Attention Span and Other Stories

key and gestures to a man waiting quietly nearby. 'T

hites of his eyes two bright spots in his face. Then

ey, Miss Hamilton, ' he

nd my head throbs. When I nod in response, my neck feels

l for a golf buggy?' Gabe

on't know why I re

efore I walked through the ornate gates, past the bougainvillea, and into the lobby cooled by ceiling fans. Perhaps I'm the only single female arriving today. Or they kn

ss the lobby, which is open on one side to offer a glimpse of the

n the slowly lowering sun, I can see the beach and hear the waves breaking gently on the shore. There'

e gestures to a whitewashed block,

odation I booked. How can I not know that? It must

a superior suite.' Once agai

ere I usually stay, so there's no way I would have splurged on a posh room. Why can't I remember? What'

acing the ocean. They're set for dinner, with wine glasses and pale blue napkins. I sniff the air, wondering wh

says. 'Not long to wait. You have a choice of two resta

must be costing an arm and a leg. I'm sure I can't afford it, not w

ve clarified that with Pete, at the front desk? Shouldn't he have given me something

y beside me. His uniform is a white linen shirt and khaki trousers,

re tennis courts, flanked by dense bushes.

r th

different... res

ns. 'Surely people just ge

ellent way of putting it.

open my mouth to say something

ll get you in there tomorrow. You look like

le woman in my late twenties, who sells dental products fo

nnects a lazy river with another swimmi

looks heavenly. 'I haven't actually seen many kids.' I frown, wo

t's terrible, really, when the wee ones come.' He sha

time for that, I reckon, once I turn thirty and meet the right man –

owing me his perfect molars,

weird. He's more ecce

rant.' Gabe's gesturing again. He's clearly proud of this place. 'Reservati

one-word names here. Well, I

.' He places both hands on his hips and raises

atched huts, facing the sea. Ev

ose are on my buck

ore clapping me on the back. I wince but he doesn't notice. 'Bucket list! Hah!' He puts

eck does t

ight?' I ask, as we begin walking again, now on a path which r

cted reply. 'Famous, ye

him ques

es. And Mother Teresa. She h

ow

if he's worked here that long. Mot

e – what was her name? F

exively, then wait for him

That's the o

totally pulling my l

straight-faced.

n, and emerges in a pretty courtyard. Five tiny cottages are a

, charmed. '

rs. In addition to the hammock, a cobalt-painted rocking chair sits on the porc

'm carrying. 'Miss Hamilto

I drop it i

bed near the door and a pair of chic sofas at the other end. The walls are soft white, the bedding is white, the furniture is white. The orchid on the

perch on the bed as the calm reache

captured by the television. It's on, not surprising in an upmarket hotel like t

ee this video loop is a

of me, around age ten, on a pony. My mother walk

de me, all of us twirling the tassels on our ludicrous mortarboard hats. I clamber off the bed to

switched now to the wedding of a childhood friend. I was ch

g the screen. 'Don't you like it? It's

id you sa

look away from the television. 'A

on. It looks like the local news programme. 'Definitely n

s been hailed a heroine for saving eighteen-month-old twins from a speeding bus. Police confirmed today that the bus driver suffered a heart attack and they are wait

k heavily on the squishy

s foggy. This doesn't make sense. Why is a montage of clips from

sion off, then crosses to the windows to tilt th

panic rising through

' he says. 'I thought... th

t do you m

I'm so sorry, I thought you

my stumbling brain thinks, no, actually,

the fan spins slowly enough for me to follow an individual blade, if I try. I let my eyes circle

g diss

lungs, then drag my torso up, propping on my el

g now with effort. 'Standard or... supe

e n

on what they pa

ent, Miss Hamilton. Just

.' I can barely say it. 'B

ds ag

e isn't reall

rows. 'It is, miss

, haven't you?' No wonder my entire body screams each time I move.

y nudges its way in, creati

abe. Have done for years.' He grins now, a wonderful, ang