Carrier of the Mark

Adam had made his way to his boat in the front and was running though some notes. He looked so vital, so full of life. The rest of us looked hideous in our wet suits and life vests, but he still looked gorgeous. How did he do that?

He flicked his eyes around at us and started giving a lecture on water safety and dos and don’ts while operating leisure craft, his green eyes holding everyone’s attention. I idly rubbed my tingling neck and tried to listen to his instructions, but it was useless. I felt my body melting toward him, my breath catching. I dropped my eyes and tried to refocus. I quickly risked a look back up to him under my eyelashes, but his eyes caught mine at the same time and he immediately looked away, dropping his clipboard in the process. Caitlin elbowed me in the ribs.

“Focus, Meg,” she whispered under her breath.

We cast off into the water somewhat successfully; it was actually quite fun, as long as I didn’t look into the deep, dark liquid swirling around us. It was reassuring to see that Adam treated everyone else with the same level of reserve as he did me. He called us in two boats at a time to do some work on knots and lines. He was giving a complicated demonstration on the importance of tying up pulleys or something; I wasn’t really listening. I assumed Caitlin was—well, at least I hoped she was. But when I looked over at her, she was gazing at Killian, who was concentrating hard on his ropes and mimicking Adam. Panic hit me. Oh, crap! I tried frantically to catch up with what Adam was saying and doing, but it was too late.

“Go out twenty yards and keep plenty of room from each other, and, working as a team, tie in your lines and secure your sails,” Adam shouted as he moved on to the next pair of boats.

I glanced at Caitlin. She was still looking dreamily over toward Killian’s dinghy.

I kicked her. “Cait, did you get any of that?”

“Huh?” she said, with a vacant expression.

I flushed with embarrassment. God, could we be any more pathetic?

“Don’t worry, Meg. It looks pretty simple. I’m sure I can figure this out,” Caitlin said, as she started pulling at ropes and levers.

I looked back at Adam, who was giving a helping hand to one of the other pairs. He was so gorgeous; his lightly tanned skin rippled over his toned body. His dazzling eyes were hidden for the moment behind a pair of dark sunglasses. His defined cheekbones were flushed red from the sea air. His full, curling lips were slightly parted; I wondered what they would feel like, taste like ….

Bam! I was interrupted by a hard thump on my head.

The shock of the cold water was temporary. It was replaced by fear as I gasped for air. Whatever hit me had snapped all of the oxygen from my lungs before dunking me in the sea. I sucked in a vast breath and choked on the salt water that swirled its way into my body. I couldn’t figure out which way was up. I knew I was wearing a life jacket, but I couldn’t find the surface; there was no air. Then I got warmer, my breathing became easier, and the strangest sensation of calm came over me. I was underwater, but no longer felt the panic of water filling my lungs. My head was spinning and pounding with pain, but I was breathing. The sound was muffled, like I was cocooned.

A firm arm supported my back.

“Megan.” I heard my name being called in the distance. “Christ, Megan, answer me! Megan, come on; can you hear me?”

I wanted to open my eyes, but even the slightest movement hurt my head.

“Oh, Megan, Megan, I’m so sorry,” I heard Caitlin crying in the background.

“Caitlin, please stay back,” the voice instructed. “Come on, Megan, open your eyes.” It was Adam’s voice, calling me back to consciousness.

I obeyed him and opened my eyes, trying to focus on his. I was lying in Adam’s arms on the slipway. His face was so close to mine I could hear his ragged breath and taste the warmth of it.

“There you are.” He smiled in relief.

The sun was shining behind him and I couldn’t see his face clearly. I tried to sit up and coughed, attempting to clear the burning stinging in my throat. I became acutely aware of a throbbing sensation in my head; it spun and little stars twinkled around Adam’s face.

I gasped at the pain and put my hand to the back of my head. It felt warm and sticky. When I looked at my hand, it was all bloody. I tried to get to my feet, but fell forward. Adam’s strong, warm arms caught me.

“Whoa, take it slowly.”

He put my arm around his shoulders and his arm around my back to support me. I gasped at the warmth and closeness of his body; it was like a static shock. Misinterpreting my gasp as pain, he swung me up into his arms.

An orange lifeboat pulled alongside the slipway. “Hi, Adam, you need help? We were just coming in from a call and noticed all the commotion,” a crew member shouted up.

“We’re all good here now, thanks, Dave. Actually, can you do me a favor and see that the class gets the dinghies back into the yard, while I look after this one?”

“Sure thing,” Dave replied.

As Caitlin walked past me up the slipway she gave me a tearful smile. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay? I’m so sorry; I let go of the rope that controls the boom and it just shot out.”

“Don’t worry; I’m good.”

“Go on, Caitlin; join the rest of the class,” Adam said.

It was quiet and calm for a moment, and then I remembered I was in Adam’s arms. I was sure I weighed a ton, but I felt faint and my head pounded. I let it fall against his chest. I could hear his heart thudding away. I was so comfortable there; I felt so safe. My eyes were fluttering again, and the last thing I saw before losing the battle with them was the gray monk, standing at the gates to the yacht club. His watery, expressionless eyes met mine; then a hint of a smile touched his lips.

My head was throbbing. I opened my eyes and reached for the back of my head, only to encounter a hand and an ice pack. Startled, I sat up.

“Dad!”

My dad’s worried face softened into a smile. “God, Meg, you gave me a fright! How do you feel?”

“Sore. Where am I?”

“The Kinsale clinic. I wanted to take you to the hospital.” I stiffened. I hadn’t set foot in a hospital since the crash and I intended to keep it that way. My dad reacted immediately. “It’s okay, I won’t make you go. Let’s see what Dr. Forrest has to say, okay? Look, here he is now.”

“So, Megan, how are you feeling?” Dr. Forrest asked, shining a light into my eyes.

“Okay, I guess. My head hurts.”

“Luckily the wound is superficial, but even so, I’d like to have you under observation for twenty-four hours.” He looked sternly from me to my dad.

My dad squeezed me tighter. “I’ll keep a close watch on her at home.”

Dr. Forrest smiled. “Good. Well, here’s a prescription for the pain. If there’s any swelling or nausea, call me immediately.”

My dad helped me up from the bench and opened the door of the exam room. “We better let Adam know you’re all right.”

“What! He’s still here?” I gasped, stepping into the waiting room. Sure enough, there he was, sitting in a low, comfy chair, a small smile playing on his face.

Oh, cringe. I just wanted to get out of the room. And what was he smiling about, anyway? For God’s sake, it was hardly a big smiley moment.

I couldn’t talk to him with my dad in such close proximity, but Adam’s eyes met mine, this time holding them. What was that in his gaze? Humor? No, but there was something, an intensity. Something had changed. I yearned to know what. His eyes were laden with meaning and questions; I was desperate to know them, to answer them.

“Come on, Meg; I think your sailing career is over. Let’s get you home.” Dad turned to Adam. “Thanks again, Adam; I can’t tell you how grateful I am. She’s all I have and so, so precious.” He said it with such emotion. I felt a mix of intense embarrassment and love for my poor dad.

“No problem, Mr. Rosenberg. I completely understand.” Adam strode across the room and firmly shook Dad’s hand.

I struggled to say something, anything. But the words wouldn’t come. I just stood there, looking at him awkwardly, then shuffled out of the room.

I caught a last look at his exquisite face. He had one hand in his hair and the other held the back of his neck. His eyes, clouded by confusion, followed mine until the door closed silently on his gaze.

Five