What's Next?

Chapter 14 The Adventure

Se-ri was looking forward to going the Big Sur drive. David was coming and they were going to Big Sur, Monterey and Carmel. He told her to bring a light jacket, sometimes it gets chilly. She was ready when he came to pick her up.

"Ready, Se-ri? It is a beautiful drive and the weather is perfect. I think you would enjoy it."

Se-ri, smiled at him, "I am ready. I am looking forward to the adventure."

Se-ri could not believe the beauty of the coast. David kept pulling over so she could take it all in and to take photos.

"I saw pictures, but to see it in real life it is more beautiful. I think this is one of the most beautiful drives."

"We will go to the Hermitage Monastery and the view from there is unbelievable. How did you hear about this area?"

"I read about it a long time ago, and that there was a lot to see that was close by. I am not disappointed, the area is lovey. I can understand what Lisa told me, that this place is where she feels the most content. It almost has a spiritual feel. That part of the coast where we live is unique, I am beginning to feel the anxiety decrease. It could also be the change in lifestyle, it is calmer."

"Is your life stressful in Korea?"

"Yes, very. I work long hours. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do."

"And what do you do, Se-ri?"

She did not answer. Should I tell him? How would he take the information? Can I trust him?

"My company is Se-ri's Choice. Skin care, clothing, accessories for women. I am creating a men's line. Yes, it is stressful and very busy. This is like a huge vacation. It gives me the ideas to move forward and most important the energy. Please keep what I just said in confidence. I don't want the Korean press knowing I am here. What about you David?"

"I am in IT, we do security for large companies and some governments. That is why I travel so much. We have many accounts in Asia. I love the work, but the travelling gets old after a time. It would be nice to stay home a little more. I too work from home when I am not travelling."

"Where is the head office?"

"It is in the Bay Area."

What he didn't tell her was that it was his company. That was why when he was not travelling he could work from home. After Covid, most of the employees wanted to keep working from home and meet every two weeks at the office.

"You must work a lot of hours. I feel bad for taking your time to be my tour guide."

"Don't feel bad. This is a mini vacation for me. It is fun seeing you enjoying this, I had forgotten how beautiful it is. It is so good to reconnect with nature and be fortunate to live in a place like we do."

They had arrived at the Monastery and he was right. The view was spectacular. She wondered what it would be like to wake up every morning to this. Se-ri, you do wake up to the view very day. Oh, yes, I do. And she smiled. David noticed her smile.

"What is the smile for?"

"I was thinking that it would be nice to wake up every morning to this view, then I remembered that I do wake up to this view every day." She looked at him and smiled.

"Right, lunch, Monterey and Carmel. Ready?"

"Yes."

It was late when David took her home.

"Thank you for a wonderful day. The Monterey Aquarium was amazing, and the behind the scene tour was very insightful. It was amazing how they bought the ocean water to the tanks and that was what the method was used when the fishermen brought the sardines to the cannery. That is why Cannery Row is next to the Aquarium, that is where the sardine canning factories were. I bought a John Steinbeck book, Cannery Row. Have you read a lot of his books?"

"Oh, yes. He was born in Salinas and lived in Monterey. Some of his books were made into movies. A famous one is the Grapes of Wrath."

"Thank you again. I am looking forward to our next adventure. Good night David."

"Good night, Se-ri."

As Se-ri was getting ready for bed, she thought over the day. She loved what she saw and did. She loved Carmel and the Mission. The art galleries, the wine tasting, the boutiques, the shopping. The beach was amazing. She would go back and spend a weekend. She thought she would ask Lisa if she would like to go. She was beginning to feel the anxiety lifting. She did think about Jeong hyeok and she noticed that it was getting easier to think about him without getting anxious. She was looking forward to tomorrow.