Back at the hotel, Elaine pulled out her cell phone and called Sam. She didn't care what time it was back in the States. She wanted to talk to a friend.
"Hello," a voice answered.
"Sam, is that you?" Elaine asked.
"Uh-huh. What's wrong Elaine." Sam asked.
"Nothing. My parents are acting like fools and I want to come home." Elaine replied.
"Awww, that's nice Elaine. Call me in six hours when it's daytime, ok? We're all sleeping here." Sam replied groggily.
"No, I will not call you back in six hours. Fine, don't talk to me then. I don't really care. Goodnight. Some friend you are!" Elaine said slamming down the phone as hard as she could.
Sam hung up the phone and put her head back on Mike's chest and went back to sleep.
Elaine sat on the bed and pulled out her Bible and started reading. She kept looking at the clock and none of them were back home yet. She tried to read her Bible, but couldn't focus her mind on anything but her parents acting stupid like the couple in the ladies room.
It was around 4am and Micky finally walked in the room. Elaine sat there looking at him. "What a wonderful time I had tonight with your parents. They are such good people." Micky said smiling at her. "My parents would never be that groovy." Micky undressed into a T-shirt and shorts and then sat on the bed. "And how are you feeling now Elaine?" Micky asked.
Elaine rolled over onto her other side and wouldn't talk to him. Micky said, "Well goodnight then." and turned out the lights.
~~~~~
That next day everyone slept it away, except Elaine who got up at noon, showered, and went down to check out the shops by herself. She already hated the trip very much and wanted to go back home early. She didn't even care about losing all the money she would lose if they defaulted and went home early. She just wanted to go home back to the States.
Her daydreams were abrupted when a young man asked, "And what is a fine lady like you doing out all alone?"
Elaine looked at him and then said, "Window shopping. Why?"
The man smiled at her and said, "Just curious what a foxy lady was doing out all by her lonesome where anyone can sweep her away."
"Touch me and I'll scream," Elaine replied on her guard.
"Relax lady. I'm just trying to make conversation here. You must not be from around here." he asked.
"Uh well that's my business and not yours or anyone else's." Elaine snapped.
"Chill lady. People will think you're being disrespectful to them with that attitude. No one is trying to hurt you. I'm just making conversation, that's all." He said to her.
"What do you want?" Elaine asked.
"I'm just trying to meet new people. Is that so bad lady?" he asked. "And it's a gorgeous day and God's beauty is all around us and I'm just praising God for a beautiful day."
"I see," Elaine said. "And you're a Christian?"
"Yes lady, I am. And are you?" he asked.
"Yes I am," Elaine replied.
"Nice to meet a fellow sister in the Lord. I'm Jacob. What is your name?" he asked.
"Elaine. Nice to meet you too Jacob." Elaine said smiling.
"See, I'm not trying to kill you lady. I just like meeting new friends." he said.
"Sorry about that. I'm just on my guard that's all." Elaine said.
"It's okay. I understand. Never can be too careful anymore." he replied.
"So, are you from the States?" he asked.
"Yes, why?" she asked defensively.
"Just wondering, that's all." he asked. "You seem like you're from the States that's all."
"And what makes you say that Jacob?" Elaine asked curiously.
"Well you're very well put together. Unlike a lot of these gals here who are only out for one thing." Jacob replied.
"I see. Well thank you." Elaine said back.
"You're welcome." he replied.
"So are you here with girlfriends or all alone?" Jacob asked.
"Actually I'm here with my parents and boyfriend." Elaine replied.
"Boyfriend?" Jacob asked hesitantly. "Where's he at? He's not going to clobber me for talking with you, is he?"
Elaine laughed and said, "Nah, he's still sleeping. He took my parents out last night and they got in at 4am this morning."
"Wow, and you didn't go with them?" Jacob asked.
"Well I did but then I came back to the hotel early to rest." Elaine replied.
"Well that's just groovy my friend." Jacob said smiling at her.
~~~~~
Back in the hotel room Micky woke up and said, "Elaine? You here?" Micky sat up and found a note on her pillow that said she had went window shopping. Micky got out of bed, got his clothes, and went into the bathroom to shower and shave. When he came out of the bathroom, he grabbed his hotel key and phone and left to go look for Elaine.
Downstairs in the lobby he found Elaine sitting there talking with a man. Micky walked over and said, "Here you are."
Elaine stood up and said, "Micky, this is Jacob. I met him when I was out window shopping. He lives here. Jacob, this is my boyfriend Micky."
"Nice to meet you Jacob," Micky replied.
"Yeah you too man. You've got a groovy girlfriend there. She's really nice and sweet." Jacob replied.
"Thanks, I love her so much." Micky replied.
"Micky, Jacob knows some good non-alcoholic dance clubs that are around here and he's kindly offered to take you, me, mom and dad to tonight if we wanted to go." Elaine said as she smiled at Micky.
"That's groovy. Are they far away?" Micky asked.
"Nah." Jacob replied. "Elaine said you went to the bar next door. There is one actually two shops down from the one you went to last night. It's called, `The Green Paradise' and it's really rocking."
"Cool. Maybe we can go there tonight, huh Micky?" Elaine asked with a smile on her face.
"Yeah, maybe. We'll have to see what your folks want to do first." Micky replied. "Well nice meeting you Jacob."
Elaine gave Jacob her room number and phone number to the hotel and said, "Call me when you're in town tonight and I'll see what my parents have to say, ok?"
Jacob looked at Micky and said, "I'm not trying to steal her away from you man."
Micky replied, "I know you're not. Don't worry about it."
Jacob took the paper and then said, "Okay I'll call you tonight Elaine. Great meeting you both. Have a good time in our lovely city." Jacob put the note in his pocket and waved goodbye to them. Elaine waved goodbye to him as well.
She turned around and looked at Micky. "I wasn't doing anything wrong. I was just being friendly to the locals." Elaine replied.
"I didn't say a word Elaine, now did I? I do, however, want to talk to you about last night." Micky told her.
Micky took her hand and led her into a conference room that wasn't being used and asked, "What had you so upset last night?"
"I already told you Micky. I don't like seeing my parents acting all dumb and stupid." Elaine replied.
"They weren't that bad Elaine. I mean I, myself, have been way drunker than they were last night." Micky replied.
Elaine put her hand up and said, "Stop right there. Don't say another word or I'm flying back to Massachusetts tonight."
"What?" Micky asked. "What did I say that was so wrong?"
Elaine put her hand up again and said, "I told you never to discuss with me about what you've done previously with the guys. I thought we had that understanding Micky."
"We do. I was just making one tiny comment about the fact that your parents were not that bad last night. And you're flying off the handle was uncalled for." Micky replied to her.
Elaine got into her purse and pulled out his ticket along with her parents and said, "Here. You'll need these. I'm flying back tonight." Elaine grabbed her purse and walked off.
"Wait a minute Elaine. What's going on here?" Micky asked confused. He walked out into the lobby and Elaine had ran out the front door. "Great, just great. Now what?" he asked himself.
Just then Agnes and Harold walked down the hallway, "Hey Micky. Good afternoon."
Micky looked at them and said, "Good afternoon you two. How did you sleep?"
"Excellent my boy. How about you and Elaine?" Harold asked.
"Fine I guess. Elaine's out shopping today." Micky replied.
"Why are you holding the plane tickets?" Agnes asked.
"Um well, Elaine handed them to me after she said she was flying home tonight." Micky replied.
"What?" Agnes said concerned. "Why is she wanting to do that? We've got three weeks in this beautiful place."
"I don't know," Micky replied. "I'm just as confused as you are."
"Give me those tickets young man. I will be having a talk with my daughter when I see her next." Agnes said putting the tickets into her purse.
"I never could understand your daughter Agnes. She's so hypersensitive and I have no idea where she got it from." Harold replied.
"She's `our' daughter Harold. Not just mine." Agnes spat back at her husband. "Don't you worry Micky. I'll straighten everything out."
Micky sat in the chair in the lobby and took two puffs on his inhaler. His breathing was starting to act up again.
Harold took Micky out to do some sightseeing and when Elaine returned back to her hotel room, her mother was sitting on the bed.
"What are you doing in here mother?" Elaine asked.
"Waiting for my daughter." Agnes replied. "What's this I hear about you wanting to leave after one day?"
"I just need to get back home mom. I've thought about it more and I really can't afford to take the time off of work." Elaine replied.
"But you've got vacation, don't you darling?" Agnes asked.
"Yeah I do. But I really would rather go home." Elaine replied.
"Baby sit down and talk to me. What's really going on here?" Agnes asked patting on the bed next to where she was sitting.
"You, daddy, and Micky can stay as long as you want. I just need to get back to the States mom." Elaine said adamantly.
"But something's wrong Elaine. And I want to know what it is." Agnes replied.
"I can't stand you and daddy acting all weird momma. You got drunk last night and then act like teenagers it's embarrassing." Elaine snapped.
"Oh honey, we were hardly drunk. We were just a little tipsy, that's all. Your father and I hardly drink at all. And this is such a wonderful, special treat from our daughter and Micky, that we just wanted to celebrate without having to worry about driving or anything like that." Agnes replied.
"I'm sorry mother. But I'm going back to the States and that's that." Elaine replied.
"Well I'm sorry you feel like that Elaine." Agnes said as she slammed the door to the hotel room and went back into her own room.
Elaine packed up her suitcase and sat on the bed for the longest time in prayer. She didn't know what to do.
Later that night, at around 8pm, Elaine's hotel room phone started to ring. "Hello," she answered.
"Yes Elaine please. This is Jacob."
"This is she. Hello Jacob." Elaine replied.
"How are you?" he asked. "You seem kind of down. Are you ok?"
"I'm flying back to the States tonight Jacob, so I'm afraid I won't be able to go out tonight." Elaine replied.
"But I thought you just got here yesterday?" Jacob asked confused.
"I did. But I need to get back to the States." Elaine replied.
"Oh well. It was very nice meeting you Elaine. I'm sorry to see you leave. But if you have to go, you have to go." Jacob replied sympathetically.
"Yeah. Thanks for calling anyway Jacob." Elaine replied.
"You're welcome. Have a safe flight back." Jacob replied and then hung up the phone.
Just then Micky walked in the room and said, "What a beautiful day I had with your father. He's the greatest."
"That's nice." Elaine replied. "I've got everything packed and I'm leaving on the 10pm flight."
"I wish you wouldn't do this Elaine." Micky said.
"I'm sorry but I have to Micky. Maybe one day you'll understand me enough to know why I'm doing what I'm doing." Elaine replied.
"I thought I did understand you Elaine." Micky said sitting down next to her.
"Well you don't." Elaine snapped back at him.
"What did I do wrong?" Micky asked. "I've obviously done something wrong to you. Why won't you open up and just tell me?"
"It's not you Micky." she said brushing her fingers through his hair. "It's me. It's all me. There's a lot you don't know about me yet Micky and there's a lot you will never know about me. But this has nothing to do with you, ok?"
"Well it sure seems personal you leaving me here with your folks." Micky replied.
"Well it's not. My parents can do as they wish. And if you want to come back with me, that's fine. I just cannot stay." Elaine replied.
"What about the money?" Micky asked. "You freaked about it earlier."
"That was different Micky. That was when I thought no one was coming at all. They can stay and do whatever they want. I just need to get back to the States." Elaine said.
"But I don't understand Elaine. Something has really set you off and I don't understand. Please explain it to me. Please." Micky begged.
"I can't Micky. I wouldn't even know where to start at or what to say. There's just so much about me you don't know and now is not the time to sit here and explain it to you." Elaine said patting his hand. "I need to get to the airport. Are you going to come with me?"
"No, I'm not." Micky replied. "I'm not willing to waste all the thousands of dollars we paid to come here just for one night and to leave the next day."
"I'm sorry Micky. Hopefully one day you'll forgive me for doing this. But it's something that I just have to do." Elaine replied with tears in her eyes.
"Yeah okay." Micky replied moving back to the other bed and laying down.
"I still love you so much Micky. I really do. I just can't stay here any longer." Elaine said as she carried her suitcase to the door. "I'll see you when you get home. I love you so much Micky." Elaine then opened the door and left crying her eyes out.
Micky rolled over onto his side and finally let all the tears come out. "Some engagement," Micky replied.
Elaine left for the airport and then boarded the plane. She was too upset to care about taking any relaxation medication. She cried the entire flight back to California. She would pickup her suitcase another time at her parents house.
Chapter 5
Chapter 7
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