by J. J. Kapka
Around midnight, the crowd, which had started to flag, received its second wind again with yet more food, along with strong coffee, from the kitchen. The children, having long since lost their energy, slept wherever they wouldn’t be stepped on. Still, the adults kept going, even after the bride and groom waved goodbye around 1:00 a.m. It was only when all the bottles had been upturned and mere crumbs were left on the food tables that, little by little, the crowd started to thin.
Having a great time abandoning themselves to the their duties as wedding guests, Maddie and Becker had long since lost any semblance of sobriety. Nick finally had to round them up and escort them back to the boat, for fear they might not find their way back in their condition. Although Nick planned to sleep overnight with one of his relatives, he made sure to see Maddie and Becker all the way to their cabin before he left, lest their unsteadiness lead to a surprise slip into the water. They bumped and tripped their way down the gangway, and as Nick closed the door, they had already woozily laid themselves down on the bed.
Maddie held hands with Becker as they both stared, dazed, at the ceiling for several minutes before the motion of the boat, combined with the copious number of toasts they’d drunk, made them both sit bolt upright and make a mad dash for the toilet. Even on such a well-equipped boat, there was still barely room for one person inside the cramped space, let alone two. Having enough presence of mind left to be gallant, Becker sidestepped Maddie and rushed back up the stairs. He spent the next half hour clinging to a rope while heaving over the side.
Meanwhile, Maddie draped herself over the boat’s stainless steel equivalent of the porcelain god and had already broken out in cold sweats by the time Becker made his way back down the gangway. Despite his own precarious condition, she could tell he was still in marginally better shape than she was. She felt him lift her up and wash her face with a cold cloth. Only then did he do the same to his own face. He proceeded to drape her over his shoulder and put her into bed. She lay back limply as he carefully undressed her down to her underwear and did the same for himself, thrusting their pungent garments into a ball and tucking them into one of the storage cabinets.
Already half asleep, Maddie turned her head and groggily watched Becker climb into bed, hoping all the time that the rocking of the boat wouldn’t induce another wave of nausea. As Becker reached behind the bed to shut off the light, he leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek, then tucked himself in.
Maddie smiled silently to herself. Although this wasn’t exactly how she’d imagined things would go the first time they shared a bed together again, his tender ministries tugged at her heart, nevertheless.
~~~
July 24
Maddie’s eyes flew open at the sound of someone pounding repeatedly on the door. Realization slowly set in, as did the sensation of a massive balloon about to burst in her head. She found herself staring into Becker’s equally wide-open eyes, and realized their limbs were completely entwined. Watching Becker scramble over to the door, Maddie realized the sound was actually a gentle knock. It was her aching head that had translated it into a pounding.
Becker eased open the lock and opened the door slightly to reveal Theo standing there with a tray in his hands. Scrambling up in bed while grasping the sheet up to her chin, Maddie watched as Becker opened the door all the way and took the tray from Theo, putting it on the small table in the cabin.
“We’ll be leaving in half an hour,” Theo said, as he shut the door behind him and returned to the deck.
Becker sat down heavily at the foot of the bed. He cradled his head in his hands and issued a soft moan.
He must feel as bad as I do, Maddie thought. Gradually, the smell of strong coffee wafted over to her, and she glanced over at the tray. It held a coffee thermos, two cups, two glasses of water, and a bottle of aspirin. Damn, these people are good.
As she started to move out of bed toward the tray, Madison had to put her fingers to her temples as the throbbing increased with each movement. When she set her feet on the floor and started to rise, she suppressed a gasp. Slowly standing up and taking her first step, she had to stop in her tracks when she realized she’d almost broken the balloon in her head from moving too fast. Putting her movements into lower gear, she shuffled over to the tray and poured out the coffee. She handed Becker a cup, sat down next to him, and silently sipped the welcome caffeine for a few minutes in order to restore her equilibrium.
The coffee appeared to revive Becker. He walked over to the table to get to the aspirin and water. “C’mon,” he encouraged her. “We’ve got to get these aspirin in our system before we set sail again. We aren’t leaving for another half hour, and that might be just enough time for some relief to set in.”
They moved like an old couple as they tentatively walked over to the table and then over to the booth, supporting each other as much as possible without hitting any pressure points that might make them scream. As she reached the little booth seat, Maddie lowered her body into it in slow motion. Becker then shook a few aspirin into her trembling hand and handed her the water.
Maddie looked up at him and asked, “Who are you, and why are you being so nice to me?”
Becker grinned through his pain as he took his own medicine.
Even a whisper felt too loud to Maddie, so she sat there quietly sipping her coffee and waiting for the medicine to kick in. By the time they’d emptied the thermos, the balloons had slowly but surely started to shrink.
As the sounds of Nick and Theo preparing to get underway forced their way into her consciousness, Maddie finally stirred enough to get washed and dressed, followed in equally slow motion by Becker. They took turns in the bathroom, and she found them loose-fitting clothes so as not to squeeze their pulsing blood vessels any more than necessary. When they were finished, they grabbed their sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats and made their way up to the deck. Even so, the bright light made them stagger blindly across the deck, until they could sequester themselves onto seats under the canvas canopy.
When she was stabilized and quite sure she could manage looking up again, Maddie turned to find Nick and Theo trying to hide their convulsive laughter. She pointed them out to Becker, who cried out in protest, “Easy for you; you drink this stuff all the time.” Making an injured expression, he added, “Why didn’t you tell us you were going to try to kill us?”
Nick defended himself. “It was only a wedding. You’ve never been to a wedding before?”
“Hah,” Becker moaned. “There are weddings, and then there are weddings,” he said ominously. “I’ve never been to the second kind before.”
“Me, neither,” Maddie added in a whisper. “And please, everyone,” she begged, “stop shouting.”
Glancing at each other knowingly, Nick and Theo grinned like Cheshire cats and then set to work to cast off. Becker and Maddie braced themselves. Both blanched at the smell of the gasoline fumes when the motor was started.
“Oh no,” Maddie moaned, “I think I’m going to be sick again.” She made a mad dash downstairs to the toilet, arriving in the nick of time. Becker was waiting outside the bathroom door when Maddie emerged after five minutes, clutching a cold washcloth to her head and slumping off in the direction of the bedroom. She heard Becker following her into the room, and when he lay down, she headed back to the bathroom to grab a washcloth for him, too. She crawled under the covers with him, pressing her own cloth over her forehead and eyes. Despite all the coffee she’d consumed, she was soon fast asleep, oblivious to any further pain her vengeful body sought to inflict upon her.
~~~
July 24—Afternoon
Feeling rested, refreshed, and immeasurably better, Maddie finally emerged with Becker midway through the afternoon. After waving shamefacedly to Nick and Theo, she gazed at the horizon all around them and saw nothing but deep blue sea. Thankfully, the sun was no longer sticking daggers in her eyes, and the refreshing breeze skimming their boat through the top of the gentle swells felt invigo
rating. Having put the worst of their hangovers behind them, she and Becker directed their attentions to the matter at hand: they were ravenous.
Becker called forward to ask Theo if he had anything to eat.
In answer, Theo walked back to confer with Nick, and as a result, the two lowered the sail and dropped anchor right there in the middle of nowhere. Bounding below deck, Theo reemerged carrying two spearfishing guns. Quicker than you can say Speedo, he and Nick had dropped their pants and stripped off their shirts, revealing extremely skimpy bathing suits that seemed practically painted on their darkly tanned bodies. Donning only goggles, they both jumped into the water as though they were at the neighborhood pool.
One hour later, Maddie and Becker were feasting on grilled fish and potatoes, drizzled with fragrant olive oil and flecks of fresh thyme. Theo had also thrown together a salad of chopped tomatoes and feta, tossed with olive oil and cracked black pepper. Upon being offered wine, they recoiled in horror, to Theo’s amusement. He left them alone with some bottled water. He and Nick had their own dinner on a small table farther forward, leaving Maddie and Becker to be alone at last, now that their appetites had returned.
“Mmmm, this is fabulous,” Maddie enthused between mouthfuls. “What a big difference it makes when the fish is so fresh. Can you believe how handy those guys are with those spear guns?”
Becker nodded enthusiastically. Dabbing at his lips with the napkin Theo had provided, he added, “Can you believe what magic Theo can work with that little hibachi grill?”
“Um.” Maddie’s mouth was full of tomatoes, which were uncommonly full of flavor. It was likely they’d been stripped off a homegrown vine back on Hydra.
When Theo came back to check on them just as they were finishing, he brought a plate of the same cookies smothered in powdered sugar that they’d so enjoyed at the wedding the day before.
Thinking back on the past twenty-four hours, Maddie had to laugh at their experiences.
“Want to share the joke?” Becker inquired.
“Oh, it’s just that it’s been such a crazy time. Hangover aside, that wedding was a blast. I haven’t danced like that in years.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean,” he said appreciatively. “No one has those kinds of weddings anymore. They’re all so formal and planned to the tee that you just can’t let your hair down and have a good time. I remember going to a few fantastic Italian and Polish weddings when I was a kid; this was a lot like that.”
“That was really sweet of them to invite us,” Maddie said. “Speaking of which…” She called out to Nick, who came over with a quizzical look on his face.
“Is everything all right?”
“Oh, everything is terrific,” Maddie assured him. “It’s just that I only now remembered something. We were in such…bad shape last night when we left the reception. I regret that I never had a chance to thank the bride and groom—or your Aunt Maria.”
Nick waved his hand. “Your having a wonderful time was all the thanks they needed. They were so proud to have foreigners sharing the joy of the wedding. I grew up in Athens before I moved to the U.S., but I still like coming back here for summers to sail and catch up with the family. They’re always thrilled that I take the time to come back every year and visit. I’ve got family scattered all over these islands, and it’s incredibly heartwarming when I drop in, and they welcome me with open arms.”
“Okay, but please do us a favor and tell them for us that we had a terrific time and really appreciated the fact that they invited us and made us feel so welcome.”
“Will do.” Nick stood up, but before he went back to Theo, he suggested Maddie and Becker go for a swim. “The water’s great, and if you get into any trouble, Theo and I can fish you out.”
Looking at each other, Maddie and Becker raised their eyebrows.
“Why not?” Becker ventured.
“You’re right,” Maddie agreed. “It’s kind of hot out, and it’d feel good to get in the water. Let’s do it.”
They headed down to the cabin and quickly rummaged through their suitcases for their bathing suits. Maddie only hesitated a minute, looking to see what Becker was doing first. But he had deferentially turned his back while slipping out of his gear. She did the same, and they were quickly back up on the deck, staring at the sea and wondering exactly how to get started.
With a mischievous grin, Becker swooped Maddie up into his arms and jumped over the side before she could get over her surprise and wrestle herself free. Plunging into the refreshing water, they both came back to the surface laughing and splashing each other. Maddie was a strong swimmer and sprinted away, taunting Becker to chase her, which he did with gusto.
They spent the next half hour chasing and dunking each other, before Becker called out to Nick to throw them a couple of life preservers so they could just bob around and relax for a little while, as they were both completely worn out by their exertions. Holding onto the rings, they paddled gently around the perimeter of the boat, occasionally sticking their heads in the water to observe any sea life that might be passing through.
Regretfully, Nick had to call them back on board, saying they needed to weigh anchor and head to their overnight destination while they still had daylight. While Nick and Theo ran through the paces of setting sail again, Maddie and Becker contentedly settled side by side on a large towel to dry out and soak up the late afternoon sun. Maddie gave a sigh of pleasure at how well the day had turned out after the shaky start, and reached over to hold Becker’s hand. When he turned his head toward her and smiled, she realized she was pretty darned close to admitting that Becker was winning her back.
~~~
July 24—Evening
Their destination for the evening was Santorini. They’d spent several relaxing hours sailing to reach the marina. After docking, Becker and Maddie had gone downstairs and changed for dinner in town, Nick and Theo having given them a short list of restaurants they recommended. Theo had offered to cook a dinner on board for them, but they decided they wanted to get an advance peek at the famous island. They also wanted the chance to stroll around on firm ground for a little while.
As they disembarked and headed into the middle of town, it didn’t take long to realize that what they’d heard about it being an extremely popular tourist destination was true. Since it was prime time for eating, crowds were converging on the restaurants in droves. When they got to one of the recommended restaurants, they decided to go no farther, but rather to try to get a table as soon as possible before they all filled up. It was even a bit too late for that, and they were forced to stand around for half an hour before they were finally seated.
They eagerly examined their menus and decided to share a few dishes that they remembered from the wedding reception the night before. Folding their menus, they waited for someone to come and take their order. But for all they could tell, they were wearing cloaks of invisibility. The waiters were running around full-out, and though they continually passed their table carrying orders for other parties, not once did anyone glance their way or even murmur an assurance that they’d be taken care of soon.
Becker finally stood up to catch the attention of a waiter on his way back to the kitchen after having taken an order two tables away. When he motioned for the man to come over, the man instead drew a finger across his neck. “That’s it,” Becker said in frustration, “let’s get out of here. We’ve got about a snowball’s chance in hell of getting a meal out of this restaurant tonight.”
Maddie and Becker pushed back their chairs and once again entered the throng of tourists, which showed no signs of dispersing. They went first to the other restaurants which had been recommended, but they were just as jam-packed as the one they had left. Then they checked out all the other restaurants, but their efforts were futile. Still, with stomachs grumbling, they weren’t quite willing to call it quits and head back to the boat.
Instead, they headed to a side street where a number of street cart vendors were selling
food. The first thing that attracted their attention was the barbecued octopus. Curious about the taste, they purchased a couple of portions and sampled their first bites as they stood on the street. The octopus turned out to be delightfully tender, not tough as they expected. The chargrilled exterior added a great texture to counterpoint the soft interior.
Next they picked up similarly grilled corn on the cob, and again, they found the unique technique to be a revelation. They’d had barbecued corn before, but it had always been wrapped in foil. Here, the cobs were simply stripped and put directly on the grill. The result was sweet and succulent. At a takeout counter nearby, they bought a large salad to share, which they ate while sauntering along the bustling street, happy to be out of the confines of the packed restaurants.
There were more than a few nightspots that had bands and dancing, but Maddie and Becker found they’d been spoiled by their solitude on the boat, and they balked at immersing themselves in the sweating hordes in order to listen to music. Instead, they decided to return to the seclusion and privacy of the boat.
As they neared the sailboat, they saw someone stirring on the deck, and shortly after, Nick jumped off as though he’d been waiting for them. “Did you have a good dinner?” he asked.
As Becker related their trials and tribulations with the restaurants, Nick shook his head in consternation. “I’m sorry to hear that. Sometimes these places forget where their bread is buttered. You can be sure I’ll never recommend that one to anyone again. But I’m glad you managed to find some good food anyway. I forgot to tell you before you left that Theo and I would be spending the night off the boat again. I was just getting ready to write you a note when I saw you returning. We’ll be back first thing in the morning, though, and I can give you some tips on things to see here.”
He followed them onto the boat and briefly went down to his cabin to grab his backpack. Before he stepped back onto the dock, he nodded over to the sailboat’s little table.