Flying in the cloud

She hoped that the boy was playing hide and seek with her. She even went to the balcony and glanced in the bathroom, pretending to be estimating the comfort. No one. At one point, Nina finally lost her temper and asked: “Where’s Ismael?”

“Who’s Ismael?” asked Yasser with a surprised face.

“Isn’t he here with you?” Nina asked, and she was broken inside, because she already knew the answer.

“I don’t know any Ismael!” Yasser replied.

Nina felt the world crashing, and her heart was filled with icy emptiness. She placed both gifts on the table and headed to the door. Yasser also got a gift for her, it was some French perfume, and tried to hug her, but Nina stepped away and said: “I’m very tired and want to sleep!”

She spent the whole night crying. She was walking around her room like an angry tiger in a cage. Her first thought was to fly back to Moscow tomorrow. But Nina knew it was impossible, she had a return ticket and the flight was in seven days, as she had purchased the tour through an agency.

Nina couldn’t even imagine such a monstrous deceit and betrayal!

When the initial shock had passed, Nina realized that she was the one to blame. After all, she had fantasies about the boy and his cunning plan. Actually, he didn’t tell her about it personally, from his real account.

Nina felt lost. She was sure that that was Ismael, who wrote her from Yasser’s account. However, if so, how could he be so cruel to do that to her? Why did he give her away to another man?!

Maybe he just sold her to that Yasser? Maybe he had some sort of a business, writing to women on behalf of the clients and organizing their meetings?

The thought of his physical disability came up in her mind again.

Nina became totally confused and couldn’t think any longer. She fell asleep early in the morning without any thoughts and in the state of extreme emotional and physical exhaustion.

The next day Nina didn’t go to breakfast, partly because her eyes were swollen from a night of tears, partly in order not to see Yasser, as his looks were unbearable to her.

She was lying in bed without the strength to move. Suddenly, the hotel phone rang. It was her tour agent, who invited her to the meeting in the lobby, where they were choosing excursions. She somehow got herself ready and went downstairs.

Some people were sitting in the centre of the hall. She saw the couple that came with her last night to the hotel among them. A guide-girl was offering several excursions and showing colourful brochures. Nina was interested in a two-day safari to the Sahara Desert.

“At least I’ll escape from here for two days!” Nina was delighted and without any hesitation paid the money for this tour and took the information brochure. The tour was set for the early morning the next day.

“I have to survive in this hotel for today,” thought Nina and decided to make friends with other Russian tourists. Two of them, a mother and a daughter, were from Moscow, and the couple which came with her were from Yaroslavl.