#coffee house in Dubai

[cafedubai]

Why Papparoti Is the Coffee House in Dubai You Can'T Miss

At Papparoti in Dubai, you'll indulge in their famous coffee buns, boasting a golden-brown crust and a warm, buttery center that perfectly complements any coffee. The menu offers a symphony of flavors, with options like caramel-drizzled buns paired with rich coffee. Enjoy the cozy atmosphere, complete with plush seating and soft lighting, making it both relaxing and inviting. The attentive staff adds a personal touch, enhancing your overall experience. Whether it's a quick meet-up or a quiet escape, Papparoti caters to every occasion. For a deeper exploration into what makes this spot so special, there's much more to discover.

Iconic Coffee Buns

When you step into Papparoti Coffee House in Dubai, the first thing that catches your eye is their iconic coffee buns.

These buns are more than just a treat; they're a symbol of a rich coffee culture that has taken the world by storm. With their golden-brown crust and aromatic scent, they're the perfect accompaniment to your favorite brew.

Papparoti's coffee buns have a global influence, drawing in visitors from different corners of the world who crave this unique pastry.

You'll feel an instant connection as you bite into the warm, soft bun, tasting the blend of coffee and buttery goodness.

It's not just a snack; it's an experience that brings people together, celebrating a shared love for coffee and quality baked goods.

Unique Flavor Experience

Stepping into Papparoti Coffee House, you'll quickly discover that their offerings go beyond the iconic coffee buns.

Each visit transforms into a sensory journey, where flavor pairing becomes an art form. You'll find that their menu boasts a delightful array of beverages and pastries that tantalize your taste buds.

Imagine sipping on a rich, aromatic coffee while savoring a bun drizzled with caramel or chocolate—each bite a perfect blend of sweetness and warmth.

The experience is curated to engage all your senses, making every moment memorable. You'll notice how the flavors complement each other, creating a symphony that lingers long after your visit.

It's more than just a coffee break; it's an intimate exploration of taste.

Inviting Ambiance

Beyond the exquisite flavors, Papparoti Coffee House captivates with its inviting ambiance. The moment you step inside, you're embraced by cozy corners that beckon you to relax.

Imagine sinking into a plush chair, the vibrant decor around you creating a warm and intimate setting. Every detail, from the soft lighting to the carefully chosen art pieces, invites you to linger a little longer.

Whether you're catching up with friends or enjoying a quiet moment alone, the atmosphere makes you feel at home. The gentle hum of conversation, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, and the welcoming staff all contribute to a space where you can truly unwind.

At Papparoti, comfort and charm are always on the menu.

Exceptional Service

At Papparoti Coffee House, exceptional service is more than just a promise—it's a guarantee. The moment you step inside, you're greeted by attentive staff who go above and beyond to guarantee your experience is nothing short of perfect.

They remember your name, your favorite coffee, and even the way you like your bun. Every interaction is tailored to enhance your customer satisfaction, making you feel valued and special.

Whether you're grabbing a quick coffee or spending a leisurely afternoon, the staff's keen attention to detail creates a warm, inviting atmosphere. You'll leave with a smile, knowing you've been genuinely cared for.

It's this unwavering commitment to service that sets Papparoti apart, making it a must-visit spot in Dubai.

Perfect for Every Occasion

Whether it's a quick catch-up with friends or a quiet afternoon of reading, Papparoti Coffee House in Dubai is perfect for every occasion.

Imagine sinking into a cozy corner with your favorite book, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee enveloping you. Their dessert pairings, like the signature bun with a rich caramel latte, create a delightful experience you won't forget.

For social gatherings, Papparoti offers a welcoming atmosphere that makes every get-together special. The ambiance fosters meaningful conversations, and the menu caters to diverse tastes, ensuring everyone finds something they love.

Conclusion

You can't miss Papparoti in Dubai. Their iconic coffee buns offer a unique flavor experience you won't find elsewhere. The inviting ambiance and exceptional service make it the perfect spot for any occasion. Some say the secret to their success lies in their unique recipe, and after tasting it, you might just believe it. Visit Papparoti and you'll understand why it's a must-visit coffee house in Dubai.

[p0orbaby]

A Drop in the Ocean

summary: you buy barça for alexia

warnings: none

a/n: requested on the back of a similar one i wrote

word count: 1.5k

-

You don’t even think about it anymore, the money. The commas and zeros stopped meaning anything the moment they started adding up faster than you could count. You don’t remember exactly when it happened, just that it did. One day you were checking the balances on your brokerage account religiously, watching the stock tickers on your phone at breakfast, and then at some point—probably after that second meeting in Geneva or maybe the fourth trip to Dubai—you stopped caring altogether. The accounts became endless, infinite, numbers that only existed on a screen and held no weight in the real world. You could buy anything, do anything. You do.

You’ve bought Barcelona FC. For Alexia.

It wasn’t a particularly difficult purchase, and that’s what bothers you, how easy it was. You’d made a few calls, orchestrated a few backroom meetings with men in navy-blue suits who wear Patek Philippe watches but don’t know how to spell "integrity," and within weeks, it was done. The club—one of the most storied institutions in world football—was now, for all intents and purposes, yours. They were failing in every department that mattered, so it wasn’t hard to make them see reason. The board was crumbling under its own corruption and incompetence anyway, the men in charge having long ago stopped caring about anything other than their own salaries. They saw the numbers you offered and couldn’t sign the dotted lines fast enough.

You’re sitting in the back of your Bentley Bentayga—the V8 model because the W12 felt too much, like gilding the lily—watching the city of Barcelona pass by in blurred streaks of sunlight and shadows. You don’t drive yourself anymore; it’s not that you’ve forgotten how, but why would you bother when you can pay someone to do it for you? You’re sipping on an iced Americano from a local coffee roaster that isn’t La Colombe but isn’t Starbucks either—because Starbucks is for tourists and people who don’t care what real coffee tastes like—and tapping your thumb against the cool glass, counting down the minutes until you get home. Home isn’t the place you grew up, or even the first penthouse you bought in Barcelona—God, you’ve already sold that one off—but the sprawling villa in the hills that overlooks the city like a predator watching its prey.

You’d bought the house because Alexia liked it. You had taken her to see it on a whim, even though you knew you’d buy it regardless of her opinion. But she’d loved it, her eyes lighting up in that way they do when she’s genuinely moved by something, not when she’s just being polite or trying to please you. It’s rare, that reaction, and you’ve noticed it only happens when she’s either on the pitch or somewhere quiet, somewhere she can breathe. It makes you feel something, a tightness in your chest, almost a panic, like the world’s collapsing in on itself, but in a good way. If there even is a good way for that to happen.

Your phone buzzes, vibrating against the buttery-soft leather of your seat. You glance at it and see it’s a text from her.

Training's over. Home soon?

You smile, the kind of smile that makes the people around you uneasy, because they never know if it’s genuine or not. It is, but it’s small, fleeting, like everything in your life that isn't Alexia.

On my way. You send the reply quickly, almost too quickly, like you’re not supposed to care that much. But you do. You always do.

You met Alexia when you were young—stupid young—back when you still believed that success was something you had to fight for. She was everything you weren’t: grounded, focused, humble. Even now, with all the accolades and the Ballon d'Ors and the fanfare, she still feels *real* in a way you don’t anymore. She still eats cereal for breakfast sometimes, not some overpriced organic granola shipped in from the Swiss Alps. She’ll sit on the sofa in her sweatpants and watch trashy reality TV with you, her feet in your lap, like the world outside doesn’t exist. Like she’s not the face of women’s football, the woman everyone wants to be. You want to be her too, sometimes.

But then you remember: she’s yours. And you’re the one with the power, the one pulling the strings now. You’re the one who’s going to fix everything for her.

You think about the RFEF, the Royal Spanish Football Federation, and how utterly revolting they are, how they’ve mishandled everything about the women’s game. It makes you angry, but not in the way normal people get angry, not in that quick, fleeting way. Your anger is cold, calculated, the kind of anger that doesn’t make itself known until it’s too late. You’d called in favours—favours you didn’t even know you had—and now you’re restructuring the whole thing from the inside out. The old guard, the men who’ve spent years belittling and undermining women’s football, will be gone soon, and they don’t even see it coming. You’ll replace them with people who actually care, people who understand what’s at stake.

Alexia doesn’t know yet. She doesn’t need to. She already carries enough weight on her shoulders; you see it in the way she moves, the subtle slump in her posture after a long day. She’s been fighting this fight for years, but you can take it from here. You’ll make sure she never has to fight again.

When you finally pull up to the villa, the sky is turning that particular shade of burnt orange that only seems to exist in Spain. The driver opens your door, and you step out, the sound of your Louboutins clicking against the cobblestone driveway. You’re wearing something understated but expensive—a cream-coloured silk blouse from The Row, tailored trousers that cost more than most people’s monthly rent, and a watch that could fund a small country’s healthcare system for a year. You’ve always preferred quiet luxury, the kind of wealth that doesn’t scream but whispers, softly, in the background. Alexia likes that about you. At least, you think she does.

You walk through the front door—minimalist, custom-made, imported from Italy—and the scent of jasmine fills your lungs. Alexia’s perfume. She’s here.

You find her in the living room, sprawled out on the sofa, her legs up on the coffee table, still in her training kit. Her hair is pulled back in a messy ponytail, strands falling loose around her face. She’s scrolling through her phone, probably reading up on whatever the media is saying about the latest match, and she looks up when you walk in. There’s that smile again, the one that makes everything else disappear for a moment, just a moment, but long enough to matter.

“Hey,” she says, her voice soft, like it’s only meant for you.

You cross the room and sit next to her, pulling her legs into your lap, your fingers automatically tracing circles on her shins. You don’t say anything for a while, because neither of you needs to. The silence between you is comfortable, familiar, the kind of silence that only comes when two people have been through everything together and still come out on the other side.

“I bought the club,” you say, casually, like you’re talking about picking up milk from the store.

Alexia looks at you, her eyes widening for a second before she catches herself. She’s good at that, at pretending nothing surprises her, but you know her well enough to see through it.

“You did what?” she asks, her tone somewhere between disbelief and amusement.

“I bought Barcelona,” you repeat, leaning back against the cushions. “They were fucking it all up, especially with the women’s team. I’m fixing it. For you”

She doesn’t respond immediately, and you can see the gears turning in her head, trying to process what you’ve just said. It’s not that she doesn’t believe you; she does. It’s just…a lot.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she says finally, but there’s no conviction in her voice. She knows as well as you do that you don’t *have* to do anything. You want to.

“I did,” you reply, your voice firm. “Because they don’t care about you. Not like I do”

She looks at you for a long moment, and you can see the conflict in her eyes, the push and pull of wanting to argue but knowing there’s no point. You’ve already made up your mind. You always have.

“Thank you,” she says eventually, and the sincerity in her voice catches you off guard. You’re used to people thanking you, sure, but it’s always perfunctory, transactional. This is different. This is real.

You lean in and kiss her, slow and soft, and for a moment, everything is perfect. You don’t think about the money or the power or the corruption you’ve spent years navigating. You don’t think about the board meetings or the backroom deals or the restructuring of the RFEF. You just think about her, and how she’s the only thing that makes any of it worth it.

When you pull back, she’s smiling, and it’s that smile again—the one that makes your chest tighten and your heart race in a way that nothing else does. Not even the money.

“Let’s go fix everything,” you say, and for the first time in a long time, you feel like maybe, just maybe, you already have.

[cheriladycl01]

Hiiii could you write about Carlos Sainz that he has a secret relationship with an Arab Muslim girl (she doesn't wear hijab) 24 years old, Y/N and Carlos' little sister her friend because they go to the same university from Madrid and Carlos always bothered her, he was always around Y/N whenever she was talking with a boy Carlos made them run away and that's how they became a couple but secretly it was due to Y/N's religion and Carlos likes to annoy her by teasing her face to face or sharing a message by pinching her side because she is ticklish and she also annoys him.

Thanks youu 💖

Romeo to my Juliet - Carlos x Reader

Plot: After studying at the University of Madrid, and making friends with Blanca Sainz you were constantly around her older brother Carlos who was … obviously obsessed with you!

A/N: Ive done research before writing this on Muslim culture and struggles, however I am not a person of colour, and do not want to cause any offence when writing this! Also the wording of this request did confuse me a little bit so I’m hoping I’ve got everything that you’ve wanted in here!

Carlos and you were two people you wouldn’t pin together. You were quiet and reserved whilst he was loud and expressive. You were shy, whilst he was confident. But it was those differences that actually made you the perfect pair.

Being in a secret relationship with the Carlos Sainz wasn’t easy, and neither is the story that came with it.

It started when you first applied to university. You got into the University of Madrid and your parents couldn’t be more happy as your father had work in Spain taken from the Middle East, so it wasn’t a difficult family move.

You were a very stylish girl despite being shy and with your outfits it wasn’t hard to catch the eyes on campus. And that was how you met Blanca Sainz.

It was a colder day in Madrid, around November and you were in one of your favourite winter time outfits that’s kept you warm and cozy, still not completely used to the cold winters Europe have compared to the Middle East.

You had this Burberry scarf on, a gift from you father and a gust of win caught you, immediately your hands grabbed for your skirt leaving your scarf to fly off from around your neck.

“Oh my gosh” you gasp as you tried to reach out for it but it just flew off into the distance. You started to run after it, until you saw it hit a girl and practically strangle her.

“I’m so so so sorry! The wind … and it just … and oh my gosh I’m so sorry, it hit you!” You gasp at the girl who looks over you before laughing.

“It’s … a scarf I’m fine” she giggled.

That day you guys got coffee on campus before getting to know each other and you’d been fast friends since.

It wasn’t until the end of your second year in university, your mum and dad had moved back home to the Middle East. And you didn’t know what to do about summer break.

Blanca actually invited you to her family trip to Mallorca and to stay with her in her family home.

You felt bad, so you suggest the first few weeks are spent in your family home in Dubai. And she definitely didn’t want to turn that down.

So of course you guys spent the summer, tanning, in your pool playing games with your mum and dad when they were free and going to get ice cream.

“Your house is insane, what the hell does your mum and dad do!” She asked looking around the 6 bedroom Villa your family owned.

“I don’t actually know, but he’s a business owner of some sort” you giggle, always too bored to listen to your father explain his career.

“There’s an aquarium in your kitchen island …” she points at it, mouth open wide.

“Yeah, excessive i know but my dad adores his fish”

“And your house it on the beach! AND there’s a pool? I don’t even know if I want to see the garage!” She exclaims.

“Mmmmmm yeah my dads also a car collector. He actually left some in Spain in the house there” you offer.

“Your like so humble though! I - WHAT?” She asks in shock and you just laugh her off.

You guys definitely enjoyed your time in Dubai and your parents loved her, she was invited back for the Christmas holidays too.

Then when you got to Spain you met the rest of her family.

“Mum dad, this is my friend Y/N” Blanca offers as you enter the home which was a beautiful Spanish Villa.

“Ah Y/N we’ve heard so much about you from Blanca when she calls” her mother smiles. Ana comes running down the stairs immediately pulling her sister into a hug.

“Ah you must be Y/N? Yes, you are gorgeous! Where are you from!” She grins pulling you into an unexpected hug.

“I’m from Dubai!” You smile and that night guy guys all get to know one another through board games.

It got to just after sunset when you realised that it was time to pray for Maghrib. You calmly excused yourself from the family. Blanca at this point knew when you had to pray and was always very respectful and actually intrigued at the way it all worked. She would be with you on campus in the pray room, or in a random corner of a cafe you guys were studying in and offer you her coat to kneel on if you didn’t have one.

She was the sweetest and most understanding friend you’d ever had.

However, this was the time you met her older brother Carlos. You were just finishing up, in Blancas bedroom when someone came into the room.

“Sorry Blanca, I didn’t mean to be long if I was!” You smile turning round only to see a confused man behind you.

“Erm sorry can I help you?” You ask and he still stands there with his big brown chocolate eyes just staring at you.

“A-sorry you must be, Y/N right? Blanca’s friend that she brought home?” He questions and you nod standing up, reaching out to shake his hand.

He looks down at it smirking before lifting it up and placing a gentle kiss on the edge making you gasp and go wide eyed.

“Well, welcome to the Sainz household. Are you excited about Mallorca?” He smiles and you nod, of course you were, you’d be waiting all summer for it.

And it was an unforgettable summer.

Carlos was ALWAYS around. He was like this little lost puppy and the only time you don’t think he was around was when you showered or slept. He bothered you the whole summer, interrupting you and Blanca when you were trying to tan, or would splash you in the pool when you were lounging on a lilo. He was a menace, but there was a certain type of endearment to it.

He was also insanely protective over you. Whenever you all would go out to bars or restaurants or clubs, you got a lot of male attention, which to Carlos wasn’t surprising.

You were the most beautiful person he thinks he’s ever seen, and he wants you all for himself.

“Hey Bonita, why don’t you come downtown with me, and I’ll show you a good time?” A random guy from the island had said to you in a club.

“I’m fine thank you, I’m here with friends” you smile pointing behind you to the table where Carlos Blanca and Ana are sat.

“I’m sure they won’t mind, come on. ¡Vive un poco!” He exclaims looking over you.

“She said she was fine, and I would mind” Carlos said in a gruff voice coming to stand behind you and hand on your shoulder.

The guy swiftly left, seeing who it was. You’d gotten used to the fact that Carlos would be noticed in public, you tried to stay out of it as much as possible. Whenever a fan came over you’d practically glue yourself to Blanca’s side.

But all the guys that came talking to you Carlos had them running away for one reason or another. Whether it was just him, being Carlos Sainz, or the look he gave them or what he whispered to them when you couldn’t here. They always left.

That was how Carlos and you ended up together. You were a modern day Romeo and Juliet. You knew your parents wouldn’t approve of the Spanish race car driver, just based on all the tabloid articles about him.

“We should leave” he said in a huff, he was always like this and a lot of the times that you left was because of Carlos’ changed mood.

“But we didn’t get here long ago!” You offer and he huffs again, getting more frustrated.

“Just, let’s just go home!” He says again, not touching you but giving you a look as if to say, I will drag you out of here.

“We need to get Blanca and Ana, we can’t leave them!” You say as you start to look around the club for the two girls, hoping they would protest to Carlos wanting to get you to leave.

“They’ll be fine, let’s just go. They are pretty preoccupied anyway” he nods towards them with their boyfriends and how they are dancing.

Next thing you know Carlos was dragging you home, poking at your side saying how you broke your good girl demeanour just to leave the club with him.

“I was in a club, I can’t be that good of a girl” you tease him back and he looks over at you with a sparkle in his eyes. Maybe it wasn’t even there and it was just from the street lights, but he looked so happy and content in this moment that you couldn’t help but stare.

After this summer, you and Carlos hide your relationship from everyone, you hated hiding it from Blanca the most as he would often come find you in Madrid after race weekends to keep you company.

And don’t even start about him at family venues. Despite Carlos wanting to keep the relationship as secret as you did because of the media, and your parents, he wasn’t very good at keeping his gestures subtle.

“Carlos, I haven’t seen you for a while. And whose this, a girlfriend?” One of his aunts comes over seeing you together chatting at a family reunion his mother had hosted after his race win.

He pinched your side teasingly as if to say that you guys must look good together. And as you look up at his face you can see that.

“No this is Y/N Blanca’s friend from university” he offers keeping up with the secret. And your look down smiling to yourself. It was fun in a way keeping up a little white lie that you were with Carlos.

“Shame, she’s a dime and you two would look great together” she winks before fluttering off elsewhere in the house.

“See someone else who thinks we look great together” Carlos says leaning down to meet your eye level making you blush.

“Carlos leave Y/N alone, you tease the poor girl enough you’ll give her a heart attack one day. Come on sweetie” his mother guides you away, you turn round to catch Carlos’ eye before poking your tongue out in a childish manner.

He shakes his head with a slight chuckles as he watches his mum pull you away to a different crowd of people and introduces you.

When you and Carlos would admit your relationship was unknown, but you knew you’d never been happier than you were with Carlos Sainz Jr.

Taglist:

@littlesatanicassholebitch @hockey-racing-fubol @laura-naruto-fan1998 @22yuki @simxican @sinofwriting @lewisroscoelove @cmleitora @daemyratwst @lauralarsen @the-untamed-soul @thewulf @itsjustkhaos @purplephantomwolf @chasing-liberosis @summissss @gulphulp @starfusionsworld @jspitwall @sierruhhhh @georgeparisole @youcannotcancelquidditch @tallbrownhairsarcastic @ourteenagetragedy @peachiicherries @formulas-bitch @cherry-piee @spilled-coffee-cup @mehrmonga @blueberry64857959 @eiraethh @curseofhecate @alliwantisadonut @dark-night-sky-99 @i-wish-this-was-me @tallrock35 @butterfly-lover @barnestatic @landossainz @darleneslane @barcelonaloverf1life @r0nnsblog @ilove-tswizzle @laneyspaulding19 @malynn @viennakarma @landosgirlxoxo @marie0v @yourbane @teamnovalak @nikfigueiredo @fionaschicken @0picels0 @tinydeskwriter @ironmaiden1313 @splaterparty0-0 @formula1mount

[charmedreincarnation]

I got into the void using your challenge: live update

Day 1:

I said isn’t it wonderful once every hour: everytime I felt doubt I reminded myself isn’t it wonderful and the doubt went away. It kept me in very good mood and my desires did feel closer to me more than ever

Day 2:

Like the challenge said I started my day with Isn't it wonderful that I love and accept my godly ability to choose my reality, and I said that once and mediated on my limited beliefs to and tried to question why I should have them when I am god. I felt like a new person

I manifested so many things. Free coffee’, a cute man asking for my number, so many compliments from strangers which rarely happens, and not being late to class even though I’m always late. I was already becoming my dream self I envision after the void

I have a good vision board I was using for my visuals. Everytime something reminded me of my 3D, I stared at it on my phone to remind myself of the life I am living so why am I concerned, and I repeated isn’t it wonderful to remind myself of my wonderful life, it worked like a charm pun intended

It is night time so I am going to listen to the third video you recommended.

Tomorrow I will write about how grateful I am for all my desires that have manifested and meditate on the phrase it is done. My dream life is already here even if not in the 3D yet I have already become my imagination and I’m excited to fulfill my desires on the fourth day and I will message you my success story.

Day 3:

Today is my last day and I am already fulfilled. It really is wonderful. This morning I got up at 3 am (Happy Aïdd) and prayed on all the things I am grateful for. I went to sleep and woke up again. And journaled about all the wonderful things I have. My wealth, my beauty, my kind heart, the wonderful celebration in my beautiful house I am having with my family, my wonderful fiancé, mastery of the void state, the millions dollars of income I have flowing in my bank account yearly, my healthsafety and protection from god, all things that will be fulfilled the next time I close my eyes and open it. Then I wrote all my goals for the rest of the year, business plans, school plans, wedding plans, trip plans etc etc. this is a normal thing for me. All I could think is it is done this is my life MashaAllah

Update:

I was not planning into going to the void until after I went to bed. But I took a nap and woke up in the void thank you so much for this wonderful challenge

I woke up from my nap in a room I did not recognize I feared I had died, but it is here. I am not shocked or surprised, I don’t know how when I cried for this to happen for months but I have been fulfilled since the first day of the challenge so thank you dear 🙏

A shortened version of my desires

Living a luxurious life in Dubai

Living with all my family members in a 12 bedroom mansion in Dubai

Many house help who are treated with love and kindness and paid well

Loyal wealthy loving and god fearing handsome fiancé whom my family approve of

Attending zayned university

Hourglass body, and 36 inches of long healthy hair that never gets matted

Misgyony free household

10/10 beauty

Long natural nails that never break

High IQ that is respected

A white phantom rolls-Royce as my car

And a lot more 🙏 thank you to Loa tumblr and god himself. I pray all of this for you kind dearing souls

Another update

Tomorrow we throw a celebration and none of my family knows I did this, it is like we have always been rich and happy when we were poor and torn apart. I decorate and set up with my sisters, my mother is cooking 30 dishes, and my father for once is helping her clean up. He now worships here rather than abuses her. I am already getting many gifts, purses and jewelry I could only see in my dreams. My closet is very large the size of my old apartment 😂😂 I have hundreds of shoes and even more clothes and purses. I am in awe and greatful 🥰

Happy Aïdd😭😭🎉🎉💕 the fact that you got your desires on this wonderful day makes me so happy !!! You honestly did the challenge in more depth than I gave and it worked out so beautifully I am beyond happy for you beautiful anon 😭🫶🫶

[weclassybouquetfun]

Tonight is the penultimate episode of series two of AMC+'s INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE.

Well, this isn't ominous at all.

Impressed that months later content from the S2 premiere is still being rolled out.

ALL THE SPOILERS FOR Episode 14 / S2E07

It's fine. It's all fine.

If you've read the books (not me) or have seen the movie (me) or just possess the ability to read between the lines, then you knew this day was coming: The death of Claudia de Pointe du Lac de Lioncourt and her companion Madeleine.

Finally, someone chose Claudia.

They actually made a playbill. The nastiest of nasty work.

There is still a lot to be open to interpretation in regards to motivations and the truthiness of various accounts. Maybe we will get answers in the next episode (how much of a willing participant was Lestat in these deliberations? How accurate was Louis' new recollection of begging Lestat to turn Claudia despite Lestat's warnings?) and maybe we won't (at any time have we seen the real Lestat?)

What I do know is that this cast acts their collective bums off.

What I also know?

They will never make me hate you, maître. You've done nothing wrong, ever.

Even though you leveled your coven with one word, I am sure you could not stop them from putting your lover, his sister-daughter and her companion on trial and subsequent execution.

He was helpless to do anything, you just don't understand!!

Armand was able to control everyone's speech and compel them to say "banishment" and just heaves a sigh of relief for the trouble. Meanwhile, Lestat was wan and bleeding from one ear after mind controlling a room of soldiers.

I still stand by you, Armand. I'm just saying...

-I am inclined to believe Lestat's deviations. You can tell what are Sam's words and what aren't by how Santiago responds and also just how true to form they seem from a character standpoint. I could be very wrong, but I can believe Louis threatened to cut Lestat's head off.

This is Louis who threatened his brother with a knife (which turned Lestat's eye to him in the first place). This is a man who lobbed a veiled threat at Grace during their mother's funeral (and you know it's true because that was from Claudia's diary). Louis was furious in that moment so why would he be expected to hold his tongue and not scrap? As he told Lestat, "You start it, you finish it."

Louis castigated Lestat for choking their daughter. I'm not going to remind him what he did to her when she begged him to let her burn Lestat.

So many people last season were raging because their "Brat Prince" was depicted as a domestic abuser and were sure this season would absolve him. But while we get a fuller picture of the fight, Lestat still did what he did. To me it just adds more clarity on why he stayed away for so long.

The biggest question for me this episode was how long did they workshop Lestat's side? Did the coven plunder his mind or did Lestat readily give them information (they knew about the words "come to me", the killing of the priests, the church kiss, Louis' depression and the house being a shambles. We even see on the projection the raccoon that was roaming their house)?

No matter how they found out the Louis/Lestat details, Lestat is not fully a willing participant in my mind. This man was over it from the jump.

Also, he's stubbled and one thing Lestat de Lioncourt is going to do is be well groomed so those theatre nerds have had him locked away until showtime.

They summoned Lestat while he was drinking his chickory coffee and eating beignets. Classless.

Dreamstat in Dubai feels so wrong.

Spoiler filled interview with Delainey, Roxanne and Jacob after episode 14/7.

Interview with Sam.

[myoddessy]

🍰 for Dad!KSI of how he would be while taking care of his daughter while his wife/gf is out on a girl's trip and she comes back to see both father and daughter all happy but the house in a mess 😭

hi!! sorry for the wait, i lowk hate this but i hope it's okay 💞

with a glass of champagne in your hand and a calming breeze in the air, to say you were in nirvana right now would be an understatement. "you alright, babes?" faith asked, running her hand through the water and throwing her other arm around your shoulder, resting on the edge of the hot tub.

"mhm. just miss them, i guess." you rested your head on the crook of her neck. "i get you." she leaned her head on top of yours. "i'm worried i'll miss something important. like, what if she starts talking while i'm away!" faith laughed.

"i know what you mean, hun. but if jj and ethan get to go to dubai and all that, we can go to france for a weekend." she rubbed your arm. after another sip of her champagne she spoke again, "i just hope they haven't burned our houses down."

"ethan, man, I've got shit on my arm, what the fuck!" ethan cackled loudly at jj over the phone.

"that's what happens if you try change a nappy with one hand, you nob." jj could faintly hear olive gurgling happily on the other line. "wipe it off and finish fixing your kid, geezer."

"alright." jj nodded to himself. "man this is so fucking gross." he threw the nappy in the bin and picked his little girl up, gently bouncing her as she giggled freely.

"wonder what the girl's are up to." ethan mused.

"chatting shit 'bout us, any money." jj laughed. he looked around the sitting room and the toys he'd stepped over to make it to the couch without breaking his neck. "mate is your place a mess too?"

ethan did the same, barely having to turn his head before he saw a pile of baby blankets and toys. with a deep inhale he replied, "yeah."

"swear i'll twist my ankle on some building block legos the second i step foot through the door." you sighed, looking over at faith who was getting a massage during your facial.

she laughed. "oh, definitely. wonder if ethan remembered which baby blanket she likes or if he brought down all of 'em."

"i really needed this trip. i haven't felt like a normal person since the second trimester." you smiled at the dermatologist who handed you another drink while your face mask set.

"genuinely. glad it's you i got to be normal with, babe." she winked at you.

jj was passed out on the couch, your little girl sprawled out on his chest, drool escaping from the corner of her mouth and seeping through his shirt. he held her up with one hand, while the other laid across the back of the couch.

she woke with a start, screaming into his ear and making him jump. in a blind panic, jj reached for his phone, about to call you until he saw a notification from you from an hour ago—a picture of you and faith at a corner cafe with pastries too beautiful to be eaten and coffee cups twice the size of your daughter's face, and he decided to put the phone down and handle it himself.

he stood up slowly, rocking his baby as he did so, and humming some nursery rhyme that had gotten stuck in his head over the past two days. slowly but surely, she began to calm down. her eyes that were previously sealed shut now opened to look up at him in soft wonder and her lips bore a smile that he swore melted him then and there.

you stepped out of the taxi and gave faith a hug, telling her to text you when she got home. you grabbed your bags and made your way up to the apartment, a sense of excitement growing in you.

you braced yourself when you got to the door, nudging the key in the lock and stepping inside. the first thing you saw was the mess. the stacks of legos and dolls and teddies and baby books that jj had undoubtedly tried to read to her before declaring them too boring and tossing them to the side.

then you heard her laugh and your head snapped to the sofa where she sat bouncing in his lap while he held her hands and made funny faces down at her. you quickly snapped a photo before walking towards them, knowing this was the only way you wanted to live your life.

[twopoppies]

Yes absolutely I would do these things with him for real, I didn’t just make that list (hi it’s me, I made the list. I’m Lindsay). They’re basically all things I did when I was getting to know my best friend in Boston. They’re fun to me and also it is important to think of things we could do together not just be like “make him buy me jewels” or “go yachting/fly private to Dubai.” That’s 1- boring 2- taking advantage of someone 3- just not a cool way to be with people. Things I did not mention: gossip. No I don’t care about celebrity tea per se but everyone loves a little gossip about friends so tell me dirt and I’ll tell you dirt, Harry. Do you have a neighbor you think is a jerk? Let’s tan about them. Absolutely no hot yoga/exercising/pilates/ice baths. It’s important that we have separate interests Harry and all of those suck and I hate sweating. Don’t ask me to do it, I’ll flake. Afternoon on a sailboat/sailing lessons. IF you prove yourself to be good and decent IRL Harry, I’ll introduce you to my niece and nephew they are the best people I know and age 1 and 3. Film photography including developing in a darkroom to see how our work turns out. Share our secret favorite songs from albums that aren’t that well known (this sounds pretentious I realize but I want to play him Both Hands and Untouchable Face by Ani Difranco because I loved those songs when I was like 17 and they’re still good). Topic: animals especially the history of animals and discussing which are interesting and which are not. For example, the giant platypus as mentioned. Who was your first celebrity crush (Mine: Christian Bale in Newsies)? Roof activities- roof parties, roof drinking, roof dining, roof hanging out. Summertime is when the roof hangout is supreme. Explain London neighborhoods to me in detail and tell me what’s actually cool and what’s not and I’ll do the same for you for NYC and Boston. Like is Hammersmith interesting? Do people ever stop name dropping Shoreditch because there are actual good neighborhoods? I’ll keep it secret if necessary. Absolutely no form of Soho House and/or related properties, that whole franchise is corny and not private. Tell me about Jenny Lewis but that’s the only shop talk I’ll ask I swear. And it can just be “is she cool? Is her hair as gorgeous in person as it looks?” I just want to know if she’s cool, basically because I think she is. Falafel. Vegetarian cooking, I am very good and it is fun. Museum gift shops for coffee table books. Mixtape (or Spotify, whatever). Play records because we are being pretentious! Niche foreign beer tasting. Key lime pie. Aaaaaaaaaaand your friends can come hangout with us too Harry if they’re not 1- revolting and/or predatory in my opinion, I have veto power and James can never come. 2- interesting and engaging and not that into themselves or status or clout. We’re not instagramming our way through the hangout, we’re actually hanging out 3- kind. No jerks. Hmm I think that’s all for now but those are all things I would do with Harry if we befriended each other.

Hi, darling. I think those all sound like excellent ideas. Very well-rounded and much more interesting than the average get together. I might need to take notes. 😂

In reference to this (and the everything else in the tag)

[canirove]

The Princess & the Football Player | Chapter 14

Previous chapter | Next chapter

Masterlist

"Welcome to Villa Farfalla" Roberta says when we get out of the car.

"Farfalla vendetta?" Mason chuckles.

"Everyone does that joke, you aren't being original" she replies, rolling her eyes. "It is called farfalla because that's the nickname my great-grandfather had for my great-grandmother. He built this place for her!"

"That's cute" Declan says.

"Should we start with the tour?" Roberta asks.

"After you" Mason says, taking her hand on his and kissing it, making her giggle.

"Are you ready for two weeks or hearing her giggle?" I ask Declan. Once we arrived home after the World Cup, we all decided to spend part of the summer holidays in Italy like Roberta had suggested, though only David and Sophie know that we are together. My parents think it is just Roberta and I, and the media believes that Mason and Declan are in Mykonos or Dubai like most of their teammates.

"I'm afraid we are gonna hear her do more than just giggle" Declan sighs. 

"Well, at least it is a big house" I laugh, linking my arm with his and following Roberta and Mason.

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━        

"Morning."

"Good morning. Coffee?" Declan asks, his eyes slowly scanning my body.

"Yes, please" I say, trying to play it cool and leaning against the kitchen's countertop where he is making himself some breakfast, doing my best to ignore the fact that my temperature has gone a few degrees up just by the way he was looking at me.

"They also woke you up, didn't they?" he chuckles, his eyes still fixed on my body. Thank you for buying me these pyjamas, Sophie. 

"I didn't get to sleep until they finished."

"I had never heard him be so loud."

"Same with Roberta. It was as if they had the door and all the windows open."

"Maybe they did."

"Then thank God they closed at least the door when I walked past their room now. They were back at it."

"Really?" he laughs.

"Yep. They are like rabbits or something” I laugh. “Anyway, what are you eating?"

"Just a toast with some peach marmalade I found" he says. "Do you want a bite?"

"Are you sure it isn't out of date? Roberta said most things on the cupboards were from last summer."

"I didn't check" he shrugs, giving his toast a big bite.

"Declan!"

"Whot?" 

"First of all, manners. You do not speak with your mouth full of food. And second, what if you get sick? I came here to relax and have a good time, not to be your nurse."

"You probably are a great nurse" he smirks.

"I'm the least helpful person in the world if you are puking or bleeding, so I don't think so."

"Shame. Guess it'll have to be just roleplaying" he says, giving the toast another bite.

"Are you into that?" I ask, arching a brow.

"Never tried it. You?"

"Nope."

"Do you want to?"

"What are you suggesting, Mr. Rice?" I ask with a mischievous smile.

"Well..." he says, putting his toast down and licking his fingers very slowly, definitely knowing what he is doing. "I thought we could... You know. Become rabbits too."

"Declan!" I laugh.

"Don't you want to?" he asks, grabbing me by the waist and pushing me against the kitchen's countertop.

"Become a rabbit? Nope."

"And what about doing what rabbits do?" 

"Maybe..."

"Just maybe?" he says, trying to sound offended.

"I guess you'll have to convince me."

"Ok" he chuckles. "May I kiss you?"

"You don't have to ask every time you want to do it, you know?" I laugh.

"Yeah... But I still fear MI6 may show up out of nowhere."

"The bodyguards here are all Italian, you are safe."

"Oh, great. Now the mafia is involved."

"Declan!"

"I was just teasing" he smiles.

"Roberta is tired of hearing people make that bad joke when she tells them she is Italian, so now when someone mentions it, she says that everyone in Italy has an uncle that works for the mafia and that should watch out."

"I'll have to ask Gianlu if that's true, then."

"Scamacca? He's hot."

"Excuse me?" 

"I have eyes" I shrug. "And if you didn't exist, he could be my prince."

"Imagine him with a crown and his neck tattoos" Declan laughs.

"My mum would faint the moment she sees me with him. She hates tattoos."

"I don't have any."

"You don't?"

"Want to check for yourself?" he smirks.

"I thought you wanted to kiss me" I reply with a similar smile.

"We can do both things. First I can kiss you," Declan says, brushing his lips against mine. "And then we can check each other to see if we have tattoos."

"I don't have tattoos."

"That's what you say. May I kiss you?"

"Urgh, stop asking and just do it" I say, pulling him closer to me and kissing him, that electricity I've always felt when we touch or kiss going through my whole body once again. It is something I can't get enough of. I can't get enough of him. I need him. I want him. And he seems to feel the same, his kisses getting more intense, his hands moving all over my body, getting under my clothes.

"Fuck" I gasp when his thumb brushes over my nipple.

"So hard" he whispers, his eyes focused on mine while he touches me again.

"Look who is talking" I smirk.

"Your room or mine?"

"Yours is too close to Mason's."

"Then yours it is" he says, taking a step back and picking me up.

"Declan!" I laugh again. "What are you doing?"

"I'm carrying you upstairs" he says as he starts walking.

"Why?"

"Because if we walk together, we won't make it. We'll probably start kissing and end up fucking in the middle of the corridor, and that's something I don't enjoy when we aren't alone."

"Does that mean that you've done it before?"

"There are too many stairs at my place" he shrugs.

"Ok" I laugh.

The moment we walk into my room, we are kissing again, hands all over each other, clothes flying everywhere until we are completely naked.

"Is the door closed?" I ask between kisses.

"It is" Declan says, moving me towards the bed and slowly pulling me down until we both are laying on it, kissing again. 

But we are not rushing it. We are enjoying every kiss, every touch, laughing, smiling at each other. It feels...

"Perfect" I say, hugging Declan. "That was perfect."

"It was, wasn't it?" he says, kissing my head.

"I can't remember the last time I made love with someone."

"We... Made love?" he chuckles.

"Yes, we did" I say, turning my head to look at him and resting my chin on his chest. "Didn't you feel it? It wasn't just sex. There was something more, it was... Special."

"It did feel special" he says, putting a lock of hair behind my ear. "The perfect first time."

"The perfect first time" I repeat with a big smile. 

"And I'm glad it went like this, you know?" Declan says, now caressing my cheek. "I didn't want our first time together to be just sex. I wanted it to be special because you are special to me. You aren't like any of the other girls I've been with, and not just because of who you are" he smiles. 

"Aren't you cute?" I giggle.

"I am. I am very cute, and I also am very hungry. Should we go downstairs and grab something to eat? You didn't let me finish my toast, and it probably is lunch time already."

"Can't we cuddle for a bit longer? Just five minutes before we go back to the real world" I pout, hugging him again with both my arm and my leg.

"You mean before going back to those two rabbits we have for best friends."

"Exactly" I laugh. "Let it be just you and I in our perfect bubble for a bit longer."

"Ok. Just the two of us" he replies, hugging me tighter.

[rosylights]

REUNION(S) || PART III ༊*·˚

synopsis: a smol storyline pt.3, Charlotte third-wheels the entire chapter despite being the mc(??) content warning: ꒰Rayan x Olivia꒱; no xxx, sister chooses love over sister (aka betrayal) pt.2 author's note: the entire plot is a first-person pov of Charlotte; the characters are non-fictional, i.e., they do not represent a face of a movie/anime/series/show. word count: 876 words

“Dubai?” My eyeballs left my socket as I gaped at the two people smiling at me.

“Yes, Dubai. We can celebrate Christmas there.” Olivia suggested, stepping aside as an old woman entered the shop. Her eyes returned on me, as she prompted me to answer.

“Well- yeah, I’d love to. But, why?” I hesitated, before looking at Rayan. “I thought we were celebrating Christmas at my place?”

“Well, now we’ll celebrate it at our place.” Olivia mumbled.

I frowned. Wait. What?

My eyes fell out of the sockets the second time as my eyes darted between them two, practically screaming now, “Your place? You two have a place together?”

“No! That’s not what I meant!” Olivia’s eyes widened as she protested, shaking her head.

“What do you mean no?” I gasped, the people around now looking at us. Rayan gave them an apologetic bow, pushing both of us out the store. 

“I am hella confused.” I exasperated, so caught off-guard. Suddenly, I remembered the snow ball I had my eyes on. 

Mumbling “just a minute”, I rushed back to the store,picking the snow ball and checking it out on the counter. Passing a soft smile to the cashier, I paid using my card and exited the store.

“Okay, time’s up,” I cleared my throat, pointing at both of them, “explain before I chop you both.”

“I bought an apartment, and it happens to be in the same building as his.” Olivia tried to explain, receiving a deep frown from me. “So,” she continued, “I meant to say that you can be at both of our houses. So, our place.” 

Made zero sense.

I smell a fish.

Squinting my eyes at Olivia, whose face was nothing but tomato, I turned to look at Rayan. He stood as chill as ever, with no care for the world. 

He caught my gaze, and he raised his eyebrow. “Done interrogating? Now, do you want to go to Dubai? We’ll have to leave by evening.”

The question was not even a question, it was his way of saying “you are coming to Dubai.”

I blinked, whining loudly. “You guys keep giving me surprises. How am I supposed to get my things ready in less than a few hours?”

“Stop acting like a kid,” he smacked my forehead as they both walked towards the restaurant, “hurry up now.”

Sighing in annoyance, I followed them. Olivia looked back at me and smiled sheepishly. I glared at her, sticking my tongue out. Choosing love over sister. 

It was 7 in the evening, I was sitting on the plane with my eyes fixed on the seat ahead of me with a deep frown on my face. What am I doing with my life?

“You’ll get frown marks,” Rayan flicked my forehead. I flinched, frowning at him. He rolled his head, looking at me with low eyes.

“What?” I grumbled, glaring at him. 

“Did you not take coffee before leaving?” He asked nonchalantly, as I saw Olivia peeking from behind him, suppressing her laughter.

I turned my eyes on Rayan, ready to spit out on his face. “Fuck coffee, I could barely take all of the things I need in-” A hand from ahead, holding out a cup of coffee, appeared.

I blinked at the young guy who looked away shyly, he muttered, “I didn’t have it. You can take it, if you want. It’s frappuccino.”

Aweing at his sweet gesture, I smiled softly and accepted the coffee cup. Muttering a “thank you”, I looked at the coffee cup.

‘Eros’

He has a pretty name.

“She’s married.” I whipped my head in Rayan’s direction and he shrugged.

The boy hesitated and smiled awkwardly. I looked at him and smiled, “thank you for the coffee, Eros.”

He nodded and sat back on his seat, and I looked at Rayan, he mouthed a ‘what?’

“Nothing,” Groaning with a heavy head, I looked out the window while taking a sip of the coffee.

It was too sweet. 

“Bee,” Rayan spoke lightly, “What do you think about this design?”

I peeked at them and saw Rayan showing her some furniture on his iPad.

“Planning furniture for your home?” I smiled while sipping my coffee slowly as I watched Olivia choking on air. “Maybe you both should be careful around me, you don’t want another interrogation, do you?”

“She told you we’re not living together. It’s for Olivia’s legal office.” Rayan spoke while working on the screen. I sighed, I feel left out on my own best friend and sister’s love story. 

“Eli, I told you I opened a legal office, didn’t I?” She questioned innocently, and that made me lose my shit.

I was offended that she didn’t tell me. “Of Course not! When was the last time you told me about your life?” Huffing in disappointment, I buried myself in my seat and plugged in my earphones.

As I scrolled through my apps, a message popped up.

xie: I love you <3

[chickensarentcheap]

Lost and Found- Chapter 7

Fandom: Extraction

Pairing: Tyler Rake and Esme Drummond (established OFC. Although you do not need to read the others to understand this one)

Warnings: angst, mild profanity, brief mention of childhood cancer and death

Tagging:  @tragiclyhip @secretaryunpaid @youflickedtooharddamnit @thesirenrealm @residentdormouse @asirensrage @munstysmind @muchadoaboutcj @starryeyes2000 @karimac @arrthurpendragon @ocappreciationtag @occommunity @themaradaniels​

My tag list is OPEN. Just give me a shout if you’d like to added :)

Link to Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/43179357/chapters/115598767

“Why do I get the feeling this isn’t a social call?”

“Is that any way to greet your nearest and dearest?” Nik chides. “Haven’t we progressed to pleasantries by now?”

“I’ve spent enough time with you to know you never call with pleasant news. Or ideas.”

“It’s been a couple of years since I got you into trouble. I thought it was kind of fun. The last time we got together.”

“You and I have very different views on what’s considered ‘fun’. Being caught in the middle of a prison riot isn’t exactly my idea of a good time.” Tyler catches movement out of the corner of his eye; watching as Delaney briefly slides upon the door and sets a mug of coffee down on the deck. And he returns her shaky smile with a brief one of his own; offering a stiff nod when she raises her hand in farewell.

He wants to feel something. Anything. Regret, guilt, humiliation. And while he’s able to acknowledge that he hurt her and should find a way to make amends, he can’t help but wonder if it’s even worth the effort. It’ll never work; the two of them rarely see eye to eye on where their relationship stands or where it’s heading. He will never be the man she wants him to be; he can’t bring himself to open up to her or commit to anything more serious than they’re already experiencing. And she’ll always be in competition with Esme; everything she says and does will constantly be compared to the year he’d spent with someone else.

“It wasn’t THAT bad,” Nik’s voice jolts him back to the conversation at hand. “You got out of there unscathed. Relatively, anyway. And I’m kind of insulted; you assuming I only call under bad circumstances. Maybe I just missed you and wanted to catch up. See how you’re doing.”

“I’m the same as I was when you called out of the blue six months ago. Old, sore, and miserable.”

“So basically the same as the day I met you. Minus the ‘old’. You always did have the personality of a crotchety old man, standing on his front porch with a shotgun, yelling at people to stay off his lawn.”

Smirking, he heads barefoot across the deck and then peers through the window; making sure the kitchen is empty before grabbing the cup of coffee. “Comparing me to Clint Eastwood? That’s a compliment. I’ll take it.”

“It’s nice to see that some things don’t really change. You’re still a smart ass, Tyler.”

“And you’re still a sweet talker. Flattery gets you everywhere.” Taking a swig of his drink, he grimaces at the bitter taste; mumbling profanities as he heads for the edge of the deck and dumps the coffee out onto the grass. “You alright? How’s things?”

“Busy. As usual. The bad guys don’t take days off.”

“Being busy keeps you out of trouble. Or keeps you in it. I know how you get when you’re bored’ all grumpy and shit when business is slow. Nice to hear you’re keeping a roof over your head. What house are you on now? Six? Seven? Last time we talked you were thinking about buying that penthouse in Dubai. Somewhere you could keep your boy toy stashed away. How is he anyway? Did you feed him breakfast and get him on the school bus alright?”

“You’re such a fucking asshole. Remind me why I call you again?”

“Usually because you need me to bail your ass out of trouble. Or you want to get me into some. Like I said, I know this isn’t a social call.”

“Maybe it’s both. Personal AND business. That wouldn’t be so bad, would it?”

“Depends what the business is.”

“First thing’s first. I never bought the place in Dubai. And there is no boy toy. Not anymore.”

“Sorry to hear that. You seemed pretty happy. What went wrong? He got therapy for his mummy issues?”

“He just decided he wanted to go in a different direction with his life. Without me along for the ride. Apparently, I was ‘bringing him down’. He wanted someone he could pamper and spoil and treat like a princess. Someone completely dependent on him. Subservient.”

“He definitely barked up the wrong tree with that one. Things are good, though? Other than that?”

“I’m still as assertive and bitchy as ever, if that’s what you’re asking. And things are okay. I’m still on this side of the dirt.”

“Definitely a good day when you can say that.”

“Things are good. I’M good. What about you, Tyler? How are YOU? And don’t bullshit me. I always know when you’re lying.”

He contemplates telling her about the dreams and the memories; about the immense loneliness and heartache that have permanently staked their claim on both heart and mind. He’d been encouraged by the feelings and the semblance of happiness he’d experienced when he met Delaney; allowing himself to begin a relationship even though he’d made it perfectly clear that it was the last thing he really wanted. He’d been willing to try; succumbing to the pressure piled on by her brother and Koen. And while he’d enjoyed the moments of contentment and the companionship that she provided him with, they were always fleeting; finding himself quickly annoyed by her presence and her often overbearing and suffocating behaviour. Then the guilt would set in; the harsh reality that while she deserves so much better, he can’t seem to totally cut her loose. Not wanting to be alone, yet not wanting her around at the same time; desperately needing space and breathing room. And it makes him feel pathetic. Weak. The fact that his happiness still hinges on a woman who clearly showed she never meant a damn word she said to him; lying about love and her hopes for a future…THEIR future…and conning him in the same way she had so many others while on the job.

“I’m doing alright.” He chooses the easy way out. “ Working a lot of long hours. Putting out a lot of fires. Getting a lot of cats out of trees.”

Nik gives a small laugh.

“And the reno business is going good. A lot of clients on my hands. And more coming on board every week.”

“How are you feeling? Health-wise?”

“I’m in better shape than I've ever been. I feel good, Nik. Real good. Keeping myself busy. Active. Rate I’m going, I might live to be ninety.”

“And mentally?”

“It’s hit or miss. Some days are good, some not so good. It’s a crap shoot.”

“You still on the meds? Are you…?”

“I’m stable, Nik. I keep on top of it. Haven’t had a really bad episode in a while. It’s under control.”

“What about the other stuff?”

“I’m clean. Sober. Haven’t had a drink or gone anywhere near Oxy in four years. And I plan on keeping it that way. Now…” His knees crack as he lowers himself onto the top step of the deck stairs. “… is this where we quit the bullshit chit-chat and get down to why you really called? Because I am staring down a twelve-hour shift; gotta be at the station soon.”

“I have a job for you.”

“I’m retired.”

“SEMI retired. And you said whenever I needed you…”

“I didn’t say ‘whenever’, I said if you ever found yourself in a tough spot. If a job came up that you didn’t have the right guy for.”

“I’m in a tough spot. I DO have the right men for it, but…”

“But? You either do or you don’t. What’s…?”

“There’s a client asking for you. By name. Willing to pay big money.”

“How’d they hear about me?”

“I didn’t ask. But when I told them that I had other men that were more than capable of getting the job done, they wouldn’t hear of it. Your reputation precedes you, Tyler. This isn’t the first time someone has wanted you in the driver’s seat.”

“First time it’s happened since I retired. Did you tell them? That I didn’t exactly have both feet in the pond anymore?”

“It didn’t matter. They said they only wanted you. In fact, they said it HAS to be you.”

“Sounds like they’re pretty determined.”

“They want the best. No one else will do. They won’t settle for mediocrity.”

“What kind of stakes are we looking at?”

“Pretty damn high. You’ll be going against a pretty powerful organized crime family. Hell-bent on revenge.”

“What did the client do? To get themselves on their bad side?”

“They were working a job themselves. Strictly on the down-low. Spent months infiltrating the circle. They had their cover blown last night. I had to get a team together and go in and get them out of trouble. I’ve got them somewhere safe right now, but…”

“You need to get them somewhere safer.”

“I can only keep them here for a few days. It’s a secure spot, but one that’s normally just a refuge for certain clientele. The owner is doing me a huge favour; giving them a suite to hole up in and around-the-clock protection. The goal is to get them out of the country. Take them somewhere far away while my team and I deal with things here.”

“And where exactly is ‘here’?”

“New York City.”

“Jesus Christ, Nik. You know how much I hate the North American circuit. I haven’t been that way in six, seven years. You know I like to stick to things on the other side of the globe.”

“I realize that. But I’m only doing what the client asked for. And that’s for you to handle their case. I wouldn’t have called you if they weren’t adamant about this. And if I didn’t agree that you really are the best person for this job.”

Sighing, he runs a palm along his beard. “What exactly is it you need me to do?”

“Get the client out of New York City. Get them somewhere safe. Keep an eye on them. Until my team and I handle things here.”

“Babysit, you mean.”

“Extract and protect. Tyler, I wouldn’t have called if she…”

“Hold up…hold up. It’s a SHE? Nik…”

“Tyler, they…SHE..asked for you. She’s adamant. It has to be you.”

“I’m not into rescuing damsels in distress. Nik. I’m not some knight in shining armour. I’m…”

“She comes with fragile contents.”

He falls silent; his thoughts turning to his son. That beautiful, blond-haired little boy that he’d left behind while he was sick and dying; choosing the military over his family when they’d needed him the most. And he allows himself to think of the happier times; before cancer ever became a part of their lives. The walks on the beach and the camping and fishing trips and the dreams of his son taking up his love of surfing.

“Tyler…”

“How old?”

“Four. A little girl. Her mother is terrified. Says she can’t trust just anyone with her daughter’s life. All that matters to her is the little one. Keeping her safe.”

“And exactly who are these people? That are after them? I know you said organized crime, but…”

“It’s better we discuss that in person. Along with the payout. How soon can you be in New York City?”

“How soon can you get me a flight”?

“I can get you a red eye. Your time, of course. I’ll set it all up. Contact you when everything is finalized. Can I tell them? That you’ve agreed to take it? Can I give them my word that you’ll show?”

“I’ll be there,” he promises, abruptly hanging up to end the call. And for several minutes he remains on the step; listening to the kookaburras and the rustle of leaves as a stiff breeze passes through the trees. And his chest aches and his eyes close as he once more thinks of her. Of big brown eyes and a freckle-splattered nose and hair that felt like silk when his hands moved through it.

And of the absence of her next to him.

*****

The sweatshirt is faded and tattered. His smell long gone. It had devastated her when it finally happened; preparing herself for the inevitable over the course of several months, yet still despondent when it disappeared entirely. The hoodie had been the last thing she had grabbed before fleeing the shack; snagging it off the back of the armchair in the living room on her way out the door. Wanting something…anything…to remember him by; a token or souvenir that could remind her of happier, simpler times and all of the plans they’d made for their future. And provide her comfort on the hardest of days and loneliest of nights; either wearing it as intended or simply wrapping it around her pillow. Desperately needing to feel him close to her amidst the harsh reality she’d likely never see him again; the mixture of his familiar scent and the warmth provided by the fabric the closest thing she had to being in his arms.

It had been her only link to him. Just a plain and simple burgundy garment that he’d purchased long before they met. The drawstring for the hood completely missing, the cuffs of the sleeves moth bitten and frayed, the fabric stained in various places; remnants of paint and drywall from when he’d been doing much-needed repairs and renovations on the shack. Every imperfection and loose thread served as a reminder of the time they’d spent together; ten months spent getting to know one another and growing together and planning a future. Dhaka had created a solid foundation for them to build upon; beginning with those initial five days in that dirty little hotel and room and ending with those terrifying and life-altering moments on the bridge. Everything that came after served to help them learn about one another and grow together; his long stay in the hospital, her decision to stay in Australia instead of returning to Colorado, and that comfortable little bubble they created inside that run-down little cabin in the outback. Shedding blood, sweat, and tears while turning it into a home; every coat of paint and every inch of new flooring helping to exorcise the darkness and the demons that haunted him for far too long.

Her fingers trace each hole and every frayed edge. The sweater was the one thing she’d refused to leave behind; frantically searching through both clean and dirty laundry baskets and then hastily shoving it into the lone backpack she and Millie had fled with. Choosing those stains and imperfections over the most expensive garments in her closet; the memories attached to it far more important than any price tag or designer label. Alessio had always nagged her to get rid of it; it was far too big on her petite frame, far too messy with its stains and its puckers and tears, far too ‘poor looking’. Despite refusing to get too deeply involved with his family’s illegal doings, he put far too much emphasis on being one of the ‘elite’; obsessed with the image that he not only presented and maintained, but she and Millie as well.

The latter he complained about often; her hair was too wild and untamed, she was too loud and vibrant and should be ‘seen and not heard’ and he was ‘disgusted’ by her penchant for mixing the frilliest of dresses with the sloppiest of footwear. And Millie had been devastated when he’d taken it upon himself to throw out her beloved light-up Spiderman sandals while she’d been at school; crying herself to sleep as her mother cuddled her tight and tried her very best to console her. The next morning, Esme had made it a point of replacing the shoes; buying two pairs and then boldly setting them right in the midst of all of Alessio’s Hugo Boss and Bruno Malli loafers. He had crossed a line and she refused to let it slip; no one disrespected her daughter and got away with it. Those sandals representing everything that is beautiful and perfect about her little girl. Carefree and confident, vibrant and creative, feisty and resilient. And no one was going to strip her of those things and turn her into a watered-down version of who she was meant to be.

He had tried the same nonsense with the sweater; throwing it into the bin in the kitchen and burying it under household waste in hopes of preventing her from finding it. When she couldn’t locate it after an especially long and trying day of attempting to keep up the lies and the fake persona, she’d just KNOWN he was the culprit. And she’d frantically and angrily torn apart every inch of the house in order to find it; tears spilling down her cheeks as she ranted and raved about his refusal to respect her or her boundaries. In his eyes she was being ridiculous and overly dramatic; what kind of sane and rational person is that attached to a cheap hoodie that looked as if she picked it out of a dumpster? She hadn’t bothered to explain; he would never understand and definitely would never try. And she hadn’t wanted to share those intimate details; tales of her real and her immense heartache and guilt over the choices she made just made things far too personal. She was just there for the job after all; not make genuine bonds and actually go through with the wedding. Admittedly, she had enjoyed how he made her feel when he wasn’t being a complete asshole; loved and wanted and cherished. It had been so long since she’d had a man gaze at her in adoration; it was flattering and ego boosting and it did wonders to mend some of her shattered confidence. But there was no way she could ever TRULY care for him. She’d only ever loved one man in her life; with everything she was and everything she had. And she’d wounded him deeply and saddled herself with a lifetime of regret.

Moving on is impossible. Even with the most honourable and respectful of men. After all, how do you love a person when your heart still firmly rests in the hands of someone else?

Her heart is heavy as she slips into the hoodie; a mixture of anticipation and fear co-mingling with the guilt and regret that’s been burdening her for four and a half years. While she’s relieved he agreed to the job and both anxious and excited to see him again, there’s genuine fear gnawing at both stomach and nerves. She worries about how deep the damage may still run; how ferociously he may be clinging to all that hurt and anger. Nik had always kept her informed of how he was doing during the first year; searching endlessly and aimlessly for her, struggling to maintain his sobriety, one moment filled with rage and hate and the other with heartache and loneliness.

She wouldn’t blame him; if -upon seeing her- he changed his mind about the job and turned his back on both her and Millie. She had wounded him deeply; fleeing without explanation and leaving nothing but random articles of clothing, her recently factory-reset cell phone, and an apology hastily scribbled on a scrap piece of paper. Nothing more than a simple and pathetic “I’m sorry”; placed in the middle of the kitchen table and propped up by her favourite mug. It seemed silly; leaving something so trivial behind. But in the back of her mind she’d hoped it would give him some kind of solace; having something that she’d loved and had brought her so much joy. Perhaps he’d even see it as something much deeper; both a reassurance that her absence wouldn’t be permanent, and a promise that she’d one day return to that cup. And to him.

Drawing the sleeves of the hoodie over her hands, she lifts them to her face and inhales deeply. While his scent may no longer cling to the fabric, if she closes her eyes and tries hard enough, she can still remember it. Familiar and comforting, it fills her with a sense of peace and contentment; allowing her to immerse herself in the memories of those much happier, easier times. It’s the smell of home; of safety and security and love. A reminder of the last time she’d ever been truly happy. When she’d been taught what love…REAL LOVE…was all about it. It was patience and it was sacrifice and it was choosing to be together even when all the cards were stacked against them. It was taking the bad along with the good and learning more about yourself than the person you’re with. Tyler had shown her that she was still worthy of love and being loved in return; taking all her broken pieces and every so slowly and tenderly putting them back together. Mark hadn’t destroyed her, he’d simply damaged her. And another man was ready, willing, and able to help her out of that deep, dark hole she’d been tossed into. And when he wasn’t able to, he just climbed down into that hole with her. Loving her when she wasn’t capable of loving herself.

She misses that. That level of adoration. Trust. Acceptance.

Most of all, she misses HIM.

******

A brisk knock comes to the door, followed by Abuela’s voice; soft and full of concern. “Esme? Are you awake?”

She wishes she was; wanting nothing more than to climb into bed and bury herself under a mountain of blankets and stay there forever. She’s physically and mentally exhausted and the ache is intense; her heart heavy and weary as she relives both those happier times and the moment she’d thrown her entire life away. There’d been no other choice; he hadn’t deserved to be dragged into the mess with The High Table and she knew she had to do whatever it took to keep him safe. Even if it meant breaking both their hearts in the process

It hasn’t been easy; attempting to go on with life without him. And at times she still grieves the tremendous loss; torturing herself with thoughts of ‘what if’ and daydreaming about what their life would have been like had everything worked out for the best. It’s an agony she wouldn’t wish on her own worst enemy; to love someone to the very depths of your soul yet be forced to cut them loose. And then spend the rest of your days missing them terribly and constantly wondering about ‘ what could have been’.

“Esme?” Abuela again, her knock more insistent. “Honey, you CAN’T stay holed up in there forever. I know you’re going through it right now and it seems like there’s no end in sight, but you’ve got to at least TRY and function. You’re not sleeping…you’re not eating properly…you’re…”

“I’m not hungry. I just need some time. Alone. Just a little bit of time.”

“You didn’t eat breakfast and you went back to bed the second Millie went downstairs to hang out at the front desk with Charon. Have you been sleeping all this time? It is well after noon hour and…”

Had she really been hiding for that long? Locked away with her memories and her guilt and regret? Had she even fallen back asleep? It’s all so hazy; every moment that’s passed since fleeing her home in the middle of the night is a complete blur. She had expected the news of Tyler agreeing to take the job would brighten her spirits; fill her with hope and optimism and a newfound assurance that everything was going to be okay. But the lingering trepidation has now shifted focus; switching from the desperate need to ensure Millie’s safety to wanting to keep her own heart intact. She had lied the night before; when she told Nik she could handle Tyler having another woman in his life. That she’d be able to cope if all they could manage was being friends and amicably co-parenting their daughter. The truth is that she’ll be devastated; torn apart seeing him in love with someone else and watching them with the adoration and affection that had once been solely reserved for her.

It makes her physically nauseous to even THINK about it. The stress and the fear and the heartache finally catch up to her and she buries her face in her hands and openly sobs. She hates herself for what she’s done; not only hurting the only man she’s ever loved, but putting their daughter’s life at risk. The baby that she so desperately wanted but has kept from him for four years; her own pride and selfishness and fear harming them both. And maybe it’s her punishment for making such horrible mistakes; forced to watch him as he creates a life with someone other than her.

She hears neither the door clicking open nor Abuela’s footfalls as she enters the room, yet suddenly finds herself wrapped in the woman’s strong, motherly embrace. She has been a godsend since the job started; working under the guise of being Millie’s nanny while not only keeping a close eye on both mother and child, but on Alessio’s behaviour and the comings and goings of his family. At a remarkably spry and fierce, sixty-five, Abuela -as she’d told Millie to call her- remains a legend among those in the ‘circle’; long ago given the moniker ‘the death dealer’’ for her lucrative mercenary and weapon trafficking businesses. Highly educated and well-spoken, she personifies ‘never judge a book by its cover’; conning people with an initially meek and mild persona and then quickly becoming their worst nightmare. Tall and beautiful even as she ages; with warm, dark eyes and an inviting smile and a soft, demure smile. But she’s not to be disrespected or underestimated. There were very valid and admirable reasons why she excelled in a world dominated by testosterone.

“Talk to me,” Abuela encourages as she pulls away; smoothing Esme’s unkempt hair from her face and then cradling her face in her palms. “What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?”

“It’s just too much. It’s just all too much.”

“What is? Take a breath and tell me. What’s too much?”

“Everything. Five years ago, two nights ago…” She struggles to draw breath. “...just…everything! I’ve fucked up. I’ve fucked up so bad and I don’t know how to fix it. First Tyler, now Millie. I screwed things up with him and now I’ve royally messed things up as a mom and…”

“That’s bullshit. Utter bullshit. You did no such thing. Millie is fine. She’s settled nicely, she’s almost back to being her normal self. In a couple of days, she won’t even think about what happened. It won’t even bother her anymore. And you know why? Because her mother was right there with her. Through all the tears and the tantrums and the nightmares. That’s what she’ll remember. That you never left her side.”

“I never should have taken the risk. Not with her involved. I know the job. I know how crazy and unpredictable it can be. How quickly things can go wrong. And I never…ever…should have dragged her into that. Knowing the possibilities. I never…”

“You had no reason to believe things that would go THAT bad. None of us did. I know I didn’t see it coming. And I’ve been in the game a hell of a lot longer than you have.”

“No mother in their right mind would have gotten their kid mixed up in this shit. What kind of parent would do that? Get back into this life? When they have someone dependent on them? She’s innocent. She doesn’t deserve any of this. She never should have been put in harm’s way. And I’m the one who put her there!”

“All you’ve ever done is love that little girl. Devote your entire life to her. Your entire BEING. You didn’t intentionally put her in danger. There is no way you could have known how bad things were going to go. Now when it had all been going so well. For months! Esme…” Abuela uses her thumbs to swipe at the younger woman’s tears. “...none of this is your fault. You did nothing wrong. In fact, you were doing everything RIGHT. Things went sideways. It happens. You should know that by now.”

“But Millie. I never…”

“Millie is tough. Like her momma. You’re her entire world. The centre of her little universe. Do you think she thinks any less of you because of what happened? That she blames you? All that mattered to her was that momma was there through the entire thing. Keeping her safe. That’s all.”

“I don’t want her growing up to hate me. I don’t want her thinking…years from now…that I put her in danger. Because I would never do that. Not intentionally. All I’ve ever wanted was to protect. Even when she was still in my belly. Keeping her safe was my priority. And now…”

“And now you’ve taken the proper steps to get her the hell out of New York and to somewhere safe. WITH someone safe. And it’ll do you both a world of good; being far away from this shit show. Now….” She loops Esme’s hair behind her ears, then once more cups her cheeks in her palms. “...you’re no good to that little one of yours if you don’t take care of yourself. And that includes eating. You need to…’

“I’m really not hungry. I….”

“No nonsense from you. No more bullshit. You need to keep your strength. For Millie AND for yourself.”

She allows herself to be guided from the bedroom room and out into the living area. Abuela’s arm wrapped securely around her shoulders, keeping her tightly pressed into her side. It’s attentive and caring. Motherly. The treatment she’d so desperately longed for from her own flesh and blood as a child and beyond. And it’s filled a void that she never realized she had; repairing those final pieces of the wounded little girl and teenager that had never felt wanted or loved. Old, previously gaping wounds that nearly healed; no longer needing reassurance or acceptance from her own blood when she’s surrounded by her ‘adoptive’ family.

And Millie, of course. With those brilliant blue eyes and cheeky grin and infectious giggle. So full of brightness and love and wonder.

“I took the liberty.” Abuela nods down at the coffee table; its surface filled with various cold beverages and a wide variety of Mexican food. “All your favourites. Nothing like a little comfort food to get things back on the right track.”

“I don’t know how much I can eat,” Esme laments, and rubs her stomach in slow, smooth circles. “I’m not exactly in the best shape. My nerves are shot. Everything’s just piling up and piling up. And when I think about how I’m going to come face to face with him in less than twenty-four hours…”

“Just try your best. Believe me, you’ll feel a lot better with at least something in you. You can’t pour from an empty cup, Esme. You’re going to burn yourself out; letting your mind run rampant like that. So just sit…” With a hand on the small of the younger woman’s back, she leads her to the couch and encourages her to take a seat. “...and try and relax and get at least a little bit of food.”

“Millie…” Worry creases her forehead as she furtively glances around the suite. “....where….?”

“Grandpa Winston took her for lunch on the rooftop terrace. And told her he has some flowers that are in dire need of her attention.”

“Millie and her green thumb,” Esme smiles and accepts a cutlery and a plate of food. “Not even four and a half and she can grow anything, it seems. I can’t even keep a simple house plant alive and she’s out in the backyard watering her massive strawberry and tomato plants. She always tells me it’s because she talks and sings to them. Always says, ‘momma, you have to baby them. You have to chat and sing!’ I think she’s just damn lucky.”

“She’s certainly got a knack for nurturing things. Actually, she has a knack for quite a lot, doesn’t she? If anyone ever told me that a four-year-old could draw as good as she does…”

“Her dad’s quite the artist. It’s his secret talent. I never would have expected it in a million years. And then he told me about his childhood and how he loved to draw and how his mom really supported it. She was his biggest fan. His dad…” She chews thoughtfully on her bottom lip; eyes downcast she uses her fork to move food around her plate. “...well let’s just say he didn’t deserve that title. Dad.”

“Not a Father of the Year award finalist?”

“Not in the slightest. He was a horrible person. First to Tyler’s mom, then to Tyler. He had it pretty rough. His dad was a monster. And that’s putting it lightly. He used to worry about being just like him. Whenever we’d talk about kids and if we could see ourselves having any. He’d always tell me that he was scared. Of turning into his dad. And that was the last thing he wanted.”

“And would you say?”

“That it could never happen. That he was nowhere close to being like his father. I understood though; why he felt that way. I just tried to do my best to convince him he wasn’t the monster he thought he was.”

“Because of what happened with his son?”

Esme glances up. “How’d you…?”

“Information is easy to get. If you know where to look and who to ask. I never hired someone without thoroughly researching them. And I taught Nik to do the same.”

“Tyler made a mistake. He was scared and emotionally vulnerable and weak. He admitted that. And everything fell apart after his son died. His marriage, his military career. His sobriety. He was in a pretty dark place. When I met him.”

“Seems like you got him out of it.”

“We got EACH OTHER out of it. I wasn’t in the best shape, either. Between my own marriage disintegrating and the problems with The High Table. And then Dhaka…”

“That was…messy.”

“That’s putting it lightly. Everything that could go wrong, did.”

“Other than that first five days.”

A blush creeps into her cheeks. “You know about THAT, too?”

“Oh, honey. I know about everything. Word travels. And it’s not hard to put two and two together. A woman doesn’t just decide to give up her entire life for no reason. It’s obvious something happened. To make you stick around. Both on that bridge and off it.”

“It wasn’t the right place. Or the right time. But it happened. And neither of us regretted it. Or at least we didn’t five years ago. I know I don’t. He’s still the best thing that ever happened to me. He was the first person that ever made me feel safe and protected. Who I could just be myself with. And he gave me Millie. We created this amazing little human together. No way I could EVER regret that.”

“I’m sure he doesn’t regret meeting you. Or how things went down between you. If you were to ask him, I’m sure he’d say that was the best ten months of his life. You saved him. In every way a person can be saved.”

“And then I turned around and hurt him. He deserved so much better; than how I ended things. He deserved so much better than ME. And I don't know how to make up for it. I don’t know what to say to him. Somehow ‘sorry’ just doesn’t seem to cut it, you know?”

“Just tell him the truth. Tell him about your involvement with The High Table and the threats they made and that you had no other choice. You did what you did to PROTECT him. You said it yourself; he never would have survived their onslaught.”

“He would have fought back. No hesitation. When he told me that he’d do anything for me…anything he had to keep me safe…he meant it. HE SHOWED it. In Dhaka. We barely knew each other and he was more than willing to sacrifice himself so I’d get out of there alive. There’s no way he would have just let them walk in and take me. He wouldn’t have gone down without a fight. And I never would have forgiven myself; if something happened to him.”

“Then tell him that. Tell him ALL of it. It isn’t just black and white, Esme. There are a lot of shades of grey. But once you explain, he’ll understand. That it WAS for the best. And that it wasn’t a decision you wanted to make,”

“I never wanted to go. And I didn’t leave because I didn’t love him. I left because I did.”

“Make sure you tell him that too. And maybe he won’t understand right away…right in the moment…but once you give him a chance to sit back and let everything sink in? He’ll realize you only had his best interests at heart. You were protecting him. In the same way he would have protected you.”

“He may understand THAT, but what about Millie? How do I explain HER? I kept her from him. For four years! For the first eight months, I didn’t have a choice. I had to protect BOTH of them. But what about after? I had so many chances to reach out to him. To let him know about her.”

“And why didn’t you?”

“I was scared. I was worried that he hated me enough to totally turn his back on her. And I wouldn’t have been able to handle that. Him rejecting her. My baby. OUR baby. I realize now how stupid I was. For ever thinking that. Because I know his heart. He’s a good man, AB. A really good man. And he wanted to be a dad again. He was just afraid. There’s no way he would have closed the door on her. Pretended that she didn’t exist.”

“And you think he would do that now? Esme, he’s still that same man. The one you fell in love with. The one you STILL love. I see it in your eyes and I hear it in your voice. It’s all still there, isn’t it.”

“I never got over him. I don’t think I ever will. And I know he’s moved on and it’s killing me inside; thinking about him with someone else. I tried convincing myself that I’d be okay with it; if all we could manage was co-parenting Millie. But the truth is, I don’t think I can do it. See him with another woman. Even if it is what I deserve.”

“And these are things you need to tell him. If there was ever a time to be completely honest, this is it. As soon as you can, you need to sit him down and tell him everything you’ve told me. It’s what he deserves, don’t you think?”

She nods.

“He’s going to be angry and hurt and he’s likely going to lash out. He’s been holding onto all of that for years. And just like you have things that you need to talk about, so does he. Once he’s gotten that anger out, he WILL listen. Because there was a time he loved you very much. Where he would have done anything for you. And I’m pretty sure some of those feelings still exist. If not all of them.”

“But if he hates me…”

“I doubt he hates you. I don’t think he could EVER hate you. I’ve met Tyler. Briefly. When he first started working for Nik. And I could see it in his eyes; all that hurt he was carrying around. But you know what else I saw? Humanity. Lingering right there under the surface. Someone that could still feel. That was still living. Even if he didn’t realize it.”

“That’s what I saw too. When we met. He wasn’t like everyone else on the job. He was quiet and thoughtful. He had a gentleness to him. And that’s what drew me in. The fact he was different. And when we were in Dhaka, I got to see all these different sides to him. That he never let anyone else see. And that was the man I fell in love with. The one that cried to me about his son and the mistakes that he’d made. The one who wanted to kill my ex-husband for doing the things he did to me. The one who looked at me like I was the most beautiful thing on earth.”

“That’s the man you still love.”

“I can’t help it. I can’t stop. I know I should. But I just can’t.”

“There’s no time limit. On when it’s appropriate to get over someone. Sometimes you never do. Sometimes you find that one person that you love more than you ever thought you could love someone. And then you lose them. Unfortunately. I never got over my husband. I still love him. I still miss him. And it’s been twenty years.”

“How did you do it? Move on? How did you get over him?”

“I didn’t. And just because my body is carrying on, it doesn’t mean my heart is. There will never be another. I don’t want there to be. And something tells me you don’t want that either.”

“I don’t,” Esme admits. “I don’t want anyone else. Just him. It’ll always be just him.”

“And that’s what you tell him. I know you’re scared; that he’s going to tell you he doesn’t want the same thing. But you need to take the risk. Because if you don’t and he DOES move on with his life, you’re going to spend the rest of your life kicking yourself in the ass. Isn’t it better to find out where you stand than spend decades watching him with someone else?”

“I guess so. I don’t know. I just…” Setting her plate on the coffee table, she places her elbows on her knees and her face in her palms. “...I just didn’t think this is how it would go. Seeing him again. Telling him about Millie. This is not what I planned for. At all.”

“But this is where we’re at. This is what’s happening. Through no fault of your own. And in twenty-four hours, he’s going to be standing right in front of you. And as scared as you are, I know there’s a part of you that’s excited. About seeing him again.”

“Of course I’m excited. I’ve only spent nearly five years thinking about him. Worrying about him. Missing him. I WANT to see him. But I’m still terrified. About how things are going to go. About what I’m going to say to him. How I’m going to explain the things I did. How I’m going to explain our baby. HIS baby.”

“When he’s here…when you’re finally face to face with him…it’ll come to you. Just speak from the heart. You can never go wrong when you do that, believe me.”

Tears threaten; lower lip and chin wobbling as she attempts to rein in her emotions. “What have I done, AB? What kind of mess have I made? How did this happen? How did it all go so wrong? We were so happy. We were happy and we were planning a future and it just went so bad. We deserved a chance. At a normal life. We paid our dues and made our amends. Wasn’t it enough?”

“Sometimes things don’t go the way we want them to. There’s no reason. No explanation. They just don’t. But honey, you have the chance. To set things right. To get back to where you were. And it’s scary as hell; having to own up to what you’ve done. But that man deserves to hear it, don’t you think?”

“He deserved that a long time ago.”

“Love is a hell of a thing. There’s times it's wonderful and it’s beautiful and there’s times it’s maddening and terrifying. But nine times out of ten? It’s more than worth it. And you’ll never know what he’s feeling if you DON’T face him. Do you want to spend the rest of your life wondering what he would have said?”

“Of course not. Five years has been way too long as it is.”

“He’s not going to turn his back on you. Not after everything the two of you went through in Dhaka. Not after you gave up your life for him. And especially not after he meets that little girl. He’s going to take one look at her and fall madly and deeply in love.”

“I hope so. Because she’s everything that’s perfect and beautiful inside both of us.”

“Even if she does look exactly like him.”

Esme manages a laugh, then uses the backs of her hands to brush wayward tears from her cheeks. “She’s definitely his Mini Me. From head to toe. You know how many times I’ve been asked if I’m her nanny? When we’re out together? There’s not a stitch of me in her. She is ALL dad.”

“I don’t know about that. She’s a strong little thing. Resilient as hell. And stubborn…”

“That’s him too. The stubborn thing. He is the most stubborn human being I have ever met.”

“Other than when you look in the mirror, you mean? Because in case you haven’t been told, you have got to be the most pigheaded person on the planet. I’ve never seen anyone that gets knocked down and keeps getting back up quite like you do.”

“What’s the saying? It’s the little ones you have to watch out for? They’re the ones you least expect?”

“I always say that great things come in small packages. Millie, her mom. Look at everything you’ve been through. Not just here in New York, either. Dhaka, the trouble with The High Table. All the things that could have…SHOULD HAVE…broken you? You beat them. On your own.”

“I had help. In Dhaka. I wouldn’t have survived. If Tyler hadn't been there. If he hadn’t been so willing to sacrifice himself for Ovi and I. He could have left us. He could have just abandoned us and worried about himself. But he didn’t. He was willing to die for us, AB. No questions asked.”

“If he was willing to do that then, think about what he’ll be willing to do for you now. After the year you spent together. After loving one another. After making a baby together. Do you really think he’ll feel nothing? When he sees you?”

“I don’t know what he’ll feel. Good OR bad. I want it to be good. I’d give anything for it to be good.”

“Give him a chance. Even if he doesn’t react the way you want at first…even if he’s angry as hell…give that to him. He’ll come around. I don’t doubt it. In the slightest. He’s a smart man. Smarter than anyone gives him credit for.”

“I always thought so too. That everyone underestimated him. That he underestimated himself. I can’t wait to see him.” Tears threaten once again. “It’s all I’ve wanted. For almost five years. Just to see him. To hear his voice. Just be in the same room with him again.”

“Soon.“Very soon.”

“I just hope he wants the same thing. Who knows; maybe he’s been waiting for this too. I don’t think it’s too much to ask, do you? That maybe he feels the same way? That maybe he’s missed me too? That maybe he still loves me?”

“Oh sweetheart…” Leaning forward in her seat, Abuela reaches across the coffee table; gently cradling the younger woman’s cheek in her palm. “...I don’t that it’s too much to ask at all”

[emiratesviisa]

12 Free Things to Do in Dubai

You might believe it will be challenging to travel to Dubai on a budget because it is recognized as a center of modern design, grandeur, and luxury in general—but you can think wrong! There is good news for vacationers on a tight budget: there is a tonne of free activities and attractions in Dubai. Here are 12 of the finest free things to do in Dubai, whether you want to take in the gleaming modern skyscrapers, learn about the emirate's history and culture, or simply walk outside and enjoy nature. One can get emirates visa for Egypt citizens to simply enjoy the things. 

1. Visit the Coffee Museum in Dubai 

Fans of coffee, raise your hands! The Dubai Coffee Museum is a fascinating location to learn about everything related to coffee, including its history, various foreign methods and flavors, books and videos to investigate, and even ancient coffee pots and other coffee-making equipment. Additionally, the baristas here are knowledgeable about the brews, so feel free to ask them any questions you may have about beans or brewing; if you're interested, they'll be happy to share their knowledge with you.

2. Ride an abra 

Although it's not exactly free, for only $0.30 USD, it might as well be! We're happy that riding an abra is a reasonably priced activity for most people because it's a must-do in Dubai. Get a taste of history by using this, Dubai's customary ferry system, to traverse Dubai Creek (and a convenient form of transportation). To go to the Dubai Old Souk station or the Bur Dubai station, cross the creek at either the Deira Old Souk abra station or the Al Sabkha station. Apply emirates visa for Egypt nationals to get a ride on Abra. 

3. Wander through the Al Fahidi historic district

Are you prepared to learn more about Dubai's past and present? Enjoy a leisurely stroll through the Al Fahidi Historic District. The Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood has a lot to offer, and most of it is free to view, including historic buildings, tea houses, museums, art exhibits, markets, and more.

4. Or flash-forward to the modern era at Alserkal Avenue 

More hipster information than historical? Not to worry. Locals congregate on Dubai's obscure Alserkal Avenue, where there are constant events going on and much of it is free to explore. The area is home to art galleries, pop-up stores, cafes and coffee shops, event centers, and more. Experience modern-day Dubai life while spending the day at Alserkal Avenue. 

5. Take a day to explore The Dubai Mall 

If you can resist the over 1,200 stores placed inside this huge mall, then yes, this is completely free. One of the largest shopping centers in the world, the Dubai Mall features a wide variety of stores and eateries as well as an aquarium, a movie theatre, an ice skating rink, a virtual reality park, and more. There not being enough shopping for you? Even if you just want to window shop, the Mall of the Emirates boasts a tonne of entertainment options and retail stores.

6. Visit an authentic souk 

Of course, you can also have a genuine Dubai shopping experience at a neighborhood souk if a mall isn't quite your thing. Our favorite souks are the Spice Souk and the Gold Souk. Even if you decide not to make a purchase, a stroll around these traditional markets while window shopping is the ideal opportunity to fully experience Dubai's sights, sounds, and fragrances.  

7. Take a free tour of the Bur Dubai Grand Mosque

Are you curious to know more about Dubai's culture? The Grand Mosque, one of Dubai's most recognizable houses of worship, is a good place to start. The tour, which is entirely free, includes a tour of the mosque, a prayer demonstration, an explanation of Islamic principles, refreshments, and more. If you're interested in Islam or Dubai's culture, you should also visit the Jumeirah Mosque. For further details, visit their website, and be sure to dress modestly.

8. Go hiking at Hatta 

One of Dubai's most well-known attractions is Hatta, and it's the ideal location to visit when you need a vacation from the city. Take a bike ride, take in the scenery, go trekking in the foothills of the Rockies, or do something else. Of course, exploring is free, but if you have extra cash, there are adventurous activities like paragliding, horseback riding, and kayaking available. 

9. Get a tan 

Take your pick from the deserts or the beaches in Dubai; it's simple to accomplish this. Add Kite Beach Dubai and The Beach opposite JBR to your list if you're prepared for a day at the beach (those are our favorites). You have a tonne of options if you're going to the desert: spend money on an overnight desert safari or camp for nothing at Al Qudra. Even though it's only a fast 30-minute drive from the city, you'll feel like you're in the middle of nowhere with the opportunity to explore both lakes and sand dunes.

10. Bask in Dubai’s stunning architecture

Of course, you may experience Dubai on a budget without leaving the city. Among the top free activities in Dubai? Take a tour of the area to see some of the city's most beautiful buildings and skyscrapers. A must-see is the Burj Khalifa, the highest structure in the entire world, the Burj Al Arab, and the Cayan Tower. 

11. Soak in the sunset at the Dubai Marina

Want some instantly captivating views? You only need to consider the Dubai Marina. There are plenty of activities available if you want to spend the afternoon or just go for a fast run around the 5.3-mile boardwalk loop that is surrounded by stores, accommodations, and restaurants. Visit at sunset for the greatest sights, expert advice advised. 

12. Watch the flamingos at the Ras Al Khor wildlife sanctuary

Animal lover? The flamingos steal the show at this nature refuge, which is conveniently located close to the city and is home to thousands of birds, fish, and other animals. Come for some photos for Instagram and stay to discover more about the amazing creatures and distinctive habitats they call home. You can get emirates visa for Egypt passport holders and enjoy in Dubai. 

[cafedubai]

Dessert and Coffee Bliss Awaits You at PappaRoti: Your Dessert Cafe in Dubai

Indulge in a heavenly fusion of exquisite desserts and exceptional coffee at PappaRoti, your perfect dessert cafe in Dubai. Experience their signature buns with a crispy exterior and soft interior, bursting with flavors like classic butter and Nutella. Pair these delights with a rich cappuccino or a traditional Turkish coffee, each brewed to perfection. The warm, inviting ambiance is ideal for relaxation, making it perfect for both social gatherings and peaceful solitude. Impeccable service and attention to detail enhance every visit. Discover the magic that makes PappaRoti a must-visit dessert oasis.

Signature Buns

When visiting the dessert cafe in Dubai, you absolutely have to try their Signature Buns. These buns aren't just ordinary; they're a delightful experience.

Imagine sinking your teeth into a bun that's crispy on the outside yet soft and fluffy inside. You'll find a variety of bun options, each paired with flavors that'll make your taste buds dance.

Whether you're in the mood for a classic butter bun or something more adventurous like a Nutella-filled delight, there's something for everyone. The flavor pairings are carefully curated to guarantee that each bite offers a perfect balance of sweetness and texture.

Don't miss out on these delicious treats—they're the heart and soul of this charming cafe.

Coffee Selection

After indulging in the cafe's delectable Signature Buns, you'll likely crave a beverage that complements their rich flavors.

At PappaRoti, the coffee selection is nothing short of extraordinary, curated to match every taste. You'll discover a range of flavor profiles and brewing methods that bring out the best in each bean.

- **Espresso**: Bold and intense, perfect for a quick pick-me-up.

- **Cappuccino**: Smooth and creamy, ideal for savoring slowly.

- **Cold Brew**: Invigorating and robust, with a hint of sweetness.

- **Turkish Coffee**: Rich and aromatic, a traditional delight.

Each cup is brewed with care, ensuring an intimate coffee experience that pairs seamlessly with the cafe's sweet offerings.

Let your taste buds explore and find your bliss.

Ambiance and Atmosphere

Stepping into PappaRoti, you're immediately enveloped by a warm, inviting ambiance that feels like a cozy retreat from the bustling streets of Dubai.

The decor inspiration is a blend of rustic charm and modern elegance, featuring soft lighting, wooden accents, and plush cushions that invite you to sink in and relax.

Whether you're meeting a friend or enjoying a moment of solitude, the seating options cater to every need. Choose a comfy sofa for intimate conversations or a quiet corner table for some peaceful reflection.

The gentle hum of background music and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee create a serene atmosphere, making PappaRoti the perfect haven to unwind and savor life's simple pleasures.

Menu Highlights

As you settle into the inviting ambiance of PappaRoti, your attention naturally shifts to the tantalizing menu that promises a culinary delight.

You'll find mouth-watering dessert pairings and seasonal specials crafted to perfection.

- **Signature Buns**: Warm, fluffy, and topped with a caramelized coffee crust.

- **Latte Art**: Beautifully crafted lattes that complement any dessert.

- **Seasonal Specials**: Limited-time treats featuring fresh, seasonal ingredients.

- **Gourmet Coffees**: A range of brews designed to enhance your dessert experience.

Each item on the menu is designed to create an intimate, unforgettable experience.

Whether you indulge in a classic bun or a seasonal delight, PappaRoti guarantees every bite and sip is a moment of pure bliss.

Customer Experience

Walking into PappaRoti, you're immediately enveloped by a warm, inviting atmosphere that sets the stage for an exceptional customer experience.

The cozy seating and ambient lighting make you feel right at home. Attentive staff greet you with genuine smiles, and their service quality is impeccable. They're keen to hear your thoughts, always valuing your customer feedback to continually enhance their offerings.

The rich aroma of freshly baked buns and brewed coffee mingles in the air, making your wait a delightful sensory experience.

Every detail, from the presentation of your dessert to the timing of your coffee, is meticulously crafted to guarantee you leave with a satisfied heart and a promise to return.

Conclusion

As you step out of Papparoti, you'll feel like Alice leaving Wonderland—satisfied but longing to return. The signature buns, the rich coffee, and the cozy ambiance all weave a spell that lingers. Don't let this enchanting experience fade into a distant memory. Head back soon, and let Papparoti be your haven in Dubai's bustling landscape. After all, life's too short for ordinary coffee and desserts.

[ykc]

The Importance of Regular Maintenance for Commercial Kitchen Equipment

Why Maintenance Matters in Commercial Kitchens

Ever wondered why some restaurants consistently deliver exceptional food while others struggle with quality and service delays? The secret often lies not just in the chef's expertise, but in how well they maintain their kitchen equipment. In the fast-paced culinary world of Dubai, where excellence is expected, proper equipment maintenance isn't just an option – it's essential for survival.

The High Cost of Neglect

Picture this: It's a busy Friday night, and suddenly your commercial oven stops working. Not only does this create immediate chaos, but it could have been prevented with regular maintenance. When you invest in quality kitchen equipment dubai, protecting that investment becomes crucial for long-term success.

Key Benefits of Regular Maintenance

1. Extended Equipment Lifespan

Prevents premature wear and tear

Identifies potential issues before they become major problems

Maintains optimal performance levels

2. Energy Efficiency

Reduces power consumption

Lowers utility bills

Supports environmental sustainability

3. Food Safety and Quality

Ensures consistent cooking temperatures

Maintains proper refrigeration

Prevents cross-contamination

Essential Maintenance Tasks

Daily Maintenance

Clean all surfaces thoroughly

Check temperature settings

Inspect for any unusual noises or operations

Weekly Maintenance

Deep clean hard-to-reach areas

Descale water-based equipment

Lubricate moving parts

Monthly Maintenance

Professional inspection of critical systems

Calibration checks

Filter replacements

Professional vs. DIY Maintenance

While daily cleaning and basic upkeep can be handled in-house, some maintenance requires professional expertise. For instance, specialized equipment like La Marzocco coffee machines need expert servicing to maintain their premium performance.

Cost-Effective Maintenance Strategies

For budget-conscious restaurant owners, taking advantage of kitchen equipment sales in Dubai can help offset maintenance costs. However, remember that regular maintenance itself is an investment that pays dividends through reduced repair costs and extended equipment life.

Creating a Maintenance Schedule

Tips for Effective Planning

Document all equipment specifications

Set up maintenance calendars

Train staff on basic maintenance procedures

Keep detailed maintenance logs

Schedule professional services in advance

Common Maintenance Mistakes to Avoid

Skipping regular inspections

Using incorrect cleaning products

Ignoring minor issues

Postponing necessary repairs

Failing to train staff properly

Emergency Maintenance Preparedness

Essential Steps

Keep emergency contact numbers readily available

Maintain basic spare parts inventory

Train staff on emergency protocols

Have backup equipment plans

Document emergency procedures

The Role of Technology in Equipment Maintenance

Modern kitchen equipment often comes with smart technology that can help monitor performance and predict maintenance needs. Utilizing these features can help prevent unexpected breakdowns and optimize maintenance schedules.

Staff Training and Maintenance

Your staff plays a crucial role in equipment maintenance. Proper training ensures:

Correct equipment usage

Early problem detection

Appropriate cleaning procedures

Proper maintenance documentation

Reduced equipment damage

Conclusion

Regular maintenance of commercial kitchen equipment is not just about preventing breakdowns – it's about ensuring business continuity, maintaining food quality, and protecting your investment. By implementing a comprehensive maintenance program, you're not just maintaining equipment; you're maintaining your restaurant's reputation and success. Remember, the cost of prevention is always lower than the cost of repair or replacement.

[alhallab]

Top Spots to Indulge in Lebanese Cuisine in Dubai and Beyond

Top Spots to Indulge in Lebanese Cuisine in Dubai and Beyond

Ever wondered where to find the most authentic mezze platters and succulent grills in Dubai? Let's embark on a culinary journey through the city's finest Lebanese dining destinations, where centuries-old recipes meet modern hospitality.

The Lebanese Culinary Renaissance in Dubai

Dubai's love affair with Lebanese cuisine has blossomed into something extraordinary. From traditional family-run establishments to modern interpretations of classic dishes, the city has become a haven for Lebanese food enthusiasts. A visit to a Lebanese food Restaurant will transport you straight to the streets of Beirut, with aromas of freshly baked bread and grilled meats filling the air.

What Makes Lebanese Cuisine Special?

Lebanese food is more than just sustenance – it's an art form that has evolved over generations. Think of it as a symphony where each ingredient plays its crucial part:

Fresh, high-quality ingredients

Perfect balance of spices and herbs

Time-honored cooking techniques

Emphasis on sharing and community

Must-Visit Destinations for Lebanese Food Lovers

Traditional Powerhouses

The city's established Lebanese restaurants have earned their reputation through years of consistent excellence. The Best Lebanese Restaurant Dubai offers an unparalleled dining experience, combining authentic flavors with impeccable service.

Modern Interpretations

For those seeking contemporary twists on classic Lebanese dishes, Dubai's newer establishments deliver innovative presentations while maintaining traditional flavors. Many of these spots have become best instagram restaurants thanks to their stunning plating and atmospheric interiors.

Signature Dishes You Can't Miss

Mezze Magic

Hummus with various toppings

Moutabal with smoky eggplant

Fresh tabbouleh

Kibbeh in multiple variations

Grilled Perfection

Shish tawook

Kafta kebab

Mixed grill platters

Arayes

Sweet Endings

Kunafa

Baklava

Mohalabiah

Um Ali

Best Times to Visit

Lunch hours (12:30 PM - 3:30 PM): Perfect for business meetings

Dinner time (7:00 PM - 11:00 PM): Ideal for family gatherings

Weekend brunches: Experience the full spectrum of Lebanese hospitality

Tips for the Ultimate Lebanese Dining Experience

Always start with mezze

Don't rush – Lebanese dining is meant to be savored

Try the house specialties

Save room for dessert and Arabic coffee

Beyond the Restaurant Walls

Many establishments offer:

Catering services

Cooking classes

Special holiday menus

Private dining rooms

Making the Most of Your Visit

Reservations

Book ahead, especially for:

Weekend dinners

Special occasions

Large groups

Holiday periods

What to Order

For first-timers:

Start with a mixed mezze platter

Try at least one grilled item

Sample both hot and cold appetizers

End with traditional Lebanese sweets

The Future of Lebanese Cuisine in Dubai

The Lebanese culinary scene in Dubai continues to evolve, with restaurants introducing:

Modern cooking techniques

Fusion concepts

Health-conscious options

Innovative presentation styles

Conclusion

Dubai's Lebanese restaurant scene offers something for everyone, from traditional family-style meals to modern gastronomic experiences. Whether you're a first-time visitor or a long-time resident, these establishments provide an authentic taste of Lebanon's rich culinary heritage.

[soulofarabia]

Explore the Best Travel Destinations Around the World

Travel is one of life’s greatest pleasures, offering the chance to discover new cultures, connect with nature, and experience the beauty of the world firsthand. Whether you’re drawn to bustling cities, serene beaches, historic landmarks, or natural wonders, the world is full of destinations that cater to every type of traveler. This blog takes you on a journey to explore some of the best travel destinations around the globe that promise unforgettable experiences Travel and Tourism Companies in Dubai

1. Paris, France: The City of Lights

Paris remains one of the most visited cities in the world, and for good reason. Known for its romantic ambiance, iconic landmarks, and vibrant culture, Paris offers something for everyone.

Must-See Attractions: The Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and Montmartre.

Unique Experiences: Enjoy a leisurely cruise on the Seine River or explore charming Parisian cafés for authentic croissants and coffee.

Best Time to Visit: Spring (April to June) and fall (September to November).

2. Kyoto, Japan: A Blend of Tradition and Modernity

Kyoto, Japan’s cultural heart, is a city where centuries-old traditions thrive alongside modern life. With its stunning temples, picturesque gardens, and vibrant festivals, Kyoto is a haven for culture enthusiasts.

Must-See Attractions: Fushimi Inari Shrine, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, and Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion).

Unique Experiences: Participate in a traditional tea ceremony or stroll through the iconic geisha district of Gion.

Best Time to Visit: Spring for cherry blossoms (March to April) and autumn for vibrant foliage (October to November).

3. Cape Town, South Africa: Nature’s Playground

Cape Town is a city that boasts breathtaking landscapes, from towering mountains to pristine beaches. Known for its rich history and vibrant culture, it’s a destination that caters to adventurers and history buffs alike.

Must-See Attractions: Table Mountain, Robben Island, and the Cape of Good Hope.

Unique Experiences: Go wine tasting in the Cape Winelands or take a thrilling safari in nearby game reserves.

Best Time to Visit: November to March for warm weather and outdoor activities.

4. Venice, Italy: The Floating City

Venice is a masterpiece of art and architecture, built on a network of canals. Its unique setting and rich cultural heritage make it one of the most enchanting destinations in the world.

Must-See Attractions: St. Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace, and the Grand Canal.

Unique Experiences: Take a gondola ride through the canals or visit the glass-making workshops on Murano Island.

Best Time to Visit: Late spring and early autumn to avoid crowds.

5. Sydney, Australia: A Coastal Gem

Sydney offers a perfect blend of urban excitement and natural beauty. With its iconic landmarks and vibrant beach culture, it’s a city that captures the spirit of Australia.

Must-See Attractions: Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and Bondi Beach.

Unique Experiences: Climb the Harbour Bridge for stunning views or take a ferry ride to Manly for a relaxed coastal escape.

Best Time to Visit: September to November and March to May for pleasant weather.

6. Reykjavik, Iceland: Land of Fire and Ice

Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is the gateway to some of the most stunning natural wonders in the world. From glaciers to geysers, the landscapes here are nothing short of magical.

Must-See Attractions: The Blue Lagoon, Golden Circle, and Northern Lights.

Unique Experiences: Take a dip in a natural hot spring or explore volcanic landscapes on a guided tour.

Best Time to Visit: Winter (November to February) for the Northern Lights and summer (June to August) for long days and mild weather.

7. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: A City of Vibrance

Rio is a city that pulses with energy, offering visitors a mix of natural beauty and vibrant culture. It’s known for its lively festivals, stunning beaches, and breathtaking views.

Must-See Attractions: Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, and Copacabana Beach.

Unique Experiences: Join the Carnival festivities or hike through Tijuca National Park.

Best Time to Visit: December to March for sunny days and festive energy.

8. Santorini, Greece: A Picture-Perfect Island

Santorini is a dream destination with its white-washed buildings, crystal-clear waters, and spectacular sunsets. It’s a romantic escape for couples and a haven for photographers.

Must-See Attractions: Oia Village, Akrotiri archaeological site, and the Red Beach.

Unique Experiences: Enjoy wine tasting at a cliffside vineyard or sail around the caldera.

Best Time to Visit: April to June and September to October for pleasant weather and fewer crowds.

9. New York City, USA: The City That Never Sleeps

New York City is a global hub for art, culture, and entertainment. With its iconic skyline and endless attractions, it’s a destination that offers something for everyone.

Must-See Attractions: Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Times Square, and Broadway.

Unique Experiences: Explore world-class museums like the MET or enjoy a food tour through diverse neighborhoods.

Best Time to Visit: Spring (April to June) and fall (September to November).

10. Bora Bora, French Polynesia: A Tropical Paradise

Bora Bora is the epitome of luxury and relaxation. With its turquoise lagoons and overwater bungalows, it’s a destination for those seeking tranquility and romance.

Must-See Attractions: Mount Otemanu, Matira Beach, and Coral Gardens.

Unique Experiences: Snorkel with tropical fish or indulge in a Polynesian spa treatment.

Best Time to Visit: May to October for dry weather.

The world is filled with incredible destinations, each offering its unique charm and allure. Whether you’re seeking adventure, relaxation, or cultural immersion, these travel destinations promise unforgettable memories. Start planning your next journey and let the wonders of the world inspire you to explore, connect, and create stories that last a lifetime travel companies in dubai

[its-not-canon]

Newcastle International Airport: A Comprehensive Guide

If you're flying to or from the North East of England, Newcastle International Airport (NCL) is your gateway to adventure. Whether you're jetting off for a holiday, traveling for business, or meeting loved ones, this bustling airport has everything you need for a smooth journey. Here's your ultimate guide to making the most of Newcastle International Airport!

Getting to Newcastle International Airport 🚗🚆🚌

Conveniently located about 6 miles from Newcastle city center, the airport is easy to access by various modes of transport:

By Car: Parking options include short-stay, long-stay, and premium valet services. Pre-book online for the best rates.

By Metro: The airport has its own metro station, connecting you to Newcastle city center in just 25 minutes.

By Bus: Several bus routes link the airport to surrounding areas. Check the timetable to match your flight times.

By Taxi: Local taxis and ride-hailing services like Uber operate to and from the airport.

Check-in and Security 🛂🧳

Arrive early! For domestic flights, aim for 2 hours before departure, and for international flights, allow 3 hours. The check-in desks are efficient, and security staff ensure a smooth process, but it’s always good to give yourself extra time during peak travel hours.

Facilities at Newcastle International Airport 🛍️☕🍴

Shopping:

Pick up last-minute essentials, gifts, and duty-free items at shops like WHSmith, Boots, and World Duty-Free.

Treat yourself to designer fragrances, luxury chocolates, or a new gadget before your flight.

Dining:

Grab a coffee at Caffè Ritazza or Starbucks.

Enjoy a sit-down meal at The Beer House or The Cabin with views of the runway.

Quick snacks are available at multiple cafes and vending machines.

Relaxation:

Unwind in the airport lounge for a more premium pre-flight experience.

Charge your devices at one of the many charging points or browse free Wi-Fi while you wait.

Family-Friendly Features 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Kids’ Play Area: Keep little ones entertained before boarding.

Baby Changing: Facilities are available throughout the terminal.

Child-Friendly Dining: Restaurants offer kid-friendly options to satisfy tiny travelers.

Flights and Destinations 🌍✈️

Newcastle International Airport serves destinations across the UK, Europe, and beyond. Whether it’s a sunny getaway to Spain, a city break in Amsterdam, or a long-haul flight to Dubai, this airport connects you to a world of possibilities.

Top Travel Tips for Newcastle Airport ✅

Check Flight Status: Use the airport’s website or app for live updates on arrivals and departures.

Pack Smart: Review baggage rules for your airline to avoid delays at security.

Pre-Book Extras: Parking, fast-track security, or a lounge pass can enhance your experience.

Stay Overnight: For early flights, consider nearby hotels like DoubleTree by Hilton or Premier Inn.

Why Choose Newcastle International Airport? Friendly staff, efficient services, and a commitment to customer satisfaction make this airport a favorite for many travelers. Plus, its manageable size means less stress and shorter walking distances compared to larger hubs.

Are you flying through Newcastle soon? Share your travel plans or tips in the comments!

https://visitorsinformation.co.uk/newcastle-international-airport-a-comprehensive-guide