The Air In St. Thomas: A Romantic Vignette

      The water taxi flew through the rough water, bouncing up and down, back and forth.  The water sprayed her dark auburn hair and it was getting cold, the sun going down.  Helena didn't mind.  She smiled almost ear to ear the entire mile and a half.  She could see her cruise ship getting closer. It was a majestic ship, so beautiful with the sun setting on the horizon.  Helena soaked the vision in but her minds eye could only see one thing.  His face coming closer, his lips pressing softly against her's.  She could feel his heart beating against hers, his chest so warm and smooth against her.  It was as if she was still there, feeling him with her hands, smelling the spicy aroma of his cologne.  She did not want to wake up from this dream.

Helena was on a much needed vacation. Besides the point that she had not had a vacation in 3 years, she was healing from a tragic breakup. Her husband, Joel, was a cheater but she never new that side of him. She knew he was always loving, caring, and there for her. What she didn't know was that he was also loving, caring and there for a couple of other women. His business took him out of town often and Joel used that opportunity to build up his business relationships and increase his sales. It also gave him time and opportunity to build up some personal relationships. They were "very" close relationships. It turned out Joel had a wife in Puerto Rico and two kids in Florida, and she never had a clue. He was a master juggler, of time and love. When Helena received the email from Marelys (his second wife) she was shocked, infuriated, doubtful...so many feelings flying at her at the speed of sound. She was peppered and shattered into a million pieces like fine crystal. She changed the locks and packed up all of his things before she called Joel to come home. She didn't have anything left emotionally to scream or slap...she said only "goodbye".

Helena booked her cruise a year to the day of Joel moving out. She felt like she was floating in a dream for the last year. Her life was nothing more than a series of exercises. She would go to the office, come home and eat, let out her dogs ,go to bed. Sure she had fun with friends occasionally but coming back home felt like she was falling back into the exercise. After about a year she had enough. She needed to break free. She hadn't had a real vacation in a long time. Visiting family at the holidays was as close as she had come to a getaway in a very long time. St Thomas seemed to be good enough place to start. The warm water, the palm trees and all the trappings of a Caribbean vacation sounded like a good way to start the healing.

     Helena couldn't wait to get her feet into the sands of St. Thomas.  She saw a view of Magens Bay from the mountain side and knew this was going to be great.  Her SPF-15 was packed, she had a pina colada from the tiki bar and her rented lounge chair was close enough for a quick second.  "The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo" would be keeping her busy in between some swimming and drinking.  She went to sit down on the rented chair and after a large sip of her colada she dove into her book.  About three pages in she heard the sound of footsteps coming her way.  A warm but slightly deep voice called out,

"Great book, I hear!"

He was tall, he was dark and he was handsome and he was holding the same book as her.

"I have been wanting to read this for a while and decided to come to St Thomas so I could."

They laughed and talked about why they had to have a vacation.  Aaron was a business owner.  The economy had been hitting him hard and the pressure was getting to him.  He felt that if he took some time off to clear his head he could figure some ways to adapt to the new conditions.  Helena laughed when Aaron had given her the run down every member of his family, explaining why each one of his parents and aunts and uncles were crazy but how much he loved each one.  She was entranced by the way he smiled when he spoke about them, how his eyes would drift off towards the ocean like he was daydreaming at times.  When she talked he looked so deep into her eyes it was as if he could see into her soul.  He listened intently and asked her about her feelings.  They talked for two hours straight, giggling and belly laughing every few minutes.  They spoke about everything, family, work, life, and then they spoke of love.  Helena tried to dance around the details but Aaron didn't mind.  He stopped her at the tough points and told her "I understand".  His love life included heartache but he said that he had given up on love.  He had thrown himself into his work, building his company up to three times it's size.  After another hour they decided to take a walk down the beach.  They joked and laughed, brushing up against each other as they walked on the uneven sand.  They finally got tired and fell into the sand.  They were so close and breathing heavily.  Helena locked her gaze and slowly reached in with a kiss that was slow and tender.  Aaron held her waist and brought her closer.  His hands were moving slowly but firmly around to her back.  They stopped and stared into each others eyes and knew they had to get back to his hotel room.    

The time in Aaron's hotel room seemed to stand still. Each caress and kiss was bringing unbelievable pleasure to both. They meshed like to clay models, into one, then separated, then into one again. They held each other so tight and hard, it was making beads of sweat roll down their backs only to be soaked up by the sheets as they rolled back and forth. It was a dream for both and they knew this was more than just a physical exercise. They could feel the connection, the spark that started this inferno. Afterward they rested, spent from the abandon. Then they spoke again, softly and tenderly. In the back of Helena's mind was the tender back to the ship. Aaron had flown to St Thomas from Miami and was staying for another day. Helena had to be back in a few more hours. They were so close, eyes locked and breathing slowly, smiling and giggling again.

     They had stayed together so long, and made love once again.  Aaron talked her into paying for her water taxi to give her another hour to get back.  They spoke about the future.  His business kept him in Miami but they swore to see each other soon.  They both knew it was real...they could feel it.  They had traded phone numbers and addresses and Aaron already penciled in a visit.  He promised to call her as soon as he got back.  They held on tightly before a long deep kiss.  The water taxi was reaching the ship.  Helena's dream was now ending.  Her soul was healed, she relived all their moments together the entire cruise home. 

    Helena got home and unpacked.  She was smiling easily her heart was beating harder.  Aaron should be calling her tomorrow.  She didn't even consider that Aaron wouldn't call.   She knew he would, her confidence built on his caresses.  But the next day the phone never rang.  She thought something must have come up,a business emergency, a canceled flight, maybe a death in the family.  The next day still no call.  She couldn't wait anymore.  She called his phone.  Straight to voicemail.  What was going on?  Was he a liar, a con man?  Anger turned to tears, what could it be?  Finally, the phone rang.

     The phone rang and Helena scooped it up to see the number.  It was not a number she had seen before.  It wasn't Aaron, who could it be?  She pressed the button and she heard a sweet voice on the other end. 

"Hello, Helena?"

The voice was inquiring but quiet.  Thoughts flew through Helena's mind at the speed of light.  Was this, his Aaron's girlfriend, wife?  Fear and her past experience was driving her thought process.

The voice was that of Aaron's mother.  She said Aaron had called her before he left and told her the story of a wonderful woman he had met.  He had said he would be bringing "Helena" over to meet her soon.  She had bad news.  Aaron's flight had crashed halfway back to Miami.  He had been killed along with twenty other people.  She cried, Helena cried.  Helena was in shock.  Aaron's mother could not speak anymore.  She hung up but promised to call her back when things were better.  Helena attended the funeral and met the family.  The stories Aaron had told her were true.  He described each person exactly. After the funeral she took a taxi back to the airport.  She declined a ride from Aaron's Uncle Joe.  That ride back reminded her of the water taxi ride...the memories fresh in her mind of a love that would last a lifetime.  And she knew that it would.