Drug Lord

“Gone to Ecuador. Be back later. Call me if you need me.”

I smiled at how succinct the note was. I wasn’t disappearing totally. The Internet in Quito was strangely faster than my Internet in DC, but at least I could get a day’s worth of peace while I disappeared for just a little while.

Hostel

LATER THAT NIGHT

I rolled my suitcase down the sidewalk in La Mariscal, locally known as Gringolandia. The tourists stuck around that area, where all the bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues were.

My guidebook said that I should head for the Backpackers Inn. It looked like it was reasonably priced and centrally located.

I checked in. My Spanish was a little rusty, but it was good enough to negotiate a lower rate for prepaying for 7 days.

They finally gave me the keys — actual keys, not a key card like an American hotel would have — and I went upstairs to my private room with a window that looked out on the street. I was only a few blocks away from Plaza Foch, the center of La Mariscal.

I pulled out my laptop for the first time since I got on the plane at Reagan. I knew that my mom would be frantic, but I couldn’t help it. My dad might not approve, but at least he’d understand why I’d disappeared. He probably told Mom about it this morning, before they’d discovered that I left.

As I expected, my inbox was full because my mom had completely flipped out.

I sighed and turned on my phone. I had Project Fi, so my phone worked wherever it was in the world.

It buzzed as it registered my mother’s frantic texts.

I texted her back, “I’m fine, Mom.”

It would be enough for the moment.

At the bottom of my inbox, I saw an email that wasn’t from my mom. The subject line said (no subject).

It was from Jenny.

I opened it, ready to read whatever she had to say for herself. How would she justify what she’d done to me?

All it said was: “I’m sorry.”

I archived it. It would take me a while to get over her betrayal.

If she wanted him, she could’ve just told me. I thought that we were close.

Apparently not.

I swallowed my tears. I needed a drink.

I closed my laptop and opened my guidebook. There was a pub not too far from me that was called Finn McCool’s. It was supposed to have a trivia night on Tuesdays.

All I’d had all day was some peanuts, pretzels, and Gatorade. My stomach reminded me that I needed to eat something more substantial.

It was a pub, so maybe I could find something to eat there.

Finn

Naelle

As soon as I walked inside of Finn McCool’s, I realized that it was packed wall to wall. There were way too many people in a very small space.

In the US, it would probably violate the fire code to have so many people crammed together.

Did they even have fire marshals here?