Just for Convenience

–Casanova! How fascinating! The young man who had made that comment was immersed in a book. His sister, Sally, who was sitting next to him on the plane, looked at him curiously. –What do you mean, Charlie? "Casanova, the great lover. It says here he came from Venice," he said, showing her the travel guide. "He had thousands of lovers and gambled his fortune away every night." "I can see why you're attracted to it," Sally said sadly. By eighteen, Charlie had accumulated a considerable sum of debts that he relied on his sister to pay off. But Sally had rebelled. Worried about her brother's growing addiction and the characters beginning to lurk around their house, she had decided to get him out of London. At that point, they were about to arrive in Venice on what was more of an escape than a vacation. –You should be interested too. He was a charmer! "Don't be silly!" Sally admonished him. "You have no heart!" Charlie said, putting on a theatrical air. "You go to the most romantic city in the world and you don't even flinch!" –Just like you don't care about the trouble you cause with your game. And don't change the subject, little brother, or...! –Or will you throw me out the window? –No, I'll take away your subsidy and force you to work. –Do you see how cruel you are? Although they joked, the situation was complex. Since her parents' death seven years earlier, Sally had taken responsibility for Charlie, but she wasn't proud of the results. Charlie showed no signs of maturing. As Charlie said, they were headed to the most romantic and magical city in the world, but there was no romance in Sally's life. Although she wasn't ugly, her appearance was ordinary and lacked any special charm. Men didn't fall for her, and the only one she'd ever thought she was in love with had only caused her pain. So she hadn't the slightest hope that Venice would change her life. They announced over the loudspeaker that the descent was beginning. They soon saw Marco Polo Airport and the islands that made up the city of Venice. "It says here there are no cars in the city! Does that mean we have to walk?" Charlie asked, alarmed. "No, there's a parking lot at the edge of town we'll take a taxi to," Sally explained. "Then we'll continue by boat." Fortunately, there were plenty of taxis, and they were soon moving toward the renownedly beautiful city. From the parking lot next to the canal, they boarded a boat. Sally gave them the address of the Billioni Hotel, and they were soon traveling along the Grand Canal, the beautiful thoroughfare that runs through the center of Venice. They soon turned into a narrow canal and stopped at some steps leading up to the hotel. After checking in, they went to their respective rooms and Sally opened the window wide. At their feet lay the canal, peaceful and mysterious. Evening was falling, and the only light illuminating the water came from the reflection of the buildings' windows. The little I had seen so far confirmed the city's reputation and justified its status as a favorite destination for honeymoon couples. That reflection led her to think about Frank, even though, since she had broken up with him, she had managed to push him out of her thoughts. Frank had attracted her, but although she enjoyed his kisses, Sally had resisted taking their physical relationship a step further no matter how much he had insisted. "Come on, Sally," he used to say irritably, "it's the 21st century. Kissing isn't enough." Frank was right. She could have slept with him if she'd wanted to, but for some reason, she hadn't. And when she found him with another woman, though it had hurt, it hadn't taken her by surprise.