Page 45 of Arrogant Arrival

“I don’t want to, either.” What I don’t say to her is…I don’t want this to end.

Jolene

Jimmy and I stand at the front of the ferry as we pull away from the island. I feel like a part of my heart has been left there. The ferry boat cuts through the sparkling clear blue water as the island becomes smaller, almost like it was just a fantasy. I already long to have back my mornings of sleeping in naked and wrapped between sheets and Jimmy, eating delicious food from fresh ingredients from a grandmother’s recipes, and watching the sunset on the beach before dancing the night away into the early morning. The unanswered question hangs heavy between us. We only have two days left, and then the vacation is officially over—this between usis over. We go back to ourseparatelives in America.

The wind whips my hair around. Jimmy nudges me. “You’re being quiet.”

“It’s windy. You wouldn’t be able to hear me, anyway, between the wind, waves, and ship’s engines.”

“Let’s go inside then.”

“No. I want to look at the island for as long as I can.”

“Why?”

“To make sure it was real.”That this between us was all real.

We each carry our luggage to the front of the condo. Before Jimmy opens the door, he turns to me and says, “You’re almost free. Think you can keep putting up with me for two more days.”

I have no idea how to take that. Is he joking because he’s happy this is almost over, or is he trying to hide his disappoint as much as me? “Two-and-a-half days, actually. This day is almost over.”

“Don’t resort to counting down the minutes or anything,” he mumbles as he opens the door.

Martha, who must’ve heard the door, or better yet, was probably watching the window, rushes into the living room to greet us. “Did you have a nice time?”

“It was so beautiful. I got to use some of my dance moves I learned from here the other night.”

“Oh, you went dancing! How wonderful. I hope you did better there than you did here.”Ouch.I thought I was an amazing dancer that night. She smiles and then turns to Jimmy. “You got some color to your cheeks. If you get any more, people will think you’re a gypsy.”

His grandmother comes in and scoffs. Jimmy laughs at what she says in Greek and turns to me. “Yia-Yia says I already am a nomad. I can’t stand to stay in one place too long.”

“That’s true. A pilot with his wings. You’re like a bird flying around, landing where the urge strikes you.”

Jimmy turns to his grandmother and I assume he translates what I said because she looks to me and nods. She says something back to him and his mother. Whatever it is, they both look at me with wide eyes full of alarm. Then, with a smug smile, the little old lady shuffles to the other room.

Martha mumbles something about preparing dinner and leaves the room. I tilt my head and ask, “What did your yia-yia say?”

“Um, she said eventually birds make nests and something about plucking off wings. I don’t even want to think about what she meant by that.”

“Worried something—or someone—is going to pluck your wing?”

“You better watch it before I pluck you.”

“Hey, guys!”

I about jump out of my skin when I hear Bianca behind us. I turn around and smile. “Hey! Did we miss anything?”

She smiles as Georgina tugs on her hair. “Not much. We spent most of the days on the beach drinking coffee and eating.”

I think about it and then smile. “Same here.”

“Well, I guess we’re getting the full Greek culture then,” Bianca laughs. “If you’re tired of spending all your time with that knucklehead, want to join me and Georgina on the beach? Dex has a phone conference, so he is going to be holed up in the room for a minute.”

“I’d love to! Let me go put my bag in my room and put on a swimsuit.” I join Bianca and little Georgina on the beach. We swim and play with pebbles. After a while, I insist Bianca allow me to hold Georgina so she can stretch and relax.

“Jolene?”

“Yes?”

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