Chapter 3 - Going to Egypt
Sentido Diamond Resort and Spa – Sharm el-Sheik
"Hello, Miss Tamsin. Hello"
What, what, who was calling my name? Tamsin turned around to the see receptionist smiling at her and holding a key. She had been so lost in her daydream that she had not noticed him standing there waving a key.
"Here is the key Miss Tamsin, are you ok? You did not answer me for a long time," the receptionist Bassem was smirking
Tamsin took the key and left, she wanted to get some basics for Lauren for her room. She knew Lauren would want breakfast tea, green tea, milk and custard cream biscuits so she headed out to find them to leave in her best friend's room.
Flight from London to Egypt
Lauren had settled quickly into the flight, glad that she had paid extra for exit seats and even happier that there was no one next to her, just another passenger at the end of the row of three. She also looked like she was travelling alone and after a nod hello, Lauren opened up some medical journals.
Lauren could not concentrate too long as thoughts of her closest friend came rushing forward, especially as the last time that they had seen each other, they had been intimate, she sat back pinching the bridge of her nose, she had regretted that moment almost as soon as it happened. Somethings should not be explored, she would always wonder what if, now her only concern was what now? Could they go back to being 'just friends'? Tamsin was her best friend and she loved her so much but feared the consequences of crossing that friendship line.
They had met in Afghanistan and were not meant to spend so much time together, but with all the medical attention that Tamsin needed, they soon became inseparable. Tamsin was always getting into fights with the men in their regiment, either to prove her worth or more likely because she enjoyed a fight or two. Their friendship blossomed and they shared everything. Lauren soon realised that Tamsin was not who people thought she was. She was gentle, kind, loyal and exceptionally funny.
Lauren reminisced of the time when a bottle of liquor was found in the camp. Tamsin knew that she would be named as the culprit and up for disciplinary so Lauren suggested that they sneak into the Sergeants tent. But before Lauren could deliver the plan, Tamsin blurted out 'what and shit in his bed'. It made Lauren laugh, Lauren was going to say steal it back, without evidence there can be no hearing, but on hearing that she was in fits of giggles for hours. Eventually, she told the plan to Tamsin. They went to the tent for her to stand in front of the bed and start giggling again. Tamsin had to drag her out to avoid getting caught, bottle in hand. This memory made her smile.
Lauren needed a distraction. Reaching into her bag she pulled out a A4 binder with all the documents she had been asked to bring. Her resume, her references, her visa entry paperwork; it was all there. Scanning her resume, she sighed, was that her in a nutshell, a skilfully written two-page word document? It only showed what she had done, not who she really was. Scanning the page, she read her work history, her last job said that she worked for Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council under Professor Taff. She exhaled, she had only worked there six-months and, although she found it to be a good experience, would never work there again. Professor Taff was not a scientist, he just wanted to cut everything open and look inside.
Her Education sector was next, it detailed her four years at University followed by three years working and studying for the British Army, then back to university for a further two years to graduate. Lauren smiled, she was proud of what she had achieved, she had reached her education goals and, despite taking nine-years, was happy with the final results. The problem was simply she had too many specialists and no real idea of how to use them. She had mastered in Genetics and Cryptozoology as well as her undergraduates in Pathology, Biology, Microbiology and Physiology. An impressive resume, no wonder they took her on as a simple hotel doctor, she thought.
Joining the Army was never considered an option until they visited the University offering cadetships with their Foundation Programme. A chance to learn on the job in foreign lands, they made it sound so appealing. The realisation was she would be working in a Field Hospital in Afghanistan, a war torn country with much hatred to visitors. Her resume stated facts about her first year, when she graduated her F1 training, working solely from the base hospital. The second year about her specialisms in Pathology for her F2 qualification, working with the Army Pathologists in the Mortuary Affairs Specialist Unit, again in the field hospital. Lauren stayed on for a third year as a Biomedical Scientist, and being accredited with her General Medical Council approval certification. The last year was different to her others as she was put on assignments with the regiments more and no longer working in the safety of the field hospital. She always had Tamsin with her, which made her feel safe, but that year changed the way she thought of the world, and would always be in Tamsin's gratitude.
Lastly her volunteering work, six-months before her first job with Professor Taff where she had moved to the Congo to work with a specialist team undertaking humanitarian work. She had invited her girlfriend along, there were happy times before the Congo, but after, it had all changed. Lauren had ended her relationship after constant rows. Nadia had not taken the break well and became violent towards her. She would not move out her apartment and during another heated argument had pushed Lauren across the room, causing her hit her head and black out. When she woke Nadia was standing over her, and holding a knife. It took a lot of persuading on Lauren's part to convince her they were ok to calm her down. She used the time that Nadia had been in the shower to hide back at her parent's house. Instantly she called on Tamsin. Tamsin then flew to the UK the following day and gone to the apartment and packed up everything that looked Laureny into suitcases. Lauren had given her a list of her most valued items. Nadia was there but Tamsin was able to overpower her and tie her to a chair. Leaving her there even after she had left. When Tamsin had returned to the Lewis house with the suitcases it was then that she had realised she had forgotten to collect Lauren's laptop computer. Lauren decided to go back with Tamsin to find Nadia still tied to a chair. Lauren grabbed her remaining items, and asked Tamsin to loosen the ropes so that Nadia could get out, after all, she didn't want to see her suffer.
Nadia continued to stalk Lauren for several weeks afterwards, always turning up and making Lauren uncomfortable. It was then that Lauren had travelled to America to visit Tamsin. They were having a good time and it was during that time that they had slept together, just the once. The following day though Tamsin had been shot and everything changed. They never got the chance to talk about what happened between them and what it really meant for them. Lauren had found her bleeding out on the floor, she had lost so much blood, and was extremely weak. It was only later when the medics had told her she had saved her life that Lauren let in all sink in. She cared for Tamsin completely, but the emotion was not of a lover but more of a sister.
Lauren stayed to be with Tamsin during her recovery, however understandably, something had changed her that night. Tamsin hated the world even more now. She drank too much and smoked too much. She said she was 'finally living for her' and not for 'the man' and she was going to do things that made her feel good. The Police did not sign her back to work after the shooting, and made her take administrative stress leave to recover the physical wounds as well as the emotional trauma. That was six months ago, she had not returned, nor had she attended any psychology sessions that were mandatory. Instead she had partied and taken a job in Egypt as Hotel Security. When Lauren got a call from her last week saying that her hotel she worked in needed a doctor, Lauren thought the right thing to do was to be with her best friend right now.
Lauren exhaled, everything was such a mess, she had no girlfriend, no career and her relationship with Tamsin was unsure. She wanted so much to simply let loose, to a have a bit of fun, without anyone getting hurt, especially herself. Lauren smiled, maybe a holiday romance, hot sands with a hotter woman would scratch that itch?
The girl next her smiled a flirty smile at her. Lauren blushed and bit down on her upper lip, was she over thinking a smile? The girl was incredibly attractive, early 20's with red hair and an athlete's body.
The red-haired girl unpretentiously leant over the vacant chair and whispered, "Can you please pass me the menu," Lauren did as she was told. After a few moments Lauren spoke, "Anything you fancy?", she knew that she was flirting, but was in just the mood to flirt right now, it was the perfect distraction she needed.
The red-haired woman smiled back, "Nothing on this, I fancy something sweeter." She grinned, placing the menu back on Lauren lap, making sure she brushed her lap while doing so, "Do you fancy something sweet?" and with that, she unbuckled her seat belt and walked towards the toilets.
Lauren's mind raced, she did not have time to think about this or this girl would return to find her just staring absentmindedly in the air. Without another thought, Lauren jumped up, she was determined not to be a shadow of her former self and followed the stranger to the toilet. Almost as soon as she got to the small toilet the door flung open and the red-haired stranger pulled her in.
Ten minutes later a ruffled Lauren and the girl, now known to her as Sadie, returned to their seats without a word being said. No one looked like they had even noticed that they had gone.
Lauren had to turn to the window to hide both her blush and her smirk. Normal vanilla Lauren just joined the exclusive Mile High Club.