Before dawn | Dark romance

Chapter 8 - Serendipity

30th of april, 2024
Tuesday
Dear diary,

Let me tell you about my day.
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[1/3]
I wake up, snugly tucked between Bri and Emily in this spacious bed that easily accommodates all three of us.

Trust me when I say this is the most comfortable sleep I have ever had. According to a brochure I read last night, these beds are made of high-quality hybrid spring memory foam that offers excellent pressure relief and support, coupled with an extra mattress topper, the softest silken sheets, and the fluffiest pillows ever. So, yeah.. I had some high expectations.

The curtains in this hotel are something else. You can set a time for when you want to wake up, and the curtains will gradually open, letting sunlight seep in gently, allowing your body to wake up in the most natural way possible. It's probably the coolest thing I have ever seen.

So, by 9 a.m., when the three of us slowly wake up from our deep sleep, there is a knock on the door. Emily growls and buries her head under the blankets once more. Since nobody seems to be in a hurry to get the door, I slip out of bed and throw on the comfiest robe over my pajamas. Opening the door, I'm met with a beaming smile of a man dressed in the hotel staff uniform. My gaze drifts downward to the largest breakfast cart I've ever seen. "Buongiorno, breakfast ma'am." He announces in a crisp English accent tinged with a hint of Italian flair.

"Good morning— um, oh, sorry, please come in." I awkwardly scratch my scalp, caught in an awkward moment where he wanted to enter, and I forgot to step aside. Typical Maddie for you.

The man politely greets Bri and Em as he wheels the cart through the suite towards the grand doors. As he opens them, a warm sea breeze sweeps through the space.

Like the hungry pigs we are, we trail behind him out on the terrace, where he's already busy setting up the array of dishes and breakfast essentials.

The sun shines brightly, warming the patches of skin it touches. While we wait for him to finish, I wander over to the edge of the terrace and lean on the railing, gazing out at sea. It's crazy to think that for some people this is their everyday view.

"Please, enjoy ladies." The man says, then turns around to give us the privacy. My mouth waters as I look over the breakfast table, filled with every single breakfast dishes I can imagine.

"This is a dream." I mutter, taking a seat.

"Now I want this every day." Bri sighs, picking up a scone from the tray.

I grab a bowl of cereal and some fresh fruit— undoubtably my all-time favorite breakfast. Nothing beats that. I like the simple things.

"Seriously girl," I start, pausing to take bite of my cereal. It's unbelievably good— crips and extreme fresh. Bri catches the surprise on my face and nods knowingly, "it's the best." She confirms.

"Yeah, definitely." I reply, still surprised by how good it taste.

I quickly refocus to the point I want to make, "Do not distract me." I say, trying to steer us back to what I really want to discuss. Bri meets my eyes, a hint of defiance in her gaze, but she remains silent. Good. "How did we ended up here?." I ask, genuinely puzzled by all of this.

"What do you mean?." Bri munches on her scone, clearly wanted to enjoy it but is too polite to interrupt me.

"Bri, this place. This is not that cute little Airbnb, without airconditioning, in the middle of Palermo apartment we discussed." Not even close.