The rain continued to fall outside, but inside, the crackling firewood and soft country music created a warm, golden atmosphere.
"Can I have a cup of tea, please?" she asked hesitantly. Within moments, a steaming cup was in her hands.
"Thanks!"
"Alexandra Jonathan?"
"Yes!"
"Okay! Your room is on the third floor, number 213. If you need anything, our telephones are always available, so feel free to call us."
She nodded in acknowledgment, absorbing the information.
"If there are no further questions, thank you for choosing Abzi Hotel. Enjoy your stay!"
"Merci!" she replied, taking her keys and bag as she headed to her room.
"God! Finally," she breathed as she entered, throwing herself onto the bed like someone who had just finished a long, fruitless job search, returning home after a grueling day.
But after everything that had happened, all she needed was a brief nap. She lay there for a few minutes, unsure of what to do next, before finally reaching for her phone.
She considered turning it on, but then the memories of the day flooded back, and she sighed, "Nope! Not this time." She tossed it aside.
Alexandra was the second-born; her older sister, Victoria, had tragically passed away in a car accident a few years ago. Now, she was the big sister to twin siblings, Michael and Mourine.
Their mother, a college professor, had divorced her husband 11 years prior. Despite battling cancer that drained her strength daily, she remained a pillar of resilience, much like Alexandra herself.
She didn't call her daughter that night because she knew that she was still in New York. "She was feeling a bit unwell" then decided to call Nick who was staying some few miles away from there. Their families have been so close for a long time now.
****
Nick tried calling her phone repeatedly, growing increasingly frustrated.
"Come on, Xandra, pick up!"
He glanced at his phone, hoping for a sign that she was there. Little did he know the turmoil she was experiencing.
Eventually, he decided to send her a voice message.