The Disney Version

Allison replies, "My partner and I had a bad breakup, and I used some money we were saving for a vacation and booked a trip to Disney World. On my third day there, I saw a crying little boy that everyone else was ignoring, but I managed to calm him down and get him some help. He'd gotten separated from the rest of his family. Mirela was playing Esmeralda, and she happened to see me."

"Esmeralda -- from 'Hunchback of Notre Dame'?" you ask. "So Mirela is a Disney employee?"

"They think she is," says Allison. "It's just something she does when she feels like it -- shows up as Esmeralda. Anyway, we got to talking, she invited me to live here in her guest house, I thought I'd give it a go, and so I've basically been a beach bum here for three years."

"Any thoughts of going back?"

She shrugs. "There's really nothing for me back home. I am, shall we say, estranged from my family, and as for my ex, Britain's not that big an island."

"You have a magic notebook like mine, right? Couldn't you change things?"

Allison shakes her head. "I guess I could, but they don't deserve any of my attention, simple as that." She sighs, then puts on a smile. "Anyway, I think we've sat here long enough. Come on, let's see the rest of the house!" She stands up, and motions you to get up as well.

As you do, you say, "Okay, I've known you for less than a half hour, but I have no doubt -- the breakup was all his fault."

She laughs. "Thanks. It's 'her,' by the way."

"Oh, all her fault," you say. "So, um..."

"Yes, that's part of the reason my family doesn't speak to me," she admits as she finally leads you out of the master bedroom. "I've actually since made myself bi with the notebook, so I could bring a boy home and mean it, but I'm not giving them the satisfaction. Plus, I still like girls better. Anyway, let's go."

She shows you the upstairs guest bedrooms in the other wing, and then you go downstairs to look at the kitchen, dining room, living room -- there's even a servant's bedroom, and large men's and women's changing rooms for people using the pool or beach.

"Do you want to go out to the beach, or --" Allison stops and asks, "Okay, I can tell you've been a little distracted during the tour. What are you thinking?"

"I just want to try something," you say, getting the notebook back out of your purse.

She raises an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

"Yep." You write a simple sentence in the notebook.