Waiting Lounge Siesta

Waiting Lounge Siesta

Eliana had barely savoured the cold creamy ice pop, when the thick fluid components began seeping through her fingers which suddenly slipped into condensation before regaining the popsicle’s grip. The viscous melt managed to swirl its way through her rosy digits dribbling on and simultaneously stealing the heat from her chest. Besides that, it also snatched away the bright pride of her snowy white crop top. She’s been sitting in the waiting lounge for close to two hours and had partially managed to convince herself that to meet her destiny she also had to be resilient to long pauses. And because the heat had become more unbearable, she had decided to seek intervention from an ice pop vendor, though her disquiet couldn’t let her give it a go. It instead laid in her hand, maybe incurably cursing its hapless fate. The day’s clock was at the peak of sunshine, the tactically fitted electric fans seemed to have absconded into despair, apparently just dancing the irresistible tunes of being plugged into sockets. Eliana let her eyes close in a way that appeared restful, with the heat licking her deep tanned and engaging face. The summer was undoubtedly getting a better part of her.

Now, resting on a blue and white stripped fabric deck chair on a lone beach restaurant on the cliff holding a glass of sex on the beach cocktail, Eliana watched the ocean breath engaged in its rhythmic rises and falls. She closed and opened her eyes the oceans lullaby, breathing with pleasure its touching salty breath. The storms seemed strong but gentle enough for the skating boys, maybe because they’ve never been victims of storms. Three years into meeting Gordon, she opened her eyes and watched him admirably as the strong wind picked him up together with other ocean skaters, flinging them into the briny waves and then acrobatically back to the water surface. The best she had seen of a third-year love anniversary. The waves grew larger and so did the joy and the systemic sea game, the voluntary entertainers rose up and down the mighty sea swells with ease as if they were being controlled by an invisible anchor. 

The game went on until some stormy clouds began rolling in, giving the bright sun a hazy orange appearance. The sun was at the brink of ushering in her golden ambience. The rhythmic poundings of the storms became more audible as human voices began going down. Eliana closed her eyes draped in pleasure to accompany the late day’s saline breeze. She opened up her eyes only to find out everything had changed in a wink. She was alone in the beach resting on her blue and white stripped South sea deck chair, this time not at the restaurant on the cliff, though she still had the cocktail glass firmly gripped in her right hand. She raised her head to eye the cliff and the elegant restaurant that had always rested on it, it was unusually empty. The beach on the other side had no Gordon, no skate boys, no restaurant, no onlookers. She was instead staring subconsciously around in the middle of a deep bronze miles of sand stretched out alongside the salty water. How she had reached this point from the restaurant now in absentia, she had no idea.

The beautiful orange lighter of the day had fast taken a golden aspect on the western horizon with a silent and clear warning, in a while, it would be making way for its largest infinite reflector. Eliana who had barely moved, except for her rapid heartbeats and neck twists, helped herself up the deck chair. sitting still, she wheeled her neck to glance at all perceivable horizons eventually resting on the cliff which now hosted two tall khaya trees. She took in two long breaths then jumped off the deck chair, dropping down the cocktail, she coldly tiptoed towards the ocean shore to face the storms. The intensity had gone down, though she could still get the poignant hissing tunes from within. She scanned around for the third time and was certain she had no company. What scared her most was the fact that she didn’t even feel scared. She made a bold step, letting the cool water lap on her feet, fizzing and bubbling like brine. She enjoyed the tender storms washing off her pretty feet leaving with them a salty taste. But the pleasure died moments later when she began making out her name from the hissing sounds of the breeze. She turned to gaze at her deck chair and it was gone. Seemingly long gone in seconds, no trace to show it ever rested on the spot. Her cocktail glass laid on the land, no single crack. She made a step towards it but again heard her name this time from the ocean behind her, immediately she turned back to have hand the voice a glance, she felt gentle palms on her shoulders, shaking her rapidly. She jumped up and… 

“Hey, we’ve been looking for you everywhere. See how you’ve messed up yourself and the floor”

Eliana hesitantly opened up her eyes, she was still seated in waiting lounge, the only difference is that this time she had tens of familiar faces dresses in smileys starring at her. Her melted popsicle had spread all over her chest messing up her crop top, part of it that had slid off her hand onto the floor was gradually fading into the tiles. A wasted refreshment wasn’t a big deal. Gordon was kneeling right in front of her, hands on her shoulders. 

“Gordon! Jesus! I need to rush to the washroom. Please get me one of your shirts”

“Okay. Here” Gordon responded

“Thanks” she grabbed the yellow round necked shirt that Gordon had partially pulled out his hand bag before sprinting to the washroom direction.

An attendant stepped in to mop out the creamy mess on the floor. 

“That was a long wait. She decided to take a nap and maybe a great dream to share. You guys should find out” the cleaner commented smiling at Gordon and his company. He patted him on the shoulder then added as he walked away.

“Not a bad waiting lounge siesta”