Toni and Sarah

3AM Epiphany exercise. I love this book!

"Should we run away?", Toni asked pulling the blanket off Sarah's feet. "Don't be silly.", Sarah replied and yanked the fuzzy warmth back. "Where would we go?" Toni thought for a moment and then snuggled up to Sarah and replied, "Where's someplace you've never been?" Sarah bit her lower lip as she let herself slip into deep thought. A smile appeared on her face, and she whispered her reply into Toni's ear. The next morning, we left for India. When we arrived, it was so crowded with so many people, we couldn't walk in a straight line down the street. It was a sideways dance jumping over crates and dodging back and forth as impatient strangers pushed past you with eyebrows raised as if to say, "Get with the program already. Move!"

Toni threw his bag down the minute they approached the hotel concierge and sighed in relief. We made it. "Excuse me. We have a reservation", Sarah exclaimed with excitement pulling out her papers. The young man behind the desk who looked like he was about fourteen looked up with an annoyed expression and gently set down his comic book. He nonchalantly snatched the papers from Sarah's hand and looked them over briefly. He whirled around in his squeaky three legged chair and pushed his feet against the desk shooting himself across the room to a wall of keys. Reaching up with a long skinny arm, he retrieved an odd-shaped brass key from the middle row and paddled with his feet back to where they were waiting. "Take this key to room 402. That is your room. Now go.", the man said and dropped the key on the desk. Then he picked his comic book back up and turned the page clearing his throat. Toni and Sarah looked at each other trying to hold smiles, and Toni politely thanked the concierge for his time.

When we got to the hall, we burst out laughing. Sarah made the best impression she could and parroted the last command from the concierge. "Now go." she said seriously and waved her hand in dismissal. Toni laughed and kissed her forehead. "You would make a good concierge.", he said with a grin. "I know darling. I know.", Sarah said in a playful voice and winked as she started up the stairs. About three stairs up, Toni made a daring grab for Sarah's behind but she smacked it away before it could make contact. "How do you always know?" Toni said chuckling. Sarah looked back and bent down to give Toni a quick peck. "I know you.", she replied. Then she continued up the stairs.

After four very long flights of stairs, Toni and Sarah arrived at their room heaving with exhaustion. "Open it already", Sarah said practically falling on her luggage. "You have the key missy.", Toni reminded her between huffs. "Oh yeah", Sarah replied and dug around her back pocket. Fighting the little strings from her worn jeans, she finally pulled the key free from her pocket and shoved it into the door lock. It wouldn't open. "Hmm....", Sarah said and pulled out the key then shoved it back in again more forcefully this time. Still, it wouldn't turn. "Are we having troubles?", Toni teased. "No, we are not having troubles. Maybe this is the wrong room." Sarah snapped jiggling the key in frustration. She growled and whipped the key back out stumbling backwards and nearly falling over her luggage.

Toni laughed and held out his hand offering assistance. "May I?", he asked lightly. "You're not gonna get it open Toni.", Sarah affirmed and dropped the brass key in his palm, "I've tried multiple times." Toni placed the key in the lock and sure enough, the door wouldn't budge. "See?", Sarah said in frustration, "I told you..." Toni shoved all his weight against the door and it swung wide open hitting the wall with a boisterous boom. Both Toni and Sarah winced at the loud cracking sound and looked around to make sure no one was around to witness the event. They quickly retrieved their luggage and marched into the darkened room.

"Can you find the light?", Toni called out. "Um...no but I found something else", Sarah exclaimed with disgust. "What?", Toni inquired. "Not sure but I'm hoping it's not alive.", Sarah replied. Toni found the drapes and whisked them open exuding light to the entire room. Sarah noticed her hand was caressing a massive orange-green plant, and she quickly drew her hand back. "Wow. What is that?", she said in surprise. "I don't know. It might just eat you at some point. Where is the bathroom. Maybe it's that aqua room back there". While Sarah investigated the aborigine fern, Toni set off to discover the mysteries of their bathroom.

A girlish high-pitched scream scent Sarah's heart flying to the ceiling. "What is it?! What's wrong?!", Sarah yelled out frantically dashing to the bathroom. Backed into a corner, Toni pointed to the floor with wide-eyed panic. "There! There!" Sarah looked down and noticed a golf-ball sized violet spider moving ever so slowly walking towards them. She admired the beautiful stripes on it's back for half a moment, and then heard Toni let out a frightful gasp as the spider continued its journey across the broken tile. She calmly walked up and squished the arachnid under her shoe. Toni stuck out his tongue in disgust and shook his shoulders as if a chill ran up his spine. "Thank you dear. I can always count on you to save me.", he said scooting out of the small aqua room. "Didn't you have to pee?", Sarah asked pointing her thumb to the bathroom. "Not anymore", Toni exclaimed with a sarcastic smile. Sarah laughed and shut the door behind her. Toni shrugged off another chill and began unpacking.