“Did you miss me?” Trevor asked.
“Of course I missed you, Trev. It wasn’t the same here without you, you know that. But you know I didn’t like you going by yourself, either, not with your condition.”
“I had Mikel with me. I was fine.”
“I know, that’s not what I meant and you know it.”
Ravenna pushed his wheelchair onto the pier. They moved together, in silence, a strange experience for the two of them.
Their handyman, Mikel, had gone on ahead, carrying Trevor’s luggage to his room. Ravenna turned to watch the ferryboat leave the port and head out to sea.
As they reached the doorway he spoke, “You seem different.”
“Same old me,” Ravenna responded, trying to mask her disappointment at Jack’s leaving. She brought it on herself, she thought wearily, watching the last wisps of smoke from the old boat drift away. “But I did have an old friend check in as a visitor while you were away,” she said, regaining her usual chipper attitude.
“I knew it,” he exclaimed, as they began their long trek up the hill to the hotel. “So tell me, who was this friend?”
“His name is Jack, Jack Branigan. We grew up together in St. Louis. Everyone used to joke that we would be the first to get married, but that never happened.”
“Well, what did happen? Why didn’t you marry the guy?”
“Let’s just say it wasn’t meant to be, that’s all.” Trevor knew her all too well and could see through her story.
“I think there is more to this than what you’re telling me.”
“Trev, can we just drop it and enjoy your homecoming? Okay?”
“I’m sorry, it seems I touched a nerve.”
“No, it’s not that, I just don’t want to talk about it right now, that’s all. Okay?”
“Ravenna, I just think it’s rather odd, I go away for one week to visit family in England and all of a sudden, out of the blue, this old flame shows up. Quite a coincidence if you ask me. And I don’t believe in coincidences. Never did.”
“He was on his way to Mykonos and got off at the wrong stop. Happens all the time, you know that better than I do.”
“You had this planned all along didn’t you? Well, didn’t you? I should have known. Why didn’t you just tell me? I don’t care what you do. You don’t have to sneak around behind my back.” He grabbed the wheels of the chair and declared, “I’ll push myself, thank you.” His feelings were hurt. He thought she could tell him anything. Now this. He didn’t expect this from her, not from Ravenna. He thought she was different.
She stopped the wheelchair, put the brake on, and came around to face him. She could see from the expression on his face that he was not unhappy that Jack had come, but that she had not told him about it. She had not planned anything—it just happened. She considered Trevor a friend—a close friend—and he knew that, or he should. This needed to be addressed right now.
“Trevor, it was not like that. You’re just upset I didn’t tell you, that’s all. He’s an old friend, one for whom I care very deeply. And Trevor, you’re a friend, a very dear friend. Okay? Do we have that settled?”
“I’m sorry, pet, I don’t know what got into me. You know I care for you very much, and…” Deep down inside, hidden in the back of his heart, he cared more than he could ever let her know.
“It’s okay, Trev. I understand.” They moved along quietly until she knew the old Trevor had returned. He was not one to dwell on things and let them fester, but she knew he had to come around in his own time.
“Hey,” he said, “what do you say we have some lamb for dinner tonight? And some Greek lemon potatoes? I haven’t had a good lamb dish since I left here.” He stood as he grabbed his nearby cane.
“Yeah. I can break out some wine and you can tell me all about your trip. You know I didn’t want you to go by yourself. That’s what you have me for, remember?”
“Next time. You can go with me next time, I promise you.” He looked at the now-distant ferryboat making its way to Mykonos and wondered what truly happened while he was away. He guessed he’d never know.
Trevor had always wished that Ravenna’s feelings for him would deepen, but somehow he knew that would never be. A memory from her past would always draw her away. Now he knew what that memory was: It went by the name of Jack Branigan.
There were moments of uneasy silence during dinner, but soon they were laughing and telling each other jokes about what had happened during the past week. Ravenna thought of Jack. She missed him terribly.
“I am a little tired,” Trevor finally said, grabbing his cane and standing to return to his room. “I missed you, Red,” he said to her as he left.
“I missed you, too, Trev. Goodnight.”
She cleaned up the table and looked out the window at the dark sea. She could make out the twinkling lights from the ships at anchor in the water below. “Goodnight, Jack,” she whispered to the passing seagulls bustling about in the calm night air. It was a good evening for a swim. It would help clear her thoughts.
She slipped, naked, into the pool for her late-night swim, luxuriating in the silence, examining the clear sky and wide array of bright stars above her. When she finished her laps, she put on her robe and walked to her room, lost in her own thoughts.
“Hi there, missy,” came a deep voice from the shadows, startling her. A coarse hand covered her mouth, blocking a scream. Another strong hand pinned Ravenna’s arms. Her robe came undone as she was shoved forward, and he kicked open the door to her room. She spun around to face the intruder. It was Kraken.
“No big American friend here to protect you now, my luscious little strawberry.” He shoved her onto the bed and removed his old, paint-stained t-shirt. “I give you gift tonight you never forget, girly.” His dark eyes glowered in the yellow light of the room.
She squirmed to get away, but he grabbed her roughly by the ankle when she moved. He stared at her exposed breasts, pulling her back, settling on top of her .
“Get off me!” she yelled. “Get out of here!”
“You afraid?” he leered, looking at her laying on the bed her robe parted in the center.
She pulled on the robe, attempting to cover herself. Where was her gun?
“You should be. When I’m finish, no man will ever want to look at you again.” She saw a glimpse of the tile knife in his hand as he leaned closer.
Her voice was paralyzed. Terror filled her lungs. Jack! Jack! Help me, her mind screamed. Kraken’s hand covered her mouth before she could scream for real.
He smelled of fish and diesel oil; the stench was overwhelming. He touched her. His hands began pawing at her, searching. Jack! Jack, she screamed silently; her eyes, opened wide, were filled with panic. No! No! She bit his hand and he slapped her.
“Ow! Ha, ha, ha. Enjoy, girly girl. Just enjoy! Ha, ha, ha!”