Moments That Change Lives

She supposed 13. Age 13. Yes. That was the breaking point.

An African-American high-school girl often called by the n word, who had been the laughing stock of the whole class. The girl whose hair had been the best to pull, the girl whose face had deserved to end up in the toilet and had asked for public humiliation. If that hadn’t been enough, her mother’s death really had gotten the better of her. And Mira Glass had been alone – with not a single friend and not a single word of comfort to encourage her to get through the day. No. Only cold walls of courts, hospital wards, shrink offices and lawyers. Those were the ones who shut down her tears and somehow put the plug in her eyes. Perhaps there were no more tears to cry or nothing had been as tough as the thirteenth year of her life.

“We should probably go now.” The woman’s voice hauled Mira from her memories and she saw the woman scratching her nose and wiping her eyes.

“Yeah, the others will probably get worried,” Mira said and the both of them holding hands went to the crowd.

They were greeted by the grim faces of the tourists who indeed had gotten worried. “What happened, guys? Everything okay?” One of them asked.

Mira nodded. She soundlessly started the jeep and took them back to the starting point of the tour. The offices loomed before her once again, and hitting the break pedal she ended the work of the day.

“Everyone happy with the tour?” She asked turning to face her clients.

“Amazing.”

“Awesome.”

“We truly didn’t expect this at all. And I believe I’m speaking in everybody’s name.”

“Agreed.”

“Thank you.”

All of them said praises to her and thanked her for the unforgettable experience. When the last one stepped down, she sighed and grabbed the car keys.

Heading toward the offices, she spared a glance at the happy cluster of people still chattering and under impressions. Her heart laughed with them while she dropped the keys off and started toward Raoul’s place.

When all of the tours were over, her thoughts once again floated in her boyfriend’s direction. She had been mean to him, there was that, but the thing that nestled fear into her bones was just a simple word composed of three letters. Why? Seriously, even as she was figuring out ways and sentences full of apologies, she couldn’t say why she did that. What made her act impulsive and be on edge when he was in her presence?

Mira let out a deep breath. Love was tough. Love was complicated and it was too complicated for a girl with a tour guide job as a single source of income and a lonely life behind her. Looking back at the time when they first started dating, she hadn’t felt like that at all. She had checked her phone for any message or call from Raoul even during her tours and some tourists even scolded her for that. What was happening now?

Something hormonal definitely, her inner voice whispered, or the weather. Didn’t you look at how awful it is? It brings out the worst in people.

Then her cell rang. Raoul? Her best friend’s image popped on the screen with a title ANGELO. Not Raoul. Not today.

“Hey! ‘Sup?”

“Mira, immediately come to the office. The guy I was talking about is here. Boss wants you on the case.” Angelo’s voice was ecstatic as if he had won the lottery.

“Wait a bit! Slow down! I didn’t understand a thing.”

“Remember that I told you about a billionaire who wants a private tour guide?”

“Oh, yeah,” Mira said as the conversation she had had with him slowly came into focus.

“Well, he came just now and boss wants you to be that private tour guide!”

“WHAT? Seriously?” She shouted out loud. This was the chance of her life.

“YES!” Angelo shouted back. “Now get your ass here!”

Mira chuckled, putting her cell in her pocket and ran back. Apparently Raoul had to wait for just a little while longer.

She burst into the one-story building and found it almost empty. The chaos that had ruled before she went on her last tour that day had receded, leaving the usual staff working in their familiar environment.

Her heart was thumping loudly in her chest and she could hear it in her ears.