When She Comes

Chapter 58 - A Beautiful Life

No matter how many times Prince called Herod, the connection from the mainland was sketchy as high winds meddled with the cellular towers and landlines. Frustration built with his every attempt.

"Damnit." He had to take a break.

Between the heat and stress he started to not feel well, perhaps he needed water and something substantial to eat as those sickly buttered pretzels from the flight had soured his belly.

What he wouldn't give for one of Valeria's nourishing meals. After his arrival, perhaps he could ask her for something to settle his stomach.

Belize Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport was no five star facility, three at best, and one of the smaller airports in the Caribbean.

'You are here." Prince mumbled looking at the food options on the airport map key. Easily identifying each option by the name.

Global Spice – Terminal 1 upstairs "Typical sit down affair, wannabe fine dining."

S & D Snacks – Terminal 1 "Kiosk."

Sun Garden – Terminal 2 upstairs "When you finally get your food, you will realize that you should have just ate somewhere else." Prince's stomach turned just thinking about it.

Jets Bar – Departure Lounge "Covered in a hue of blue smoke from the ciggys."

Café Belize – Departure Lounge "Lunch style nothing fancy and probably my best bet." Disappointed it would require a walk as he was in Arrivals.

Sugar Fix – Departure Lounge "Just...no."

Bistro To Go – Departure Lounge "We sure as hell aren't in France, bistro my ass."

A shiver overtook him because the air conditioner was blasting on high making it very uncomfortable. Between the shivering, the place shaking with the high winds and every time a plane took off, Prince now felt nauseous.

"Most of these culinary cringes are in departures." Grumbling to himself while looking around and then back down at his phone.

Surely he might be terminal if he ate at any of the food court options...staring at the first establishment which was an unmarked kiosk with glistening hot dogs slipping along a roller grill almost making him wretch.

A stranger saw Prince struggling to decide his suppertime fate and looked kindly upon him. "The best meals to be had are outside and across the street where your money goes further and the food tastes better."

"Oh yeah? Well thanks for the tip." Shooting the teenager a smile.

Stepping through the automatic doors, the evening's sultry breeze was suffocating on the concrete that had not yet cooled from the daytime sun's abuse.

With a fighting step forward into the wind, he snatched his crocheted hat off his head hoping to feel cooler but didn't. His mind was overstimulated with the sound of flagpoles clanging in time with each wind gust assault and the traffic jam from too many flight arrivals. Weaving around each car waiting for a family member or friend, he eventually made it across all four misaligned lanes to the other side's market atmosphere.

"YOU WANT CO FOO?!"

Prince looked around wondering if the old woman was yelling at him or someone else.

"YEAH YOU! COME COME...WE MAKE A NICE BIG BOWL FOR YOOOOOU."

Glancing to the left and right vendors he wanted to make sure this was the best selection.

"COME...COME...YOU LOVE IT."

The thing is, no one was at this woman's stand while the others all had a few stragglers.