Felipe pulled the car up to the entrance of the resort. I stepped out and felt my jaw drop. The main entrance was huge and open to the air. High above marble floors beautiful gossamer fabric hung in giant loops fluttering gently in the soft ocean breeze. Big, comfy chairs adorned the lobby and a babbling creek ran along the side complete with several small wooden foot bridges. A beautiful bar in the corner served drinks in colorful glasses. I could see only top shelf liquor.
I gulped. This was by far the nicest place I had ever been in. It really was a tropical paradise. There was no way I would have been able to afford a place like this on my vet tech salary. I wondered how much the radio station paid for all this, or rather what connections they had that allowed them offer a free vacation in a place like this. I shook my head at the thought of all that money and power.
“You must be Ms. LaRue. I am Anna,” said a female voice with a soft British accent. A woman in a linen sleeveless dress stepped forward, a smile highlighting her tropical features. I smiled nervously and nodded. “We’ve been expecting you. If you would follow me to check-in please.” She smiled again and gestured towards a glass-enclosed office in the corner of the lobby. I picked up the handle to my suitcase, but she waved a hand to stop me. “The bellhop will take it to your room for you. You are on vacation, Ms. LaRue,” she said as she smiled, her white teeth beautiful against her dark skin. A man in a navy-blue uniform hurried over and reached for my suitcase. I let him take it and he gave a curt nod and placed it on a luggage trolley. “If you will please follow me?”
Anna opened the door to her office and cold air-conditioned air flowed out. I stepped inside and sat gingerly down on a leather chair.
“I just need your signature here to indicate that you are checking in. Music Radio Inc. has already covered all charges,” Anna said handing me a pen and an important looking document. “I will need your signature on the next page as well. It is simply a liability waiver and that you agree not to damage the property.”
I scanned the document quickly, looking over the legal words and evaluating. Anna waited patiently as I read every word, her eyes only confused for a moment. Most people must not read this, I thought, but I wanted to know exactly what I was signing. The control freak in me had to make sure I was in control of what I agreed to. It was the standard legal agreement I was expecting, so I signed it with a flourish.
“Excellent. You will be staying in Cabana Four. Here is your identification bracelet. This simply notifies staff that you are staying at the resort and will allow you to access all the dining facilities, beverage stations, and the spa,” Anna said as she handed me a bright pink rubber bracelet. She helped me fasten it as she continued. “You have complete access to all the amenities of the resort. If you need anything, please ask any of our staff. I have included a packet with all the information you will need for your stay.”
I peeked in the envelope. There was a certificate for a beach massage, some rental vouchers for water sports equipment, and menus for the different restaurants on the resort. I tried to keep my fingers from shaking; this was really happening. I was having a vacation that people only dream about. That stupid happy smile crept back onto my face.
“Well, everything is done here. Are you ready to go to your cabana?” Anna asked as she filed the paperwork. She laughed gently at my animated nod. “Follow me, please.”
Anna led me out of the lobby to a pristine white golf cart. Felipe winked at me from the driver’s seat as I climbed in next to him. Anna wished me a happy stay and I hung on tight as Felipe started down the beautifully gardened path.
“Enjoying yourself so far?” he asked, smiling at my obvious excitement.
“I can’t believe it’s real. This place is beautiful,” I said. My eyes darted around the resort as he drove me towards the beach. Everywhere I looked were big beautiful trees and tropical flowers. It was exactly what I thought a tropical paradise should look like. The movies, for once, were right.
“There are three pools on the property. The one closest to the main restaurant is where all the activities occur. We have water aerobics, pool volleyball, and other games throughout the day for anyone interested. The beach is open at all times, as are the pools,” Felipe explained as we drove by a giant pool with a swim-up bar. He continued on about the five restaurants, the evening entertainment shows, the eight bars, and the myriad of other opportunities the resort offered, but I had stopped listening. I could see the ocean.
It was so big. And blue. And probably the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my life.