6. Escape
6:13 am, Saturday, 27 April
Fresh coffee. Nothing better than waking to the smell of fresh coffee. I wake Dana with a freshly brewed cup.
6:31 am, Saturday, 27 April
The car keys are lost...again! Dana just can't remember where she put them. Just when we wanted to leave early. I used to be the one with a bad memory but recently Dana has taken the trophy!
6:42 am, Saturday, 27 April
Finally found them. We are off! Wow! It's been years since we have gone away. This feels so strange. Especially after everything that has happened. I am still worried about leaving mom, but dad and Dana have convinced me that it will be fine.
7:49 am, Saturday, 27 April
Stopped to refuel.
The phone rings, it's Randle.
"Aren't you going to answer your phone?" Dana asks as I plop back into the car holding two donuts and a coffee.
"Nah! It's just Judas calling trying to placate his sinful conscience."
"You really should take his call," Dana suggests, "I know what he has done is wrong, but you've been friends for years."
"WRONG! It's not WRONG, it's back-stabbing evil, that's what it is. Especially because we have been friends for so long. There's no way I ever want to talk to him!"
"Malo, you need to let go of this, forgive him, or else you will never be able to move on."
"Don't give me the same shrink talk I hear every week from Dr Lokhoff," I snap back. "Randle ruined my life and the last six years of hard work. He stole everything I worked for..."
"OK, OK," Dana interrupts, "this is our holiday, let's not fight."
We drive off in silence. I am too irritated to speak. Randle is now wrecking my only holiday too!
The phone rings, it's Randle.
"Aren't you going to answer your phone?" Dana asks as I plop back into the car holding two donuts and a coffee.
"Nah! It's just Judas calling trying to placate his sinful conscience."
"You really should take his call," Dana suggests, "I know what he has done is wrong, but you've been friends for years."
"WRONG! It's not WRONG, it's back-stabbing evil, that's what it is. Especially because we have been friends for so long. There's no way I ever want to talk to him!"
"Malo, you need to let go of this, forgive him, or else you will never be able to move on."
"Don't give me the same shrink talk I hear every week from Dr Lokhoff," I snap back. "Randle ruined my life and the last six years of hard work. He stole everything I worked for..."
"OK, OK," Dana interrupts, "this is our holiday, let's not fight."
We drive off in silence. I am too irritated to speak. Randle is now wrecking my only holiday too!
9:42 am, Saturday, 27 April
Eagle's Rest - The large wood-carved sign hangs over the entrance to the long driveway.
"I can't believe we are finally here," I say breathing in the fresh mountain air through my open window. I feel like I am somehow meant to be here. I can't explain why. Maybe it's just the relief after the stress. Maybe it's just a break after so long. Maybe it's just stopping.
Our car tires crunch along the winding gravel driveway, lined with beautiful fir trees interspersed with rose bushes. The fresh mountain air mingles with the fir scented air creating the ultimate arboreal welcome.
"Welcome to Eagle's View Mr. and Mrs. Bel," a burly, beaming porter says. "I am Jusub. I am here to make your stay memorable. Please enjoy a glass of freshly made mint and lemon juice."
"It's great to be here," I reply, gratefully accepting the welcome drink.
"I can't believe we are finally here," I say breathing in the fresh mountain air through my open window. I feel like I am somehow meant to be here. I can't explain why. Maybe it's just the relief after the stress. Maybe it's just a break after so long. Maybe it's just stopping.
Our car tires crunch along the winding gravel driveway, lined with beautiful fir trees interspersed with rose bushes. The fresh mountain air mingles with the fir scented air creating the ultimate arboreal welcome.
"Welcome to Eagle's View Mr. and Mrs. Bel," a burly, beaming porter says. "I am Jusub. I am here to make your stay memorable. Please enjoy a glass of freshly made mint and lemon juice."
"It's great to be here," I reply, gratefully accepting the welcome drink.
10:10 am, Saturday, 27 April
Our room is amazing. I can't believe it's taken us so long to visit this place. The room has a large king size bed covered in an array of different pillows, which seem to call out "sleep". A real log fire is set ready in the fireplace against the opposite wall. Two luxurious, inviting leather chairs face a floor to ceiling window that frames the incredible mountain vista outside.
"Wow," gasps Dana as we look around the room.
"Wow indeed," I reply. "This is going to be awesome, absolutely awesome!"
"Wow," gasps Dana as we look around the room.
"Wow indeed," I reply. "This is going to be awesome, absolutely awesome!"
12:06 pm, Saturday, 27 April
We take a stroll along a meandering gravel road that runs at the base of the majestic mountains that rise to kiss the clouds high above. The air is invigorating and I can already feel myself being rejuvenated.
I notice a path leading off the road with a small sign,
"Lake View Trail (approx. 1 hour)".
"Hey Dana, lets go see the lake. We can easily do it and be back in time for lunch."
"I'd love too, but I'm feeling a bit tired. I'd rather not have to rush it. Maybe we can do it after lunch," she replies.
We sit for a while under a shady tree that provides a beautiful vantage point to look back towards the hotel and the valley below. A small stream trickles past nearby before disappearing into a forest of ferns a little further on. Its refreshing sound reaches out and soothes away my stress. Dana is collecting smooth stones from the stream, as I soak in the pure beauty of this living tapestry.
"This is the life," I sigh, leaning back against the gnarled bark of the tree.
"It sure is," Dana replies. "I'm glad we came. I have a feeling this time away will change everything."
"I hope so," I think to myself, "I really hope so."
“We better get going if we want to make lunch,” I say. “Do you want me to put your stones in the backpack?”
“Yes, thanks,” Dana replies, handing me a beautiful collection of stones she has found in the stream. I just love the way she is always looking out for beautiful things.
We follow the gravel road until a fork loops back towards the lodge where once again we are welcomed by the broad smile of Jusub.
"Welcome. I see you have returned from a walk. That will surely have set your appetite for our delicious, hearty country lunch. Lunch is now served." Never have truer or more welcome words been spoken.
I notice a path leading off the road with a small sign,
"Lake View Trail (approx. 1 hour)".
"Hey Dana, lets go see the lake. We can easily do it and be back in time for lunch."
"I'd love too, but I'm feeling a bit tired. I'd rather not have to rush it. Maybe we can do it after lunch," she replies.
We sit for a while under a shady tree that provides a beautiful vantage point to look back towards the hotel and the valley below. A small stream trickles past nearby before disappearing into a forest of ferns a little further on. Its refreshing sound reaches out and soothes away my stress. Dana is collecting smooth stones from the stream, as I soak in the pure beauty of this living tapestry.
"This is the life," I sigh, leaning back against the gnarled bark of the tree.
"It sure is," Dana replies. "I'm glad we came. I have a feeling this time away will change everything."
"I hope so," I think to myself, "I really hope so."
“We better get going if we want to make lunch,” I say. “Do you want me to put your stones in the backpack?”
“Yes, thanks,” Dana replies, handing me a beautiful collection of stones she has found in the stream. I just love the way she is always looking out for beautiful things.
We follow the gravel road until a fork loops back towards the lodge where once again we are welcomed by the broad smile of Jusub.
"Welcome. I see you have returned from a walk. That will surely have set your appetite for our delicious, hearty country lunch. Lunch is now served." Never have truer or more welcome words been spoken.
2:12 pm, Saturday, 27 April
After an absolutely amazing lunch I am ready to hit the trail and check out the lake. "Let's go see the lake Dana," I say.
Dana smiles at me. "You are like an over enthusiastic kid leaping from one activity to the next. Our lunch has hardly settled and you are bounding off again."
"I feel a bit like a kid. It must be all this mountain air," I reply. "I think we should just chill out a bit and maybe we can go later this afternoon on that walk," Dana replies.
"No, no, no, I wanna go now, now, now," I say bouncing up and down on the spot purposefully acting like an ADHD kid.
Dana laughs at my obvious act. "I love it when you are so...so just the old Malo. You know what? I am still a bit tired and would enjoy just relaxing here. Why don't you go do the walk to the lake. You can use it to de-bounce yourself so that by this evening you'll be able to sit down and have a relaxed romantic dinner with me."
"No. I am not going to just leave you. We have just arrived," I reply. "I don't mind just sitting here with you."
"Malo,” she says fixing me with her special Dana-intent look, “I want you to go. In fact, I might even have a lovely afternoon nap. Haven't had one of them in ages. You'd have lots more fun on your walk. Dr Dana's orders. Now go, and have fun! And take the backpack with you, it has some water and sunscreen in it."
Dana smiles at me. "You are like an over enthusiastic kid leaping from one activity to the next. Our lunch has hardly settled and you are bounding off again."
"I feel a bit like a kid. It must be all this mountain air," I reply. "I think we should just chill out a bit and maybe we can go later this afternoon on that walk," Dana replies.
"No, no, no, I wanna go now, now, now," I say bouncing up and down on the spot purposefully acting like an ADHD kid.
Dana laughs at my obvious act. "I love it when you are so...so just the old Malo. You know what? I am still a bit tired and would enjoy just relaxing here. Why don't you go do the walk to the lake. You can use it to de-bounce yourself so that by this evening you'll be able to sit down and have a relaxed romantic dinner with me."
"No. I am not going to just leave you. We have just arrived," I reply. "I don't mind just sitting here with you."
"Malo,” she says fixing me with her special Dana-intent look, “I want you to go. In fact, I might even have a lovely afternoon nap. Haven't had one of them in ages. You'd have lots more fun on your walk. Dr Dana's orders. Now go, and have fun! And take the backpack with you, it has some water and sunscreen in it."