Renewal Island

The little ferry boat gently cut through a teal sea making its way to her destination. Palm trees swayed in the warm breeze as the sun was setting in a pink sky. Elle and her friends were headed to an exclusive island for the next five days for the vacation of a lifetime.

She had looked forward to this trip for months. Renaissance Island is the most beautiful and most exclusive resort in Aruba. She and the girls from school were celebrating their graduation. All the hard work she had put into school had paid off. A new position waiting for her when she got back home.

The hotel was directly ahead from where they landed. Her girlfriends were laughing about how many men they will meet in their five days at the resort. She smiled, they were so full of life, she secretly wished she could be like them. It must be great to feel so confident. Elle only wanted to rest and recharge, men were the last thing on her list. When it was her turn she greeted the desk clerk and presented her identification. A few minutes on the computer and she was checked in.

Her room was beautiful. Elle stood for a moment staring at the view, The sunset filled the sky with pink, gold and red. It was so beautiful. Something in her thought that it was too good to be true. Smiling, she brushed off her negative thoughts, it was time to change and meet her friends at the bar.

They were seated at a table near the bar, laughing as if they had already had a few drinks. They were flirting with a group of men who they saw on the beach when they arrived at the resort. At first they all looked the same, young, cute and ready to have fun. Wait, who is that…?

Oh, Oh no, not him. Anyone but him.

Elle could feel her face burn as an anger rose in her. Her heart felt like it was about to beat right out of her chest. Why is he here?

The entire group noticed Elle and looked concerned. Everyone, including her ex-husband. Wide eyed, Elle turned around and ran to the beach.

She sat on the sand staring up at the moon. She could feel someone sitting down next to her. Elle, I didn't follow you here I swear”, he said.

“What the hell are you doing here”, she blurted out.

“ I am here with some buddies, I had no idea you were going to be here.”

His explanation was not helping.

She stood up and turned to look at him, still sitting on the sand.

“You know, you betrayed me, then left me. I had to start over with everything in my life. I didn’t even think I was worthy of a good life, love, any of that. "

"It took me forever to build a new life. I went to school and learned a profession. I have been in therapy for years to learn how to love myself again. It took me forever to learn that it wasn't my fault."

He sat for a moment, thinking about her words. He didn't look surprised at all, but as if he was searching for the right words.

“I know I did a lot of terrible things. I will always be sorry for how I made you feel. My life at that time didn't turn out how I wanted. There was so much pressure, at work, from my parents and from you. I couldn't tell you how I was feeling. I felt like I could tell no one, like it would make me less of a man or something. I am still not sure why I felt like that, I have been working with a therapist to try and figure it out. “

Elle looked away from him, unsure of how to react. He tried to smile but it turned into a frown. He stood up and dust off his pants.

“ I wish you all the best Elle”. He then turned and started walking back to the hotel.

Four days later

Elle went out to the beach early that morning to get a good spot. One more day of beauty and tropical sunshine before getting to work. Things were ending in one sense, and so many more happy things were on the way. She sat up on a recliner, enjoying the warm breeze. At the other end of the beach she could see her ex-husbands group boarding the ferry. They caught each others eyes from a moment, he hesitated to move. Elle smiled and gave him a small wave. He returned the wave and boarded the ferry. She sat back on the recliner and closed her eyes, enjoying the moment.