After dinner, the six of us went down to the lobby together before going our separate ways. Cassie gave Mike another tight hug.
“I hope we keep meeting like this,” she said, “It’s been so much fun seeing you again.”
“It was nice to meet you,” Allison said brusquely, shaking Cassie’s hand.
“Your husband is so funny,” Cassie said.
“Oh yes, he’s a riot,” Allison said.
Jack put his hands on Emily’s shoulders. “This was nice,” he said, giving my wife a little squeeze. “I hope we see each other again.”
Emily blushed. “I’d like that.”
“Nice talking to you,” Cassie told me, as she gave me a little hug. She started laughing at her own joke.
I just shook my head.
Once the others were gone, Mike, Allison, Emily and I stumbled back to our room. The sun was slowly slipping down the horizon, making everything look dramatic. The heat was almost bearable now. I wasn’t comfortable, but I no longer felt like I wanted to escape my own skin.
I’d only had one drink at dinner; it was everything else that had me feeling drunk. We’d consumed like royalty, but now I was paying the price and it was too rich for my stomach.
“That was odd,” Allison said as we meandered back to our room.
“Running into Cassie?” Mike said, “She’s a nice girl, right?”
“She’s OK,” Allison said.
“It’s fun to catch up with people like that,” Mike said, “After so much time. Interesting to see where they’ve ended up. I’m happy for her, it seems like she’s got things going well.”
“Her husband is, like, her dad’s age,” Allison said.
“I think it’s sweet,” Emily said, “Finding true love so late in life.”
I eyed my wife. We hadn’t even gone to a park yet, but Disney was clearly already melting her usually analytical mind.
“I don’t know, don’t you think it’s kind of creepy?” Allison said.
“He’s so handsome,” Emily said, “I could see it.” I gave my wife a look and she shied away. “What?” she asked, “Don’t think I didn’t notice you giving Cassie the eye a couple of times, too.”
Had I been staring? I didn’t think so. But it wasn’t hard to imagine I had been looking a little, what with Cassie being Cassie and all.
“She’s always been gorgeous,” Mike said, “Imagine being Jack’s age with a woman like that.”
I waited for Allison to say something to her husband, but instead she turned to me.
“What do you think, Paul?” Allison asked.
“All of this is weird,” I said, “But who am I to judge if it works for them?”
Allison counted the words on her fingers, then cheered. Emily shook her head at her friend’s antics, but I could tell she was trying not to laugh.
“I’m going to get you, yet,” Allison told me, waggling her finger in my face. “Whole paragraphs. They’re coming, buddy!”
Whatever energy I had left was worn down by the walk back to our hotel room. I didn’t even have the strength to open up our bed. I flopped, face first, onto Mike and Allison’s.
“It’s still early,” Allison announced, “We should go to the pool.”
I groaned in response. I couldn’t imagine getting off the bed, let alone heading out for a swim.
“I want to go, too” Emily said.
“I want to die,” I said. My accent came through so strong, it was like Boris Badenov had entered the bedroom. I was too tired to care.
Mike, Allison, and Emily each took turns in the bathrooms, changing into their bathing suits. My consciousness flitted in and out as they went. I noticed Emily put on a black, conservative one-piece that covered everything and more. Allison had on something navy and utilitarian. Like something she might have competed in. Mike wore the standard male trunks; a blue, plaid pair.
“You’ll meet us there, Paul?” Allison asked as the group gathered their things to go.
“Sure,” I said. I was pretty certain I was done for the day. But at that point, I’d have made any promise that would let me pass out.
I felt Emily lean over and kiss the back of my head.
“See you in a bit,” she said, rubbing my back affectionately.
Then she was gone.
*
I woke up in near-darkness. The room was empty. Eerily quiet.
I looked out the doors to the balcony and saw a blackened parking lot staring back at me; the rows of streetlights mirroring the star-filled sky above. Though Emily and our friends were out and about, the sun had clearly called it a night. I’d slept for a little over an hour. I was so disoriented, I felt like I’d lost days.
When I looked at my phone, it showed me a text from my wife.
Emily, from about ten minutes before: Still at the pool. See you soon?
I groaned but got dressed. I found my bathing suit, a pair of green trunks, and pulled them on along with a t-shirt and some flip flops. At least I no longer needed to bother bringing sunscreen.
Outside, the resort was surprisingly lively. People had left the parks and were now filling the paths. Many of them seemed to be starting their evening, rather than calling it a night.
When I got to the pool, it was like stepping into the middle of a block party. People were everywhere; swimming, playing, or lying on the lounge chairs. Kids raced around while adults sat back and sipped large, obviously alcoholic drinks. Music blared, yet it was nearly drowned out by the roar of the crowd. It seemed like half the hotel was out and enjoying the atmosphere.
The only problem was, I couldn’t find Emily. I circled the pool twice, to no avail. I was certain people were staring at me — the weirdo wandering around the water. I was about to head back to the hotel room, assuming I’d just missed the group, when I heard a giggle.
It was strange. The laugh sounded like Emily and yet very much didn’t sound like Emily. Incongruous and familiar all at once.
I realized it was coming from a spot behind me. There was a set of stairs near the rock wall on one side that I hadn’t noticed till then. Or maybe I had seen it but dismissed it as an employee path or something like that.