Notes from a Spinning Planet—Mexico (24 page)

“Why does she need them?” asks Ian. So I explain her job situation and how her boss is a jerk.

“I'm happy to write one,” says Sid. “That girl was the only good part of Playa del Monaco.”

“Well, I know I'd be happy to hire someone like her at my restaurant,” says Ian. “I can write something to that effect.”

“Great,” I tell them. “I guess we don't really have to hand them over to her today. We can always send them.”

“I'm going to write one now,” says Sid. “I'll do it on my laptop and have it printed down in the office. You can do the same if you want, Maddie. In fact, you can dictate it to me, if you like.”

“Cool.”

So, right then and there, we all take turns dictating our letters to Sid. Being the writer of the group, she does a little editing, and soon we're done. “There we go,” she says. “Ready to print out.”

“I'll go with you to the office,” offers Ian, and then they're gone.

“Want to take a walk?” asks Ryan. “Or do you need to pack?”

I glance at the clock. “Well, I do need to pack. But, more than that, I really need to walk on the beach. Just as long as I'm back by noon. That'll give me plenty of time to cram everything into my bags.”

re you disappointed about how it went with Shelby?” Ryan asks as we walk through the wet sand. We've been wading, and its tempting to jump in, because right now the sun is so hot I feel like I'm about to suffer a case of internal combustion.

“I guess,” I admit. “I suppose it's unrealistic, but I really hoped we'd get through to her.”

“We might have,” he says.

“What makes you think that?”

“I don't know.” He bends down to pick up something shiny, then after examining it chucks it into the ocean. “I guess time will tell.”

“At least we tried, huh?”

“Yep. The rest is up to Shelby.” Now he bends down to pick up something else, then cleans it off on his shirt and hands it to me.

“Thank you,” I say as I examine what looks like a miniature conch shell. “This is pretty.”

“A memento,” he says, taking my hand. “Maddie?”

“Yeah?”

We walk a few more steps, and then he stops and pulls me toward him and looks me straight in the eyes. “Do you know when I first started to love you?”

“Huh?” Okay, did he just say what I think he just said? And if he did, did he mean it the way it sounded to me, or am I suffering from sunstroke? But I don't say anything. I just stand there stupidly looking into those blue eyes and waiting for this to unfold.

“I first started to love you in Ireland,” he says, undeterred by my muteness. “Do you remember that day when we first got to Malin, and it was raining, and we ducked into a pub down on the wharf?”

I nod eagerly, hoping to show I'm not completely brain-dead.

“It was then.”

I blink. “Really?”

“Yep.” Then he starts walking again, just like that. And I'm wondering how I'm supposed to respond to this. Am I supposed to think back to when I first started loving him? And what if I can't? Although I'm pretty sure I can. I think it was before the blustery day in Malin. I think something happened to me on the day we rode our bikes to the ferry and went to Inishbofin. I can't even explain why exactly. At least not yet. I'm too stunned.

We're back at the steps to the resort now. Ryan stops and turns and takes both my hands again. “I need to apologize to you, Maddie.”

“Why?” Suddenly I'm afraid he's about to take back what he just said. Maybe it's because I didn't respond in a likewise fashion, even though I want to. Or maybe he didn't really mean what he said, or I've simply misunderstood.

“I let myself get distracted with Shelby down here in Mexico.”

“Oh.”

“I never meant to. It's like something came over me, and I just sort
of let her sweep me along for the ride. And I feel really stupid about it. I came down here thinking I was going to spend time with you and then found myself stuck with Shelby. I feel like a total moron, Mad-die. I was actually surprised you'd want anything to do with me after I acted like such a jerk. If it makes you feel any better, I didnt enjoy my time with Shelby. Not at all. Not even from the start.”

I consider this. “Well, to be honest, it did hurt my feelings at first, Ryan. I guess I had this idea that you and I, well, I don't know…”

He grins. “See, you
do
like me.”

“Of course I do. Anyway, Sid explained about how you'd had this huge crush on Shelby in high school, and, well, Shelby was so incredibly gorgeous that—”

“You are way prettier, Maddie.”

“Oh, well—” I look away.

“I mean it, Maddie.” He grips my hands more firmly. “It's like… Let's see if I can explain it coherently. Okay, looking at you is like experiencing this amazing sunset over the ocean. The sky is full of these soft rosy colors, so rich and warm you wish you could touch it, and you never want it to go away, but it does, and you're left there just wanting more. And Shelby, well, she's more like those fireworks we saw last night. I mean, they get your attention, and you have to admit they're pretty flashy and spectacular, at least for a few seconds, but it's not something I really want to keep looking at. In fact, the bright lights make my eyes hurt, and the noise gives me a headache. Do you see what I mean?”

I can't help but smile now. I just nod.

Then he leans down and kisses me, and I feel like I'm floating again, and when he stops, I don't know what to say. I don't know what to do. And I'm more tongue-tied than ever.

“But I'm not going to push you, Maddie,” he says, releasing one hand and holding on to the other as we go up the stairs. “I know this week has been kind of crazy, and you have a lot to do when you get home, getting moved to Seattle and into classes next week. So you wont be getting pressure from me. I promise.”

I squeeze his hand. “Thanks, Ryan.”

“But I'll be around.” Then he sort of laughs. “I'm thinking, hey, if Ian and Sid could wait nearly thirty years to be together, well, I can't be too pushy, can I?”

I turn and look at him, slightly worried. “Thirty years is a pretty long time.”

He grins. “Yeah, I know.”

“I think I'm feeling a little overwhelmed,” I admit.

He nods. “I kinda figured.”

I look at my watch. It's close to noon. “I better go get packed.”

He leans down and gives me a little peck on the cheek now. “I'll see you in a few minutes.”

Then I run up to the suite and find Sid zipping up her last bag and looking ready to go. “You better get busy, Maddie.”

“I know.” I start grabbing things out of the closet and stuffing them in my bag.

“Not like that, sweetie,” she says, taking a pair of capri pants from me. “I know you're trying to hurry, but you'll just end up wasting
time.” Then she shows me how to lay everything flat on the bed and roll it all together like one giant enchilada.

“Wow,” I say, impressed. “That's cool.”

“And now you even have room for the things you bought.”

“Excellent.”

Soon we're done, and I thank Sid for my packing lesson.

“Yes, it was about time.”

We do one last check of our room and the bathroom, then take our bags and set them by the door.

“Well, look what I found,” says Shelby in a teasing voice. We both look over to the kitchen, where she has her booze bottles lined up on the counter like she thinks she's going to open up a bar or something. “Very clever, girls.”

“What do you plan to do with those?” asks Sid in a controlled voice.

Shelby grins. “To party, of course.”

“Oh, Shelby,” I say, showing my disappointment. “You really didn't listen to a word we said, did you?”

“Oh, don't be such a little worrywart, Maddie. You'll have wrinkles before you turn twenty-five.”

“And you might have liver damage,” I say.

She laughs. “I don't think so.”

“Seriously, Shelby,” says Sid, walking toward her. “Why don't you just pour that poison down the drain right now? We can help you.”

She holds up her hands like she's pointing two guns at us, but she's smiling. “Just stay away from the bottles, and nobody gets hurt.”

“Shelby,” I try. “Remember how the doctor told you not to drink alcohol with the medicine he gave you? And your rash still looks pretty nasty. Don't you want to get better?”

“A drink or two will make me
feel
better,” she says as she pops open a bottle of Corona. “And this is just beer, Maddie. No biggie.”

“Except that one drink just leads to another with you,” I point out. “You don't know when to stop.”

“That's my business,” says Shelby as she takes a long swig.

“Okay, Shelby,” says Sid in a warning tone. “I hate to do this, but you're forcing me.” She opens her cell phone and starts dialing.

“Are ya calling the police?” asks Shelby in a teasing tone. “Cuz I'm legal, ya know. They're not gonna care.”

“I'm calling your parents,” says Sid.

“Yeah, right.” Shelby just laughs. “Like you even know their name or number.”

I glance over at Sid and wonder if she's bluffing. But something about the look in her
eyes
suggests she's totally serious.

“Carol Wagner?” she says into the phone. I glance at Shelby in time to see her eyes opening wide and her jaw dropping. She sets the bottle of beer onto the granite countertop with a loud
thwack.
Then Sid politely introduces herself, telling whoever's on the other end that we've been staying with Shelby in the lovely suite and how much we've appreciated their generosity.

Despite Shelby's red splotchy skin, I think I see color draining from her face as she stands there listening.

“I really hate to do this,” says Sid, “But Maddie and I are leaving today, and we're a little worried about your daughter. You see, we've
discovered she has a serious drinking problem.” She pauses, I'm guessing for the reaction. “No, its been going on all week. She actually went missing one night, and we had no idea what had happened. We had to call hotel security, and they found her passed out under some shrubbery. They brought her back at two in the morning.” Another long pause. “Yes, this is difficult for me too. We all tried to talk to her about this problem, suggesting she get help. And we even hid her alcohol, which I'll admit seems a bit silly since she knows how to call for room service.”

Then Sid tells about what happened yesterday with the allergic reaction and the doctor's warning not to mix Benadryl with alcohol and how we're leaving for the States today and how we don't want anything bad to happen to Shelby after we're gone.

“I'm not really sure
what
you can do,” says Sid. “But I thought if I were Shelby's mother, I'd want to know what's going on. She's such a lovely girl. And we really care about her. It'seems such a senseless waste for her to put herself at risk, especially down here by herself in a foreign country” Another pause and Sid glances at her watch and frowns.

“Yes, of course,” says Sid. “Actually, I'm on my cell phone right now, and we're getting ready to go to the airport. How about if you call back on the suite phone and you can talk to her then?” Sid sort of laughs. “Yes, I'm sure you're right. She probably will deny everything.” Sid looks over at Shelby. “But I'm hoping she wont.” Another pause. “Yes, you're so welcome, Carol. And I hope we can meet someday too. Thanks.” Then Sid closes her phone and looks at Shelby. “I know you probably won't believe me, but I did this because I care about you. I want you to stay alive, and I want you to get help.”

Now the phone on the side table is ringing, but Shelbys not moving, and her face looks like it's made of stone. So I answer it. “Hello, Mrs. Wagner,” I say pleasantly. “This is Maddie, Sid's niece. Shelby's right here.” Then I hold the phone out to her. “Shelby, it's your mom.”

She glares at me, but as I hand her the phone, I give her a gentle sideways hug. “I'm going to be praying for you,” I whisper. “We are all going to be praying for you. You have friends and family who care, Shelby. And I think you're going to be okay.”

She studies me for a moment, then says, “Hello, Mom,” in a totally flat voice. And then she just listens.

Sid is letting the guys in, and I know it's time to go as they gather our bags. Then Shelby tells her mom to hold on a minute, and she actually tells us all good-bye. To my shock, she has tears in her eyes.