“Halo, are you ok?” Xander asked and moved towards her.
She rubbed her eyes, brushed the stray strands of hair away from her face, and looked at him blinking, “We did crash land earlier and I’m not dreaming, right?”
Xander smiled to her and handed her his water, “I am sorry to say we did land in the water, but you are alive and well.”
She took the bottle, uncapped it looked at it for a moment then up to him, and smiled for just a moment. She proceeded to down the rest of the water and handed the empty plastic bottle to him, “Thank you.” She said wiping her lips with her fingertips, “It’s getting choppier now, and I think my stomach doesn’t like it.” She stated with a little pout.
“I’m sorry, would you like more Dramamine?” He asked.
“Later… oh Xander? How uh…”
He smiled at her and pointed to the bailing bucket by the exit flap, “Gotcha covered my lady! Just dip the bucket and get some water in it, wrap the blanket around you and… I’ll whistle Dixie if you need.” He chuckled.
Halo eyed the red bailing bucket and groaned, “I think I have to take you up on your offer… this is so embarrassing.” She groaned and hid her eyes from him with her hand on her forehead.
“Well, you can wait until I fall asleep…” He offered with a shrug.
“No. No, I better not.” She replied urgently, got up to her knees and scooted over to the bucket.
Xander started to move to the opposite side and stopped, “Uh, before you get close to the flap there, I’d like to tie you up.”
Halo turned and gave him another one of those smiles, “Really now? You like that kinda thing, Mr. Gray?” She giggled.
“Oh! I, uh well… I meant in case you fell out.”
“Lighten up Mr. Mystery man!” She held her palms out with a little smirk on her face, “Just playing with you. I know why and thank you for thinking of my safety.”
Xander could not help but smile and his cheeks felt hot. He definitely liked the way she bantered with him. He handed her a length of nylon rope that was attached to the inside hand grips which was strung all around the interior of the round raft.
She accepted it, “Where do you want it?” She asked wryly.
Xander choked and managed to turn it into a chuckle, “Oh, where ever you want…” he paused, “that is more comfortable. I was thinking… around your wrist.” He smiled in the dim light from the lamp.
She wrinkled her nose at him and handed him the rope, “Can’t tie my own wrist now can I?” She raised her eyebrow and held out both wrists then slowly eased her right one down.
Xander refused to meet her gaze and quickly tied the thin rope around her wrist. Still not meeting her eyes he commented, “There you go, all tied up!” He then placed a small package of moist towelettes in her hand and quickly moved away.
She looked at her rope and then to Xander who was looking down, “Not too tight I like that, although… I was expecting you to give me a ‘safe word’.” She giggled and watched him look up at her with an open mouth. He quickly shut it, she knew if it were lighter in here, she would see his cheeks turning red, “Ok you can start whistling Dixie!” She laughed.
Soon she was done and rinsed out the collapsible bailer and stowed it. She watched Xander as he was looking out of the little window and whistling a strange but familiar song. His look was as if he was a million miles away. She wondered if he was thinking about his wife.
“All done!” She called out to him and watched him stop whistling and move his lips around and he quickly massaged them, “That wasn’t Dixie.” She accused.
He shrugged and scooted closer to her in the middle, “Sorry, I don’t know Dixie. My bad.”
“It sounded really familiar, what song was it?” She asked and wrapped her blanket around her shoulders.
“Never on Sunday… with Melina Mercouri, a 60s film. I didn’t do it justice I’m afraid.”
“Oh! Doesn’t she play a prostitute who sings about not doing it on a Sunday?”
Xander chuckled and smiled appreciatively at her, “Close! That’s what most people think she is singing about. She is actually singing of her dream of having four strong sons to honor her home city of Piraeus in Greece. She goes down to the port to find a stranger for the night, uh and so forth.”
“Ah!” She closed her eyes and squeezed them hard, then opened them quickly, “Didn’t that win an Oscar, I mean the song?” She asked.
“Yes! It was the first Oscar for a foreign song! Wow, I’m impressed!” He replied.
She smiled proudly at him, “Film school helps. Hey, I only know a few Greek people. I realize that I don’t know much of your culture. I hope I’m not being a cliché in asking this, but is your family anything like ‘The Big Fat Greek Wedding’?” She looked apologetically at him and he let out a little laugh.
“You’ve seen the film… so now you know my family! Lots of drama too. Not sure if you know this, but I’m only half Greek.” He looked off for a moment and his smiled faded, “My dad always teased that I was too much like my mom. Mom was British; they met in South Sea when my dad was stationed there.” He pointed at his face, “Hence the green eyes…”
Halo saw the flash of sadness sweep over his face as his smile turned into a brief frown. It reminded her of his look in the audition video. She worked up the courage and asked quietly, “Was?”
He nodded to her with a sad smile, “They both have passed on. They were older when they had me…”
There was that look again, he was quick to cover it up but not as quick as her eye could not catch it. A lump formed in her throat, “Xander, I am so sorry.”
He slightly bowed his head to her, “Thank you, Halo.”
She wanted to ask more about his parents, but did not want to bring any more sadness to him. She realized seeing him sad really bothered her. Without another thought she asked, “Is your wife Greek too?”
Xander nodded, “She’s half breed like me.” He chuckled, “Except her father was American and her mother, we call her Yiayia which means grandma, she is from Piraeus. Still speaks with a heavy accent, great lady too.” He laughed, “If there was ever a ‘Cool’ old Greek lady? It would be Yiayia.”
“Sounds interesting! OH! What was that?” Halo exclaimed as the raft dipped down into a swell and she teetered towards him and he steadied her.
“Oh crap!.” He shouted.
“What!” Halo gasped and hung on to him.
“Swells…” He reached over and pulled out the Dramamine, “You better take some more.” He suggested.
Halo groaned, took the pills from him and put them in her mouth as he handed her another bottle of water. She got them down and he put the water away, “Xander, I really do not do well in rough water. I’m sorry. We shot a film on a large ship once, when the weather got bad so did I. Needless to say, I didn’t have to act sick, it came naturally.” She shook her head at the memory.
“Ouch! I’m sorry.” He grudgingly let her go as the raft began rolling across the increasing swells.
Halo held on to her belly as the rolling continued, “Xander, if you want get some more rest. I don’t think I can do much besides hold the bucket and pray.”
He gave her a knowing nod, and settled down on the webbing. Halo covered him up with her warm blanket and got out another, “I’ll change into something drier?”
Xander nodded and turned away as she wrapped the blanket around herself. He closed his eyes and the thought of her sans clothes came knocking at his imagination. He pushed away the thoughts angry with himself.
The raft was rising and falling in a rhythm he found comforting. He assumed it was on the account of seafaring from his father’s ancestry. He did recall his ancient grandfather being involved with boats, back before he retired and settled on his sheep farm in Greece. He turned his thoughts to Athena and wondered how she was doing. Evie was probably worried and cursing him for leaving her. He forced his thoughts away and sleep soon found him.
Xa
nder awoke with a start as he rolled hard into a suitcase; he was dreaming that sharks were talking to him as they slowly circled their raft. Halo suddenly coughing harshly startled him. He reached up and turned on the light, “Halo! Are you ok?” A swell hit and he had to grip the webbing on the floor to keep from rolling. He saw her shake her head while she was face first in the bucket and heaving.
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few packages of towelettes then carefully made his way over to her. She saw him approach and she held out her hand to stop. She peered over the bucket at him, “Please Xander, I don’t want you to see me like this.”
The intensity of the need to go to her was nearly overwhelming, “Halo, if that’s what you really want I understand. I do want to help you. Besides, if you knew the things I deal with at work. This is nothing. Please, may I help you?”
She looked up at him with sad bloodshot eyes, gave in and nodded. He came over quickly and began opening up the towelettes, “Is there anything left in you?” He asked and he got a shake of her head. He began wiping her cheek and neck, “Ok, turn so I can get the other side.”
She did as was told and he wiped her lips and chin as she gave him a furrowed brow with sad eyes. The urge to hold her was incessant, but he fought through it and got her cleaned up. Another large swell hit them and this time he did wrap his arms around her and held her as they pitched forward.
“Xander, where is your rope?” She exclaimed and pointed at his wrist, “I—I don’t want to lose you.”
He nodded and saw where he left the rope, he crawled over and tied himself off, “Halo I am going hook up the sea anchor, it should help us a bit as the stabilizers don’t seem like enough.”
“Ok.” She shrugged.
Xander quickly tied off the anchor and unzipped the flap and managed to toss it out into the ocean as a swell hit them, almost pitching him out of the flap and into the dark sea, he felt Halo’s hand grab at his waistband and steady him. He found his grip and closed up the flap, “Thanks!” He said out of breath.
“I think one dip in the ocean is enough for a while…” She attempted a smile.
He moved to the middle of the raft and beckoned her close, “Halo, come on over here to the middle. It’ll be better for you here, don’t worry.”
She managed to crawl over as and he held out his hand and steadied her. He grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around her, “Would it be ok if I put my arm around you—I mean so I can keep us from bumping into each other?”
“Of course you can, silly.” She replied and fought down another heave. He pulled her close against him and he finally noticed how tiny she felt next to him, but the feeling he got from holding her was heavenly. He felt her relax as she settled in next to him for the night.
Morning came and Halo was asleep up against him, one hand around him and the other holding her bucket. The daylight did not bring them any respite as the swells continued growing. Xander’s first worry was the raft flipping, the anchor and stabilizer were doing their job, but if it got any worse, things would get very tense.
Halo began coughing which turned into an all-out fit, he swiftly helped her get upright and patted her back gently, “Oh! Please don’t Xander.” She exclaimed hoarsely.
Xander felt pin prickles shoot through him at the thought of hurting her, “Oh! I’m so sorry. Is it your back?” He gave her a pained look.
“Yeah, from Johnny the asshole, its ok you didn’t know.” She began coughing again.
Xander looked at her with worry, “Halo? Did you aspirate when you vomited last night?”
He watched her look up from her bucket and gave him such bleak and miserable look that it wrenched at his heart. She nodded at him and he rubbed her arm in sympathy, “Is it hard to breathe? He asked concernedly. She shrugged, “Still feel like stuff is in your lungs?” He continued.
She looked up, “Yes, it hurts from coughing I think… Xander, am I going to be ok?”
“I think so. Try and make sure your coughs come from deep so you can make them productive.”
She nodded, “Is that what you did back home? Take care of people?” She asked quietly as another large swell rocked them.
“Uh, yeah… we have a service that offers elder and senior care and services. Not sure I mentioned it on my bio, but I’m a Certified Nurse’s Assistant and an Emergency First Responder through the state of Oregon.”
“Oh? And what does that mean?” She asked holding a heave back.
He chuckled, “It means I’m allowed to change bedpans… and give meds as well as administer advanced first aid.” He smiled.
Halo tried to nod but instead thrust her head in the bucket, dry heaved and began another round of coughing.
Xander looked away and out of the window, he saw nothing but a wall of dark water where there once gray. His hackles came alive with a tingling frenzy and he hollered to Halo, ‘Oh shit! Forget the bucket! Hold on!”
Suddenly the raft went nearly vertical as they ascended a wall of water. Xander saw the top of the raft start to rotate over as if it was going to flip. With cheetah like speed, he let go of Halo and launched himself towards the shuddering top, throwing all his body weight on the teetering raft edge. Then as suddenly as they went vertical, they were now racing downward. Xander flung himself towards the rising opposite side, throwing his weight against the rising vertical edge of the raft. He heard Halo call out to him.
“Xander! What’s happening?”
Then the raft crashed hard onto the water and began climbing another a huge wall of rolling water, “HALO! Just hold on! Stay in the middle!” He bellowed and launched himself yet again towards the rising end of the round raft. He saw her nod and she began coughing as she gripped the webbing tightly and looked up at him with fear.
“Are we in a storm?” She yelled out in a hoarse voice full of fear.
He shifted as they sped down the huge wall of water and landed with a hard slap then began an upward climb, “It’s the Cyclone!” He managed to say as he once again launched himself, using his body weight to try to keep the raft from flipping.
“A TORNADO?” She shrieked.
“NO! Cyclone is a hurricane! Sorry!” Another hard slap that shook them hard as the raft struck the water and began to rise again. He repeated the process of using his body weight, “The cyclone is making these waves!” He managed and began concentrating on anticipating the rhythm of the gargantuan swells.
“Just hold on! If you end up in…” he shifted again to the opposite side, “the water activate your vest!” He saw her stare up at him in terror and his heart about stopped at her look, “I won’t let you down!” He shouted to her as he anticipated the rise of the raft and lurched past Halo to the other side, “Watch out for my rope!”
Like hell, he was going to let her down! He thought with a fury. Had they not been through enough? He screamed in his mind. He swore that he would keep her alive until his last dying breath then launched himself to the rising side of the raft once more.
Halo watched her Mystery man run up and down inside the raft. Her hands were white knuckled in a death grip at the webbing, utterly terrified. She knew if she let go with even one hand she would be thrown against the side and possibly out of the raft. She could only watch Xander with his teeth gritted in fervor as he fought to keep the raft from flipping. She could only pray and put her trust in him, he got her out of two bad situations already. Hopefully this one would be the charm… then she recalled her dream and her fear suddenly turned into horror.
Xander lost track of time as he rushed up and down inside the raft, hoping his weight would be enough to keep them from flipping. His legs and back were burning and crying out for respite but he pressed on knowing if they flipped, it would be game over in these waves. Hours passed as his movements became jerky and uncoordinated due to exertion. To keep at it he began repeating a mantra in his mind: Please let her live.
With every wobbly step, he repeated it. Eventually the day’s strain turned into exhaust
ion and overcame him. His vision became tunnel like then suddenly all he could see was blackness, finally he stumbled and fell.
In a panicked hoarse voice he cried out, “Halo, help me up please! I—I can’t stop!”
Halo saw his pale, sweat soaked face and her heart hurt for him. She let go of the webbing and pushed him down as she ran up to the top of the rising raft yelling hoarsely at him, “My turn! Take a break!” She knew when to anticipate the rise and fall of the raft as she had watched Xander do for hours on end and ran up the opposite side, “Get some water!” She watched him nod and grip the webbing for support.
He got to the water, nearly tripping her, and got the whole thing down in one long pull. He grabbed another and timed Halo’s movement and got back to the middle just in time. He gave her what seemed like ten minutes then called out to her, “OK! I’m good! Come rest, we’ll take turns!”
She gave him a stern look and yelled back, “Fine, when you look tired it’s my turn!”
He readied himself and as she got to the middle, he quickly handed her the bottle of water and started to launch himself and then it felt as if they were in mid-air, “HOLD ON!” He cried out in alarm. He grabbed onto her and waited for the crash onto the ocean or the flipping of the raft. For a long moment they waited. They both looked at each other in surprise then he turned to look out of the window and saw the ocean was subdued and night would be upon them shortly.
“It’s calmer!” He shrieked and they both began laughing and hooting joyfully. Halo wrapped her arms around him and held him tight in a squeeze as he did the same to her.
“It is! Oh my! It is!” She rocked him back and forth for several long moments, “My God Xander, you must be exhausted! You were doing that all day.”
Forever and a Day Page 30