No Way Out

Serena

A few weeks later, Serena steps through the glass doors at the airport in Pineville. The five-hour flight was way too long, and she feels the need to stretch her legs. Serena looks around and decides the weather is perfect. The positive here is that Pineville is on the Ocean and she can barely make out the scent of the salt water. Serena has never seen the ocean so she’s most excited about that.

Serena watches as cabs pull up, take passengers, and leave. She glances down at her Uber app to see where her driver is. When she sees the Toyota pull up, she waves at the driver. Serena walks to the curb, the driver exits and points at her, “Serena Black?”

“That’s me!”

“Perfect, let me get your bags.” The driver, who is a large black man with equally as large muscles, walks around and grabs both her extra-large suitcases and picks them up without any problem. He tosses them in the back and closes the hatch on the Highlander. “Welcome to Pineville,” the driver says.

Serena looks down at her app to get the driver’s name, “Thanks, Leon. Quick favor. Before you drop me off at my house can you stop at the ocean? I will pay you extra, I just have never seen the ocean.”

Leon gives her a huge smile, showing off his very straight and white teeth. “Absolutely.” Leon walks to the driver’s door while Serena climbs in the passenger seat and they pull away from the curb.

The conversation in the car is light, Leon telling Serena a bit about Pineville after she explains she has never been there. The shore isn’t far from the airport and Leon takes her to an area where there is a boardwalk. Serena is excited as she walks the boardwalk, Leon pointing out different shops and cafes. Serena asks him to take her picture and they wander down to the beach. Serena kicks off her shoes and stands with her toes dipped in the water. She’s not even looking, and Leon has snapped several photos. “Okay, I’m ready,” she turns to face Leon with a big smile on her face, her hand on her hip and the other hand raised to the sky in her pose of choice. “Thanks so much,” she takes her phone from him and they head back to his car for the rest of the drive.

“Here we are,” Leon says just ten minutes later. They have pulled up in front of a cute bungalow. The house is white with blue trim, and a hammock swing on the porch. Leon carries her bags to the door and Serena pulls out an extra hundred-dollar bill and hands it to him. “I can’t take this, it’s too much.” He tries to give it back and Serena shakes her head no and pushes his hand away.

“Please. I’m sure you could have taken at least two more customers in the time you took to show me around. I appreciate it. I will see you around.” Leon smiles and walks back to his car, a quick wave as he jumps in his car and speeds away.

Serena turns and checks the door handle and it’s unlocked. Her cousin Amanda must be here already. Walking in, she yells, “Hey anyone here!”

Amanda, a tiny brunette with sparkling blue eyes, comes bouncing out of the hallway. “Oh my god, It’s you! I can’t believe we are roommates. You look so beautiful Serena; it’s been so long. Let me show you the house.” Amanda is speaking a hundred miles an hour, and Serena is just nodding.

“Slow down girl. Good to see you too. It’s going to be interesting living together,” Serena gives Amanda a quick hug. “Now show me our digs. I was already at the beach where the boardwalk is. It’s only ten minutes from here.”

“I know. Isn’t it great? Come, let me show you to your room and then the rest of the place. It’s tiny and not a lot to see but we do both have our own bathrooms. They are tiny but who cares,” Amanda waves the thought off as she tugs Serena to her room.

“Super cute,” Serena says as they walk through the little bungalow. “So, what are you going to study?” She says as she flops onto the couch.

“Me? Oh, um actually I’m going to law school, so this is my pre-law degree.” Serena is surprised by that, with Amanda being so bubbly and hyper. “What about you?”

“Finance. I already did my associates so it’s only going to be two years here for me. Then I hope I can get the heck out of here and go back home.” Serena says matter of fact.

“I thought Uncle Gerald and Aunt Trina don’t want you to stay in Brookville?” Amanda asks curiously.

Serena looks away. “Yeah, something like that. My Dad wants me away from their lifestyle.”

Amanda laughs, because she doesn’t really know what that lifestyle entails. She’s only seen mafia stuff on television and she’s pretty sure it’s fake. “You mean the lifestyles of the rich and richer?”

Serena laughs. “Not that really. I still have access to money and whatever I want, just they want me away from the people there. Truthfully,” Serena leans forward with her forearms resting on her knees, “I think they just want me away from Damian.”

“Who is Damian?” Amanda inquires.

“He’s my boyfriend and the next Don of the Mancini clan. He is so handsome,” Serena falls back on the couch again. “I haven’t seen him in a long time though, he’s been away at Harvard. He will be home soon and then we were supposed to get married.”

“Oh really? Like you have a ring?” Amanda makes a point of looking at Serena’s left hand.

“No, not yet. It’s just what we talked about before he went to Harvard.” Serena shifts uncomfortably as she realizes it sounds like bull shit.

Amanda, always cheerful, jumps up from her seat. “Let’s take a walk. The town is so cute here, I saw an ice cream shop around the corner on Main. We can walk there.”

Serena gets up from the couch and looks around the small living room, “Yeah, that sounds good.” The two head out the door, locking it behind them as they make their way to Main Street.