clothes are falling off you, I don’t know how you can get much more relaxed than that.”
Chloe pondered then conceded.
“You do have a point.”
The waitress set the margaritas on the table between their loungers while Lala rummaged around in her purse for a tip.
“Gracias,” the woman smiled as she took the American money and the two of them thanked her back.
“Cheers!” Lala lifted up her glass and clinked it against Chloe’s.
She picked up her own glass and was just about to take a sip when Lala put her hand on Chloe’s arm to stop her.
“Wait!” Lala said dramatically.
Chloe was confused.
“What—?” Chloe started but Lala cut her off.
“First off,” her friend said fiercely, shooting her a fiery-eyed stare. “Fuck Liam.”
Chloe’s eyes widened as Lala continued.
“This trip is to get away from him, forget the shit he’s put you through, and celebrate the radiant, kind, caring, smart, sassy, and all-around fabulous person you are.” She raised her margarita again and tapped it against Chloe’s glass.
