They strolled back to the condo, Robert constantly gritting his teeth, not able to forget the words. When they got back to the room, he pulled Gini into his arms, and they both fell asleep on the couch.
Robert ordered dinner in. They were sitting on the balcony when room service rang the bell. He got up to get the food.
Suddenly, there was a commotion of birds squawking. Two seagulls were fighting and pecking at each other’s beaks. They flew into the balcony, banging a couple of times on the ceiling, and then they flew out. Gini bolted from the couch crying out, “No… bur” over and over. Robert let go of the food cart and ran to her.
She had somehow wedged herself between the balcony side wall and the tall table and chairs pushed up against it. Robert couldn’t get to her. He frantically pulled the chairs away and crawled under the table.
“Gini, it’s okay. They’re gone. The birds are gone. They weren’t going to hurt you.”
She was pulled up into a ball, crying, “No… bur.”
He pushed the table out of the way with his legs so he could cradle her in his arms and calm her.
He finally convinced her to go back to the couch. She laid her head on his shoulder but didn’t say a word for a long time.
Breaking the food into small pieces, he got her to eat. Then she sat toward the edge of the cushion. He gently rubbed her back. She got up and walked to the rail. He took his beer and pulled one of the chairs back to the table and sat next to her.
Off in the distance were small flickers of light; the storm was brewing. The last parasail swished over them as the riders landed. She briefly looked up and then walked farther down the rail. There was a crescendo of voices as a group walked by the pool and then their voices drifted off as they went by. No words were spoken by either of them.
She put her hands flat on the rail and ran them back and forth. “Wha… high… flur?”
He thought for a moment. “What floor?”
“Wha… flur… be… on?”
“The fifth.”
She leaned over, putting the rail in her armpit, and lifted her leg.
“Oh, my gosh, no, Gini.” He ran to her and grabbed her up in his arms.
“No… be… uff… goo… wife. No… be… right. No… goo… uff… rob… ber… wife.” Her words were flat; she was in a daze. “Be… uff… die. Be… uff… jum.”
He took her back to the tall chair, holding her so tight he was squeezing the air out of her. His body trembled so profusely he found it hard to walk. She had heard the cruel words.
He loosened his grip and started rocking them; he didn’t know what to do. All he wanted was to hold her in his arms forever and protect her from the cruelty of stupid people.
She laid her head next to him and became motionless while he cried so hard he could feel the grip deep down in his stomach. They stayed there as if time had stopped for both of them until he got back in control. Then he took her inside and put her to bed. He tried to lie with her, but he couldn’t stop the vision of her trying to jump. His emotions gagged him again. What would he do without her? He wouldn’t live; he knew that. He couldn’t live without her.
He had just lain down, finally calm, when a big gust of wind blew the curtains into the room and then sucked them out. He got up and closed both balcony doors. Then there was a bright light and an immediate crash of thunder. Gini sat straight up, crying out, “Rob… ber.”
“I’m right here, sweetheart. It’s just a storm. We’re safe inside.” He pulled her into his arms.
She had not fully awakened and fell limp against his body. The lightning and thunder flashed and boomed for nearly an hour. She never cried out again. She completely trusted he would protect her; and he would, with his life.
He tried to sleep but he couldn’t get settled. So, he got up and paced the floor. Then he got his phone and called John.
“Robert! Isn’t it a little late?”
Robert looked at his watch. He had not even thought of the time. It was almost nine his time, which was nearly midnight for John.
“Sorry, I just had to talk to someone.”
He told the whole story and how he’d never been so scared in his life.
“Is she still upset?”
“No, she’s been asleep for a while. I don’t know what’s happening to me. I just can’t seem to get my emotions in check. So elated one minute, like when we were parasailing, and down the next. I’m way down in a hole right now. Maybe I’m becoming bipolar all of a sudden.”
John made a quiet laugh. He knew the situation had been serious, but from what Robert was telling him, the scare had resolved itself.
“You went parasailing?”
“Gini really wanted to fly like a bird… and we did.”
“Who are you and what have you done with my friend? All kidding aside, I think I’m talking to a man who’s madly in love with his new wife.”
“Oh, you just don’t know.”
“Well, buddy, these women come into our lives and twirl us all around. All I can say is hold on and enjoy the ride, because I guarantee you are going to love it. I have for twenty-four years.
“She probably won’t remember any of it in the morning.
