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I poked his side, and he grinned at me.
“Apollo’s not anyone to me, so you can talk about him all night,” Darling’s aloof tone would have worked if her cheeks hadn’t turned bright red.
Crushes.
“Tell him I have an underground bunker and can make him disappear,” Jonas deadpanned.
“If he’s scared off that easy, then he’s not worth it,” I told Darling, and she smiled at me. “That was what my mom used to tell me.”
“So now we understand all the pressure to snorkel,” Paul tutted. “Don’t worry, Dad; I’ll play the big dumb brother.” Paul beat his chest like a caveman, and I covered my mouth to stop laughing for Darling’s sake.
She snorted. “You can stay home. I’ll take Nadia alone.”
I held up my hands. “Hey, I like you all. Please don’t make me the bad guy.”
They all laughed, and Paul kissed the side of my face. We ate grilled swordfish and vegetables. When the cake came out, it had sparkles and writing that read, “Congratulations, Nadia.”
My hands pressed into my chest and my eyes watered. “Oh, my God.” I was completely blown away by their kindness and sincerity. They went out of their way to make something special for me and how I wished my parents could meet them and share in the celebration. I couldn’t wait to tell them about tonight.
The housekeeper handed out champagne flutes to us for a toast led by Jonas.
“In the wise words of Martin Luther King, ‘If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk; if you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.’ So you keep moving, Nadia. Your future is paved by your belief in your dreams and your willingness to work for them.” Jonas held up his glass of champagne. “To Nadia.”
We toasted, and I kissed Paul. “Thank you.”
“Anything for you, baby.” He winked, then placed his arms around me, and it didn’t end. Paul held me as we all talked and laughed through the night.
Snorkeling wasn’t on my bucket list, but seeing Darling so happy early the following day made me comfortable with my decision to go. First, Paul and I went to a shop for fins and breathing apparatuses. Then we changed into our swimsuits. Paul carried our masks and fins to the pier as I walked with Darling to Sky Dives Company for our private lesson. To our surprise, a small middle-aged man was waiting for us at the dock.That can’t be Apollo Sky.
A stocky kid with sun-streaked, shoulder-length hair appeared and gave Darling a crooked grin before disappearing on the boat.
“Hello. I’m Zeus. That’s my son, Apollo. He’ll check your gear to make sure you can use it properly. Do you have whistles? It’s a good way to alert if you’re in need of help.”
We all told him yes.
“Great. We’ll give you a flag, too. You are to use it if you’re having trouble. I know I don’t have to show Darling because she’s an expert,” he said to her with a smile. “You don’t need a wetsuit or an air tank. The area of the Indian Islets we’re going to is not deep. So you’ll easily be able to return to the surface to breathe.”
Darling nodded and squared her shoulders. I touched her back and grinned at her.
Paul stripped down to his swim trunks, and Darling and I were in one-piece suits. We tested our breathing underwater with the snorkel and swim fins. Apollo stepped forward. “I’m going to check your mask now to ensure it has a good seal.”
Darling shifted from leg to leg next to us.
Apollo gave each one of us his personal assistance, but it also gave Darling the chance to talk with him without revealing she liked him. I imagined that was what brought Darling back every day. Apollo doing safety checks gave her a chance to communicate with him without being obvious. Although to me now, as an adult, I could see her fascination with him was noticeable.
“You’re back again, Darling,” Apollo said with a lift to his voice. “You could probably teach this class.”
Darling folded her arms and lifted her chin. “Probably. Anyway, this is my brother Paul and his girlfriend, Nadia. It’s her first dive.”
I lifted my hand. “That’s me.”
Paul tugged my ponytail playfully and kissed my neck. I peered up at him, silently telling him we had company. He gave me an uncaring look.
“You’re Paul Crane?” Apollo asked as he checked Paul’s gear.
Paul nodded. “Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Apollo asked Darling.
