Baaul: A Change of Heart

Chapter 3: Let's Get Comfy

Renee hated everything about this. Fucking everything.

The flight itself had been over six hours and she had been sitting next to a screaming kid that she just wanted to trap in a headlock while softly whispering, 'Shhh... Just go to sleep.' They also ran out of refreshments less than half an hour into the flight and then the headphones that were given to you for the free music ended up busting within minutes.

Steve had made sure to take everything electronic before she boarded the plane so she had absolutely no other means of entertainment. The fucker even took her digital watch so she had to walk the damn airport searching for various clocks on the wall to even know what time it was.

Every damn person she talked to either spoke Spanish or they didn't have time for her to help her find where to get her luggage. When she finally claimed her suitcase there was an officer waiting for her at the arrivals area with her name written on a small dry erase board. He had been very obvious about his dislike over her physical appearance by the way he looked her up and down. Like she smelled or something, so the drive from San Juan was awkward to say the least. At least he didn't handcuff her.

The air was thick in humidity even as early in the morning that it was but the good officer didn't seem to have an issue with breathing like she did. Though it wasn't just the humidity that made it unbearable, it was the intense heat that went with it. Not even five minutes outside the airport and she was sweating like a hooker in confession. The officer wasn't a small man by any means but he had no problem with having the windows down in the beat up squad car as their form of air conditioning. She supposed people's bodies built up tolerances after living in certain climates for so long.

Steve's words came back to haunt her as she scooted onto the sticky warm fake leather back seat. "Just think of this as a relaxing vacation. It doesn't have to be so bad, Renee." Ooooh, how she was going to assault an officer when she got back!

After an hour in the car she thought she was going to die of a heat stroke in the back. These kinds of seats were not your friend in hot weather. They liked to duct tape to your skin as if they had been personally manufactured in hell. Any attempt for air conditioning was met with at best, snorted laughs so she had resorted to her melting fate. It might be better than where she was heading to anyway.

They finally pulled into a small gas station where the officer mumbled something to her about staying in the car before awkwardly rolled out of the vehicle. So he did speak...

Renee could tell the gas station was on the outskirts of the town which meant they were still a ways off from their destination. She knew from her court hearing as well as Steve's words that her 'resort' was in the middle of the national forest. How they managed to get away with that she'd never know. Maybe when she got back to the States she could look it up. Never mind that she was to be away from computers for another 5 years...

Looking at all the nature around her had her itching for her computer screen in her office again. She had always hated anything outside the comfort of home. She hated the feeling of sticky sweat on her skin or the dirty smells coming from every angle. The constant chatter of bugs and animals, not to mention the danger some of them provided. No, she'd much rather be safely tucked away at home.

"Oh hey, Fuentes! Strange seeing you here!"

Renee only turned to look because it was in English. She understood very limited Spanish. Not that she was one of those people who believed English was the 'superior' language or anything, but she was quickly understanding the frustrations of communication barriers. She would have to make it a point to pirate some language courses.