When Bees Sing - Part 1

Chapter 16

Sadie woke up with a smile and reached for him. Her hands found the soft cushion of the pillow and nothing else. Derry wasn't there.

She raked her hands over her face. How could it be possible that after only one day of waking up next to him, she expected him to be there? Reaching over to connect with him was as natural as opening her eyes to the morning sun.

Her brain could argue she was accustomed to sleeping with someone after living with George, so perhaps she reached out of habit. But in her heart and her soul, Sadie knew the truth. George had never been the first thing on her mind when she woke, even when they had first started dating. Also when they'd shared a bed, she'd never yearned for physical contact from him; he wasn't a cuddler. The bed was for sleeping or sex and not for lazy afternoon snuggling sessions.

With Derry, she longed to linger in bed. She wanted to touch him, read the newspaper, drink coffee, watch baseball or crochet. The activity didn't matter as long as he remained in proximity and preferably touching her in some way. It could be a slow caress on her calf as he did the crossword puzzle or her legs draped over his lap as she read a book. She just wanted to be with him.

And since she couldn't, she pouted and curled up to go back to sleep.

When she stirred an hour later, raindrops drummed against the windowpane. "Perfect," she said to the ceiling. "What am I supposed to do if I can't go to the beach?"

She dragged her grumpy self out of bed, took a shower and dressed. When she heard the entry key card, her heart sang and she ran to the opening door.

"You're back."

A tiny woman in a Sundrake housekeeping uniform jumped back and screamed.

"Oh my God. I'm so sorry. I thought you were someone else." Sadie held open the door.

"Excuse me, ma'am. I was told the occupant left today. Check out is at ten o'clock. My mistake." The older woman bowed her head and started to duck out of the room.

"Leaving? Check out? Wait." Sadie stood for a moment trying to process what the housekeeper said. Then it hit her. "Shit!"

She rushed over to her suitcase and pulled out her plane reservation. "What is today's date?"

"September 29, ma'am."

"Shit!" She looked at the red numbers on the hotel's alarm clock. "I leave today. My plane is in three hours."

"Ma'am, I can call downstairs and have the hotel car waiting for you."

"Yes, please, thank you."

Shaking, she tossed her clothes and personal items into the suitcase and mumbled something about being lucky she never unpacked on vacation. In ten minutes, she was in the lobby ringing the bell for the concierge.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"You're not the regular guy." She frowned.

The fresh-faced young man stopped chomping his gum and grinned at her. "No, ma'am. He has the morning off. What can I do for you?"

Sadie took a breath. She felt like she'd had fourteen shots of espresso. "I need to leave a message for someone. He may come looking for me later, but my plane leaves in a few hours. I forgot I was leaving today and he doesn't know. I don't know how to get in touch with him so can you give him a message? If he comes looking for me?"

"Sure." He drew out the one syllable and Sadie wanted to slap the smirk off his face.

"Tell him I had to leave, but he can get in touch with me, if he wants, at this number." She wrote her cell phone number on a piece of Sundrake stationary and signed her name.

A voice bellowed from the front hallway. "Is someone waiting for a car?"

"Right here." Sadie raised her hand and dragged her suitcase to the driver. She then ran back to the substitute concierge. "Do you have that?"

"You had to leave. Call this number." He paraphrased back to her.

"Yes. Thank you." She stared at him and took a deep breath. "Thank you."

Sadie took two steps backward and then pivoted to head out the door. She leapt into the car and closed her eyes; a silent prayer went through her head. Derry would come back today, not be able to find her and logically ask the concierge for information. He would learn she didn't run away and know how to find her when he returned home. It would all work out.

The drive to the dock took ten minutes and she was fortunate to arrive minutes before the next ferry to St. Thomas. She had just enough time to buy her ticket, use the ladies' room and find a seat before the boat left Cruz Bay. She sat in the back of the ferry and tried to hold back the tears as she watched the beautiful island disappear from view.