Take a break

It had been months since she had gone out for a long drive. She rolled down the windows and her anxious mind calmed, as soon as the cool ocean breeze hit her face. She drove for a few hours until she finally reached her destination. She particularly loved this restaurant, because it was two hours drive from home, they had an amazing view of the Pacific coast, and they served the most amazing desserts.

 

“Table for one, please”. “Sure, there is a wait for about 20 mins.” “That should be fine.” “Okay, can I get your name to book the reservation?” “It’s Sasha.” She said, and went to the outer garden; the restaurant had this nice little garden, where you could enjoy the view with a drink from the bar. The place was crowded; it was the holiday season. She found a chair and got herself an Old Fashioned. The garden had these plants that looked familiar, so she quickly checked her phone for pictures and found the exact picture of the plant that was blooming with flowers. “Wow! It has been 9 months since I came here.” She said to herself and then started reflecting on how her year went.

 

Her eyes and one part of her brain enjoyed the view in front of her, while the other part replayed the events of the last year. “Man, it was a busy year!” She gasped and took a sip of her drink. She was in some deep thoughts, and almost about to finish her drink when the restaurant buzzer rang and notified her that her table was ready.

 

“What would you like ma’am?” “Can I get a bowl of clam chowder and some truffle garlic fries.?” “Sure, anything to drink?” “Umm... I’ll get the same drink. Thank you.” “Of course!” The waiter left and she looked around, it was indeed a busy afternoon. Her drink came, and she enjoyed her drink while still lost in thoughts. But once, her food came She gorged on it; she was starving. “Any dessert ” “Oh, yeah, I come to this place only for your desserts” She browsed the menu and then finally ordered, “Can I get this, orange pecan brownie.” “Of course, good choice.” The waiter said with a smile.

 

Sasha finished her meal, walked around the restaurant area, and proceeded to the restaurant-owned store. They carried all local products and books and of course souvenirs. She got a book and a bottle of locally sourced essential oil. It was 2 pm when she started to drive back, and an hour after she started, she craved some caffeine. So she decided to stop at a cafe in the nearby town. “Can I get a small cappuccino with oat milk?” “Sure, anything else?” “No, that would be all.” She decided to sit outside, facing the hustle and bustle of the town. She enjoyed her coffee while watching people explore this small town. That made her happy. After spending some time at the cafe, she contemplated and decided to spend a night or two in this small town that she always passed by, but never really thought of as a place that could be explored.

 

‘Hey, so, as I mentioned in the text, I’ll be staying over.” “Hmm, yeah. Two nights. I’ll be back Sunday afternoon or evening. Umm, yeah. Sure. Take care. Bye.”

 

“Hi, ma’am so you’re on the third floor. These are your keys. Is there anything else I can help you with?” “No, I’m good. Thank you.” Sasha took the elevator and reached her room. She switched on the lights, and was pleasantly surprised; It was the coziest room she had ever seen. There was even a fireplace. She checked the whole room out and decided to take a warm shower. She opened the bottle of wine she bought at the convenience store nearby, poured herself a glass, and enjoyed it while listening to some of her favorite music and dancing around. She wore herself out and, decided to take a nap at 6 pm. She chuckled before passing out because the last time she took a nap at 6 pm was when she was in college, and since she was feeling a little frisky, she didn’t set an alarm.

 

She woke up at 7:30 pm, and her stomach growled. “Yep, let’s get you some food.” She drank some complimentary herbal tea while fixing her makeup. She walked around the town and saw many couples cozying up. It was a little chilly, so she put on a jacket and started exploring restaurants. She found a nice one, that wasn’t too crowded, and went inside. “Table for one.” “Sure ma’am, this way.” “Can I get a table near the window overlooking the ocean?” “Aah, I’m so sorry, all those are reserved.” “Umm… Okay, then can I sit at the bar?” “Of course.” Once seated, she started exploring the food menu and decided to get Linguine with Clams. “What drink would you like to accompany your food with?” “Umm… I shouldn’t drink, but… Oh what the hell, can I get a Pinot Grigio.” “Of course, I’ll get you started with that.”

 

Once back in the room, Sasha decided to watch a movie she wanted to watch for a long time and then finally went to bed at 11:30 pm. The next day, she woke up as usual at 6 am, and it was still dark so she shut all her alarms and went back to bed. Then, at around 8 am, she was woken up by the sun's rays. She got up and sat on the bed all groggy, and when she finally opened her eyes, she was awestruck. In front of her was the most breathtaking view she had seen in a while. The sun, distant mountain range, and the magnanimous Pacific Ocean, all in one scene. It awoke her completely, but also calmed her. She went to sit on the bench set against the window and enjoyed the view in silence for some time. she thought of a lot of things and made some decisions; made some mental notes, and some physical ones. She made herself some green tea and continued enjoying the view. She had a smile on her face, but there was also some sadness coming to the surface, that she had buried; she let every thought and emotion just flow, while sipping the tea and watching the view. Sometimes the noises in her head got too loud, but the sound of the waves made sure to bring her back to calmness.

 

She sat there in silence, occasionally sipping tea, for about an hour, and then she got a call from the reception reminding her of the free breakfast.

 

Sasha had a cup of coffee, two boiled eggs, and some fruit for breakfast. Then she went out to explore the town. The daytime view of the town was completely different; there were kids everywhere, excited to witness the ocean and the sea lions. Like those kids, she was excited to check out the sea lions too. “It’s such a California thing. I have never seen them on the East Coast. They’re so fascinating.” A lady next to her commented. “Indeed they are.” “Is it your first time as well, seeing those cute creatures?” Sasha didn’t realize that the question was meant for her and after almost a minute, “Oh, I’m so sorry, I got a little lost in their antics. Umm.., no, it’s not my first time. I was born here… I mean on the West Coast, I’m not new to their antics, yet it always feels like it’s my first time. They sure know how to steal your heart.” She replied winkingly. “Hahaha. Wow! That’s amazing. So what other things do you recommend to check out on the West Coast? After my husband died last year, my daughter and I decided this year we are going to travel, and she does those WFH things. So we have been traveling for almost 2 months, and I’m loving every bit of it.” She said looking at her earnestly, then she turned her face to look at the ocean, and after a minute said, “Don’t get me wrong, I loved my husband, and I wished he was here. But, I was kinda relieved when he died. We had been battling his cancer for 5 years, and we both were tired.” Sasha didn’t know what to say, that touched a nerve that she had purposely forgotten.”Sorry, I overshare.” The woman apologized. “Oh, that’s fine. I’m sorry for your loss, I hope you’re doing better. Umm… Do you want to get some ice cream?” “At 9 in the morning?” “Yeah, so? You said you’re on vacation, right?” “Hahaha… sure, what the hell.” Sasha smiled, and they went ahead to get the ice cream. She spent an hour after that having another coffee and discussing what places they should visit on their trip.

 

She parted ways with them around noon, decided to go hiking, and skipped lunch. She hiked for about 3 hours. Then she roamed around the town a bit more bought some new clothes and toiletries, and snacked on some local healthy snacks. She reached her hotel around 4 pm and went for a long shower. She put on her new clothes applied some makeup, and headed out for dinner. “I’m famished.” She said to herself.

 

She had made a reservation at a Michelin-star restaurant that was 5 miles away from her hotel. She called for a cab and reached the place around 5:30 pm. “I have a reservation. My name is Sasha.” “Of course, ma’am. Right this way.” Sasha got seated and took a deep breath at the view. Sun had just set, and the sky was painted in pinks and oranges. “California sunsets. It’s something isn't it?” The waiter interrupted her thoughts. “Cannot get enough of them.” She smiled. “So can we get started with the first course?” “Yes, I’m starving. Also, can I get your best red wine, preferably a Cabernet?” “Absolutely.”

 

Sasha spent 2 hours at the restaurant, enjoying every course, and drinking even slower. She looked towards the ocean, and after almost 10 minutes took another bite of her food. ‘It’s the calmness. No one is waiting for me to finish, no one is screaming at me. I haven’t enjoyed eating food in almost a year. I don’t remember the last time when I had a meal without thinking about the next day, next move, or next consequence..’ “I know what you mean.” The waiter said, and that’s when Sasha realized she had splurted out her thought aloud. “I think I’m a little tipsy.” She chuckled, and the waiter continued, “My grandma always said that you should switch off from the world, when you sit down to eat, and forget about your worries and your tomorrows, and just enjoy your food.” “That’s good advice,” Sasha said earnestly. “Can I get you anything else?” “No, that’s all. Thank you for the wonderful experience.”

 

She reached her hotel around 9 pm; sat on the bed, checked her messages, and replied to a few. She sat there for a while lost in thoughts, listening to the ocean. Then after a few minutes, she got up to use the restroom, checked herself in the mirror, and burst out crying. She cried her heart out. After a few minutes, she wiped her tears touched up her makeup, and headed out for a walk.

 

She went to the beach and walked barefoot on the sand, and that calmed her down. She enjoyed the salty breeze. She dipped her feet in the cold Pacific Ocean and closed her eyes, the chilly water didn’t just relieve her sore muscles, but it soothed her soul. After a few minutes, it started raining so she sprinted back to the town, and took shelter under some shop. There was music coming from a local bar, so she decided to go in until the rain stopped. There was a live band playing, and people dancing to them. She liked the vibe and so she decided to get a drink. “What would you like?” “Can I get an Old Fashion?” “Of course.”

 

Sasha enjoyed the music and occasionally clapped in appreciation. “They are playing so well aren’t they?” A man sitting next to her at the bar commented. “They surely are,” Sasha answered and smiled, and continued enjoying her drink. The band sang their last two songs and called it a night, and everyone in the bar applauded the performance. “You seem new here.” The man asked. “That’s because I am. I am just visiting..” Sasha looked at him and replied. “Very cool. Since you’re just visiting, do you want to make the best out of it? Do you want to get out of here?” He said winkingly. It took a moment for her to realize what he was insinuating. “Umm… Thanks for the offer, but I’ll pass. I’m married.” She said and called for the check. “Oh, so am I. You are in a new town alone, have some fun. Nobody needs to know.” She gulped down her drink, looked at him and just smiled, “Well, I would know. Sorry buddy I’m not looking for anything.” “Are you sure, life is short don’t be so stuck up. Enjoy your life.” “Oh, I’m very much aware of life being short. But yeah, I think I like enjoying my life by myself. Thank you for the offer. Good night.” She said and stormed out of the bar. While walking to her hotel, she replayed the whole incident in her head and laughed, laughed hard.

 

The next day Sasha checked out of the hotel and decided to have a nice brunch before heading home.

 

She reached home around 2 pm and was greeted by her 2 naughty little toddlers. She hugged and cuddled her kids before her husband came to greet her. He hugged her tight and said, “I missed you.” She broke the hug, looked into his eyes, and smiled, before kissing him. It was a long, long kiss. “I missed you too. But I needed this.” “I know. It has been a tough few months.” Sasha just looked away. “Look at me. I’m here. I’m never leaving.” Sasha had tears in her eyes, “I know.” She wiped her tears and asked, “Did the hospital call?” “Yes, they did. Let’s go inside and talk more.” He said, and she just rested her head on his shoulder and headed inside her home.