Tela Beach: The Long, Quiet Vacation

The door was wide open when Ross stumbled in, his nap still with him. He could hear voices but saw no one. The bathroom door in this room was closed and voices came from inside the bathroom. Ross had no idea whose room this was. He left and looked around. He was standing on a deck that ran past all of the second floor rooms on this side of the building. He almost wished he had a room in this part of the resort.

He went down a few doors and found another open room. A big drunk Hispanic soldier with a giant head and a thick mustache yelled out a question to Ross.

“Where ya’ been? Party’s already started!”

“I was asleep.”

“Well, find a girl if there’s any left. Join the party.”

“Girls?” Ross asked.

“Yeah, there’s several of ‘em. Save one for me,” the drunk man said happily.

Holmes appeared, with an ice cold beer in his cold hand.

“Go have one, Ross. They’re in the sink,” Holmes said, much of his tan showing.

Now there was a nice room, whereas before there was just several square feet of space in a ramshackle open bay hooch. Now there was cold beer, whereas before there was briny water from old faucets and bad pipes. Now there were women, whereas before there was just the occasional glimpse of one of the handful of female Air Force personnel at the main base.

“I think I’ll have a beer,” Ross said.

A woman put her hand on his shoulder, so delicately he almost ignored the touch, and gracefully stood by his side.

“Let yer woman have a beer if she wants one,” Holmes said, speech slurred.

“I think I’ll do that,” Ross said. “Thanks.”

She smiled as she contained herself, and he forgot what she did.

“Do you like the beer?” he asked as he handed her one. She was near him. He was leaning back on a desk, comfortable. She was almost there, too.

She held up the bottle of Salva Vida and nodded her head slightly and put on a bigger smile. Neither was in a hurry, but they changed rooms as they needed more something. They found some music and some joes and another girl and danced a little.

They sat down on a bed. She was next to him and in contact with him. He was relaxed. The bed was soft. They watched the other people, who were broken up into small groups.