Chapter 5 - The Penthouse
The penthouse was larger than Millie expected.
It had a bedroom facing the ocean, a marble bathroom, a sitting room, a private balcony, and a dining table decorated with fresh flowers. A bottle of champagne waited in a silver bucket.
For several minutes, Millie stood silently by the windows.
She had imagined her family gathering there for evening drinks. She had imagined her mother laughing on the balcony and her father admitting the trip had been a wonderful idea.
Instead, she heard only the quiet hum of the ship.
The loneliness hurt.
But it was honest loneliness.
That was better than sitting beside people who made her feel invisible.
An envelope on the table contained her personal itinerary. Because the family’s private excursions had been canceled, Elena had helped Millie reserve individual experiences instead.
A coastal horseback tour.
A chef’s tasting dinner.
A guided snorkeling trip.
A private art workshop.
Millie had spent years believing she did not enjoy vacations. In reality, she did not enjoy managing everyone else’s vacations.
That evening, she dressed in red and visited the premium restaurant alone.
At first, she felt self-conscious.
Then an elderly woman at the next table complimented her dress. A couple from Chicago asked whether she had tried the lobster. A professor traveling alone invited her to a morning lecture about island history.
No one asked her to pay for them.
No one mocked her job.
May you like
No one made her earn a place at the table.
By dessert, Millie realized she was enjoying herself.
