(Nisha)
I slept on a bed of clouds. I prided myself on being able to make myself comfortable anywhere, but this was unlike anything I had ever felt. I woke up later than I had been; buttery morning sun filtered through cream curtains, and birds chirped outside the balcony door I didn’t fully close. This place felt like a dream.
I pulled out clothes from a drawer where I arranged my few packed belongings in another temporary hope. I took a long bath last night, so I would be fresh this morning.
I wasn’t sure where I was heading, but I figured down would be a good idea. A few others walked around the stairs and first floor. Some paused, and others smiled. What they knew about me did not matter. I was a guest of Islas.
“Nisha.” Jackson greeted me, standing tall near the front doors, talk
