Mina has been to the Portofino Resort before. The Portofino is one of California's top romantic hotels and mixes nautical charm with chic, sleek design and comfort. She’s particularly fond of their pink rosemary martini. Just as expected, Evelyn booked two suites next to each other on the third floor with views of the ocean. Champagne on ice meets Mina in her room, but there is no time to idle. She changes into a casual outfit of black, skinny Lucky jeans and a navy halter top. She pairs it with her heeled black leather Dr. Marten boots.
Mina is giving her hair a few curls in the bathroom with her hot iron when Yvette arrives. Her sister Yvette is stunning in everything she wears. Mina swears that she wakes up looking like a supermodel with all the natural beauty in the world.
They both have snub noses and long lashes like their mother but Yvette’s eyes are hazel while Mina’s are dark brown. Yvette stands two inches taller at 5’7”, and practices yoga and kickboxing between her religious gym regimen. Her arms are taunt with lean muscle, and her legs, which she shows off right now in a pink mini-skirt, are also long and lean.
She sips from a glass of champagne that she brought over from her room and watches Mina apply a layer of mascara. “You sure you’re not going to get cold in that?” Mina says as she looks Yvette up and down, taking in her apparel. You look like you’re going to the club when we are going to a few bars. It’s the beach, you know. It can get cold, fast.”
“I’m not worried,” Yvette says as she sits on the edge of the claw-foot tub and crosses her legs. “I have a sweater.”
“And you know we’re going to do a little walking, right? Some of the bars are on the pier.” Mina applies a nude shade of lipstick to her full lips, lips like her sister’s only that Yvette is wearing gloss and nothing else on her face.
“I’m wearing Naturalizers,” she says as she raises a foot in Mina’s direction and angles her matching pink pump at her, “they're made for walking.”
Mina replaces the cap on the lipstick and tosses it into her bag so she can reapply it later if necessary. “If you say so, sis.”
Yvette drinks the last of her champagne and says, “I’m not worried about discomfort. Besides, it’s a small price to pay for fashion.” She flashes Mina a mischievous smile and her eyes sparkle when the light catches them. Mina rolls her eyes as Yvette draws near and nudges her out of the way so she can toss her hair in the mirror with an exaggerated display of vanity.
Mina folds her arms. “You know we’re not looking for guys, right? Well, not as dates anyway. We are looking for one guy.” She leans against the doorframe as Yvette tilts her head in her direction, “damn I feel like this is a lost cause. Tell me that we’re going to find him so we can go home before midnight.”
Yvette grabs her shoulders and with a serious tone says, “We’re going to find him before you turn back into a pumpkin. Then you can sit on the couch and watch reruns of Friends.”
Mina squints her eyes at her, “I love Friends.”
They head out of the restroom and grab their sweaters. Mina can’t help but think now about Friends. She wishes she had more friends like the TV show. But she’s surrounded by superficial people who are more interested in their own self-loathing and careers than being true friends. Yvette gets the door and holds it open for her and it’s this moment that Mina realizes that the only true friend she has is her sister. Evelyn would be a close second but Evelyn is an employee and shouldn’t count.
Mina feels like holding a pity party for herself. As they exit the hotel, the cool ocean breeze hits her face and she quickly forgets her friendship sorrows. “Where to first?” Yvette asks.
Naja’s Bar is the closest but Mina doesn’t want to start the hunt on an empty stomach so they hit the Slip Bar first for a few appetizers and drinks. It’s 7 pm and the crowds are trickling in, enticed by the live music and cozy pier atmosphere. They share stuffed mushrooms, fries, and mozzarella sticks. Yvette dives into the cheese first, dipping into the marinara sauce.
Mina starts her night with something light- Tom Collins light, which spurs a remark from Yvette. “OK, grandma. Going to follow up with a Sweet Vermouth on the Rocks with a twist? You’re living dangerously tonight.”
“Ha, Ha, smart ass. No, I’m going to probably order another Collins but in an hour. I need to be level-headed when we find the captain.” Min takes a sip. The drink is mostly club soda and lemon with probably one shot of gin. Doesn’t matter. She’s not trying to get drunk.
Yvette scans the people who just walked in. Her eyes dart back to Mina. “So what does the letter say he looks like again?”
Mina purses her lips in consideration, “I imagine he is an older man. Tall with greying hair, partially bald, and a long beard.”
Yvette raises an eyebrow. “Okay but what did the letter say?”
Mina reaches into her evening purse, a small black sequenced bag, and pulls the letter out. Yvette snatches it from her hands and unfolds it. “Like I’m going to let you tell it,” she says as she scans the letter. “It says nothing about him being old, bald, or fat. And definitely nothing about a beard.”
Mina rolls her eyes. “I know what the letter says, it’s addressed to me, not you. I never said he’s supposed to be fat.” She snatches the letter back from Yvette.
“It says you’re supposed to burn it.”
“Well I’m not burning anything until I know for sure,” Mina says as she folds it back up and places it in her bag. “Besides, Ardan isn’t here. What’s he going to do, sue me?”
Yvette plops a green olive into her mouth, takes a few bites, and follows quickly with a gulp of her dirty martini. She finishes chewing and says, “This is ridiculous. Worse than trying to find a needle in a haystack. That stupid letter doesn’t tell us anything. Like they’re really going to let some dude into the bar with a big ass knife on his belt.”
Mina downs the last of her drink. The waiter comes by and she orders another one while Yvette continues to sip on the same dirty martini a bit longer. They hang out in the Slip Bar for another hour and then head over to Naja’s which is packed. Yvette squeezes her way to the bar to order them both a Paloma, a weak drink like the Tom Collins but with Tequila and Squirt.
She makes her way back to Mina who is standing near the stage where a blues band is playing. The music is loud and lively, but Mina is more focused on the scenery. She scans the crowd for anyone sporting a bowie knife or looks like a sea captain. She wonders if she should be considering eye patches and open shirts.
An hour later, she’s feeling deflated and her feet are tired from standing. “Let's get some air,” she yells to Yvette and they both head outside into the crisp beachy night. The coolness hits her body all over and Mina shivers as sweat dries up along her back.
“Good, it was getting hot in there,” Yvette says as they start walking along the pier.
Mina glances at her phone, the screen glows back at her. “9 pm. Still early. Let's head down to Starboard.”
They make their way down the pier to Starboard. There’s a Led Zepplin cover band playing and Mina is ready to walk right back out the door. She turns to leave but Yvette is blocking her way. “Let's have one drink and see what happens. Maybe we’ll get lucky and find the elusive Captain Jack Sparrow.”
“He’s not a pirate,” Mina says as she follows Yvette to the bar.
“How do you know? He could be.” She gestures for the waiter who is finishing up pouring a beer for someone else. “That Ardan guy was super vague. He could literally be any one of these guys here.”
Mina looks around, “Yeah maybe. Except for that guy with the long hair and Pink Floyd shirt. He looks like he walked out of a 1980s sitcom as a backup in The Fresh Prince of Bell Air.”
Yvette follows her eyes and giggles when she sees who Mina is referring to. She turns to Mina and playfully slaps her arm, “Shut up, he looks like my old gym teacher from eleventh grade. What was his name again?”
“You mean Matt?” Mina says with a grin. “Didn’t you have a crush on him all year?”
Yvette gasps, “I did. And he was so hot too. Too bad he was married and moved away.”
“More like, good thing he did since he flirted back with you.”
The waiter, a tall man with a neatly trimmed beard comes by to get their order. Yvette quickly orders two Dark and Stormy’s before Mina can protest. The band finishes their last song as the lead singer wails out a long note. Then he announces that they are taking a ten-minute break.
“Oh goody, ten minutes before I have to endure another round of that horrible music.”
Yvette shoots her a look, “You know sis, some people consider Led Zepplin to be classic. Iconic even.”
“No, there’s nothing classic or iconic about singing like you’re having an orgasm on stage. Led Zepplin is so gross. Horrible music and I don’t care who knows it or who I offend.”
The bartender returns with two Dark and Stormy’s. Yvette passes him her credit card and tells him to run a tab. “Well then,” she says as she hands Mina the drink, “let’s hope you don’t offend my gym teacher ringer over there. If we don’t find Captain What’s-his-name, I know who I’m taking home tonight. Tall, tanned, and handsome over there, that’s who.”
Mina takes the drink from her and says, “Oh shut up, you liar. You haven’t the balls to talk to him so don’t act like you do.”
They toast and Yvette says, “To growing a pair of balls.”
Mina takes a drink and within minutes the glass is empty. Yvette orders another round of the same and by now Mina is feeling warm and giddy. She wants to dance but the band hasn’t returned yet and an 80's hairband song plays low in the background. It sounds like Poison but she’s not sure.
“To having a wonderful night no matter what,” Mina says raising her glass. They bring their drinks to their lips when a scuffle starts somewhere near the stage on what should be the dance floor.
“Hey Rodrigo,” someone shouts, followed by a chair flying across the room. A woman screams and there’s a mad dash of bodies trying to move out of the way. Then the brawl between the two men unravels before Mina’s eyes.
“Don’t you ever come near my sister again,” the blond man says as he lands a punch on the other man’s face. The man stumbles backward, his brown hair sways like silk as he dodges the next punch. He’s tall, lean, muscular. Wait, isn’t he the gym-teacher-stand-in guy?
Rodrigo. A lightbulb goes off in Mina’s head as remembers what the blond guy said first. She grabs Yvette’s shoulder, “It’s him.”
“Who?” Yvette asks, watching the two men tumble on the ground as security guards try to pull them apart.
“The captain we’ve been waiting for.”
Mina is mesmerized and can hardly contain her glee. She wants to run up to him and introduce herself, but instead, is watching the security guards tear him off the other man. His nose is bleeding and he spits blood on the ground.
“This isn’t over,” the other man yells as the security guard is escorting him outside.
A waitress hands the long-haired man a napkin and says, “he got you good, Barrett.”
Barrett takes the napkin and says, “Yeah but I got him better.”
Mina takes a drink. The whole time she’s eyeing him like a hawk but wonders how to make her introduction at a time like this. It’s too awkward. She bites her bottom lip in thought. Yvette plays with the ice in her glass with the straw as she waits for Mina to do something. The band comes back on stage and starts tuning their instruments. Seconds later, Barrett is heading for the door and Mina slams down her drink and says to Yvette, “Come on,” as she rushes after him.