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“That would be impressive,” I say as we both chuckle. “I guess I should ditch my shoes too then. I have some catching up to do.”
I slip off my shoe and show her the bottom of my foot.
She shakes her head in mock disapproval. “Baby soft,” she says as she runs her fingertips over it. “We’ll have to toughen you up, city boy.”
I keep my shoes off as we get back to exploring the area. Just like I suspected, there are all sorts of different species of tropical fish in assorted sizes and colors swimming around the rocks. I spot a lobster too and a stingray swimming further out. There’s even seaweed that is probably edible, although I’ll leave that to another day.
“So, you said that was your grandfather’s plane?” she asks as we walk back with the muscles stuffed in my shoes. “Where were you going with it?”
I sigh as reality comes crashing down and the pain of loss comes seeping back in. “He died,” I say with a heavy sigh.
“I’m sorry,” she says as she reaches out to touch me but then drops her hand before she makes contact. “Were you close?”
“Yeah. He was a bit of a wild soul. Did whatever he wanted. I always looked up to him for that.”
“Like what?” she asks. “Can you give an example?”
“He moved to Costa Rica by himself when he was seventy,” I say with a chuckle. “And not in a city or a tourist area either. Right in the jungle on a secluded beach.”
“Sounds like he’d love this place,” she says as she looks around.
I look at her. “I think he’d love you.”
She smiles shyly as we arrive at the stream. I take her hand and guide her over the slick rocks.
“On his deathbed, he asked me to bring the plane back to the States. Said it would be the best thing that’s ever happened to me. He said he could feel it.”
“Boy, was he wrong on that one!” Wendy says, laughing with a snort.
I’m not so sure. Maybe Gramps knew what he was talking about after all.
“He told me the plane will take me right where I need to go. Said it always did.”
“Well, he’s zero for two,” she says as we continue through the jungle. “Sorry he didn’t have better advice for you.”
I’m lost in thought for a while as I think about it. He couldn’t possibly have known… How could he have known that his plane would run out of gas right over this desert island? Right where my dream girl was stuck? It doesn’t make any sense, and yet…
“Oh no!” Wendy screams as she jumps to my side. She’s clinging to my arm and digging her long nails into my flesh.
“What is it?” I ask with my pulse racing into overdrive.
“Over there,” she says in a panic as she hides behind me. “That’s the fucker who chased me!”
I look through the bright green foliage and spot a wild turkey pecking at the ground as he harmlessly wanders through the jungle.
He’s not alone. There are five others further out.
It’s good to know there’s another source of meat for us to consume. Not today, but on a special occasion, I’ll hunt one down and cook it for my girl.
It’s a lot of meat and I’m wondering if I smoke the leftovers if it will keep when they continue on their way and this beautiful girl lets me go.
A sense of loss enters as she releases me.
Fuck, I’m falling hard for her.
It’s unreal.
“My savior,” she says with her hands clasped and her chin in the air as she playfully bats her long eyelashes at me. “Never leave my side again, my big strong hero.”
