Instant Paradise

Closing her eyes she could feel the hard pavement slam against her feet as she ran across the busy street. Dressed "to the nines" as her mom always said, Chelsea ran toward the jewlery store where she spends her evenings Wednesday through Saturday. It wasn't her dream job, but paid the bills for her small apartment, while she was studying pre-law at Boston College. She was running late, not so different from every other day, feeling trapped, as though she were just going through the motions of a life that couldn't possibly be her own.

"You're late..." Bea stood in the doorway with her arms crossed on her chest, tapping her fingers with a stern scowl on her face. Beatrice and her small jewlery shop had been a Godsend to Chelsea after she'd got fed up with working in the Cafeteria at the College, offering her a job that fit perfect with her hectic schedule and most importantly allowing her to study at work on slow nights.

"Sorry, class ran late and..." She cut herself off, knowing how Bea hated excuses. She hung her coat in the back room and plopped her notebook down next to the computer that doubled as a cash register, Feeling horrible for holding up Bea and her evening plans. "Have a great night Bea!" Flashing her huge, loveable smile in the direction of her grey haired angel.

On her way out the door Bea stopped and turned toward Chelsea, she couldn't help at smile at this young woman who was making lemonade from the small, green tinted lemons that life had handed to her. "I left some stew in the fridge in back for you, figured you'd forget to eat before you came. Close up tight tonight Chels."

Chelsea smiled back at her, although she was already clicking away on the keyboard. She had a paper to write, an exam to study for and 5 chapters to read all before tomorrow at 8am. This was far from the glamorous life of the city she'd always pictured.

By 8pm there had been no customers for the evening, she'd finished the last little bit of the stew Bea had left for her and she was starting to surf the web as a quick relief. On a travel website, trying to find the cheapest flight to Chicago for Thanksgiving, Chelsea decided to visit her Grandmother over the holidays. That would be just the relief she needed.

Her eyes lit up when she found a flight for under $200, and at that exact moment the bell on the front door of the shop rang, she quickly clicked the link to accept then jumped from her seat.

Another young couple, probably looking for engagement rings. She knew the type, and also knew that more than likely they would leave empty handed tonight. None the less, she couldn't risk having Bea hear that she'd given less than perfect service to any customer.

After showing them five or six different styles, Chelsea found herself growing jealous of the couple. They were so in love, as though there were nothing else in the world.

She'd been that way once. Mark had been her prince charming; he represented everything she thought she'd wanted. A fireman from a small town just outside Boston, he didn't make great money but enough that she could continue to go to school, and then once out she'd be a big name lawyer in the city, coming home at night to 3.5 children, 2 cats, a Golden Retriever and of course her loving husband. He'd given her a ring one soft summer night, he got down on one knee and asked for her hand in marriage. They spent months planning the perfect wedding, until just two weeks before; Chelsea knew this wasn't the life that was meant for her. She had to call it off.

The beaming young man with brown hair had taken notes on every ring that his girlfriend delicately slid on her finger. Good notes and Chelsea could tell that which ever ring he came back to select would make this girl beam from ear to ear for years to come. Silently, she wished them all the luck in the world as they exited the store.

Glancing at her watch, it was Nine o’clock. Time to close up! She locked the door behind them and walked slowly back to the computer to order her tickets to Chicago. On the screen had popped up a photograph of the ocean, with a beautiful palm tree and a crystal clear sky. “Paradise must be nice…” she said as she clicked close the browser button. She ordered her plane tickets, printed out the confirmation and left Bea a quick note that she’d need Thanksgiving weekend off, then shut the lights off and slid out the door, locking up shop behind her.

Walking back toward the cramped downtown apartment she shared with her cousin, Chelsea’s mind kept drifting back to that beautiful scene of the palm tree on the beach. The photograph was so vivid she could almost feel the sand beneath her toes, even though she was walking up 4th street.

Once inside her apartment she turned on her stereo to avoid the sounds of the busy street below. Jumping in the shower, she couldn’t shake that image. Maybe this was the sign she’d been praying for, maybe she was meant to be on that beach, perhaps that pop-up had been showing Chelsea her fate.

Hopping out of the shower she knew just what she needed to do… Chelsea grabbed her suitcase from the top shelf of her closet, thankful that she didn’t have many belongings. She packed most of her clothes into the big black case, what she couldn’t fit she slid into the box she kept on the floor of her closet. Zipping up the suitcase, she grabbed her Red Sox cap and slipped it onto her head.

Searching frantically for a pen in the kitchen drawer her mind was rushing with ideas and thoughts of what could come. She left a quick note for her cousin, telling her she’d be sure to send a post card with details of where to send her last few boxes. She left the keys on the counter, locked the door and rushed down the 3 flights of steps to the busy street corner.

“Logan International” she said, sliding into the backseat of the cab. She had just enough cash in her pocket for the first flight out of here, and hopefully a nights stay in a motel. She’d find a job tending bar near the beach, island life would fit her well. And when they asked, she’d tell them she’s from Boston.