Chapter 10

The next morning I woke up alone. I sat up and thought Emiliano is what I’ve been waiting for and I finally found him. He wouldn’t be so hell bent on Anka if he knew the truth. I jumped out of Emiliano’s bed, out to the hall and into the room I was staying in. I quickly brushed my teeth and washed last night’s makeup off my face. I ran back into the bedroom kicking off Emiliano’s clothes and grabbing the first dress that I could out of the big white bag. I folded Emiliano’s clothes and set them on the bed. I quickly shrugged on the Burgundy floral print mini dress with a ruffled square neckline and was tripping into Burgundy lace underwear as I was running out the door.

I got outside and walked quickly down the hallway and saw the table on the deck empty. I practically jumped down the stairs and checked the table on the landing. No Emiliano. I quickly headed to the back of the boat and I saw him, sitting on a chair looking at the edge.

Once I saw him I started spilling the truth as I walked toward him,

“Emiliano, it’s me, I’m the one you’re looking for because-“

I was so close to him now I could touch him-

“Emiliano, for the last five years I’ve seen you in my dreams and every time I close my eyes I-“

Emiliano turned to me and I could see he had a phone in his hand pressed to his ear and his expression was as if someone died. He hung up the phone without saying a word, and dropped his hand to his side. He didn’t look at me. I bent towards him and asked,

“Emiliano did you hear m-”

“They found Anka, she’s on her way back now.”

I stood there stunned. That wouldn’t matter now, now that I told Emiliano the truth. I felt the air sucked out of my lungs. He finally looked up at me and his face was heartbreaking. He looked like he wanted to cry when he said,

“Anka’s pregnant.”

I lost the feeling in my legs and I wanted to throw up. I’d only ever felt this breathless one time before; when a bullet pierced through my lung all those years ago. I lost my challenge. I lost my Emiliano. I straightened my posture and did my best to put on my unbothered face as I turned to head to the room. I didn’t hear Emiliano follow behind me which sent my heart into my stomach.

I got up to the room and saw my bags were gone, the bed had been changed, and everything was back in its place. Like I was never here. I dropped to my knees. I knew this was the risk and I took it anyway. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I jerked away. Emiliano bent down and said,

“The helicopter is ready to take you to the airport and back to America.”

He reached his hand out and I pushed it away. I got up quickly and headed for the door when Emiliano grabbed me by the hand and spun me back into his arms. He looked down into my watery eyes and said,

“Hera, I’m so sorry, I-”

I cut him off by jerking out of his hold and left him standing there in her room. I climbed the stairs to the helipad while the propellers were spinning my hair around. A tear cut out of my eye and I quickly wiped it away before stepping into the helicopter. They put a headset on my head, buckled me in, and closed the door. I didn’t want to look out at the boat. I knew I wouldn’t see him out there. As the helicopter lifted into the sky I looked out into the sea. Knowing I wouldn’t see it again for a very long time.