“But, Daddy–” Jill protested.
“Easy, Princess. I’ll be fine down here. Heck, I might outlast all of you based on the longevity of these people.”
Jill shook her head, frustrated.
“I want the three of you to make it,” he continued. “And I think it will be possible if you play it smart.” On the last word he looked at Colin.
Stella fumed slightly. Colin was the smartest man she knew. His father denied him credit even in this darkest hour.
“No,” Jill injected.
This time she commanded the attention in the tight chamber.
“I’m not going.”
Don massaged the bridge of his nose. His eyes were red when he looked up.
“Seriously, Jilly, it will be okay. I think it’s worth the risk–”
“It’s not about the risk,” she interrupted. “I just would prefer to stay here. You go with Stella and Colin.”
“What the hell?” Don seemed startled. “Why would you want to stay in this godforsaken pit? You have your whole life ahead of you.”
Stella couldn’t stop herself. She whispered the word, Daniel, but there was no such thing as a whisper in this tight compartment.
Don eyed her until Stella felt uncomfortable.
“Daniel?” he spat. “The loner?” He looked at his daughter now.
Jill squelched under the scrutiny, but gathered her strength and raised her head. “It’s not just about Daniel. I think Stella and Col should go. If it’s just the two of them there will be enough room. Enough oxygen–”
“There’s no gauging the oxygen,” Don argued. “You’ll have whatever oxygen already exists in the cabin once the hatch is secured. In theory that should be enough to make it to the surface. You also have to worry about controlling the ascent–be it two people or three.”
Seeing her blank expression he continued, “Think about it this way. The submersible should rise at the same rate that an air bubble would rise from the depths.” He shook his head. “It’s going to be in the timing of the release of the weights.”
“And hoping that water doesn’t come gushing in some hole you didn’t identify,” Jill added, and then slammed her hand over her mouth.
Stella shuddered. She felt Colin move in closer, his arm brushing against hers. The touch provided moral support.
“There’s always that chance,” Don agreed sedately. “And there is always a choice. You’ve apparently made yours. I have made mine. No one is forcing anyone to get in that submarine. Clearly no one from down here has chosen to use it. Maybe you’re right, Jill. Maybe it is a terrible idea.”
“Sure, there are obstacles. Maybe we’ll freeze once we leave the hydrothermal vents,” Colin contended. “I’m aware of the odds. I want to try. If I can make it up there, then maybe somehow I can get help down to everyone here.”
“Oh son, I’m starting to grasp the futility of this. Even if you make it to the top…what then? You have no means of communication. You will just bob in the water, adrift for who knows how long–what, in hopes that someone sees you? You could be–”
Dead before anyone finds you.
Stella hugged herself. Beside her Colin was frowning. He was determined. And if there was one person out of this group who had the conviction to pull this off, it was him.
“I won’t let you go up alone,” she vowed softly. “I will go with you.”
Colin reached for her hand. Don caught the gesture and focused on their linked fingers.
“I see,” he marveled.
An awkward silence followed, but Colin would not let go. The contact bolstered her. She squeezed back.
“All right,” Don yielded. “This is a very emotional topic. One that deserves additional consideration. Colin and I agree that the best time to attempt this will be during their New Year celebration. Hopefully they are preoccupied, maybe even a tad inebriated. They are less likely to try and stop our plans.” He rubbed his temple with his fingertips. “That gives everyone a few days to seriously consider their decisions.”
Colin nodded. The fierce grip on Stella’s hand eased some.
“I agree. It also gives me a few more opportunities to go over the sub. To understand it better.”
Don extended his hand to his son. Colin released his grip on Stella to return the shake. Their clasp lingered with significance. Then Don reached with his free arm and drew Jill into his fold. He released Colin’s hand and hauled him into the embrace. He met Stella’s gaze over Jill’s head, and said, “Get in here. You’re one of us.”
Stella moved into the huddle, tears burning in her eyes. She threw her arms around Colin and Jill and leaned forward, her head resting against Don’s shoulder.
“This is my family,” Don whispered thickly. “All I want is for my family to be safe. Can you blame me for that?”
They all muttered, no.
“But, in this case safety requires sacrifice. I have to sacrifice letting some of you go for the greater good. I accept whatever decision you make, but please accept that I am too tired to try. I just want to lie down. I promise you that I will be there to help when you make your move. And if some of you decide to stay,” he hugged Jill tighter, “I will be here to support you. I have made mistakes. I am not going to win any Father of the Year awards. I had in my mind what the perfect father should be, and maybe it made me push too hard. Col, I watched you today in that submersible and I realize how talented you are. I am trusting in your strength and intelligence. All of you are my hope for the future.”
There were sniffles and unintelligible murmurs of encouragement. But it was the feeling of solidarity–of family–that infused Stella with strength. No matter what, she would do everything in her power to protect this clan.
It was dinnertime. Collectively they felt it best to act like normal. They dared not fool themselves that Etienne wasn’t aware of their plans. There was very little that happened in the Underworld that he wasn’t aware of. But keeping up pretenses by engaging in the public meal was a good start.
Daniel, who normally shied away from the community dinners was seated beside Jill. She bent into him and laughed pleasantly at a shared joke.
“We have such a treat for the party,” Margie’s voice was unnaturally loud in Stella’s ear. She winced but turned to acknowledge her with a bright smile.
“Oh?”
“Yes,” Margie clapped her hands together, “It’s–”
“Marge, it won’t be a surprise if you blab about it now.” Jordan leaned in to reprimand with a wide grin.
Margie clamped her lips tight, but raised her eyebrows, her eyes twinkling at Stella. Stella couldn’t help but to giggle. It wasn’t all bad down here. There were some fine people. Even Loren, whom she had first held some animosity towards, now chatted with Don Wexler. Stella strained to hear the conversation. It was about boating, of course. Loren regaled some of the trips she and her boyfriend took before the accident. Her tone was bittersweet, but she had made peace with the old pain.
Stella felt Colin lean in beside her. He whispered against her ear, the soft wisp of breath stirring her hair.
“I have a surprise for you after this, too.”
Her eyes widened. “A surprise?”
Forest green eyes held a grin. An alluring darker shade lurked in their core. Stella smiled in return. She wanted this dinner to be done. She just wanted to be in his arms.
“So, what did you all do this morning?” Etienne spoke up, the insinuation in his voice obvious to everyone but the Connovers.
Stella watched as the alluring grin faded from Colin’s face. In its place was a stony look of conviction. His head swung towards Etienne.
“Explored more caves. We sure could have used Frederic’s maps.”
Etienne didn’t look pleased. Frederic spoke up, though.
“Yes, I have some sketches. I forgot to give those to you. But I don’t think there’s much you’ve missed.”
Frederic’s tone did not seem spiteful. As he set hi
s spoon down, his glance swung from Etienne to Colin and back again.
“Just be careful,” Etienne warned. “You’ve already had several accidents.” He looked pointedly at Stella.
Heat rose to her cheeks.
“After all, Sarah can only do so much,” he chuckled hollowly.
No one laughed. Not with that gruff pitch.
Sarah kept her head down. Stella saw more gray hairs poking out of the brown floppy twist. The woman had barely spoken more than ten words in the past few weeks.
“Maybe there wouldn’t be so many accidents if you were a little more forthcoming with information about this place,” Colin volleyed.
Etienne’s bony face tightened. He pushed his bowl back and rose. He was not a tall man, but with everyone seated he had a moment to tower over them all.
Frederic once again looked to avert a confrontation. “My office is always open. If there’s somewhere you need to go, just ask me about it.”
Stella had to bite her tongue and avoid asking about the submersible. There was no need to draw their attention to the object.
Don stood now. He stared down the man across from him. “Thank you for dinner. The crab was divine.”
Margie smiled proudly, but she struggled to maintain the gesture amidst the obvious tension. “No dessert?” she asked. “We have canned jelly from the Philippines.”
Don placed his hand on her shoulder and gave her a congenial wink. “I’ll pass tonight.” He rubbed his stomach. “I’m saving up for the feast I hear you have planned for the party.”
This time Margie beamed. “Oh yes. You will need to run laps around the Underworld after I am done with you.”
Don allowed himself a rare smile and then bowed his head and backed away from the table. Colin and Etienne were still locked in a glaring showdown. Stella tugged on his arm and whispered, “Let’s get out of here.”
Colin slid his gaze to her and nodded. Soon the table dispersed with Etienne taking a step in pursuit. Stella caught the motion and reached for Colin’s arm. He stopped, ready for an argument, but Sarah spoke softly in her husband’s ear. Whatever she said worked, and the man backed off towards their bungalow.
“Whew. I hope every dinner isn’t going to be like that,” Stella said as they walked away. “It’s not going to make for a pleasant eternity down here.”
Colin frowned. “Stel–”
“What?”
“Well, wait. Come with me. I told you I had a surprise.”
Stella was curious as he took her hand. Sounds of the dinner participants scattering grew distant as Colin kept walking down the path. Every few feet a torch lit up his face, but she could tell nothing from the stony expression. One time he caught her watching him and he hiked up the corners of his lips.
“Don’t get excited,” he muttered as they followed the curve back towards the waterfall.
Stella looked up at the cascade with trepidation. Excited wasn’t the word that came to mind when she considered what lurked behind it.
Colin surprised her, however. Just a few steps ahead and out of the site of the village sat a boulder with a thick yellow candle on it. It was lopsided, with trails of melted wax rolling down its side, some dribbling over the reservoir of the tin bowl it sat in. The flame flickered from the mist, but stayed strong. There were two unopened cans of soda. Coca Cola, but the logos were ones she didn’t recognize.
“Col,” she cried, running up to the boulder. “These are like contraband! Frederic said candles were only to be used in emergencies. He said they have a limited supply. And Coke! Where did you find that?”
Colin grinned, plucking open the old-fashioned pull tab. There was no fizzing sound, but Stella marveled at the rare treat nonetheless.
“Well, it turns out that the cooler they found was indeed from the STARKISSED, but it was the cooler Dad and I use for live bait. Jill was a little ticked that she wasn’t getting her Sprite.”
Stella chuckled at the thought.
“Margie has been hoarding some special supplies for the New Year’s party.” He leaned back against the boulder and winked. “I convinced her to share a few of those items.”
Stella crossed her arms. “And how did you do that? Your charm, no doubt.”
“No one has ever accused me of being charming, that’s for sure. But, I did explain to her that it was for a good cause.” He paused. “Romance.”
Stella’s eyebrow raised and her lips tickled with the itch to smile.
“I told her that I wanted to give you a romantic dinner. I said that if we were up above, that I wanted to walk you along the beach and take you somewhere nice, and woo you until you couldn’t resist me.”
The tickling jerked her mouth up at the corner. “And that’s not charming?” she whispered.
“It was the truth, and it worked. She gave me these few items. But–” he looked at them futilely, “–it’s not the real thing. I wish I could do those things with you, Stel. I haven’t really wanted a relationship with anyone. I’ve been too busy, and the girls I met at college–I don’t know–they all kind of seemed empty to me. It’s easy to look pretty on the surface. But you–”
“I what?” she asked softly.
“Maybe it’s because I’ve been around you so long. I know you. I have seen you with bizarre creams on your face when you slept over, and thought you looked so damned cute. I’ve seen you try to play football at our July 4th cookouts. You’re not that coordinated.”
Stella snorted. “Everyone always said to me, You’re so tall. Why aren’t you into sports? I guess you know the answer to that.”
“It always made me smile watching you. You never stopped trying. And I gotta tell you, I really had to stop myself from tackling you just so I could get my hands on you.”
Stella felt a little lightheaded. It was a pleasant sensation. “Maybe you should have.”
Colin sobered. His dark eyes flashed.
“I have seen you cry when watching the news. And I’ve seen you sit alone for hours on a bench by the beach, your notebook in hand.”
She lived five blocks from the water, and she always snuck over to the boardwalk to plop herself down on a cement bench, jotting down notes to use for the school paper. The sound of the water, the laughs and cries from the beach, the seagulls–they faded as her mind was at work.
“When did you see that?” she asked, her voice raw.
“I used to jog along the boardwalk. You never noticed me. You were so focused.”
Stella suddenly wished she hadn’t been so absorbed and had taken a moment to look up.
“I missed many opportunities to tell you how I felt,” Colin declared in a husky tone. “Long before this place.” He waved his hand. “I don’t want to miss opportunities anymore.”
He stood and approached her.
Stella was paralyzed, locked by the frank look in his eyes, and the admissions that left her breathless.
Standing before her, he didn’t move. He just looked at her for what seemed like an eternity until finally he lifted his hand and his finger hooked under her chin.
“I want to kiss you.”
Her vocal chords froze. Only the flutter of her eyelashes served as an answer.
Colin leaned in and when she felt his lips so tender against hers, tears welled up behind her eyes. He pulled back, but his hand slipped down to the crook between her shoulder and neck. His finger caressed the bare skin there.
“Part of me wants you to stay here. I know it’s not the best place, but you will live. If we go up in that submersible and something happens to you–”
Stella followed his eyes as they dipped to her throat and back up to meet hers.
“But the part of me that wanted to tackle that girl playing football–that wanted to tap that girl on the shoulder who was so busy writing–the part of me that is falling in love with you–” he hesitated, “that guy wants you to be there with him inside that sub. To that guy you are the greatest inspiration. If we make it, he can’t think of anyo
ne that he’d rather kiss in victory.”
Stella swallowed down the thick clump of emotion. She blinked back the moisture and cleared her throat.
“I think I’m falling in love with that guy,” she whispered.
Colin’s fingers drifted under her hair and behind her neck. He pulled her close for a soft kiss.
“Stel, the chances are so slim. We may not even make it out of the cave.”
He shook his head and added, “I talked to Dad and Jill again. They are adamant about staying. In some ways I’m relieved. At least I know they’ll be safe, and if somehow I make it up there–I’ll get help. I will find them again.” His hand dropped. “And I should feel that way about you too, but I’m being greedy. I want you with me.”
This time he stepped away altogether. “Tell me not to be so damned selfish.”
“Tell me not to be so damned selfish,” she countered.
Colin looked up, quizzical.
“Basically, we’ve admitted to being attracted to each other for years, and now finally–finally I am touching you. I am kissing you. I am talking to you the way I always wanted. Tell me how I’m supposed to just let you go–never knowing if you made it to the surface. No.” She jabbed her fist against her thigh. “No. I don’t want that. I want to be with you.”
There was some relief on his face, but he still looked conflicted. He let loose a tired laugh. “You have the pretty face like those college girls, but it doesn’t end there. You back it up with one hell of a punch, Stel.”
Stella laughed. “And you say you’re not charming.”
The mood lightened and Colin reached for the other soda, popping it open and handing it to her. With them both holding a can, he raised his and asked, “What shall we toast to?”
Stella considered for a moment.
“To our first glimpse of the sky.”
Colin reached for her hand and squeezed it. He tipped back the Coke and took a swig. The squelchy look on his face made her giggle. After a second, he tipped his head to the side. “Not that bad,” he remarked, and then added, “And I’ll drink to that.”
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