The Wait

Four characters, four hearts each desperately hoping for a dream to come true. A story about what happens when you're willing to wait.

The Wait: Part One

 

“Sally June Smithsonian, this is the last time I am going to accept a late paper, understood?”

Sally looked into the cold eyes of her history professor and realized that another apology would not extend his late paper grading mercies.

“Yes, Professor Dune,” Sally replied. “I understand.”

“Very well, be seated now.”

 

Sally took her regular seat in the front row of desks and unloaded her books. She loved her history major but now she was a senior and senioritis was hitting her hard. It was very rare that she turned in a late paper, until this spring semester. Sally sighed. She hoped she could rise above the typical senior wear-out and graduate magna cum laude.

 

~*~

 

“Jayvee! Where are the blueprints for the Monroe building?”

 

Jayvee Donald removed his hard hat from his head so he could see his boss from his standing point on a crane machine.

“I put them on the planning table, boss!”

“They’re not there,” his boss replied in a flat tone of voice.

Jayvee looked over to the construction table and realized that his boss was right. Suddenly, a thought occurred to Jayvee: he had left the blueprints in the office building that was three blocks away.

“I know where they are,” Jayvee told his boss. “May I have your permission to leave the construction site for ten minutes?”

“Ten minutes Jayvee,” his boss said. “And ten minutes only!”

“Yes sir,” Jayvee replied before taking off in the direction of the office building.

 

Five minutes later, Jayvee was inside of the main office. He burst through the front doors, passing Miranda the company’s receptionist, without a word.

“Jayvee!” Miranda called.

“What?” Jayvee said, circling back to her desk.

Miranda held out two big, cylindrical rolls of paper.

“Are you looking for these?”

Jayvee took the papers from Miranda’s hands and unrolled it to see that they were indeed the blueprints he needed.

“How’d you get these?”

Miranda opened her mouth to explain but before she could say a word, Jayvee realized the time.

“Sorry, I’ve got to go,” he said. “But thanks Miranda! You are a life-saver!”

 

A blush graced Miranda’s face but Jayvee didn’t notice as he took off running once more, this time in the direction of the construction site. He made it back to the site at the very end of the ten minutes his boss had allowed.

 

“Impressive,” the boss said, looking at his watch and then at Jayvee. “Are you sure your calling isn’t to be an Olympic athlete? I think track and field needs a talent like you.”

“No boss,” Jayvee said as he tried to catch his breath. “I love my day job.”

“Good,” his boss said. “Keep up the good work and I will consider you for that promotion as site manager.”

Jayvee beamed behind the drops of sweat that were cascading down his face.

“Thank you, sir.”

His boss nodded then dismissed Jayvee, telling him to return to work.

 

~*~

 

“Gowns, flowers, champagne and music: All in the fabulous life of moil!” Rebecca said with an undertone of cynicism. Rebecca’s tone of voice caused a look from her younger sister Marianne. “What’s wrong with you?” Rebecca sipped her tea and then replied “Mari, don’t you ever get tired of all the grand entrances, men at your feet and publicity in the papers?”

 

“Um,” Marianne said, looking over her big rimmed sunglasses at her sister. “No!”

Rebecca sighed, took a gulp of her tea and reclined in her chair, turning her gaze toward the exit of their expansive garden which was in the backyard of their parents’ mansion.

“We’re blessed to be living like this, Becca,” Marianne said. “Lose the attitude.”

 

Rebecca shook her head. “Mari, I feel trapped! Every week I’m expected to throw a party that’s better than the last. If mommy and daddy weren’t rolling in the dough with endless supplies of money, I wonder who would be my real friends.”

“As much as your lower income status could afford,” Marianne quipped.

“So you admit it,” Rebecca said. “People only like us because we’re wealthy!”

Marianne shrugged. “I know I have real friends,” she said.

“How?”

“Augusta and Pablo are always there for me.”

“That’s because you drive them everywhere in your Bentley convertible,” Rebecca said. “Those spoiled brats like living large at your expense!”

“That’s not true,” Marianne replied. “Augusta stood up for me when everyone else was bullying me and Pablo loves me for who I am, not what I can supply.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Sometimes, Becca, you just know.”

 

Rebecca stood up.

“That’s good that you’ve found real friends sis, but I’m still the wealthy outcast.”

Marianne shook her head. “You may have real friends that you just don’t know about, Becca,” she said. “And you are not an outcast! You’re more popular than me!”

“Yeah? Well it’s lonely on this side of the ocean,” Rebecca said as she began walking toward the house. “I’m going to party plan! The next bash is in only three days!”

“Have fun,” Marianne shouted. “And I’ll pray for that attitude of yours!”

 

~*~

 

“Vacation, vacation, vacation,” Marc chanted below his breath as he cleared his office table.

It was mid-April and he was trying to get his office organized so he could go on his long-anticipated vacation.

“Ahem,” a voice from the door said, interrupted his thoughts.

Marc looked up from the table to see his boss, the hotel owner Libby Walsh standing in the doorway.

“Libby!” Marc greeted.

Libby gave him a look and Marc remembered her professional policy.

“I mean Ms. Walsh,” Marc said with all the enthusiasm he could muster. “Welcome to my office! How many I help you?”

Libby didn’t move from her position in the doorway.

“Marc,” she said. “I just had our books audited and it has been brought to my attention that we need to make some cuts to the budget.”

Marc’s guard rose. “What do you mean?”

“You have to fire two maids and three janitors,” Libby said. “And I need you to work overtime on the weekdays.”

“But Ms. Walsh,” Marc protested. “You know I’ve planned my vacation for next week.”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” Libby said with a shrug.

“I don’t understand,” Marc said.

“Marc, you are a great worker,” Libby acknowledged. “But if you want to have a vacation, you have to show more dedication.”

“What?”

“Jill Towson is applying for your job,” Libby stated. “If I see improvement in the next two weeks, I will forget all about her application but if you do not show me that you are dedicated to the Walsh Hotel, I will consider replacing you.”

 

Marc started to laugh at the absurdness of this entire conversation but instead his maintained his composure and addressed his boss. “I’m sorry Ms. Walsh. It’s just not making sense to me.”

“Good day Marc,” Libby said as she spun on her heel to leave. “And good luck!”

 

Marc stood still for a moment as he watched his heartless boss of five years walk away. He then dropped the stack of folders he was holding in his hands back onto his desk. He needed the money so he would rise to Libby’s challenge. But if he didn’t work as well as she demanded, he just may consider taking a permanent vacation, one that started with a two-week’s notice.

 

~*~

 

The Wait: Part Two

 

“Sally, sweetie, you have to do your homework,” Mrs. Amanda Smithsonian encouraged her daughter. “You only have two weeks left! Just hang in there! You will be a graduate before you know it!”

“I know Mom, but I’m just so tired! I’ve worked my way through school and it’s just not paying off.”

“It will pay off as soon as you graduate and get that job at the Smithsonian. Just hang in there.”

“I haven’t even heard back from their office clerk. They’re supposed to call a prospective employee within two weeks, Mom. It’s been two months!”

“Sweetie, you never know what they have planned. They may be creating a job for you.”

“At the Smithsonian, Mom?”

“Yes, honey, you have excellent work experience and credentials! Employers make jobs happen for people like you.”

“I hope so,” Sally sighed.

“Your father and I are praying for you.”

“Thanks,” Sally replied. “I need all the prayers I can get!”

“Have a good day honey, we love you.”

“Love you too mom,” Sally said before hanging up the phone.

 

Sally sighed as she reluctantly turned her computer on and opened the word processor. It was time to start writing her term paper.

 

~*~

 

“Jayvee, I’m very proud of you,” Mr. Jon Matthews said.

“Yes sir,” Jayvee replied. “Thank you sir.”

“That is why I am giving you a promotion.”

“What?” Jayvee asked, completely surprised.

“Yes, next week I want you to start your new job as site manager.”

“No way,” Jayvee said, still surprised. “I mean, yes way! Thank you sir!”

Jayvee’s hard work for the Matthews Buildings Construction company had finally, after five years, paid off with the promotion to site manager and the pay raise that came with it.

Mr. Matthews gave Jayvee a swift slap on the back of his shoulders.

“Well deserved son,” he said. “It was well deserved.”

“I appreciate it sir,” Jayvee said. “And I’m ready to take this company to the next level.”

“Spoken like a true executive,” Jon said. “Now get back to work.”

Jayvee left his boss’s office, did a victory dance in the hallway then composed himself and returned to the job he loved.

 

~*~

 

Rebecca smiled at the paparazzi and then gracefully bowed before the royal prince of a small island country who had been invited to her party as her escort. The prince extended his arm and Rebecca accepted it with grace. The affluent couple waited as Rebecca’s servants opened the doors to the ballroom. Rebecca continued to smile as she greeted her guests who had arrived by the hundreds. After twenty minutes of greeting and smiling at people, Rebecca found herself being pulled by her escort Roberto the prince, to the dance floor.

 

“What are you doing?” she hissed in a low voice.

“There is a time for everything my dear,” he told her. “And it is time for you to dance.”

“I don’t dance,” Rebecca said. “I host. Now follow me. We have more people to welcome.”

The prince stood still, also bringing Rebecca to a halt. Not liking it when she doesn’t get her way, Rebecca spun around on her heels to face the prince in a fury. But her seething eyes were soothed by his sweet smile.

“We will greet,” Roberto told her softly. “But first, may I have this dance?”

Rebecca resisted the smile that wanted to spread across her face. Most of her dates and escorts to her parties obeyed her every word. This guest was different. She took it as a challenge.

 

“Very well,” she said, allowing Roberto to take her hand and lead her to the center of the dance floor.

Roberto and Rebecca stepped apart from each other and greeted each other: Roberto with a formal bow, Rebecca with a dainty curtsy, then joined hands as the music began on cue. The guests made space for Roberto and Rebecca to have the center of the dance floor exclusively. Rebecca had to fight to keep a cool composure as she realized what song was playing. It was “Someday My Prince Will Come” by Barbra Streisand. But one feature Rebecca could not control were her blue eyes which blazed with anger.

 

“What’s wrong?” Roberto asked.

“I told the music director to only play classical music,” she seethed loud enough for only Roberto ears to hear.

“This is classical music,” Roberto said with a smile.

“Do you smile at everything?” Rebecca asked.

“Only when I see beautiful people like you smiling back at me.”

“I haven’t smiled at you all evening.”

“Oh yes you have,” Roberto countered. “Your face may look angry but your heart is smiling.”

“How do you know?”

Roberto didn’t answer, he just smiled.

“You’re a real charmer, aren’t you?” Rebecca asked plainly before casting her gaze around the ballroom. The guests looked like they were enjoying themselves despite the music.

“No,” Roberto said, leaning in to whisper in her ear, “But you are a real beauty.”

Rebecca’s face flushed pink.

“Stop,” she said, distancing herself from the prince far enough so that they could still dance, but far enough to maintain distance.

The song ended and without a word, Rebecca left her prince in the middle of the dance floor. Realizing what she had done could be considered rude by her multitude of guests, she turned around to return to her prince, only to see that another woman was in his arms. Rebecca watched as the couple spun around the dance floor to the waltz themed music that was now playing. As Rebecca walked further into the crowd, her guests moved further into the dance floor leaving Rebecca to feel invisible as she stood by a colossal column as an observer of the dance. As tears threatened to cascade down her face, Rebecca decided to step outside into the garden and get a breath of fresh air.

 

~*~

 

“Vacation, vacation, please let me get a vacation,” Marc mumbled to himself as he waited behind the receptionist desk for the next hotel guest.

Libby had instructed him to fire one of their receptionists. He was now filling in for Sara, the timid former receptionist who acted like she was afraid of her own shadow and job. Marc froze in place as a well-known dignitary walked into the hotel’s lobby and toward the receptionist’s desk.

“Good evening,” the dignitary said upon approaching the desk.

Somehow Marc managed to unfreeze and speak.

“Good evening sir,” he managed to say.

“I need a room for one.”

“As you wish,” Marc said as his fingers flew across the keyboard of the computer as his eyes searched the reservations program for an available room.

“How long will you stay?” Marc asked.

“Five days.”

Marc nodded as he typed information into the computer. Marc paused to make eye contact with the dignitary.

“I’ll need your name, number and form of payment to complete this transaction,” Marc said and the dignitary obliged.

As Marc handed the room key to the dignitary, the man of great composure smiled.

“You are appearing to be quite the hard worker, Mr.,” the dignitary paused as his eyes searched for a nametag on Marc’s vest.

 

“Marc,” Marc quickly provided. “Marc Hampton.”

“Are you related to the great Eric Hampton?”

Marc’s dad was a well-known and respected businessman.

“Yes sir.”

“Your father is a fine man,” the dignitary said as he accepted his room key. “And I see the apple does not fall from the tree.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Good evening Marc.”

“Good evening sir.”

 

Marc stared after the dignitary in disbelief. He knew his father was well-known but never did he know that being the son of his father would give him favor in the eyes of a well-known dignitary.

“Excuse me,” a female voice interrupted Marc’s reverie.

Marc quickly returned his gaze to what was in front of him: a very annoyed guest.

“I do apologize for the wait,” Marc said. “How may I help you?”

 

~*~

 

The Wait: Part Three

 

Sally rushed into her classroom and slid into her seat just as the bell rang.

“Ms. Smithsonian, you’re on time,” Professor Dune remarked. “Congratulations.”

Sally simply smiled at her professor, taking the comment as a compliment. She stood up and handed her professor her term paper.

“Fifteen pages, formatted as asked,” she said.

Professor Dune accepted the paper with a smile.

“Two days before it’s due,” he noted. “Impressive.”

Sally smiled once more. “I’ve been working hard, sir.”

 

She then sat down and Professor Dune addressed the class of 40 students.

“I hope that you all are working as hard as Sally,” he said. “I have decided to an in-class final as opposed to an open-book test. It will be shorter than the original and it will be given in two weeks. Today, we will review.”

 

Sally listened attentively as the professor began to write on the board and lecture. She was excited. It was only three days before graduation and she finally believed that the prayers of her parents were working on her behalf as she felt more on track and more accomplished than she’d been the entire spring semester. Sally smiled. She had high hopes of graduation with high honors and it looked like that was going to turn out just as she expected.

 

~*~

 

Jayvee taped a posted to one of the four walls of his new office. “Hard work receives good benefits,” it read. He then sat down in the rolling chair of his small office and smiled. It was his first day of being a site manager and he had his own office. He was so happy that he called his big brother Payson to tell him of his success. Payson had congratulated him and sent him the poster in the mail. Jayvee realized that it was the only decoration in his office apart from his steel desk and rolling chair but he was still excited for the fact that he was moving up the corporate ladder.

 

“Jayvee?” a familiar voice sounded.

Jayvee spun around in his chair to face his boss. He quickly rose to his feet.

“Yes sir?”

“Please, call me Jon.”

“Yes Jon?”

“We have a new project. The Wellington Hotel needs renovations. I want you to put a team together and oversee this project.”

“Yes sir,” Jayvee responded. “Do we have the blueprints?”

Jon placed a roll of paper on Jayvee’s desk. Jayvee sat down and unrolled it, taking in the information and silently studying.

“It’s a small but important first project for you,” Jon said. “The first of many more to come.”

“Thanks boss,” Jayvee said as he looked up at Jon. “I mean Jon.”

Jon nodded his head in response, turned around and left Jayvee’s office.

All by himself again, Jayvee grinned. It must be part of his new job that he got a project that dealt with a well-known site. He picked up the phone. He had workers to call.

 

~*~

 

Rebecca sat alone on the bench which was near her family’s famous water fountain in the garden of their expansive back yard. The party was over and everyone had gone home leaving Rebecca to feel more alone than ever. Tears began to flow and Rebecca furiously wiped the water off of her face, determined not to cry.

 

“Why doesn’t anybody really like me?” she cried aloud.

“I like you,” a kind voice said.

Rebecca looked up to see Prince Roberto standing there.

She sniffled and looked down at the water fountain.

“Go away,” she said.

 

Rebecca felt the presence of someone sitting down next to her and turned to see Roberto was by her side, looking at her with compassion in his eyes.

“You’re meant for a lot more than the parties you throw.”

Rebecca was too upset to provide a quick response.

“What do you mean?” she asked tiredly.

“You’re a beautiful girl with a beautiful palace and beautiful friends. I am a handsome man with a beautiful palace and beautiful friends. I’ve learned over the years how to trust and find that people are more caring when they’re met on their level.”

“I don’t understand,” Rebecca said, looking away once more.

Roberto reached out and gently turned Rebecca’s face back to him.

“A wise person once said, ‘People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.’”

 

Rebecca was silent. Roberto continued to tell a story as he moved his hands from Rebecca’s face to her hands. “I started volunteering outside of the high society and royal circle. I did pro bono work and learned how much people who are not wealthy live. I learned how to truly communicate for the first time in my life. When I went back to my life in the palace, I treated my servants with newfound respect and even gave pay raises. I stopped flirting with all the pretty ladies and stopped vacationing with my rich friends on their yachts. I became involved in politics and will be ready to rule my island when my father retires from the throne.”

“Why are you telling me all of this?” Rebecca asked.

“I learned that my real friends are my family, my God and the people who were there for me when I didn’t present myself as higher than them.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“You’re a beautiful girl, Rebecca,” Roberto said as he softly strokes her face. “But you love publicity too much”.

 

Rebecca was silent. So Roberto continued.

“Try doing things because you want to,” he told her. “Not because you’re expected to.”

“You talk as if you know me so well.”

Now it was Roberto’s turn to be silent.

“I read people well,” he finally said. “And I hope that I’m reading you right.”

“What do you mean?”

“I see a lot of potential in you, Rebecca,” Roberto said. “I trust you will do the right thing.”

Rebecca looked away.

“Be the greatest thing you can be in this life,” Roberto said.

“And what would that be?” Rebecca asked as she returned her gaze to Roberto.

“Yourself,” Roberto answered. “Be yourself.”

Rebecca silently reflected on his words and in her silence, Roberto took her hands in his and kissed it.“Good night my princess,” he whispered before releasing her hands, rising to his feet and walking away. Rebecca pondered his words in her mind and looked up into the midnight blue sky.

“Myself,” she said quietly to the Creator of the stars. “Show me how to be myself.”

 

~*~

 

“Marc Luis Hampton, I am impressed,” Libby Walsh said as she walked unannounced into Marc’s office.

Marc looked up from the papers on his desk which he was reviewing.

“Yes, Ms. Walsh,” he said. “How may I help you?”

“You have exceeded my expectations in these past two weeks,” Libby said. “And a little birdie told me you are the son of Eric Hampton.”

Marc was silent, not knowing what to expect.

“Now how about we strike up a little deal?” Libby said as she sat in the chair on the opposite side of Marc’s mahogany desk.

“What’s the deal?”

“You can get a promotion if you ask your father to endorse our celebrity ball.”

“That doesn’t sound very professional,” Marc said.

Libby fought the urge to glare at Marc and instead forced a smile on her face.

“Whatsoever do you mean?” she asked innocently.

“You want our staff to be professional, but you do not always act the part, Libby,” Marc said. “I called the auditor’s office this morning and they said our auditor signed off as normal. There was never a need to fire anybody.”

 

Libby’s eyes blazed.

“That was completely out of line!”

Marc stood up and began to place the last of his office items into a box he had hidden underneath his desk.

“I re-hired all of our workers,” he said as he continued to pack the last of his belongings into the box. “They are retrieving their name tags and uniforms now.”

“Well they’re fired and I’m going to let them know that,” Libby said as she quickly rose to her feet then spun around to face Marc.

“And you, Marc Hampton are...,” she started before Marc interrupted her speech.

“Quitting,” he said. “I’ve been given a promotion to work for an employer who allows me to take vacations.”

“What?” Libby exclaimed.

“A little birdie hired me,” Marc said as he walked past Libby to the door. “I think you know who it is.”

Marc smiled as he took the elevator to the lobby and walked out of the doors of the Walsh Hotel for the final time. He had never been happier.

 

~*~

 

The Wait: Part Four

 

“Sally June Smithsonian,” the regal voice announced.

Sally beamed as she walked across the arena stage and accepted her degree. She shook the college president’s hand and smiled for the cameras.

“Congratulations Sally,” the president said. “You deserve it.”

Sally simply smiled and exited the stage, returning to her seat in the graduate row with her peers. An hour later, Sally’s entire class had received their degrees and they all stood outside in the warm springtime weather, tossing their caps up into the air. But since she had paid a lot of money for her graduation regalia, Sally kept her hat on her head.

“Sally!”

Sally turned to see her mom, who was running to her with outstretched arms. Sally greeted her mom with a hug.

“We’re so happy that you hung in there,” Amanda told her daughter.

Sally sighed. “So am I!”

“Oh, and this is for you,” Amanda said as she handed her daughter a sealed envelope. “It arrived in the mail yesterday.”

Sally accepted the letter and seeing that it was from The Smithsonian, eagerly opened it. She silently read the letter and then cried happily.

“I got the job!”

“You got the job?” Sally’s mom echoed.

“I got a new job they created for me at The Smithsonian,” Sally clarified. “Just like you told me could happen!”

“See,” Amanda said with a smile. “Mama knows best.”

“Yes!” Sally cried as she gave her mom a bear hug.

“Dad,” Sally said as her father, who had been in the men’s room, approached her. “I got the job!”

Sally gave her dad a bear hug with the same enthusiasm she had given to her mom and the family of three rejoiced together.

 

~*~

 

Jayvee led his crew into the Wellington Hotel.

“Alright, Bob,” he said. “I want you to work in quadrant five! Iliad, you are working in quadrant one! Luis, you take quadrant two! Joe, take quadrant three! The rest of you, disperse yourself among your quadrant leaders, follow the blueprints and get to work!”

Jayvee smiled as his workers hurried to their places. He could get used to barking orders. Then a thought occurred to him. The blueprints! Where are they?

 

“Jayvee?” a shy voice sounded behind his back.

Jayvee turned to see Miranda.

“Miranda, what are you doing here?”

“You forgot these,” she said softly as he held out the blueprints for the Wellington Hotel renovation project.

Jayvee sighed in relief. Once again, Miranda saved the day.

“Thanks Miranda,” he said as he accepted the blue prints. “You know, you really are a life saver.”

A blush graced Miranda’s face and this time Jayvee saw it. He had a feeling that Miranda may like him. Jayvee grinned, deciding to find out for sure.

“Hey Miranda?”

Miranda’s hazel eyes looked up at Jayvee’s face on his 5’8” frame from her petite 5’2” height, her eyes wide with expectation.

“Can I take you out? Like on a date?”

The now familiar blush spread completely over Miranda’s face.

“Yes,” she said quietly. “I’d love to go out on a date with you.”

“Great! Let me get your number,” Jayvee said as he reached for his mobile phone.

Miranda recited her digits as Jayvee entered each number into his address book.

“I’ll call you,” he said as he saved the information and looked at Miranda.

“I’ll be waiting,” Miranda replied with a timid smile then turned to leave the construction site.

 

I’ll be waiting. The words echoed in Jayvee’s mind. The words reminded him of how long he had waited for this promotion. He remembered the days of uncertainty and the thrill of finally getting this great opportunity. Jayvee realized that he needed to ask Miranda out now.

“Miranda!” he called after her as he ran to catch up.

“Yes?” Miranda said as she stopped walking and turned to face Jayvee.

“Do you want to go out with me tonight?”

“I would love to.”

“Great! I’ll pick you up at seven.”

“Okay,” Miranda said before reciting her home address.

“Got it,” Jayvee said as he typed the information into a notepad program on his phone.

“See you soon,” he said with a wink.

A fierce blush colored Miranda’s face and she managed a sweet smile before whispering. “I’ll be waiting.”

As Jayvee watched Miranda walk away, those three words echoed in his mind.

“Good things come to those who wait, Miranda,” Jayvee said as he turned his gaze to the construction site and the workers he was now in charge of. “Good things.”

 

~*~

 

Rebecca packed her bags. A month ago, she had attended church for the first time in years with her family and decided to go on the mission trip they said was happening this week. Money had never been an issue so Rebecca was able to pay her way for the entire trip. Now she her plane was leaving in four hours and she was busy getting ready to go to the airport.

“Ready to go?”

Rebecca looked up from her bulging suitcase to see her sister standing in the doorway of her bedroom.

“Yes,” she said as she sat on the suitcase in effort to zip it closed.

“Here let me help you with that,” Marianne said as she helped her sister with the suitcase zipper.

“Only two bags,” Marianne noted as Rebecca hopped off of the suitcase and reached for her duffel bag and purse. “Not including your purse. You packed lighter than ever! I’m impressed!”

“Thanks,” Rebecca said with a smile.

Marianne was going to drive Rebecca to the airport. The sisters exited their parents’ mansion and slipped into Marianne’s posh BMW and left their estate.

“So are you ready for this?” Marianne asked her sister as she merged onto the beltway.

“For what?” Rebecca replied slowly as she remembered how her sister’s conversations were usually deep and loaded.

“Self-sacrifice, self-discovery and working hard in the blazing heat,” Marianne said. “Are you ready for all of that?”

“More than ever,” Rebecca responded.

“Does that Prince Roberto have anything to do with this?” Marianne asked slyly.

A smile graced Rebecca’s face.

“Somewhat,” she responded.

Marianne shook her head.

“I’m doing this for myself,” Rebecca added. “It’s time to be the real me.”

“Then who are you and what have you done with my self-absorbed, party loving, socialite sister?”

“I am Rebecca Monroe, your humanitarian sister with a heart for helping people.”

“Wow,” Marianne said. “You should go to church more often.”

“I will.”

An hour later, the two sisters stood at the main entrance of the airport.

“Be good Bee,” Marianne said as she gave her sister a big hug.

“I will Mari,” Rebecca said as she returned the hug. “Give our parents my love.”

Marianne and Rebecca’s parents had left a few days earlier on a business trip that was scheduled to last a week so they had asked Marianne to take Rebecca to the airport since they could not send her off.

“I will give mom and dad your message,” Marianne replied with a smile. “And I will tell them how brave you are now.”

 

Rebecca smiled then gathered her luggage and waved goodbye to her sister as she entered the airport. Once on the plane, Rebecca found her seat by the window and was surprised to hear her cell phone beep. Realizing that it was a text message, she opened it.

“Godspeed and God bless you,” the text from Roberto read. “I’m so proud of you.”

Rebecca smiled as she typed a message back to her prince. “Thank you,” she wrote. “You inspire me.”

Knowing that cell phone usage was not allowed on airplanes, Rebecca turned it off and returned her phone to her purse. She rested her head and sighed. She was ready for the long flight to Guatemala and she was even more ready to meet new people, be in new situations and discover her true self in the process. Rebecca smiled as she thought of the person who had helped her realize what’s important in life, Roberto.

 

~*~

 

“And now, I would like to introduce my new staff manager, Marc Luis Hampton,” the dignitary said.

Marc nodded his head and smiled at the audience of VIP businessmen.

“He’s from a good line of businessmen,” the dignitary told his audience. “So mark my words, we may be staying in one of his five-star hotels one day!”

The audience laughed and offered a round of applause.

“Marc, would you like to say a few words?”

Marc shook his head.

“Unlike his father,” the dignitary told the audience. “Marc is bashful. But do not worry, he does a marvelous job in management.”

Marc quietly took a seat.

“Now on to the events for the evening,” the dignitary said before turning the stage over to the host.

Marc noticed that his cell phone which was on vibrate was buzzing. He picked it up to read a text message from one of his staff members who needed him to take charge of a situation. Marc excused himself form the meeting and went to see what problem he was in charge of solving now.

 

“I’m on my way,” Marc wrote a text to his employee as he exited the building and hailed a taxi.

“How you doing?” the taxi cab driver asked Marc as he slipped into the backseat.

“Good.”

“You look like you’ve had a great week.”

“I couldn’t have asked for a better week,” Marc admitted. Couldn’t have asked for a better break.

“What do you do?”

“I’m a hotel manager.”

“Do you guys get vacation?”

Marc grinned and for the first time, he answered “Yes.”

 

Epilogue: The Wait (is Over), Dear Diary

 

Dear Diary,

I am officially a college graduate working 9 to 5 at my dream job (The Smithsonian) and loving it! The staff is friendly and informative. My boss is kind and respectful and my new work friends...oh excuse me, let me use the professional term, my colleagues, are wonderful! I could not have asked for a better first job. I am loving this, being a working professional in the real world! Oh, got to go because I need a good night’s rest to be up bright and early tomorrow!

 

Sincerely,

Sally

 

~*~

Dear Diary,

I must change that greeting. I am too old to be calling you a diary. I am also the ONLY male that I know who keeps one! Oh well, I believe my children one day will read these pages and say, “Hey dad did this and that’s how it worked out! I’ve got to try it!” And oh yeah, I’m going to be a dad (for realz). I married Miranda last August and we’re expecting our first child this Spring. The doctor says we are having twins: a boy and girl. We’ve decided to name the boy Miles and the girl Jayla. My job as a construction manager is going well, so well that I got a pay raise again! I’m excited and looking forward to work every day! I could not have asked for a better wife, better boss or a better place to work!

 

Really glad,

Jayvee

 

~*~

Dear Diary,

I’m in love, sweet love! Hold on, let me clarify…I found my niche in mission work. I’m going to be a missionary! It’s been two years since my first mission trip and I’ve just returned from my second. It was such an enriching experience! I met so many great people who are full of life and yet they don’t have all that life has to offer. I learned from them and maybe they learned from me as well. 

Good news: I spoke with my pastor earlier this year and she says that if I love mission work this much, I should consider it for a career. My parents consented and now that I’ve graduated from high school instead of going on to an Ivy League college at their expense, I’m going work my way through Bible school! I’m so happy! I finally feel like my life has purpose. 

Oh! And I have REAL friends now! I met them at a community center. One is a former socialite, just like me! I say “former” because I don’t party as much as I used to. I haven’t had a party since that one where Roberto talked to me. I decided to spend my money on projects that help people. I’ve learned that when you help other people without expecting anything back, you gain SO MUCH MORE and receive so many wonderful blessings in return! 

And as for Roberto, well he’s supposed to call me today. I think he’s going to ask me out! The phone’s ringing, eek! It’s his number! I’ve got to answer that. Pondering…Am I ready for a boyfriend? Am I ready to be in REAL LOVE? Answer…YES!

 

Changed for life,

Rebecca.

 

~*~

Dear Diary,

What man keeps a diary? A very proud one, I must say. I’m proud because I’ve been promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff for the Stargate Hotel! This is the highest rank for someone with my skill set and it’s all because a stroke of luck at a very bad time, that time back at the Walsh Hotel when I never had a vacation, a time where being professional and helpful to a key dignitary changed the trajectory of my career. The good news is, people now appreciate my work and some even take time to tell me so. And of course, I’ve had that long-awaited vacation! I went to Aruba last winter and I’m planning on visiting Trinidad and Tobago this fall. I LOVE being the BOSS!

 

Grateful,

Marc.

 

~ The End ~

 

Author's Note

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