I ignored their gold-digging, no-man-having asses. I looked at Michelle. “Shelly, my room alone is at least a grand a night. If you do the math and add up all of our rooms that’s damn near twenty grand!” I exclaimed as April and Britni listened absorbedly.
“Oh, no Na-Na. We’re all sharing a suite. He was insistent on you having your own. You know, for privacy. Even he knows how introverted you are,” she informed as she made gestures with her eyes to make reference to Britni and April. That was code for he knew I didn’t get down with them like that. But my question then was why would he pay for them?
“We originally planned to take you back to North Carolina and hang out there for the weekend but when I called Azmir to be sure we weren’t interfering with any plans you two already had he told me you hadn’t even mentioned your birthday. Although he didn’t exactly say it, I think he felt a little slighted. He thought this would be a good way to get back at you for being so undisclosed.”
She gave a contrived laugh to lighten the moment. A laugh that I’m sure wouldn’t have been provided had we’d been alone. Michelle stayed on my back about giving Azmir a chance.
“Ummmmm…Rayna, you never answered my question. What’s that chocolate like in bed? Does he melt in your mouth?” April asked while laughing with Britni. I could tell Michelle’s patience was running low.
“I think that’s three too many mimosas for you, April!” Michelle warned.
“Why would you wanna know? I thought all you tricked were old, rich Italian men on their death beds,” I reciprocated.
Britni and Michelle belted out huge laughs. Even the masseuse chuckled at that one. April, though upset, kept her chicken-head ass mouth shut at that one. I put my sunglasses back on and lay back in my chair trying to process what I had just learned.
After our spa treatments we had brunch at a deli there on the resort. As an act of peace, Michelle convinced us to participate in water sport activities. But just before, she pulled me aside and gave me a maternal verbal lashing. She suggested that I suspend my mixed feelings about Azmir funding this trip because it was done out of benevolence. I reluctantly agreed and immediately began working on my disposition so that I could enjoy the luxury vacation. Besides, a part of me was relieved that Britni and April didn’t pay for this so I didn’t have to reciprocate.
We parasailed, snorkeled, and took a boat around the island. We even had time for a bus tour around the island, viewing other resorts and the impoverished areas. It was sad to see the clear contrast of beauty and poverty in one small vacinity. That truly amazed me. Michelle had a slight emotional breakdown experiencing it. I tried to console her as she silently wept right there in the tour bus. It was slightly embarrassing but I understood how my dear friend was extremely sensitive. In all, we had quite an adventurous day. We took lots of pictures and even video’d some of our excursions.
We arrived back to our rooms at around seven that evening. I threw off my clothes for a much needed shower and washed and blow-dried my hair. I sprayed my body down with lightly scented body oil and slipped on a racer back dress that fell well above my knees. I was headed to the phone to call the girls and suggest we check out the comedy club before I heard a knock at the door.
“Ya’ll must have read my mind,” I muttered underneath my breath headed towards the door. I grabbed the knob, swung the door open, and was extremely surprised and baffled. He stood there in all of his 6 foot 4 inch chocolate grandeur. His head was tilted toward the floor, plastered with an enormous boyish smile.
“Happy Birthday,” Azmir uttered in his silky baritone pitch.
“What are you doing here?” I breathed while eyeing him from head to toe.