"Ladies and Gentlemen, we're about to begin our final descent to the Norfolk International Airport and will be at the gate in just about 20 minutes. Current weather at Norfolk is sunny at 84 degrees. We have enjoyed having you on board today, thanks again for flying US Airways. Cabin attendants, prepare for arrival please."
Tanya woke up slowly and stretched her stiff neck as the pilot made his announcement over the speaker system. She normally never slept on airplanes; all those slack-jawed people drooling in their sleep were appalling. Speaking of which, she surreptitiously wiped the back of her hand over her mouth, but no, all clear. She tried to shift her tired and cramped body in the small seat. God, she so needed this holiday.
She had purposely booked in one of the most out of the way places and the next few days were going to be nothing but rest and relaxation -- a rejuvenation of her tired body after putting it through the rigorous past few months as she had eased yet another start-up into fledgling growth. It was a job well done and with plenty of satisfaction guaranteed, but maybe she was getting too old for the heavy work and constant late nights, living on caffeine and pre-packaged meals. Maybe she needed to slow down.
The 'slow down' kind of thought had been recurring to her for the past few years, as soon as she started staring forty in the face. Crossing it had depressed her even more. But then, what should she slow down for? Or for whom? There was nothing and no one in her life really, except her job. With all of the pleasure she got out of giving her expertise to smaller businesses and seeing them prosper, it couldn't fill the holes in her life she had worked so hard to forget. The constant working was taking a toll on her body now and she was beginning to feel its effects. Slowly and surely, her body was letting her know it wouldn't take this abuse indefinitely.
So this vacation was her peace offering to her body. Five days of uninterrupted rest and her body would stop its rebellion and she could once again go back to the boardroom, at least until the next few months.
Uninterrupted rest meant completely uninterrupted. No phones, no texts, and no email even, except twice a day in the mornings and evenings, and absolutely no paperwork. She had told her secretary that unless the business consultancy was in immediate danger of going under, she was not to be bothered.
As soon as she got off the plane, she picked up her rental car and set off. Three hours of driving down the scenic east coast to the tip of the Outer Banks, and she felt herself shedding the tightness that seemed to be the core of her role as the CEO of Brant Business Solutions. She felt her joints loosen and her hair fly free in the wind coming in through the open windows. By the time she reached her hotel, she felt like she had shed twenty years.
"Hello, I'm Tanya Brant," she said in greeting to the woman at the front desk as she set down her one bag at her feet. "I have a booking for five days."
"Carly," the woman introduced herself with a smile. "And yes, you do! That's the Captain Oliver Room we have set out for you, Tanya. Let me just print out your receipt then and Brad will take you up there. Brad!" she called out into the room behind her as she finished the formalities of the payment.
A heavy-set man in a beach shirt and shorts emerged from the room behind Carly and extended his hands towards Tanya. "Welcome to Slash Creek Inn!" he boomed.
Tanya took half a step back, half expecting to be enveloped in a hug.
"I might be a bit over-enthusiastic, hmm?" he remarked, laughing, taking her reaction in stride. "I have a really good heart underneath it all, believe me. Don't I, Carly?" He nudged Carly and gave Tanya a wink.
"Yeah, so you keep saying," came the dry rejoinder as the woman worked at printing out Tanya's receipt without even lifting her head in acknowledgement.
Tanya felt her lips twitching into a smile at the byplay as she let her hand be engulfed in a warm handshake.
"Come, woman! Thirty years with me and you should be more than ready to vouch for my sterling character to everyone whenever I ask you to, wouldn't you say, Ms....?"
"Tanya," she supplied.
"Tanya. Wouldn't you agree, Tanya?"
His friendliness was catching and Tanya found herself pulled into its embrace. Her eyes twinkled as she said, "But then, thirty years can make a person immune to good hearts. Too much of a good thing and all...." She trailed off suggestively.
Carly snorted. "Ha! A woman after my own heart. I keep telling him too much excitement is just plain draining but this man could get excited about paint drying."
"Oh, come now, Mrs. You love it," Brad said, giving her a one-armed affectionate hug.
"Yes, yes. Now take this lady's bags upstairs and show her the room, will you? I'll be up in a minute too with fresh towels. That's the Captain Oliver."
"Ah, the Oliver. One of our best!" he said as he picked up her bag. "Looking out towards the ocean. You'll love it!"
Tanya followed his bulk up the staircase, as he rambled on about the place.
"And we have an unspoiled beauty here. When Carly and I bought this place, our decision was motivated by the natural surroundings as much as the whole owning your own business thing. And the ocean is just a five minute walk away!"
Tanya just wanted to steep her tired body in a hot bath and wash away the fatigue of almost a day's travel. Then she would go out to eat, and maybe she would go for an after dinner walk on the beach to round out the first day of her vacation if she felt up to it.
"Where can I go for dinner near here?" she asked, following Brad. "Any recommendations?"
"Ah, there's the Breakwater Restaurant, a really great place. A little bit of a walk though, or you could drive. There's also the Channel Bass, right next door. They're open late and have fresh seafood in their dinner menu. Good food and reasonable prices; I recommend it to our guests all the time."
Blessedly, the night turned out as she had planned it. After a lovely dinner at the Channel Bass Restaurant and a late night walk over the still warm sands on the beach, Tanya called it a day.
The next morning, Tanya woke up early out of habit, even though she had planned to sleep in. She thought she might as well make use of it, if she was up anyhow, and get out on the beach before a lot of people got there. Gathering her stuff, she drove down and set up her paraphernalia. A beach chair, a towel, water, sunscreen, sunglasses, a floppy hat, a bikini and a good book and she was good until hunger forced her off the beach.
People started arriving soon and in an hour or so, a few families had staked out their places and were enjoying the bright sunny day. The excited shouts of small children mixed with the sound of seagulls above the surf, the briny ocean air in her lungs and the sun shining down on her body, warming every part of her, and Tanya relaxed like she had been meaning to. All the tensions of the past few months drained out of her and she lay back, enjoying herself.
Around mid-day, she snagged a mouth-watering fish taco lunch on the way to the lighthouse. The two hundred and forty-eight stairs to the top were accomplished with a small amount of breathlessness but the view from the top made the effort worthwhile. Tanya spent a good half hour on top of the structure, just looking out over the breath-taking view of the Atlantic Ocean and enjoying the breeze on her sun-warmed body. When she had had enough, she drove over to the nature trail she had looked up. She spent the next two hours on a leisurely walk, enjoying the maritime forest that had captured her interest in her brief internet search about the place. By the time she returned to her car, she was tired, sweaty, hungry, and covered by what seemed like hundreds of midge bites.
She drove back to the inn, intending to take a cool shower, go out to dinner and then fall into bed. Her second day of the vacation had completely exhausted her.
As she entered the inn, Brad called out to her and she went over to chat.
"How was the day?" he asked.
"Good, thank you. But, God, I'm tired! I haven't felt this recharged in ages though so I'll take it. This place is really paradise," she replied with a smile. "And I can't wait to take a shower; I'll feel like a whole new person after that. Speaking of, can I get another towel, please?"
"Sure." Brad got up from his chair and came around. "Come on up with me, I'll get you one from the storage closet upstairs."
She followed him up the stairs, making small talk.
"I loved the meal I had yesterday and now I think I need to try that other restaurant you mentioned."
"Breakwater?"
"Yes. How would I get there?"
"Just follow the main road down and you'll see it. Fifteen minutes if you're walking. I recommend their Blackened Scallops and Filet Oscar -- finest seafood on this island. If you don't believe me, ask this young lady here. They were there last night, right Sweetie?"
Tanya looked up to see who he was referring to... and all color drained from her face. She stood still for a moment, swaying, clutching the bannister for support.
