Days later, Ravenna went into town for her shopping and lingered longer than usual. She had encountered Nicolai in the market. Pia thanked her for the wonderful meal, in her broken English: “I tank yous so mucch for meal. Nice. You good cook, Ravenna.”
Ravenna was happy for them; they deserved happiness. She walked home to the hotel, alone, missing Jack more than she ever would have imagined.
Once back at the hotel, the sun was setting in all of its magnificence, with bright crimson and yellow streaks of colors painting the sky. She raised her glass, alone, and toasted another sunset, a sunset made for lovers.
Before turning off the light on her desk, she checked the date off on her calendar, October 28. It would be November soon, and the weather would cool along with the winds, and the yachts from Northern Greece would come, seeking warmer weather.
She breathed deeply, wondering how much longer she could go on without him. Time for bed. After locking the doors, she walked by her new answering machine and saw a light blinking on the top, beckoning her. She hit the play button and the machine voice stated, “You have one new message.” Beeeeeep. “Hi, baby, it’s me, I’m coming home. I’m at the Sydney Airport and my plane leaves in an hour. I’ll be there by tomorrow. I love you and can’t wait to see…”
It was Jack! Her heart soared at the sound of his voice. He’s coming home—tomorrow! Friday! He must be coming in on the ferry. Oh, my God, I can’t believe it. She played the message over and over again, twenty times, just to hear the sound of his voice.
She didn’t sleep that night. She stayed up scrubbing, cleaning, and checking on the fresh flowers in his, no, their bedroom. After all this time she was bursting with excitement, knowing she was going to see him again, hold him, hug him, kiss him, and make love to him in ways they never had before. That night she vowed she would never let him leave again, ever. She had been so foolish to let him go. She sang her cherished melodies as she worked feverishly to prepare for his homecoming.
Ravenna chilled her best wine, set the table inside with her finest dishes, and placed small, romantic candles around the whole hotel. She put a music player and vases of fresh flowers on the table. This was perfect; she would have him all to herself for a whole week before the hotel’s next wave of guests appeared.
Early the next morning, she started to prepare his favorite Greek meal and was done by eight. She showered and dressed in her sexiest undergarments, then put on the low-cut top that he always teased her about and slipped into her form-fitting white jeans.
Why am I doing all this? I won’t be wearing it long at all once I see him, or should I say, once he sees me. She laughed out loud.
The thought of his strong arms around her, taking her, pulling her close and closer sent a rush of emotions through her body. They would hurry to the bedroom and make wild, passionate, and ravenous love. Then, later, they would take a tender journey together once more, then fall asleep in each other’s arms. Impatient, she could not wait to show him how much she had missed him, needed him, craved him, and—
WHOOOO!!!!… WHOOOO!!!!… WHOOOO!!!!…
The deep baritone sound of the ferryboat horn sounded in the distance. Her wait was over. She slipped on her sandals, pushed up her bra, smoothed her jeans, and did one final check of her makeup in the mirror. She was ready! Ravenna ran down the hill to wait for him.
Only three passengers got off the ferryboat that day on its stop in Petros. But no Jack Branigan, her long lost love. The harbormaster confirmed it—no Jack Branigan on the manifest. The walk up the steep hill left her dejected and lonely. As she reached her hilltop retreat, the candles and wine glasses now served only to mock her.
The airport! Maybe he was flying in? She grabbed the motorbike and sprinted to the tiny airport.
“No flights today. Come back tomorrow, noon. One flight,” the old man told her as he was shutting down his information kiosk.
It was the same for the next four weeks. The scene repeated itself every day as she dashed to the airport to wait for the plane and waited until every passenger had disembarked. Still no Jack Branigan.
Her heart was filled with despair, wanting him, waiting for him, and not being able to have him.
He had called over four weeks ago and said he was on his way. What happened? Where was he? Her mind was filled with the worst possible news one can imagine. Was her beloved Jack dead?
She was heartbroken. She made phone calls to try to find him, but she had no luck. She was desperate and she didn’t know what to do.
The phone rang, and it was Jack’s partner from Chicago. “Ravenna, hi, this is Mike Stannis, Jack’s partner in Chicago.”
“Hi,” she said, her heart skipping a beat.
“Well, we have located the missing Jack Branigan. Apparently, after he called you from the airport, he was arrested for murder.”
Ravenna’s stomach plummeted. “Murder? What? Who? I don’t understand all of this.”
“Calm down, please. It is all a grave misunderstanding. Our lawyers are working with the authorities in Australia and the Army, as well as the U.S. Embassy there. We should have it all taken care of soon. Jack asked me to call you so that you wouldn’t worry.”
When she hung up, she felt relieved knowing what had happened, but now she had to wait. Just a while longer. He would be here soon, she was sure of it.