Contentment cradled Vanessa as she sipped the last of her complimentary champagne. In just a few moments they would board a state-of-the art helicopter for a private tour of what promised to reveal exquisite views of Las Vegas, Lake Meade, Hoover Dam, and the Grand Canyon. Like their chauffeured city tour in New Orleans, Vanessa wanted a custom experience, not one with predetermined timelines. She’d hired a concierge service to ensure that she and her friends got exactly that. Vanessa smiled at the thought of being able to command such an ideal itinerary.
Though she had taken plenty of vacations, none were like those that she was working her way up to: luxurious and unspoiled by the hoi polloi who couldn’t afford privacy. She was finally stepping into the life she always knew she could have and the person she knew she could be. She understood that what was just domestic travel today would be dazzling international travel tomorrow. She’d come a long way from the tiny town of Rayle, Georgia, where she and Colin had grown up, and she was looking forward to becoming a jet-setter. After all, she’d always been one in her mind.
“May I take your glass?” an attendant asked.
“Sure,” Vanessa responded pleasantly.
Not long after she handed it over was it time for them to board the massive metal bird. The sky, a broad swath of brilliant ocean blue, was accented by pearly white clouds and a burst of sunshine. A gentle afternoon breeze tickled her skin.
“This should be amazing!” Yen looked forward to the panoramic views of both the glimmering city lights and the splendors of Mother Nature.
“Ladies.” Colin braced himself with one hand on the woodgrain-handled door and outstretched his other to help Yen and Vanessa up one at a time. He and Donovan then stepped aboard and sank into the plush first-class leather seats like kings into thrones, Donovan taking a moment to thumb through magazines in a nearby rack. Gently used copies of Architectural Digest, Cigar Aficionado and The Economist populated the stand. After a brief talk about safety rules and receiving instructions for using their noise-canceling headphones, they were presented with gift packages and ready for take-off.
“Niiice.” Yen was pleasantly surprised when she pulled out pocket-sized Swarovski binoculars from the bag. “This is awesome!” She took a peek and was awed by the richness of color in their surrounding landscape. As she brought her attention back to their cabin, Yen took notice of Vanessa’s flawless umber skin under the magnification and its beautiful contrast against her cream colored seat.
“How do I look?” Vanessa giggled when she noticed Yen taking her in.
“Beautiful, of course,” Yen confirmed.
A simultaneous wink from each woman to the other churned a quiet vibe of seduction throughout the cabin, but it passed quickly as they became engaged in their tour. The ride was smooth and the views were indeed breathtaking.
As they journeyed on, Vanessa floated into reveries of her past and dreams of her future. The years behind her were decorated with images of a country little girl with pigtails to a model-esque young woman who’d always had a knack for business. From selling her mother’s baked goods after church to moving to Atlanta and managing her own exotic dance company, Vanessa’s history was more a collage of courage than a carefully planned work of art. At present, she owned and operated a consulting firm that catered to small businesses in need of à la carte accounting and budgeting services. She likened herself and team to CFOs on-demand.
“Ladies and gents.” Chatter from their lanky pilot severed all private thoughts. “We will soon be preparing for our landing on the floor of the Grand Canyon, four thousand feet below.”
After expertly landing their aircraft the pilot quickly walked around to open the door for them. “Take your time stepping out.”
Zen-like calm touched everyone when the helicopter door opened and they stepped into the dry heat of the Canyon. Not long after arriving an attendant offered to take a group photograph. Yen soon captured a few of her own of a nearby table that was manned by another uniformed attendant, and laid with an abundant spread of fruit, cheese and artistically cut vegetables, as well as bottles of sparkling champagne. She wanted to get photos of the curves of the Colorado River and the now jagged, blue-orange sky that encapsulated them.
“I really wasn’t expecting to be this impressed, but I have to admit it’s pretty surreal!” Colin removed his smoky aviator shades. “Yen, can you get a shot of Vanessa and me?”
“Of course, Diva!” She was secretly proud of herself for enjoying their excursion while clean. She was definitely going to make her goal of having no coke for a week and the thought of the accomplishment was of a high in itself. A natural one. Yen exhaled in delight. For the first time in a long time she was rid of the self-inflicted opprobrium that always followed her after the bliss of a narcotic-induced euphoria had passed. She felt more in control of her life.
“Work!” Colin instructed. He coaxed Vanessa to pose for the camera and commanded everyone’s attention. “Donovan, put that champagne and cheese down and get over here!”
After Colin’s director of photography antics, they enjoyed their hors d’oeuvres and eventually gathered one more time for a group photo taken by their pilot—a toast, with the wealth of nature as their backdrop and their helicopter a giant accent. By the time their tour ended and they were back in Las Vegas, the sun had taken a graceful bow. The stars glittered like diamonds against the velvet night sky.
-end of chapter - chapter 3 will be posted tomorrow-
More work on http://cherilnclarke.com