Play Along

He’s in the line in front of me and I stand and flick through my phone as if I haven’t a care in the world. Oh, how I wish that was true.

Stace gets his passport stamped and then goes through the walk through scanner machine. I stuff my hands in my pockets to hide how much they are shaking.

Please wave him through. Please, please, please.

The guard calls him over to the side and my heart starts to hammer.

Shit.

Stace stands with his arms lifted as they run the scanner up and down his body, and then he turns and they go down the back of him. He must be so nervous because I am nearly beside myself here. A little girl in the line in front of us suddenly projectile vomits and chaos erupts. The guard looks over and with a roll of his eyes, he waves Stace through the gates. The next man is ushered through quickly as the staff scramble to get a mop and bucket, and then it is my turn.

The woman ushers me over and I walk through the scanner unnoticed. In a fleeting moment, I glance up to see Stace picking up his bag. His eyes meet mine before he looks away. Right, I need to get to the bathroom and quick.

I walk to the bathroom as I see Stace drop into a seat at the back of the lounge area. He is going to sit and check that nobody is here to find us, and from that position, he will be able to see everything around us once the crowd dies down. I walk into the bathroom stall and drop the lid, nearly falling onto it with relief. I’m sweating profusely. This is no good for my heart. I send him a text.

Are you okay?

An answer bounces back.

Yeah, babe, you?

I puff air into my cheeks as I type.

Can you see anyone?

He answers.

The coast seems clear. Wait for a ten minutes and then walk straight out and get into a cab to the Venetian.

I will be right behind you in another cab.

I smile because maybe we can get away unnoticed. I text back.

If something happens…

Don’t come after me

I take out my hairbrush and re-comb this stupid, itchy wig as my heart bangs heavily in my chest. God, I hate this shit. He answers.

I will see you at the hotel in the foyer. We can have a hot bath and order room service tonight.

I smile broadly. He always knows exactly what to say. I reply.

Bring it on.

xoxoxo

“It’s just up here.” Stace smiles proudly.

After a good night’s sleep in the beautiful Venetian hotel in Vegas, we are on our way to the passport guy in a car we have hired. Things seem to be going to plan and last night was uneventful. We checked into a room and had a big deep bath together and got that beautiful room service dinner he promised me. For a short time, we were in Heaven. Hopefully, this time tomorrow we will be on our way out of here. I don’t know if Stace slept all night. It seemed that every time I woke up, and that was a lot, he was awake, staring at the ceiling deep in thought.

We pull into a printing shop parking lot. “What are you doing?” I ask.

“This is it.”

I frown. “This is a printing shop.”

“Oh, because being a fake passport dealer is such a reputable business.”