Say Goodnight Before You Leave

28. Heat

Present. Orlando, Florida.

I wake up in a cold sweat, breathless. I just had a nightmare I didn't remember much about apart from strong colors and loud noises. But even if the narrative of this bad dream was unknown to me, it was clear what - who - trigged it.

Nightmare filled or not, I went deep into sleep as the dry drool on my face accuses, and hungover as my headache gives away.

I look to the bed next to mine where Dallas' still asleep, the blanket close to falling on the ground. We turned on the AC last night and I was still trying to get used to the weather of Florida. I walk out into the small balcony to the beautiful view of Seven Seas lagoon and take my cellphone out. It's early here in Orlando and I have already forgotten the time difference between here and Berlin, but still, I call my mom.

"Hi, dear, how you doing?"

"Great, mom. What time is it there?"

"Uh... 2 PM. The flight went okay?"

"Yes. The hotel is great as well. There's just one thing not very good about this."

"I don't like it when you give me news like that."

I laugh. "Nothing sinister, Lesly. Try and guess who in this round Earth gave us this trip."

"Oh, no. Is it who I think it is?"

"Mads Mikkelsen himself. He's staying here at the hotel as well, said that Disney has signed him for a movie or some crap like that and he wanted company! Can you imagine the audacity?"

I hear her sigh. "Dallas knows?"

"That he's here? Yes. And he's happy about it."

"Maysilee, this is not good." Her voice turned grave.

I run my hand down my neck, I have already started sweating. "I know, but... Dallas is so content. I don't have the courage to tell him we're leaving."

"Then what will you do?"

"Is there anything to do? Other than trying to avoid Mads like the devil and keep everything as polite as possible in the times I can't."

"Keep yourself away from alcohol, or you might end up spilling what you don't want to."

Too late, mom. "I'll keep that in mind."

"You can't just victimize yourself, Maysilee. You're an adult, and you'll make a lot of people upset if you step out of place." I keep myself quiet for a moment absorbing what she just said. "You might not want to hurt your own feelings but you have to think about others too. Even Mads."

"I didn't ask him to walk back into my life."

"Surprise, people do that sometimes. But from what I've seen, you allowed him to come inside, you would've left if you hadn't."

"I know I'm not a martyr, but I'm also not I saint."

"I know, that's why I'm telling you this. If you decided to stay then enjoy it, go have some fun, carefully of course, and call me if anything happens."

"I will."

I end the call and get back inside the room to Dallas woken up on his bed. He rubs his eye then gives a half-smile. "We lost breakfast," he says.

"There are a few snacks left. Or we can go have lunch earlier if you want, I'm feeling a bit sick so I don't mind."

"No, a snack will do. I think we should go to the pool for a while. Even with the AC, I'm sweating, can't imagine how's the weather outside."