Shari’s Hallmark was crowded as last minute shoppers stood before the Valentine display and scrambled to find the perfect card out of the ones left on the shelves.  It was February 13, one day before Valentine’s Day, the day of lovers.   

Riley wanted nothing but to close the doors of the store and burn every card left on display.  Where was her love this year?  Who was she with this time?  Would she even bother to pick up the phone and call her?  Anna traveled for her job and was on the rode the majority of the time.  It made romance very difficult never knowing when Anna would be in town or how long she would be home. 

Riley straightened quickly as she finally realized what she could do to surprise Anna.  She would contact Anna’s job, find out where she was and fly out to meet her for the night.  Riley was excited as she picked up the phone and placed the call.  Within minutes she knew what country and where Anna was staying. 

It didn’t take Riley long to call the airport, get her ticket and arrange for the flight to join Anna in the Caribbean.  On her lunch break, she slipped into the Women’s Store next door and bought a set of sexy black night wear for Anna.  The gift was for Anna but the treat inside was really for Riley to enjoy.  

After work, Riley grabbed up her purchases, pulled out the special card she had selected when they first arrived in January and made her way out of the store.  She had three days off and she planned on making the most of it.  With a smile on her face, Riley rushed home in time to pack and catch the limousine to the airport for her flight to the Caribbean. 

*** 

Riley stepped off the plane and immediately shucked her suit coat as the sweltering heat enveloped her although it was nearly eleven in the evening.  She looked around at the clamoring drivers begging her to take “their” rides.  She finally noted a lone female driver standing next to a blue car with the name of the hotel on the side panel.  Picking up her bag, Riley walked over to the car. 

“Do you take the passengers that arrive to the hotel?”  Riley asked hopefully. 

“Yep…that is why I am here.  Drop your bag and hop in the back.  I am waiting to see if any more need a ride.”  The tanned driver replied as she lifted her ball cap and wiped the sheen of sweat from her forehead with the palm of her hand. 

Riley set her bag down by the trunk before opening the door and sliding into the back seat.  She left the door open with the hopes that some breeze might find its way into the hot car.  Looking at her watch she noted that it was half past eleven and wondered if she would get to the hotel before Valentine’s Day.  She hoped so.  Smiling softly, Riley thought of the reaction that would cross Anna’s face.  Anna had been asking Riley to take time from work for a long time to join her for a long weekend.  She just hoped that she could talk Anna into staying put for the entire weekend. They had a lot of catching up to do, being apart weeks at a time. 

Riley moved restlessly and rechecked her watch. It was now eleven forty five and no one else was walking around the airport lobby.  The driver finally popped the trunk, tossed in Riley’s suitcase and ambled slowly around before sliding behind the steering wheel. 

The driver tilted the mirror until she could see Riley sitting in the back seat.  

“You registered at the hotel.” 

“No…I am surprising my girlfriend.  I’ll be staying in her room.” 

The driver quirked an eyebrow but didn’t say another word as she cranked the engine and drove out of the airport. 

Riley could hear the throb of the steel drums in the distance as they rode through the crowded streets.  It settled deep within her body and made her sway along to the primitive rhythm.  She glanced up in time to catch a smirk on the driver’s face which was peering at her once more through the rear view mirror. 

“Is something wrong?  “ 

“No, just watching the island taking hold of your soul.” 

Embarrassed, Riley asked curtly, “How much longer before we get to the hotel?” 

“We’ll be there before you can shake a leg.”  She stated as she cut the wheel of the car and abruptly pulled into the breezeway of the hotel. 

Riley reached out, grabbed for the door handle and the back of the seat as she fought to maintain her balance in the careening car.  Her package flew to the floor as the car stopped with a screeching of the brakes. 

“Your castle awaits, Milady.”  The driver laughed sarcastically as she flung open her door and tumbled out.  She opened Riley’s door as she headed toward the trunk to remove the suitcase she had stowed earlier. 

Moving back around to the open door, she paused as she watched Riley leaning over to retrieve the package from the floorboard.  A low whistle escaped her lips as she noted Riley’s pants pull tight against her buttocks while she was leaning over to pull the box from beneath the front passenger seat. 

Riley sat back up and turned in time to catch the cocky look on the driver’s face.  She realized that the woman must have been watching her as she dived under the seat to retrieve Anna’s gift.  Once more she felt her face flaming red.  Why do I let this woman get to me?  She thought as she climbed out of the car.  The driver had extended a hand to help her out but she ignored it as she turned toward her suitcase. 

Riley quickly walked into the hotel and stopped at the desk.  From the corner of her eye, she watched the woman from the car strolling toward the bar.  Looking again at her watch, Riley noted it was nearly midnight.  She reached out and rang the bell hoping someone would show up quickly to help her. 

*** 

“Yes ma’am.  What may I do for you?” A British voice asked, drawing her attention back to the desk. 

“I am here to join my girlfriend.  May I have the key to run 307?” 

The desk clerk looked startled as he fumbled with the keyboard in front of him.  “You said 307?  Anna Dupree?” 

“Yes, that is correct.” 

He paused as he looked up and asked.  “Is Ms Dupree expecting you?” 

“No, she isn’t.”  Riley smiled.   

“Let me ring her room and let her know you are here.” 

“Oh please don’t.  I want to surprise her with my visit.  May I just have the key please?” 

“I’m sorry but we must let our guests know when someone is asking for them.  We can’t just give out the key.  We safeguard our guest’s privacy.”  He replied crisply. 

Riley reached into her pant pocket and drew out her money clip.  Slipping out a hundred dollar bill, she leaned over the counter and whispered to the clerk.   

“I simply want to surprise her for Valentine’s.”   

The clerk looked around the lobby to see if anyone else was moving about.  He spotted Maggie, their driver, standing in the doorway of the bar, nursing a drink.  As he watched, Maggie turned and walked outside toward the swimming pool. 

“Well…” he paused as he slid the room card across the counter.  “I guess if you really want to surprise her I won’t be able to stop you anyway since you know her room number.” 

Riley smiled as she reached out and picked up the key.  “Thank you.” 

Riley picked up her suitcase and moved toward the elevator.  Within a few quiet minutes she was on the third level.  The elevator door slid smoothly open.  As the panel grew wider, her heart began to race with anticipation of the excitement she would see on Anna’s face.  She noted the room was to the right when she stepped off the elevator.  It took only a minute to reach the door.  Quietly, Riley slid the card through the key lock, watching for the light to turn green.  She twisted the knob and silently let herself into the room. 

*** 

A soft silver beam of light slipped through the partially open drapes highlighting the king size bed in the middle of the room.  Riley smiled as tremors coursed through her body when she anticipated the surprise on Anna’s face.  Eyes straining into the room she could see the shape of Anna’s body moving beneath the sheet.  As she stepped over the door sill, she heard sounds which made her stop in her tracks. 

Anna was moaning, not in pain but in ecstasy.  Riley knew because she had been able to elicit sounds just like that from Anna when they were making love.  Her jaw dropped as Riley’s eyes watched a second figure rise from beside Anna to drape passionately over her body as their legs intertwined.  The moon beam revealed it was a man in the act of making love to Anna, but not just any man.  It was Anna's boss. 

Riley felt her heart plummet to the pit of her empty stomach.  Nausea rose to block her airway, making speech impossible.  Without disturbing the couple in the room, Riley quickly backed out and silently closed the door.  She stood motionless with her forehead pressing against the door.  Tears as silver as the moon beam dropped soundlessly to the carpet as Riley’s heart broke in two.   

“SHIT….SHIT… SHIT!”  The litany of words reverberated through her mind as Riley tried to figure out what to do next.  She struggled to keep the sobs from escaping her throat as she stood back up and turned toward the elevators.  Without thinking, Riley left Anna and headed back down to the lobby.  Her vision remained impaired as she blinked hard to clear the tears from her eyes.  She could feel the compression band tight around her chest as she forced her breath out of her lungs.  The fingers of one hand gripped tightly to her suitcase while the other hand crushed the gift intended for Anna.  She felt the stinging burn of her nails burying within her palm as she finally looked down and dropped the gift on the floor of the elevator.   

When elevator reached the lobby, Riley crushed Anna’s gift beneath her foot as she walked off the elevator.  She stopped outside the doors as she tried to reason what to do next.  She didn’t want to go back into the reception area knowing that her expression would show how disturbed she was.   

Looking around, Riley noted an exit door toward the pool immediately to her left.  Quickly she turned and walked out onto the empty tiled area around the pool.  She saw row after row of cushioned loungers beneath the pale light of the moon.  Dropping her suitcase by the door, Riley walked to one that was in the shadows and sat down.  Finally her sobs broke loose as she muffled them by burying her face in her hands. 

*** 

“How could she?  Damn it!  I love her.”  Riley said softly to the empty night. 

“I take it the reunion didn’t go as expected?”  A deep voice floated out of the shadows. 

“Can’t you just leave me alone?”  Riley barked back as she recognized the voice of the driver that had picked her up at the airport.  She didn’t need some sarcastic hired help breathing down her neck while she tried to figure out what to do. 

“Sure I could, but as a guest, I can’t leave you out here all night long.  Was your girlfriend not in her room?” 

“Oh she was in her room alright…with someone else.”  Riley mumbled as she wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her jacket before answering. 

“Here.”  The driver said as she held out the napkin that was wrapped around her drink.  “It may be a little soggy but it is still better than your jacket.” 

“Thanks.”  Riley reached out and took the napkin from the driver’s hand. 

“I’m Maggie.” 

“Thanks…Maggie.” 

“So.  What do you want to do?” 

“Get shit faced drunk.” 

“I can help you do that.”  Maggie laughingly said. 

“Then let’s go.”  Riley said as she stood up. 

“Are you serious?” 

“Hell yes.  My name’s Riley.  Come on, let’s go.”  Riley headed back toward the exit door.  She picked up her suitcase and turned back toward Maggie.  “Is there any place I can leave this for now?” 

“Sure.  We’ll put it behind the desk.” 

*** 

Within minutes, Maggie and Riley were headed out the door toward Maggie’s car which was still parked in the drive.  The heat was rising even though it was after midnight.  Riley could still hear music in the distance as the warm air blew through the open window. 

“Do you want to talk about it?”  Maggie cut her eyes over toward Riley. 

“No I don’t.”  Riley answered stiffly as a sharp pain shot through her chest once again. 

“OK.   Let’s get drunk.”   

The car whipped into The Blue Loon’s parking lot and screeched to a sudden stop.  Riley reached out and jammed her hands against the dash as her body sprung forward. 

“Christ!  I want to at least stay in one piece if you don’t mind.” 

“Got you here alright, didn’t I?”  Maggie laughed loudly as she parked the car and jumped out. “Come on, night is wasting.” 

Riley followed Maggie into the brightly lit bar.  The volume of noise was enough to blow her ear drums out.  The strobe lights glared blaringly across the crowd of people filling most of the space within the tiny room.  The band cracked out a rocking rhythm of local reggae which caused bodies to sway all around them. 

Maggie elbowed her way to the bar with Riley following close behind her.  There were two empty stools and she claimed both of them. 

“What would you like to drink?”  Maggie asked as the bartender walked up. 

“Give me a double shot of tequila and a beer chaser.” 

Maggie raised her eyebrow as she placed their orders.   

Two hours later and several drinks under the belt, Maggie and Riley were leaning toward each other as they laughed over the last joke Maggie had told.  Riley slid from the stool.  Her knees buckled beneath her, causing her to sit down abruptly on the floor.  She lay back against the stool as tears of laughter rolled from her eyes.   

Maggie stood up to help Riley stand.  That was a mistake as Maggie’s knees folded under her and she landed in a heap on top of Riley.  That set off more laughter from both of them as they once more struggled to get off the floor.  Two other patrons, finally taking pity on them as well as wanting their stools, reached down and pulled both women back to their feet. 

“Come on Riley.  It’s time for us to get out of here while we still can.” 

“Oh hell no.  I am not riding anywhere with you after you have been drinking.”  Riley said as she weaved her way through the door, hanging onto the opening to keep her balance. 

“Who said I was driving?  I live right next door.  Now shut your trap and come on.” 

Hanging onto each other, Riley and Maggie managed to slowly make their way across the parking lot to a wooden house adjacent to the bar.  Maggie fumbled in her pocket until she pulled out a set of keys.  After several unsuccessful attempts to put the key in the lock, she stood up. 

“The hell with it.” 

Hanging onto Riley’s arm, Maggie lifted her leg and kicked the door inward.  It slammed open with a bang.  Side by side they forced through the doorway, still laughing over the loud noise of the door in the dawning of morning.   

“You take the bed and I’ll take the couch.”  Maggie stated as she walked over to the couch.   

Riley looked around at the studio apartment.  It was an open room with all but the bathroom visible.  She noted the bed against the far wall and managed to make her way over to it without falling over any of the furniture in the room.  Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she kicked off her shoes before pulling her legs up onto the bed and curling into a ball.  Within minutes Riley was out like a light. 

Maggie looked over at Riley and gingerly shook her head.  What a hell of a way to spend Valentine’s.  Here she expected to be with her girlfriend and instead we both end up shit faced drunk.  She stood and wobbled her way over to the bed.  Leaning down she lifted the folded blanket and let it drift back down over Riley’s sleeping body.   

Stumbling back over toward the door, Maggie propped a chair against the broken door before returning to the couch to lie down.  She reached out and turned out the lamp before quickly falling asleep. 

*** 

Riley awakened to the smell of coffee.  She sat up quickly in a state of confusion.  Where in the hell am I?  She wondered as she looked around the room.  Her head throbbed as if a ten pound hammer was being slammed against it from the inside.  Her mouth was dry and cottony.  Her lips were nearly cracked with dryness too. 

Across the room, Riley saw Maggie pouring out two cups of coffee.   

“How are you feeling?”  Maggie asked as she turned toward Riley with the coffee in her hands.   

“Right now, like hell.” 

“You want cream or sugar.” 

“No…black is fine.” 

“Good.  I don’t have either anyway.”   

There was silence as the two women drank their coffee.  Finally, Riley stood and looked around.  Maggie pointed to the only closed door in the room as Riley walked toward it.  

“You’ll find a new toothbrush in the medicine cabinet if you need it.” 

“Thanks,” Riley mumbled as she entered the bathroom. 

Maggie slipped on a clean pair of jeans and a clean tee shirt while Riley was in the bathroom.  She picked up their empty coffee cups and carried them over to the sink. 

Riley came out of the bathroom, crossed to the bed, and retrieved her shoes.  After sinking onto the couch she slipped her shoes on.  Leaning back, she simply sat silently as she watched Maggie rinsing out the cups. 

“Have you decided what you want to do?”  Maggie spoke without turning around. 

“I want to go home.”   

“What about your girlfriend.” 

“I can’t get into it down here.  I’ll wait till she’s home next week.  Can you take me to the airport?” 

“Sure.  Let’s swing by and get your suitcase.” 

“NO!  I don’t want to run into Anna.  Can you mail it back for me?” 

“No problem.  Give me your address.” 

Maggie quickly jotted down the address.   

“Are you ready?”  Maggie asked as she picked up her keys. 

“I guess so.”   

Maggie walked over and removed the chair from in front of the door.   

“I’ll get it fixed later.”  She said sheepishly as they walked out to the car. 

The ride to the airport was made in silence.  The town was finally quiet now that the sun was reaching midpoint in the sky. 

Maggie walked to the ticket counter with Riley and waited as she purchased her return ticket.   

“I just made it in time.  The next flight leaves in a little less than an hour.” 

“Good.  At least you won’t have to wait long before you can get back home.” 

“True.” 

Silence fell between them as the minutes slowly passed.  Finally the boarding announcement reverberated throughout the room.  Riley stood up and turned toward Maggie. 

“Thank you, Maggie, for helping me out.  I don’t know what else to say.” 

“Then don’t say anything.  I’ll send your suitcase out this afternoon.  It should reach you within a week.” 

“Thanks.”  

“Riley, I had fun last night even though the situation was not good.” 

“So did I.” 

“Listen, if things don’t work out between you and your girlfriend, think about making a trip back to the island.  I’d like to see where our friendship leads.  I really like you.” 

“Thanks Maggie.  I had fun with you too and I’ll keep the invitation in mind.” 

Last call for Flight 555 to New York.  A voice called out over the loudspeaker. 

“Well guess this is it.”  Riley said as she walked down the boarding ramp. 

Maggie stood at the window and watched until the plane was a small dot on the horizon.  She turned and made her way quickly out of the airport and headed back toward the hotel.  Her thoughts turned to Riley, hoping that she would soon be seeing her on the island.  As she drove toward the hotel, the plane crossed once more in front of her windshield.  She nodded her head as if to say see you soon.

The End

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