Esperanza (Brides Dock On Portum Island!) #1

Untitled Part 5

Two weeks later, Esperanza woke up at six o'clock a.m. Her ride to the airport was going to arrive in an hour. It was petty, but she hadn't spoken much to Nancy. Nancy had no idea that she was leaving on that day. Liz was still snoring beside her, but the woman woke as soon as Esperanza began getting dressed.

"Where are you going so early?" Liz complained as she sat up.

"To the airport," Esperanza replied. "I'm moving to Florida." Liz's green eyes went wide with surprise.

"What? Why didn't you say anything?" Liz cried. "Do you need anything? How can I help? What are you going to do with your car? Do you need me to help you carry your bags? Why didn't you tell me? I would have planned a goodbye dinner for you. I get that you're fighting with Nancy. But I thought that you and I were friends. Seriously, Esperanza, I'm going to miss you. I was actually hoping that we would be roommates. I don't plan on living here forever, either. I have a job interview next week. I guess you aren't going to be an option for a roommate. Oh crap. I'm going to be stuck here, babysitting all of Nancy's kids. I can't. I just..."

Esperanza did the one thing that made sense. She snatched up Liz's laptop, typed in the predictable password, and went on the mail order bride website.

"This is how I am going to Florida. Maybe you can be matched up with someone. Wouldn't it be great to have a permanent roommate?" Esperanza asked.

"Oh my goodness," Liz gasped as she took the laptop from Esperanza, who had managed to get dressed during Liz's questioning session. "You can't be serious! You're going to be a mail order bride? Did you know that in the eighteen hundreds, this was one of the ways that men from the west found brides? The west wasn't as developed back then. I know it's hard to believe when you look at how populated our country is today. So you're really going to do this? Seriously?"

"Seriously," Esperanza said as she grabbed her toiletry bag. "I'll be right back," Esperanza said as she rushed to the bathroom. Naturally, it was already occupied. After a minute, Esperanza pounded on the door and yelled, "Hurry up." Moments later, Nancy walked out of her room, dressed in a silky night gown.

"Where are you going so early?" she asked as she rubbed her eyes.

"To the airport. I'm moving to Florida," Esperanza said.

Nancy's eyes widened. "And you didn't say anything?" her soon-to-be former roommate asked.

"I just did," Esperanza said as Craig exited the bathroom, wearing nothing but boxers. Esperanza rolled her eyes and stomped past him. She brushed her teeth, washed her face, and put her raven curls up in a ponytail. Then she packed her toiletry bag into one of the larger suitcases and dragged it into the living room. Liz immediately dragged out the other one.

"Let me help you get this stuff outside," Liz insisted. Esperanza wasn't about to turn down the help. Instead, the two women rolled the three large suitcases and her box of shoes into the hallway. Nancy actually exited the apartment with the small carry-on which held her wedding dress, her laptop bag, and her purse.

"Will you keep in touch?" Nancy asked hopefully.

"Maybe," Esperanza responded, not agreeing to anything.

"Okay then," she said. "Let's get this stuff outside."

"Esperanza, it's so nice to meet you," a tall, beautiful woman with medium brown skin said as Esperanza stepped onto the private jet. Her eyes bounced around the interior, amazed at the luxurious leather seats that looked comfortable enough to sleep in. The town car that had picked her up from the apartment was cozy enough, and she had even nodded off for a bit. But she was hoping for a long, turbulence free flight. Well, everything seemed smooth thus far. Her cargo had been loaded, and the pilot, Dana, and her twin sister, Sam, had already entered the cockpit.

"I'm Cassandra Hall, your coordinator." Esperanza studied the leather seats, trying to decide where she wanted to sit. Cassandra seemed friendly enough, but one never new.

"It's nice to meet you, Cassandra," Esperanza said as she shook the woman's hand with the hand that wasn't holding her carry-on bag.

"Is that your wedding dress?" the woman asked, her excited features relaxing Esperanza a bit.

"Yes," Esperanza answered.

"We're waiting for two more. I hope that won't be a problem."

"No, it won't," Esperanza said, before deciding that she was better off sitting beside Cassandra. Who knew what the other mail order brides would be like?

"So, are we having a triple wedding?" Esperanza asked.

"Of course not. It's more like you'll each get married one at a time," she explained, as a short woman with long, greasy black hair walked onto the plane. She was rail thin, and wore a t-shirt and shorts were threadbare. Her face was sunken in and her eyes were filled with concern.

Cassandra stood and rushed over to the woman, who was also holding a carry-on bag. "Julia, it's so nice to meet you," Cassandra said. "I'm Cassandra, your mail order bride coordinator." The thin girl was led to the seat across from Esperanza's.

"Hi Julia, I'm Esperanza," Esperanza greeted.

"Hi," Julia said in a soft voice. "It's really nice to meet you." Before the two of them could even make conversation, the third arrival appeared. Tessa strolled onto the plane, her eyes filled with excitement.

"Esperanza, get out of here, you're doing this mail order bride thing too?" Tessa asked, surprised. Cassandra quickly introduced herself, and Tessa chose to sit beside Julia. It didn't take long for the group to secure their carry-ons and buckle in. Moments later, they were in the air.

"So, you and Tessa know each other?" Cassandra inquired, interested.

"Yes. She used to be one of my customers. I gave her a trim a couple of weeks ago."

"I see," Cassandra said.

"So, what part of Florida are we going to?" Tessa asked, excited.

"We're going to an island off the coast of Florida," Cassandra said. Her words were starting to worry Esperanza.

"I know, that's what you told me last week. I just want to know what island we are going to," Tessa said, insistent. Julia seemed uncomfortable with the pending confrontation. Esperanza's suspicious nature was starting to come out.

"Hold up, what part of Florida are we going to?" Esperanza cautiously asked.

"We are landing on a private air strip in Key West," Cassandra said. "Then we are taking a boat to Portum Island."

" Portum Island?" Julia squeaked. "There is no such thing. It's a mythical island that—"

"It is an island," Cassandra protested. "Trust me, I grew up there. Wait until you see it for yourself."

Esperanza wasn't about to see anything. Nothing was keeping her from running off.

"Great!" Tessa squealed. "I can't wait to see the island." Right, Tessa was the adventurous type, and Julia didn't appear to be a fighter. It looked like Esperanza was on her own.