RockFord Island

Chapter Fourteen

           I wake up to the sound of birds chirping in the jungle. It takes a moment for my groggy eyes to adjust to the lighting. I stare up at the orange ceiling of the tent, a sliver of the sun shining down in between the cracks. I cover my mouth as I let out a loud, exaggerated yawn, tasting my morning breath in the back of my throat. The tent is empty, but I can hear Dean and Cindy chatting outside. After stretching my back, feeling a few pops, I begin to gradually crawl out of the tent.

          As I undo the zipper to the door, I'm instantly welcomed by a gentle breeze that blows through my hair. The early morning sun is blistering down over us, and the ocean water is bluer than ever. My lovely husband, Dean, is leaning on a palm tree, having his morning smoke. Cindy is sitting down on top of the cooler, making herself a sandwich for breakfast. They are both discussing the plan for today, when I decide to interrupt.

          "Morning," I say with a tired smile, climbing to my feet.

          Both of them turn towards me in unison.

          "Well, well, look who decided to join us." Cindy takes a bite of her sandwich.

          "How'd you sleep?" Dean asks, adjusting his sunglasses so they are resting on his forehead.

          "Like a rock. It probably had something to do with all those drinks I had last night." I put my hand on my forehead, feeling the slightest headache. I've never been too prone to hangovers. I guess I'm just lucky in that category.

          "Yeah. I'm surprised you're up so early," Cindy points out.

          "Well, technically, it's not that early," Dean counters, looking down at his phone. "It's quarter to ten right now. Looks like Pierre is running a little late this morning.

          "What time do we have to be checked in to our hotel again?" I ask curiously.

          Dean blows out some smoke. "5:30 tonight. The receptionist said we could change it for later, so I just went along with her while you guys were chatting in the lobby."

          "Well, that's good," Cindy replies. "We have lots of time to get back."

          Dean nods, gazing out towards the beautiful ocean. After a few moments, he looks back at me. "But yeah, after Brad wakes up, we should start pulling down the tents. Pierre is gonna show up any minute."

          I almost forgot how Brad wasn't feeling well last night around the campfire. I guess this island is so gorgeous that it plays tricks on you like that.

          "Speaking of Brad, does anyone know how he's feeling this morning?" 

          Cindy eyes me. "He didn't say much this morning when I tried talking to him. He was curled up on his side, so I couldn't really see his face. I figured I'd just let him keep sleeping until Pierre showed up."

          I nod my head. "Well, what about last night? Did he wake you up at all?"

          "Nope. He was sound asleep when I crawled in. Would you do the honour of waking him up, Jane? Apparently, he's too cool to get out of bed for his wife."

          I laugh while walking towards the tent. "You got it."

          I crouch down and unzip the door, the other two carrying on their conversation in the background. I see Brad laying on his side with his face covered, so I can understand what Cindy meant when she said he's hidden.

          "Hey, Brad?"

          No reply.

          "Brad?" I repeat, this time a little more stern.