Chapter 48 CHARLOTTE I had spent a few hours in the shack , and quite frankly , I didnt want to leave . The food was great . The service was wonderful , and the general ambiance made me feel comfortable , However , as time passed , I knew it was time to go I ordered takeout and exited the place , making a mental note to return the next evening . I was glad to find somewhere I liked and was happy to explore other restaurants and establishments , but I was so impressed with the service here that I was willing to make it a favorite . I stepped out and looked around for a taxi , but there was none in sight , so I decided to walk . I wasnt sure which way to go to get back to the hotel , but I felt like that was part of the experience . If I took a cab everywhere , I wouldnt learn how to navigate the city on foot . I considered going back in to ask for directions , but decided to follow the couple who had stepped out of the gym closely . I kept enough distance between us to ensure I didnt come off as a weirdo , which helped a great deal because soon we had taken a turn , and the street we were on was filled with people and cabs . Happy to have achieved this feat , I decided to continue exploring on foot . I had no idea where I was going , nor did I have any particular destination in mind ; I just knew I wanted to walk , so I did . The city buzzed with activity as music blared from loudspeakers and people moved to and fro . A few minutes later , I decided I had my fair share of exploring but wasnt ready to return to the hotel room , so I decided to visit the beach . I hailed a taxi and told the driver my destination . This time , it was a woman . She immediately spotted that I was a newcomer , which unnerved me slightly . I wasnt sure if it was good for people to easily identify that I didnt know my way around , but she had been driving this route for a long time . If she couldnt discern a newcomer from someone who had lived here all their life , that would say a lot about her work , so I tried to put the thought away . As she started the ignition and pulled onto the street , I focused on being happy to talk to someone with a refreshing perspective on California . The moon shone brightly as we drove through the streets . I stared at it through the window , reminded of my childhood , when I wondered if the moon was following us as we moved through the city . Now , I knew the answer , but it didnt take away the excitement that filled me as I looked at it . When she spoke , I pulled my gaze away from the moon and tried to focus on the conversation . She mentioned living in a different city , and I was delighted to meet someone who had experienced life elsewhere . The stories of her life in Spain were exciting , and I looked forward to having a similar experience here . When we arrived at the beach , she gave me directions on the best spot to enjoy a great time there . I thanked her , paid the fare , and alighted from the vehicle . A few minutes later , I made my way through the entrance and took off my shoes as I walked towards the beach . Following the instructions the driver had given me earlier , I located the spot she mentioned . As soon as I sat down , my phone rang , and I fished in my bag for it . Seeing that it was Maria , I hung up and called her back immediately , smiling as she picked up on the first ring . Signora , hi ! How are you doing ? she asked with a hint of excitement in her voice , and I chuckled . 06:51 Dancing into the Heart of Mr. Celt 31 .. Hi Maria , Im doing great How are you ? I replied and see the bag mining the food I had heugly along sinng next to my fret Great , everythings Inen going well at the estate . I m sorry I missed your call earlier , I was at the market settl Stella the responded , and I arched my eyette Media ? I inquired running the name derough my mind to or if I could reengate it but proses furile Yes , shes the new chet . Its been exciting working with these people sometimes I forget they are hars and try to de everything myself , but uumately , their presence makes things eader , the answered , and I united in reponse . Im glad to hear that youre doing well and everythings great . I hope it stays that way . Have you had another visit from the current Signora Thuthal ? I asked and grinned as she chuckled in response before answering . Elena ? No. 1 told you she wouldnt be back , she replied . I found that hard to believe . Not because you said It , its just hard to put anything past someone who was crazy enough to let herself into an uninvited space , I responded . Well , thats understandable , but I dont think shell be bothering us anymore , she answered back . I hope so . I said , and she clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth . Im sure of it . I heard she was out of town too . Im not certain about that information and , quite frankly , I do not care enough to watch her activities , she started to say . I wanted to comment on how doing that would ensure she didnt cause any more scenes at the estate , but I decided against it . If she felt safe enough to be unbothered about the antics of a jealous and covetous woman , I didnt push it any further and avoided planting ideas stemming from my insecurities in her mind . I resisted the urge to ask about Rogerio ; it irked me that his name still found its way into my thoughts while I sat here , miles away from him . I tried not to beat myself up about it ; healing and moving on were processes that wouldnt happen overnight , nor suddenly because I had moved cities . It required a mindset shift , something that would gradually lose its significance to me . I promised myself to consistently cut myself some slack . I was here to make a new life for myself ; it didnt need to happen all at once , so why did I think this would be any different ? One day at a time , I muttered , digging my fingers into the sand beneath my feet . Enough talk about Signora La Guerta , she added . Id be glad to stop talking about her too , I answered , and she chuckled in response . Tell me all about your flight . How was it ? Hows the city ? Is it everything you hoped ? she asked , her tone filled with excitement . My thoughts turned to the flight as Thiagos face came to mind . I considered recounting the incident on the first flight and my decision to stay overnight in Newark , but the thought of explaining how I cried in my sleep on the flight to Los Angeles made me reconsider . Knowing Maria and how much she worried about me , any mention of 06:51 Dancing into the Heart of Mr. Chapter 48 that would instantly distress her . Instead , I pulled the phone away from my ear , put it on speaker , and pointed it towards the sea where the waves crashed against the beach . Can you hear that ? Youre on the beach ? she replied with even more excitement , making me smile . Yes , I decided to explore the city , at least a part of it . I had dinner at a really great place ; the food was so good I had to get takeout . But I wasnt ready to go back to the hotel … I replied . The night is still young ? she teased , and we laughed together at the reference . So I came here to enjoy the scenery for a bit . Its been … a good experience so far , I said , and she let out a content sigh . Im glad to hear things are going well , Signora … she started , but I interrupted . Charlotte , Maria . Im just Charlotte now , I chuckled at her response , and she continued talking . Old habits . Well , Im glad youre having a good time . I hope everything goes according to plan . I thought about her words and shook my head slowly . I knew better than to place my faith in the universe on that topic , but I wasnt about to voice my pessimism . We said our goodbyes , I promised to call her soon , then hung up and picked up the food I had brought with me . It was warmer than usual but still tasted great , a perfect companion for my time here . Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!