The Slave of Pleasure
Chapter 101

Rachel

As we entered the boarding area, the weight I felt with each step was softened by Nancy's vibrant presence at my side. Her excitement seemed to fill the room with a light air, as if she could transform the atmosphere around her with just a smile. I looked at her, holding my own suitcase, and for a moment I felt a sense of gratitude for having a friend like her. Nancy seemed to light up everything she touched.

"My mother will love to meet you, I'm sure of it," I said, looking at her with a smile. "But... you might need to go easy on her, you know? She's not very strong-hearted enough to... handle so much intensity."

Nancy laughed, an infectious sound that caught the attention of a few people around us. "Rachel, honey, I promise I'll behave. I can be discreet when I want to!"

I stared at her, arching an eyebrow in disbelief. Nancy, discreet? It was like imagining a hurricane in silence. "Discreet? I doubt it," I replied, giving her a little shove on the shoulder.

"Seriously! I can even look like a harmless angel... if I try hard enough," she replied, winking and putting on an expression that was meant to be innocent but that, of course, fooled no one.

We walked together to the metal detector, and I placed my bag on the conveyor belt, passing through without any problems. I was almost on the other side, waiting for Nancy, when the detector beeped as soon as she placed her luggage in the machine. The surrounding security immediately went on alert, and a guard asked us to check the contents of the bag.

Nancy turned to me with a smile, as if this were just a minor interruption in our journey. "Oh, they don't have to open it," she said to the guard with a nonchalance that bordered on comical. "It's no big deal, I promise."

But, of course, the guard insisted. He began to open her bag, while I watched, somewhat curious and somewhat worried. And then, when he lifted the lid, he revealed a veritable arsenal of Nancy's "belongings" from colorful self-help books to emergency items that, frankly, no one would use on a regular trip. But what caught his attention the most were... the handcuffs, meticulously organized in the corner of the suitcase.

The guard frowned, clearly not knowing how to react. He looked at Nancy, his expression confused. "Are you a police officer?" he asked, trying to maintain his composure. "Are you off duty or are you... an undercover cop?"

Nancy, not missing the chance to have fun with the situation, winked and replied in a voice full of mischief: "Oh, I can be whatever you want me to be." She left the answer hanging, and the guard turned red as a tomato. He seemed to be trying to process what he had heard, visibly uncomfortable and embarrassed.

I, who had been watching everything with a hand over my mouth to keep from laughing, had to look away and hide it. Nancy had managed to completely disorient the guard, and that only made the scene even more surreal. He cleared his throat, closed Nancy's suitcase more hastily than carefully, and released her with unusual speed.

"You can go, miss," he said, looking to the side to avoid Nancy's direct gaze.

She picked up her suitcase and approached me, trying to hold back her laughter. "See, Rachel? I told you this would be fun."

"Fun? You almost traumatized the poor man!" I said, but I couldn't help the laugh that finally escaped my lips. That moment, although unusual and almost ridiculous, made some of my tension subside. It was as if her presence and her unpredictable ways had the power to dissipate the weight I was carrying.

We walked together to the boarding gate, and I tried to imagine what it would be like to arrive home with Nancy by my side. My mother was a reserved person, with very methodical habits. The contrast between her calmness and the whirlwind of joy Nancy brought was something I would have to manage. Despite that, I knew that deep down my mother might even appreciate the refreshing energy Nancy would bring. As we walked, Nancy glanced at me, perhaps sensing how torn I was between the relief of having her by my side and the uncertainty of returning to the life I had before. "Hey, Rachel," she said, suddenly serious, which was rare. "If you ever feel overwhelmed or need some time alone, just let me know, okay? I'm here for you, but I know you need space too." I looked at her, feeling once again that deep gratitude that only true friendship could bring. Nancy understood the complexity of the moment and respected it. She could be extravagant, but she was also empathetic in a way that only a true friend could be. "Thank you, Nancy," I said, touching her arm gently. "You have no idea how much it means to me that you're here. But... knowing that you understand... is even better."

We arrived at the boarding gate and handed over our tickets. tes. Nancy waved at the attendant with the same enthusiasm she showed in any situation, drawing a smile from the young woman. She was like that, an infectious presence, capable of making strangers smile and creating little memories in every moment.

We boarded the plane, and I felt the weight of the entire day weighing down on my shoulders, but also a new kind of serenity. We walked down the aisle to our seats, and Nancy immediately began organizing her "belongings" in the overhead compartment, grumbling about how little space there was for what she considered "travel essentials."

"I can't believe I can only bring one carry-on bag," she complained as she tried to shove another of her stuffed animals into the compartment. "These airlines really don't understand the needs of a creative person like me."

I laughed, trying to help her arrange her things, while the people around us glanced sideways at our "operation." Finally, we got everything sorted, and she sat down next to me, exuding an aura of satisfaction. Nancy took out one of the stuffed animals and hugged it to her chest, settling into her seat as if she were already home. "There you go, Rach," she said with a smile. "Now we're ready for the adventure." As I watched her, hugging her toy and smiling genuinely, a sense of comfort washed over me. I knew the journey would be long, that there would be no shortcuts to solving everything that was inside me, but in that moment, I felt like I could face whatever came. The plane began to taxi, and I leaned my head back against the seat, letting my mind wander between memories and hopes. Nancy continued to chatter about what we could do when we arrived, throwing out wild suggestions of activities and places to visit, as if we were heading to a new and exotic city instead of returning to my old life. I took a deep breath and looked at her, smiling as she distracted me with her conversation. Little by little, I realized that I was no longer so immersed in sadness. As painful as everything had been, there, on that plane and next to my best friend, was a beginning, a chance to move on.