“Are you ready?” Caroline bursts into my room. “Our cab is downstairs.” 

No, I’m not ready. Not at all. But I’m going. I take one last look in the mirror and grab my suitcase. As the cab driver loads our bags into the trunk, Caroline takes my hand, giddy with excitement. Excited is not how I would describe my state of being. More like reluctant. And terrified. When I get into the cab, my stomach drops and I feel like I’m going to throw up. But then the feeling passes.  

“I can’t believe this is actually happening,” I say.  

“I know, right? I’m so happy you’re doing this with me, Ellie. I mean, really. I don’t know if I could go by myself.” 

After ten minutes of meandering through the convoluted streets of lower Manhattan, the cab drops us off in front of a nondescript office building.   

“Is the party here?” I ask.  

Caroline shakes her head with a little smile on her face. She knows something I don’t know. I can tell by that mischievous look on her face.  

“What’s going on?” I ask.  

But she doesn’t give in. Instead, she just nudges me inside toward the security guard at the front desk.  

She hands him a card, he nods, and shows us to the elevator.  

“Top floor,” he says.  

When we reach the top floor, the elevator doors swing open on the roof and a strong gust of wind knocks into me. Out of the corner of my eye, I see it. The helicopter. The blades are already going. A man approaches us and takes our bags.  

“What are we doing here?” I yell on top of my lungs. But Caroline doesn’t hear me. I follow her inside the helicopter, ducking my head to make sure that I get in all in one piece.  

A few minutes later, we take off. We fly high above Manhattan, maneuvering past the buildings as if we’re birds. I’ve never been in a helicopter before and, a part of me, wishes that I’d had some time to process this beforehand.  

“I didn’t tell you because I thought you would freak,” Caroline says into her headset. She knows me too well. She pulls out her phone and we pose for a few selfies.  

“It’s beautiful up here,” I say looking out the window.  

In the afternoon sun, the Manhattan skyline is breathtaking. The yellowish red glow bounces off the glass buildings and shimmers in the twilight.  

I don’t know where we are going, but for the first time in a long time, I don’t care. I stay in the moment and enjoy it for everything it’s worth.  

Quickly the skyscrapers and the endless parade of bridges disappear and all that remains below us is the glistening of the deep blue sea.  

And then suddenly, somewhere in the distance I see it. The yacht. At first, it appears as barely a speck on the horizon. But as we fly closer, it grows in size. By the time we land, it seems to be the size of its own island.  

* * *

A tall, beautiful woman waves to us as we get off the helicopter. She’s holding a plate with glasses of champagne and nods to a man in a tuxedo next to her to take our bags.  

“Wow, that was quite an entrance,” Caroline says to me.  

“Mr. Black knows how to welcome his guests,” the woman says. “My name is Lizbeth and I am here to serve you.”  

Lizbeth shows us around the yacht and to our stateroom.  

“There will be cocktails right outside when you’re ready,” Lizbeth said before leaving us alone.  

As soon as she left, we grabbed hands and let out a big yelp.  

“Oh my God! Can you believe this place?” Caroline asks.  

“No, it’s amazing,” I say, running over to the balcony. The blueness of the ocean stretched out as far as the eye could see.  

“Are you going to change for cocktails?” Caroline asks, sitting down at the vanity. “The helicopter did a number on my hair.” 

We both crack up laughing. Neither of us have ever been on a helicopter before – let alone a boat this big.  

I decide against a change of clothes – my Nordstrom leggings and polka dot blouse should do just fine for cocktail hour. But I do slip off my pair of flats and put on a nice pair of pumps, to dress up the outfit a little bit.  

While Caroline changes into her short black dress, I brush the tangles out of my hair and reapply my lipstick.  

“Ready?” Caroline asks.