Chapter 3

AVA

I step inside my room, it is stunning. It's a suite which I got at a discounted rate as I negotiated the price down telling them they would be featuring in my travel vlog and on my YouTube channel and pretty much everywhere else. Since I told them I have nearly half a million followers they were quite happy to provide a suite at the double room pricing.

In front of me is the king size bed with crisp white sheets and the hugest pillows you can imagine. It looks so inviting. It stands centre point of the wall in front of me that is covered in a gold wallpaper with swirls of gold decorating it and doves. It is magical and soothing on the eye. To the right are balcony floor to ceiling doors that are currently open, I can feel a faint breeze coming through. Excited I drop my rucksack on the floor, slip out of my trusty Nike trainers and enjoy the coolness of the tiles beneath my feet. I make my way to the balcony, it has gorgeous iron work that is bowed with large flowers decorating it. There is a lemon tree to the left and an orange tree to the right. I can smell the fragrance.

My view is stunning. I can see the old tiled roof tops of the village below me and in the distance the mountains. I inhale. This is heavenly. I adore mountains, I love to walk the trails and hike. Mike and I used to go rock climbing together. I suddenly feel a pang of sadness knowing that I won't be going climbing anytime soon. Nor will I be seeing him again, ever. Not unless we bump into each other back home in Chicago. I'm not sure that I want to hence this trip which wasn't planned since I had a wedding I was supposed to be taking care of. I sigh and focus on the mountains and the sounds beneath me.

There is a courtyard with a fountain in the middle. People are sitting at café tables each one a different colour. It looks so bright and cheerful and I think I will go down and have a coffee soon. I could hit the pillows and fall asleep, only I know that isn't the best thing to do. I grab my camera that is still slung over my chest and begin to take pictures of the people laughing and talking animatedly. I adjust it slightly to take in the mountains that reign the landscape with a majestic presence.

When I'm done I flop myself down on the bed and prop myself up with two of the large pillows.

It is time to call my mum. We have a wonderful relationship and to me, she is the best mother in the world. She's never stood in the way of my dreams nor has she balked ever when I told her I didn't want to go to college and that I wanted to pursue my dreams to travel. She encouraged me. The only thing that was ever a sticking point was Mark.

Mum has or had nothing against Mark but what caused her concern was the fact that at just eighteen we had fallen so hard for each other. My mother wanted me to experience the world before I settled down not be tied to anyone. I wish I had of listened. I'd have saved myself an awful lot of heartache and tears. But you know what it's like when you're young and in love with someone. Everything is exciting.

At first Mark had been supportive of my travelling, he often came with me and we've had some fantastic holidays in places as far as Bali, Indonesia, India and Amman. We talked, held hands and made love until the early hours of the morning until we were both sore and raw. Mark went to college and studied finance and had his first offer during his last year. It was too good to refuse and he accepted the job with Fornes & Co. Then our travelling together took a nose dive. No longer could Mark accompany me on so many trips. He only had twenty days holiday a year and by the time they came round, well suffice to say he was pretty much too exhausted to enjoy them. The company kept him busy and towards the end of our relationship it was not unusual for him to be working twelve hour days and bringing work home on top. Naturally our sex life took a steep nose dive too. But I loved Mark with all my heart. He was my childhood sweetheart and I wanted to be able to support him and stand by him. Yet I wasn't going to give up my dream either. Perhaps I didn't compromise enough or perhaps he wasn't willing to give enough.

When he proposed it was the most natural thing in the world to say yes and that was when the issues started. The, "why are you travelling again?" conversations would launch themselves from his lips. I cut back on international travel and concentrated on closer-to-home travel. Now as I lay here looking up at the rustic terracotta tiled ceiling, I realise it wasn't just me. He wanted somebody it turned out that was going to be on his arm at the drop of a hat, to accompany him to work events, dinners and the like. He wanted somebody to be at home when he came through the door from a long day. That's not me, I can't be that homebody person, no matter how much I knew he wanted me to be. I sigh and hit the phone icon for mom's number. Even though it is early in Chicago I know my mom. She will be waiting for me to call so I don't hesitate to ring her.

Her voice sounds relieved when she hears me say. "Hi Mom. I'm safe and in my suite."

"I am so relieved honey. I miss you already. How is the room? How was the flight?" I smile as she asks me the questions.

"The flight was uneventful you know a bit long, such a drag. I hate flying for so long but I love it when I get to the destination." I say. "The room is a suite, it's amazing. I have a balcony with mountain views and a terrace below. It's beautiful mom, so beautiful. I'm pleased I came and stopped moping around back home."

"Good. It's what you needed. There was no point moping around. It wasn't going to change anything sweetheart. Mark has made his mind up and unfortunately he wants a different life now. I guess that is what happens when you start to move up the ladder in a corporate organization." I nod. She's right he did change and want a different life. Not the life I wanted. I am not done with wanderlust not yet. Or maybe, I muse, I haven't met the right man that I'm willing to give it all up for. I express this to my mother.

"You may be right honey." She says. "It could be that you both grew up and grew apart. It happens."

"It didn't happen to you and dad mom."

"No, but then we're different people darling. I never wanted to travel the world like you do. Sure we enjoy our holidays and travelling but I was happy to settle down, have you and be a home maker. I like my part-time job at the library and I will be there until I retire." My mother is the prime example of the good housewife. She took a job in her early twenties with our town's local library and has been there ever since. Mom ought to receive an award for longest serving employee. She gets immense satisfaction from being surrounded by books and readers all day long. I mean I love to read but not quite like my mom. She can devour a book a night.

Dad is always poking fun at her. Asking her what romance dribble-drabble she's reading now. Her favourite genre being romance, especially anything involving billionaires that can take her jet setting away without ever having to leave the comfort of her favourite armchair in our cosy lounge back home. I smile. Mom makes me smile.

"I suppose you're right mom." I let out a sigh and calculate that it can only be around five in the morning back home. "Listen mom. Why don't I catch up with you tomorrow at a more sensible time for yourself. I want to unpack my rucksack and go out for a coffee and start to investigate. I'm sure I will be asleep early."

"Okay sweetheart. Be safe and don't talk to strange men." I don't think I will tell her about grumpy pants downstairs with his wonderfully sexy arms. I stop myself from thinking about him any further. He annoyed me with his arrogance and crossed arms in front of his toned chest. We hang up. I reach for my charger from the rucksack still on the floor by the bed and plug it in. Thankfully I remembered my European charger and don't have to go out to buy one like I did when I travelled to Paris last year. So frustrating.