Page 29 of Climb

"Well, sir, have a good day,” I say quickly. “There are other rooms I have to attend to."

He nods, a knowing smile curving his lips. "Of course. Until next time."

As I make my way out of the room, I wonder who is this man and what he wants from me? If he’s just killing time, fair enough, but I can’t wait for him to check out and leave me alone. I start to wish I didn’t have such a hard time differentiating between harmless curiosity and intentional probing. Maybe then, I wouldn’t be walking around with a sense of dread, and a constant indecision between staying and leaving this town.

As I get to the end of the hall, Marlene, my supervisor, shows up.

"Talia, do you have a moment?" her voice is soft and professional.

"Of course," I answer, my hands still resting on the handle of the cleaning cart.

"One of our former staff is coming back to town and wants to come back to work here,” she announces. “Her name is Judy. Really nice lady.”

"That's wonderful," I say, wondering why this news is relevant for me.

"Once Judy starts, we can rearrange some duties. If you prefer to work behind the scenes like you requested, we can make that happen."

“Yes, that would be great. Thanks Marlene," I reply, relieved. "Thank you.”

Marlene smiles warmly. “It’s no trouble at all. We’re a team here, and I want everyone to feel comfortable and safe. Plus, Judy is great with guests, so it works out well for everyone.”

We continue our conversation as I walk back to the cleaner’s supply room, I wonder if this adjustment to my duties will be enough to allow me to reconsider staying here a while.

Ending my shift at the motel, I trudge towards my room, the wheels of the cleaning cart making a soft, rhythmic noise on the carpeted floor. Each step feels heavier than the last, weighed down by whether to stay or to leave.

At least I have my room. It’s not much but no one bothers me. My mind is still racing and my emotions are a tangled mess, but as I stretch out on the bed, staring at the ceiling, at least I can rest in privacy. I don’t have to decide tonight. For now, sleep is my sanctuary, a brief escape from the relentless cycle of fear.

16

Antonio

I takea drive out into the desert by myself, endless sand and sky stretching on in front of me. As the SUV crunches over the coarse desert terrain, I find a secluded spot to stop, far from civilization.

I need to clear my head.

Stepping out of the vehicle, the scorching heat of the desert sun bears down on me. The silence is perfect. I walk a few feet from the SUV, my boots sinking into the warm sand with every step. The air is dry, making it harder to breathe.

This has been a tough slog. Here I am, unable to find the one person who means everything to me. I think about all the searching we’ve done and my frustration builds. It’s probably a good thing that she’s made herself so scarce that we can’t find her, but I just want all the looking to be over.

If she’s even in this town.

After a long while, I make my way back to the SUV. The drive back to Taos is quiet, but my mind buzzes with plans. We’ll look into the lead about someone who looks like her at the local self-defense class, and if it doesn’t get us anywhere, I’ll have to figure out where else to go. When I arrive at the motel, I see Rico waiting for me in the parking lot.

"Boss," Rico greets me as I get out of the car. His expression is serious, his posture tense with urgency.

"Tell me you have something," I say, my voice a mix of hope and impatience.

"We have the schedule for the self-defense classes," he says, showing me a flyer. "I'll have my men there for the next few sessions. "

"Good work. "

With a nod, Rico murmurs, "And we'll be discreet. We know what's at stake here."

As I retreat to my room, I hope for the best. I have the scent of dust and sweat from my desert trip on my skin and clothes, but I stretch out in bed anyway. For some reason, the room feels like a claustrophobic trap now, compared to big open sky and desert. The walls seem to close in on me, suffocating me with how small the space is.

My thoughts land on that August day not so long ago that I picked up Natalia and Nonna at the airport after their trip to Italy. It's a vivid memory that feels like a movie now. It was hot as fuck, even by Trenton's standards, as I helped them with their heavy suitcases. A smile forms on my lips as I remember joking with Natalia about the heat wave they were coming back to.

Natalia changed so much from that summer trip. I let my mind wander in the escape of those calmer memories - laughing with Natalia and Nonna at the airport, helping them with their suitcases filled with excitement and anticipation for their journey. But it never lasts. Those memories pull me back to today’s reality.

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