Mixing Business & Pleasure
As she descended through the clouds and the coastline came into view, Lauren reminded herself that she had one of the best jobs in the world. The city of Havana, in all its antiquated glory, stretched out below her as the first of many destinations.
While Lauren specialized in organizing international trips, this itinerary was a first. It was for a graduate course on the "European Colonialization of the Caribbean," with stops in Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and ending in St. Martin. Moreover, since the school wasn't concerned about the budget, she'd selected top-notch hotels and beach resorts in each city. While seemingly a vacation, the agenda was packed with classes, cultural visits and entertainment. However, what she was most excited about was that her husband, Michael, would be joining her at the end of the trip for a long weekend away from home. Between work and the two kids, it seemed like years since they had had a romantic vacation just the two of them. She just needed to get through the next 14 days.
Once she was on the ground, Lauren spent the remainder of the day preparing for the group to arrive tomorrow morning. She finalized hotel logistics, met with the ground team and reviewed the air travel across islands. After a working dinner in her room, she freshened up and headed downstairs to enjoy a nightcap before the craziness of the trip. Settling in at an outdoor table, she ordered a cocktail and surveyed the style and ambience of the hotel. It was clearly a former plantation of sorts with wide open fields and a tiled bar that could have been in New Orleans instead of Cuba. It wasn't hard to believe that a couple of hundred years ago, someone else sat in a similar spot and enjoyed a nice drink. It was the Caribbean's sense of nostalgia and romance that led to her and Michael deciding to make a vacation out of her trip. She had been pushing for them to try for a third child and this occasion proved the perfect opportunity.
As she was lost in thought, she heard "You must be Lauren," and turned around to see a tall figure approaching her through the evening air. Once the silhouette came into the light, Lauren could see it was a well-dressed, dark-skinned man who was probably in his mid-30's.
She nodded and smiling responded, "Yes, that's right. I'm sorry, have we met?"
Extending his hand, he said, "William. William Jameson. Nice to meet you in person."
A look of recognition passed over her face as she realized her mistake. Dr. William Jameson was the lead professor on this trip and her primary client but looked far different than the usual academic. He was well over 6' tall, clearly in good shape and had a slight stubble on his face that was youthful and yet maturing. To say he was different than the usual portly, grey-haired PhDs that were her clients was an understatement.
Embarrassed, Lauren placed her small hand in his, "oh, forgive me. Dr. Jameson. You're not what I expected."
Sitting down next to her William responded, "Is that so? What were you expecting?"
Lauren blushed and said, "my clients aren't often close to my age. Particularly tenured professors. Consider it a compliment."
"I think I'll take it as that." Gesturing for a nearby waiter, William ordered and, looking back at her, added "the lady will have another one as well."
A bit presumptuous thought Lauren but she was hardly going to start off this relationship on a bad foot, "thank you. That's kind of you."
"You're welcome. It's nice to meet the person who's arranged so much of my trip. I hope it goes as smoothly as you've outlined."
Having been forewarned of Dr. Jameson's demanding style, Lauren put on her best sales demeanor and responded, "I'm confident we can deliver and meet your expectations. And I hope it will be enjoyable for your students."
He nodded and a quiet silence fell eventually broken by the arrival of the waiter with their cocktails. Drink in hand, William leaned back and said, "Is this your first trip to Havana?"
Lauren said, "it is my first time to Cuba and your trip is quite unique among my clients. I have been to the Caribbean on vacation but not this set of islands."
Seemingly expecting this answer, William said, "The older islands like Cuba are very different than the resort destinations. They are a blend of European and native cultures that are both enticing and otherworldly."
Lauren said, "I can feel that sense even here. It must be a pleasure to take this trip every few years."
"It is a pleasure. Of course, the settings are beautiful but I truly enjoy the teaching. The opportunity to expose younger people to something they've never experienced is very satisfying."
For a quarter hour or so, the pair engaged in casual conversation regarding the trip details and ironing out a few small details. Finally, her drink finished, Lauren began to stand, "Well it was pleasant speaking with you Dr. Jameson. I'm sorry to depart but I have a phone appointment with my husband. I trust you'll communicate any further needs to me directly to ensure we can satisfy them. I'll see you in the morning with the rest of the team."
Scanning her figure as she rose, William responded, "I look forward to it Mrs. Manson."
Nodding politely, Lauren left the bar and headed to her room. She couldn't help but be proud of her physique as Dr. Jameson's stares didn't go unnoticed but she reminded herself to be wary and professional as he was a notoriously challenging client. After showering and chatting with Michael, she went to bed.
For the next two weeks, she juggled an entire class of students, multiple flights and countless logistical challenges. To make matters worse, Dr. Jameson's reputation wasn't unfounded and she handled an endless flood of demands ranging from last-minute itinerary changes to upgrades to his hotel suite. He seemed to have taken their earlier conversation to heart and didn't hesitate to call her directly for the smallest of requests. Moreover, Lauren found his casual flirting and frequent stares to be both confidence-building and nerve-wracking. Fortunately, she managed to chat with Michael at least once a day to share the challenges of the day and finalize their own upcoming plans.
Finally, the final day of the trip arrived. The students had been thrilled by their celebration dinner the prior evening and Lauren was finalizing the last series of airport transfers when her phone rang. The caller ID showed Michael's number and he was due to arrive later that afternoon.
"Hey honey! How's the trip down? I can't wait to see you."
"Well babe, I'm delayed," the disappointment in Michael's voice apparent. "My flight out of Richmond was behind schedule and I was going to miss my connecting flight. They've got me rebooked and arriving mid-day tomorrow."
Lauren was sad but not surprised. Getting down to St. Martin from the States involved a series of flights and getting them all right stretched the bounds of reality for air travel. "It's ok. I'm just glad you didn't get stuck at a different airport."