“Oh, yes of course. I left stuff scattered everywhere. It’ll take me a few minutes, but I’ll be out as soon as I can.”
I rush around and gather all my belongings. I take one last look around the room before I leave it behind. I’ve seen enough of the evidence of old me—the three washcloths I used when one would have been enough, the empty plastic water bottles that show I was afraid to drink the water even though Libby said the tap water was safe. I’m ready to leave this room and the old me behind.
I walk down the stairs to where the others have gathered with their things.
“How will we get all of this stuff to Nidri?” I ask.
“Someone can stay here to watch the stuff while I boat the rest of you over there. A few trips and we’ll be all set.”
I feel a wave of disappointment when Eros volunteers to be the guardian of our suitcases and duffel bags. As usual, he’s being a gentleman. He knows the two married couples won’t want to be separated. The rest of us board the boat. As Libby steers us away from the dock, I watch Eros standing alone on the remnants of the peer. His dark curls toss in the wind, partially covering his eyes. But I know he’s watching my shape get smaller in the distance the same way I’m watching him. Instead of standing tall and powerful like he usually does, his shoulders slump forward and he looks almost dejected. Why is he so upset? And why am I? We’ll be together soon.
I long to comfort him, to tell him everything is all right. I feel a crazy compulsion to jump overboard and swim back to him. But I resist the impulse and continue staring back at him. The boat zooms us away, more and more water separates us and soon he looks like a small child standing on the shore. “My dear, you really like that boy, don’t you?” Maryann pats me on the shoulder.
“That’s for sure. It’s so strange. Romance was the last thing I had on my mind with all the crap going on in my life.”
“Love is like that. It comes when it will. It doesn’t have a schedule. Both of you look like someone you love just died. But I suppose it’s the separation you’re dreading. You’re planning to leave him to go back to your life in America, I suppose.”
“No, we can be together because I’m not going back. There’s nothing for me there. I want to start over.”
“What will you do to make a living?”
“I’m going to try to make it as a writer.”
“Oh, dear, that’s going to be a struggle. It’s taken me more than twenty years for me to make a living at it. But you seem like the determined type. I do hope it all works out for you.”
She’s talking to me like she feels sorry for me, pursuing this impractical plan. Perhaps I haven’t thought this through enough. Maybe I have been delusional. No. She’s right, this whole idea is nuts. I should go back home where I can get a job with a salary and benefits instead of taking a stab at an iffy career in a country that’s in financial ruin.
As the boat approaches Nidri, I see a crowd gathered at the beach. Vans from television stations including one of the major U.S. networks are parked near the shore. Men in suits holding microphones are interviewing people and the backdrop of wreckage.
“Look, it’s Dmitri,” says Maryann. “He’s talking to one of the reporters.”
Libby steers the boat up to a dock and lets us off. “Please stay nearby so when I return with the luggage you can keep an eye on it. I’ve got a few more trips to make.”
“We’ll stay right here,” says Maryann. “Although one of us should go talk to Dmitri.”
Libby zooms off, leaving a wake of water behind her. I study the ruins of the small town, which was once a popular shopping destination on the island. Items that had been for sale in the little shops are strewn across the ground along with shoes, broken dishes and jagged chunks of wood and cement.
“Good God, this is dreadful,” says Maryann. She reaches over and picks up a broken wooden bowl. “This little piece was carved from olive wood. It was probably worth a hundred dollars. These poor people. How will they ever put their lives back together again?”
“I don’t know. I’ve been wondering that, too. The government can’t possibly have any budget for emergencies during this crisis. It’s such a shame.”
“Oh, look, Dmitri’s finished talking to the reporter. Randy, why don’t you go and tell him we’re here.”
Randy jogs up the Dmitri and engages him in conversation. Randy points to where we’re all standing and Dmitri smiles and then the two walk back in our direction. The reporter’s gaze follows the reunion in progress. He waves for his cameraman and heads toward us.
“I’m very glad to see that all of you are okay.” Dmitri rubs his hand over the creases that appear on his forehead. “Where is Eros? I thought he was with you. Libby is still missing, too.”
“Eros is back in Geni watching our stuff and Libby is transporting all our stuff over here in the RIB.”
“Ah, very good. It seems everyone is now accounted for.”
“All of us? Where are the other swimmers?”
“They boarded a bus back to Athens an hour ago. This is not a good place for travelers now. Food is scarce and some of the water supplies are contaminated.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to them,” I say. “Such a nice group of people.”
“That is a right shame,” says Maryann.
“They were all very sad that we didn’t find you. They asked me to email them right away if you were found.”
I plant my hands on my hips, feeling irritated. Dmitri didn’t even apologize for disappearing the instant disaster struck. “Find us? You left us out there.”
“I believed Eros could keep you safe. That’s why I focused on getting the boat and everyone on board to safety. It’s good to know my instincts were correct.”
“I’d say it was more like lu—“
The reporter cuts in. “We have been talking to people on several of these Greek islands affected by the terrible tidal wave.” He speaks in Greek to the cameraman and another man standing beside him.
“Before we interviewed people here on Lefkada, we spoke to Gaia Eliopolis on Kalamos Island. She said an American woman rescued three people including her son, Petros, in the midst of the disaster. One of her neighbors took a photo of the woman bringing him from the water on her smart phone and you look just like her. Are you the heroic rescuer?”
“Well—“
“What is your name, Miss?”
I’m still thinking how to respond when I realize a video camera is trained on my face. I barely stop myself from saying, Oh, shit. “Uhh, I’m Maya Jorgenson.”
The man beside the cameraman starts talking in Greek.
“Please speak slowly and then wait for the translator to finish before going on.”
I wring my hands together. People are standing around watching me and I’m probably on live TV. “Umm…Okay, I can do that.”
“Please tell us why you are here in Greece, Ms. Jorgenson.”
“I came here for a swimming vacation.”
“Were you out in the water when the earthquake happened?”
“Yes. I was swimming around Kalamos Island with another swimmer named Eros. He is an experienced ocean swimmer and is—“
“Can you tell us what happened?”
I tell the reporter how Eros knew what to do because of his Hellenic Navy training. I tell him how we rushed to get to high ground and later walked to Kalamos Town seeking food and water, how we met Helena and she begged us to help her search for her husband.
“Mrs. Eliopolis says she never learned to swim and felt so helpless seeing her son struggling alone out in that water. She said you were so brave and that even when a man pulled you under, you fought to save her boy’s life.”
“That is very kind of you, b—“
“Many heroes have come to the aid of others during this crisis, but no other woman swam out to save people. And you are not even from Greece, yet still you risked your own life for the sake of others.”
�
�Eros is the real hero. He deserves most of the credit.”
“That is not the story we have heard. “
“Yes well...” More reporters with cameras rush up and start snapping photos. I suddenly feel more than a little awkward. “You should interview Eros. He’s the one you really should talk to. He’ll be here soon. One of our guides is bringing our luggage over from Geni.”
“You will be a wonderful sensation in the papers. Everyone will see a photograph of the beautiful American woman who has saved peoples’ lives. There is a man from America who has traveled all the way here to find you.”
I give him a quizzical look. I can’t think of anyone, male or female, who would travel across the Atlantic to see me. “And who is that?”
“He’s right over there.”
I glance in the direction where he’s pointing and see my former boss. What the hell is he doing here?
“You look very shocked. I know you must want to speak to him. Let’s walk over and we can film your reunion live for tonight’s news.”
“Why would you want to do that? He’s about the last person I want to talk to right now.”
The reporter releases a nervous laugh. “He says you are the most wonderful employee.”
“But, he—“
Steve stuffs the satellite phone he had been speaking on a moment ago in his pocket and rushes over and throws his arms around me. “Maya, it’s so good to see you. I was so worried. I thought something had happened to you.”
My hands hang awkwardly at my sides throughout the duration of the hug. Finally, Steve releases me. This can’t be happening. I blink and blink again but he’s still talking and the video camera is zoomed in on my face. What do I do now? If what the newsman says is true, the Greek people think I’m a heroine. I can’t disappoint them by saying my boss fired me and that I’m unemployed and spent weeks in my apartment eating ice cream and drinking wine before I came here. I’ll just play along and when the interview ends, I’ll tell prick Steve where he can stick it. There’s no way I’m working for him ever again after what happened. “I’m fine, Steve. Fortunately when the earthquake struck, I was with a former Greek Navy SEAL and he took excellent care of me.”
“As President of the prestigious DEF Company, I can say that all of us are very grateful to learn you are safe.”
Bastard liar. He’s only here to use me to capture some media attention. Maybe I should tell the reporter about some of Steve’s unethical practices. “Wow, that’s quite a sacrifice you made flying all the way to Greece when you didn’t even know if I was alive or not.”
“Of course I knew you were alive. You have as much instinct for survival as you do for business. As president of the company, I am prepared to give you a significant salary increase once you return to work.”
I can’t think of a word to say. How would the TV viewers react if I told them I’d had to hire an attorney to collect my most recent commissions? If only I could think of a way to make Steve look like a scumbag without disappointing the viewers expecting an inspiring story. I glance around and see people watching me intently. Mothers with babies in their arms. Men with torn and muddied clothing. So many of these people look tired and weather-beaten and have bloody scratches on their faces and hands.
“What kind of work do you do, Miss Maya?” the reporter asks.
“I work in magazine sales.”
Steve raises his chain and speaks in an oily voice as if he is doing a campaign speech for the Presidency. “Our magazine is the premier lifestyle magazine in the United States. We also have many articles about European travel and many of our advertisers are from Europe.”
Bile rises in my throat. Does anyone in Greece even care about his stupid magazine?
“You are very modest, Miss Maya. I understand you are a top sales person with the company.”
That’s it, I’ve had it with this bull shit. “Yes, that is true. I was his top sales person as a matter of fact. But I was making too much money that Steve wanted for himself so he fi—“
“She really is modest isn’t she? She really is an amazing person all around. Everyone who works for our company loves her.” Steve rambles on and on about various contracts I helped him land. Most of what he says is false. He’s just giving a speech that allows him to tell as much about the company as he can possibly cram in while he’s got the microphone directed his way.
“In business and in an emergency, you are very brave, Miss Jorgenson. Was there a moment during this crisis when you were afraid?” asks the reporter.
“Sometimes I was completely terrified. But Eros made the whole ordeal so much more tolerable. His confidence made me believe we would prevail.” I wish more than anything that he was the one standing beside me during this interview. I felt safe with him near me even in the worst of circumstances. Now, I’m back to feeling intimidated, like I always did at work. I’m not worthy of anyone’s admiration. If I were, I’d find a way to talk myself out of this instead of once again allowing Steve to run the show.
“Who is this Eros you give so much credit to?” Steve asks, his lips curled up in disgust.
All at once I see Eros, the man I want near me more than anything right now. He takes an agile leap from the boat to the dock and strides toward us. His gaze meets mine and I see a hopeful flicker in those dark eyes. I want to run toward him, to dive in his arms where I’ll feel safe and protected once more. “He’s, he’s...the other person in my swimming group. Margie and Eros and I were the pink group swimmers. But Margie was tired and returned to the boat, so we were alone during the earthquake.”
“Well both of us enjoyed this little interview,” says Steve. “But Maya and I are expected back in Athens this afternoon for a press conference. A driver is waiting to take us there now.”
Steve is such a dick. He rambled on and on about his company and now he’s giving this small town reporter the brush off? Can’t he even be courteous for a minute or two?
Eros’ gaze wanders from me to Steve and back to me again. He frowns, drops his gaze to the ground and walks away. I want to shout, Come back. Damn it. I should have said he’s the man I love. That during almost every minute we spent together, I knew he was the one.
“Thank you very much for speaking to me about your experience, Ms. Jorgenson,” says the reporter. “All of Greece is in admiration of what you have done.”
“Sir, it really wasn’t anything. Eros and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I only hope not too many people were lost. This is a terrible tragedy for Greece. And I wanted to do some small thing to help. I would like to do something to help rebuild all these towns that have—“
“Yes, what she means to say is that DEF company will be sending a donation to help with the cleanup.” Steve glances at his watch. “Now we really must be going.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I blurt out.
Heads swing in my direction.
Steve releases a nervous laugh. “I am sure you must be exhausted. The car is very comfortable. You can sleep during the drive to Athens.”
“I’m not tired at all. And I don’t care much whether I’m comfortable either. Who cares about being comfortable when you look around and see the devastation here and what people are going through?”
Steve’s jaw muscles tighten as he forces a grin. If he tries any harder he’s going to strain a muscle. “Yes, I know this is a very trying time. Thank you, Mister Reporter for interviewing us.” He grips my shoulder and tries to steer me away.
I shrug him off. “ I’m not going anywhere with you. I don’t even work for you any more. I was no use to you anymore. You thought you had all my sales techniques figured out and so you fired me. You’re just here because you want to promote your company.”
People gasp and speak in hushed voices.
“And furthermore, I will never come back to work for you. It would be nice if you would pay me the commission you owe me, though, so I didn’t have to spend the rest of my savings on attorney b
ills.”
“Of course all of your commissions will be paid in full. My company always pays what is due. Now tell me you’ll come back. I’ll offer you a 20 percent increase in salary.”
“I’m not interested. As a matter of fact, I’m going to stay in Greece?”
Steve bursts out laughing. “Have you lost your mind? What on earth would you do here?”
I turn toward the camera and smile. “See how he acts like the nice guy and then sometimes slips into his real character?”
Once the interpreter finishes, several people burst out laughing.
“So you are going to stay in Greece?” the reporter asks.
“Yes, I think your country is very beautiful and I want to stay. After I help people here rebuild this town, I want to start a career as a journalist. I have been writing for many years and never had the guts to break out and start doing something new.”
People in the crowd begin to clap and cheer.
Steve turns away and walks away in disgust.
“I’m sure you will have no problem finding opportunities in Greece after what you have done for the people on these islands. I imagine you might even want to write a book about your experience surviving the tidal wave.”
“Yes, maybe.”
“What made you decide to stay in Greece?” asks the reporter.
“There were many things. The most important thing that happened was that Greece changed me. I came here thinking that my life was a disaster because of a lost job. And then I realized what I really needed to do was understand myself and what I want from life. I’m sorry, I’m talking way too much.”
“No, please, your story of transformation is very interesting. Please finish.”
“Here, I found out who I really am. I’m no longer the one who always needs to be comfortable or who is glued to her electronic devices every hour of the day or night. I’m no longer the enslaved employee of a hypercritical boss. He fired me because he’s greedy and wanted to hire someone for less money and now he realizes he had it good, but I’ll never go back. I want something different now. I’m the one who is happy as a clam swimming in the sea. I’m the person who wants to enjoy what’s happening now instead of worrying about tomorrow. I want a simple life, a life filled with beautiful moments with the people I love. I didn’t tell you the truth about Eros because I was feeling camera shy and awkward because of my old boss showing up. Eros wasn’t just another swimmer on the tour. He’s someone special. I met him and realized that yes, this is what it’s like to love someone. I love him. I love him so much.”
My Greek SEAL Page 16
