Which airline?

*****! I havent even thought that far ahead. I dont know where the ***** I am going.

Just drop me off at the first terminal you come to.

She got out of the cab and started to walk into the terminal.

I have no idea where I want to go. Where I need to go? Alright maybe if I start walking, a place will come into my mind. Good a bookstore. Now let see if they have any magazines with articles about some amazing city. Oh look, Florida magazine. I always wanted to go to Florida. I heard the weather is really great there but gets a little too hot and humid during the summer.

She starts to flip thru the pages and came across an article about a city of 12,000 people. The City of St. Augustine is the nation’s oldest permanently occupied European settlement, having been founded by the Spanish in 1565. As she read on, she started to think that this might be a place to where she can get away to. Its close to the beach, over 3,000 miles away from West Hollywood, but most of all, no one will know her there. No living individual will know how much she f*cked up her life. No one will think she is a monster. She walked over to the cashier and paid for the magazine. Before she left the bookstore, she asked the cashier if theres a place around here with computer access.

She walked around the corner and saw the place. Forty five minutes later, she immerged with a reservation for the next flight to sunny Florida. On the plane, she finds her seat and lets out a sigh of relief. Its going to be a very long day. Even though there were a lot of people chatting away around her, she found herself lost and in own thought in total silence. In sickness and in health. For richer, for poorer. Til death do us apart. The phrase that kept running through her head. I meant when she said it all those years ago and she thought, Tina meant it to. Never in a million years would she ever think about leaving Tinauntil today. In her own mind, she technically was not the one that left. Tina was the first one. She moved out of the house, refuse to speak to her or see her. And now, she has moved on with another woman. Not just quietly, but slapping in front of her. If that wasnt enough, she had to find out about her pregnancy through a stranger. Well maybe I am that monster that Tina sees. I know I am not perfect but I didnt think I was the worst person on earth either. I love her so much but I can only handle so much rejection and so much humiliation. I dont know what I am going to do with the rest of my life but I do know for sure, I need to find myself. I need to again like and hopefully someday, will love myself again. I need to find the strength to start a new lifea life that is as far away from the current life she had now. Where do I start? How do I begin? Maybe I will find the answers in this old, peaceful place called St Augustine, Florida.

Finally the plane touched down for the last time. She had spent the whole day traveling and is totally exhausted. She claims in to the next cab and proceeds to her hotel. She walks to the counter and says hello to the receptionist.

Good evening, Maam. How may I help you?

Good evening. Im checking in. I have a reservation under Bette Porter.

Here it is. It says here you are staying for a week? Is that correct?

Yes it is.

Which card would you like to put that on?

She starts to take out her Visa when she started thinking, I dont want anyone to find me. I better just pay cash for it.

Actually I would like to pay cash for it. If you need a deposit, Id rather give you cash for that too.

That will be fine Ms Porter. Heres your key. Do you need help with your bags?

No, I am fine. Thank you and good night.

Good night, Ms Porter. I hope you enjoy your stay.

She grabs her key and walks towards the elevator. Ding, second floor. She puts in key in and walks into the room. The room is clean, neat, simple, and small. She actually liked the fact that it was very simple. She wanted to be as peaceful as possible with no distraction so that she can quietly figure out the rest of her life during the next few days. She puts her bag day and walks towards the bath to take a shower. Thirty minutes later, she immerged in a robe with her hair wrap in a towel. Shes too tired to eat so she goes straight to bed. She thinks to herselfTomorrow will be a new day. Tomorrow I will start figuring out this sorry life of mine. She closes her eyes and quickly drifts to sleep.

She starts to wake up as she feels the suns ray land on her face. She inhales and exhales deeply. God what the ***** am I going to do now? Well I guess I should get something to eat and maybe take a walk while I think.

After she had a quiet breakfast, she starts to take a walk out of the hotel. The first great decision of her new life, should I turn left or right first? Well this time Ill take a right. Wow, this place is really nice and peaceful. People seem to be very happy and very friendly. Every store I have passed, people in the store either smiled or nodded when they made eye contact. Its a nice chance from the self-absorb life in LA. Fifteen minutes into the walk, she comes across a gallery. She thinks about walking in just out of curiosity but also out of habit. She decides that that is not one of her goals today. Today she needed to think so she kept going, walking for another 20 minutes before heading back to the hotel. Once she was back in her room, she takes the chair and places it in front of the window so she could look out into the people and feel the sun on her face.

Alright, Bette Porter, now what? Now that you have gotten away from all the distractions, what are you going to do with the rest of your life. First things first, I dont think anyone would like for me but just in case, maybe I need to change my nameat least temporary. I need to create a new life as far as possible from the old life I used to have. I want a name that is as far away from Bette Porter. Her thoughts came back to Tina. Even though she said she didnt want anyone to find her, a part of her hoped that Tina would want to find hersomeday. Only one name came to her mind. A name that is very connected to Tinaa name that is so unique you cant even Google it.

Drannek anitsirhc. I just need to figure out how I want to pronounce. For the time being, Ill just to live with cash and not use any of my credit cards.

One down, a million more to go. Now what do a woman need to do to feel like a new person? Looking out the window she sees a beauty salon sign. Thats it. I need a new hair style.

She picks up the phone book and starts to dial the number. Hello, I would like to make an appointment. When is your next available? No, anyone will do? Maybe a style or a hair cut, or even color. Im really not sure yet. Yes, in 30 minutes is good. Bette is my name. Thanks. Ill see you 30 minutes.
Now, I need do some shopping. Im going to trade my power suits to something a little bit more comfortablesomething more a little bit Floridian. Shopping should help mend my broken heartwhile for the next couple of days anyway.

She walks across the street and walks into the salon. Hi I have an appointment. My name is Bette.

Yes, here it is. Take a sit and Rowen will be right with you.

Rowen what a very unique name. I never heard of it before. This should be interesting. I hope he is good. I dont want to leave here looking like one of the outcast from the Broadway show Hair.

I hear my name being called so I get off my chair looking for a man. I realized this guys voice sounds a little feminine. I look at this face whos face is moving mouthing my name. This face belongs to a woman. I smile and shake my head. I walk towards her and say hello.

Hi, Bette. Im Rowen, Rowen Simone. By the look on your face, you thought I was a man, didnt you? Its ok. It happens all the time.

Bette apologizes to presume that she was a man. She just automatically thought the name Rowen belongs to a man. You can be such an idiot Porter. Thank god she doesnt know how big of an idiot you are.

Alright, Bette. What would you like? A style, trim, hair cut, or color? I must say, you dont need any improvement. Most women come here to look great but you already look gorgeous. Are we doing something different for a special event.

Yes, we are. A start of a new life. What do you recommend? I dont want to look anything similar to what I look now. Tell you what, I am feeling very adventurous. Ill leave it up to you. Just surprise me. If I dont like, oh well at least no one knows me around here.

Boy, you must really put your old life behind you. By the look in your eyes, it wasnt a very good life either. Why dont we do all of the above? Cut your hair, color it, and give you a new hair style. Trust me. No one from your previous life will recognize you. They will have to look deep into your eyes to know that it is you. By the way girl, youll look great in any hairstyle. Just sit back and enjoy the ride. I hope you are not in a hurry because a masterpiece doesnt happen in one hour.

Two and a half hour later, Rowen swings Bettes chair to face the mirror so she can judge for herself her new image. Bette slowly opens her eyes and just gasped!

Oh my God! I dont even recognize myself. Now that youve cut my hair slightly above my shoulders, my head feels so much lighter. I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders. And the color and highlights. Wow! Ive always had dark haired but this dark brown color and very light brown highlights, almost like its orange, is fantastic. If you had told me what you were going to color my hair, I would have said ***** no but looking at it. You did a great job. Thank you so very much. I feel so much better. I feel almost like a new person.

Im glad you are happy with it. I am also very happy and proud of myself. But Im not trying to pry or anything butif you dont fix what is wrong in the inside, youll always be the same person no matter how much you change your look. Just food for thought.

Bette thanks Rowen and gives her a generous tip$100. As she was paying for her bill, she could sense everyone in the salon was looking at her. She could hear the whispers. The wow and the she looks great. I want her to do my hair. Maybe I could look that good.

Bette just smiles and pays her bill. She asked where she could go to go shopping for some clothes and the cashier points her to take a left in front of the store.