I don't think I felt normal again until after Anne's emancipation. We stayed up at the condo the entire time, and my sister slowly got more comfortable with me caring for her daughter. I cried a lot, and cleaned to keep my mind off things. I didn't get to see the emancipation itself, as my master's grandparents had put me to work as a server, but I watched the party.
About three weeks after that, with the Condo's air conditioning went out. We lasted two days before Master finally had a desire for a change of scenery from the penthouse's guest rooms we'd been stuck in. The air conditioning was also out in the penthouse today, but at least there were higher ceilings, fans and a cross breeze making it better.
"Hey, Rebecca," He said, as he looked up from his phone as he laid on the couch in nothing more than an undershirt and a pair of shorts. "My grandmother in Boca wants me to come and visit, and I can bring guests. Do you want to go to the other coast for a few days while we wait for the air conditioner to get fixed?"
"The Governor, Grandma Ariel, or your other grandma?" She said taking a break from trying to teach Cassia, the four year old who lived with her mother in the penthouse, Mah Jongg and failing miserably. "I'd love to visit Mrs. Petersen."
"Other grandma, my dad's mom." Master replied as he sat up. "We'd drive over, stay at her place and have the run of the resort. Including the waterpark."
"That's a long drive," Honesty noted absentmindedly from the mah jongg table.
"Which is why you'll drive as well," Rebecca said. "We're going, and you're bringing a swimsuit."
"Master, what's a waterpark?" I said from my spot on the much cooler floor, unsure of what he was referring to.
"It's a park with a handful of pools with some waterslides and activities," he replied, "the resort has two, and I've never been to the adult one."
"Master, could I go? That sounds fun." I asked as I looked over at him.
"I'm not going to leave you here for the week to fester, so you were coming anyway," Master said. "I'll call and get a car, you three need to go pack. Marie, you need to pack your cocktail dress and a swimsuit plus whatever casual stuff and underwear you want, we'll get everything else there. I'll pack my own bag tonight."
"Cocktail dress?" Rebecca asked as she stood up from the table.
"Yeah, a couple of the restaurants have a dress code, so you should bring some evening and garden party outfits." Master replied absentmindedly. "Honesty can probably get away with capris and a blazer for it."
"Oh," Rebecca said.
"If it's too much of a hassle we can just get stuff there," Master continued. "Also, do you think you'll bring enough luggage that I should ask for a wagon, or would a sedan do?"
"We can probably get away with a suitcase each," Rebecca said.
"Sedan it is then," Master said, before sending a text.
I didn't really sleep well that night, not that I often did, but this time snuggling up close to Master or Honesty didn't help. I was just too excited. Early the next morning, I stood there bleary-eyed as Master drove up in the largest car I'd ever seen, which was blue with a bright white roof and a shiny black grille.
"Steven," Rebecca asked. "Why are you driving a Red Star?"
"The governor likes them, so if we get a rental car it's usually one of them. I said I needed something that could take luggage for four, and this is what the agent dropped off." Master said. "Also, it has heated back seats, which I did remember to ask for."
Rebecca squealed and dove in while Honesty and I went to load the bags in the trunk. I then had to ride behind Honesty, who put the front seat all the way back, so it was kinda tight. I'd sat in much worse, and the heated seat was quite nice. By the time the car got out on the open road, I was confident I wasn't going to get sick the entire ride so I tried to read on my tablet. I was trying to read a comic about a raccoon trying to be a stand up comedian, and it was funny but, I still ended up falling asleep against the window, and only woke up once we were actually in Boca.
Boca Raton looked like every town I'd been in or passed through on the other coast. A parade of pastel and white or glass buildings, with different sorts of decorations along either side of the road, with some parks, billboards or a tram stop here or there. It was like a seedier but richer looking Tampa, what with the The hotel wasn't much different at first, a tall white stucco building with a courtyard in the middle that Master drove into, and then around the loop to where we got dropped and a valet took the car. The interior had wood floors that reminded me of the house or the governor's mansion Anne's party had been in, although the painted decorations and roof beams were gaudier and looked harder to clean than anything we had at home or in the condo.
Master barely seemed to notice anything about it, looking for someone in specific, while Rebecca and Honesty just looked everywhere left and right taking everything in.
Finally, Master found who he was looking for and waved at the second tallest woman I'd ever seen. She was tanned, bleach-blonde and in a comfortable looking dress and jacket.
Said woman's face lit up and she walked over to us.
"Rebecca, Honesty, Marie, this is Lycian, my cousin." Master said, as she curtsied, and we responded. "Lycian, this is my girlfriend Rebecca, her Maid Honesty, and then my girl Marie."
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Lycian said. "Grandma's busy with some supplier issues, so I'll help you get up to the room and show you everything."
"Thanks Ly," Master said, as we started following her and Honesty started pushing the luggage cart again.