Chloe dragged her suitcase down the stairs. This time, Richmond did not offer his assistance. That’s what happened when you no longer had someone paying for your every comfort or need.
He did, however, hold the door ajar for her, and at this point, she was grateful even for such a small condolence. She was just about to ask the helpful doorman if he could also call for a cab, when she realized with a shock that she might not have enough to pay for the ride to the airport. After all, the travel time had averaged to over 2 hours, which would surely add up to a rather large amount, especially in euros. How would she ever get home? Her airplane tickets had been pre-purchased as a “select the return date” round trip. But what about getting to her actual flight? She had called and scheduled the soonest one, since she had already overpaid for 2 nights at her place of temporary residence. And currently, the flight was only in 3 and a half hours!
“I’m sorry,” she said, turning to the doorman before he shut the door smartly behind her, “but could you tell me how I could get to the airport by public transit?”
He chuckled, as though she was trying to make a joke. “Car only,” he replied, shaking his head. “It’s too difficult to get there any other way.”
“But-” she began to explain her situation, but then stopped just as quickly. What was the point? Even this man, she was now sure, would ask for a fee if he aided her in getting to her flight. Perhaps this was just the way things were for foreigners in a different country.
“Good luck,” Richmond added, before shutting the door. That was the end of her conversation with him. Completely lost in thought, Chloe began rolling her suitcase across the neatly manicured front lawn, towards the street in hopes of catching sight of some sort of bus or other mode of cheap transportation. Just as she neared the deserted road, she heard the roaring of an engine, and turned, in total astonishment, to see Renaldo on an ancient motorcycle. He looked just as surprised to see her- his eyebrows shot up high into his shaggy dark bangs.
As he neared her, he shut off the engine. He wore no helmet, and his face was clearly visible to the dumbstruck Chloe.
“Why do you look so lost?” he asked with much concern. “Did something bad happen?”
“No,” Chloe responded. “I wasn’t expecting to see you, that’s all.”
“Where are you going?” Renaldo continued to question, looking with a puzzled expression at her overstuffed suitcase.
“Home. Back to the United States.”
“Why?” his face suddenly shifted to bear a panicked look.
“Because they kicked me out of my university. And I have no money to stay here.”
He pondered this for a moment, digesting the idea of her leaving forever. After all, with no money, she would not likely come back. It was then that Renaldo finally recognized a real, screaming emotion within himself: overbearing, agonizing sadness. Sadness at his miserable childhood. Sadness at his awful job and how little it had provided him besides his old motorcycle and a place to live. And now, finally, enormous dismay at the fact that the first woman he had ever truly felt attached to in any way was now leaving him, never to be seen again. It was too much for him to survive. Softly, barely audibly, he managed to croak: “Do you want to leave?”
And with all of her heart, Chloe finally realized the answer to this probing, terrorizing question that had lurked within her mind for the past month of being here, and especially for the last couple of days. Did she want to leave? Did she really, honestly want to leave?
Looking at Renaldo, and his painful but still handsome, hopeful young face, she knew the answer immediately. Unable to recognize it before, she had finally located the answer within herself; but it had been there from the very beginning. Relief filled her entire being as she finally confronted herself about her true subconscious decision. A dazzling smile spread over her lips.
“Actually, I don’t,” she stated firmly, confidence arising within her. At the honesty of these words, Renaldo’s face softened into a relieved little grin.
“In that case, I know where you can stay for a few nights, until, of course, you decide to find something better. Do you care to join me?”
“J'adorerais.”