946 A.M.
MERCY
As soon as Oliver got Ted and Travis into the water, each with snorkel masks on their faces, flippers on their feet, and spear guns in their hands, he turned to Mercy and Antonia, who were standing on the swim platform, Antonia looking as horrified as Mercy felt.
Oliver smiled at them. “Don’t worry ladies. The monk seals are safe today.”
Mercy was immediately skeptical. “How can you be so sure?”
“Because one of them told me he’s not going to do it and the other one has a gun that’s jammed.”
She felt her shoulders relax.
Oliver glanced back at the men, who were swimming to the nearest cave. “He’ll probably be pretty pissed at me when he gets back, but I’m willing to risk it.”
“Thank you, Oliver,” Mercy said, overcome with relief.
“Don’t mention it. I mean, please don’t mention it,” he told her with a wink. “I should run some food to the Taggart suite now, before Mr. Bishop realizes his gun won’t work.”
He hurried off, leaving Mercy and Antonia alone. Mercy sat on the ledge and dangled her feet into the sea, feeling the cool water against her skin.
Antonia took a seat next to her and did the same. “Ahh, that’s nice. How are you feeling this morning?”
Mercy’s stomach twisted in knots at the question.
“I’m all right. No, that’s not true. I’m…
confused, I guess. Angry. Scared. I’ve been thinking about Travis.
And I know you can’t officially give me a diagnosis, so I won’t ask.
But maybe you could tell me just this—whatever my husband has wrong with him, can it be cured? ”
“No.”
Nodding, she looked over at Antonia. “I have to leave him, don’t I?”
“Yes, you do.”
“Thought so.” Her body tingled with fear, but she also felt oddly strong at the same time. It was as if somewhere in her, there was a pure sense of faith that she would get through this, and she and the children would be better off someday.
From above them, Miguel’s voice cut into the air. “Hello ladies! What are we doing this fine morning?”
They both turned and saw him and Winslow standing side-by-side on the deck above them. They were beaming, and the sight of it made Mercy’s heart surge. “You two look happy!”
“We are!” Miguel answered.
“I woke up happy to be alive this morning,” Winslow added.
Mercy’s face crumpled a little, and she felt tears prick her eyes. “I’m so glad you’re here, too!”
“Come on, you beautiful ladies! Let’s go for a swim!” Miguel said. “We can’t let this moment go to waste.”
Mercy lifted her feet up onto the deck and stood. “He’s right. Let’s go swimming.”
Antonia looked out and could see the men far off by now. “Is it safe? With them spearfishing?”
“Let’s check with Oliver, but I’m pretty sure it would be.”
Oliver appeared just at that moment and confirmed it would be fine so long as they stayed close to the platform.
Mercy allowed Winslow and Miguel’s happiness to flow through her, and she let herself enjoy a hint of pride at having a hand in the fact that this moment was their reality, instead of what could have been.
She looked at Antonia. “I see you’re all ready to swim.
I’ll go get my suit on and meet you back here in a few minutes. ”
She passed by the happy couple, stopping to give them each a quick kiss on the cheek. “You two are the cutest.”
Then she hurried off, determined to let herself enjoy the morning.
ANTONIA
Antonia glanced at the deck above, seeing the top of Charlotte’s head.
She could tell Charlotte had been trying to make herself invisible, and she decided her best move was to ensure her that she wasn’t a threat.
Walking up the stairs, she sat down on the other side of the table. “Good morning, Charlotte.”
Charlotte lifted her gaze, looking more than a little worried. “Hi.”
“Ted and I had it out last night.”
“I thought you would.”
“He understands where things are at now. It’s going to take him a while to accept it, but eventually he’ll realize he doesn’t have a choice,” Antonia told her. “I just wanted to make sure you’re all right with everything. Well, as all right as one can be in this situation.”
Charlotte nodded. “Umm-hmm. It’s…hard. I don’t think I can ever see him as some sort of predator, but I also know he did the wrong thing.
We both did. And it’s over. I let him know that last night.
I’m not going back to him. After speaking with you and giving myself time to think, I realized that he and I are not in love with each other, and a future together wouldn’t make any sense at all. ”
“Good. I hope you stick to your guns on that. I promise you there’s a better man out there for you. One who won’t cheat.” She paused, then added, “Because if they cheat once, they’ll do it again.”
Charlotte stared at her for a second. “That’s not what you tell your guests.”
Shrugging, she said, “There are always exceptions to every rule. But Ted’s not going to be one of them.”
Sighing, Charlotte stared out toward the cliffs for a second before answering. “No, I suppose not.”
“I’m still willing to make sure you get fairly compensated. Give you the ability to find a career you’ll really love without having to worry about money for a while,” Antonia said. “In the meantime, I appreciate how you’ve been keeping everything quiet.”
“Of course. It’s not like I want it to get out.”
“Sure,” Antonia answered, knowing that Mercy would be back soon.
“Listen, as far as this trip goes, it would be really helpful for me if you can pretend you’re enjoying it.
Do what you were doing before everything blew up—well, not everything, but you know, sunbathing and taking lots of photos and videos to post on Instagram. Things like that.”
Charlotte offered her a small smile. “Okay. Yeah, I can try.”
“Perfect. How about coming for a swim with us? Let Ted get one last look at you in a bikini.” She winked at her, feeling a surge of delight at the thought of Ted forever wanting something he couldn’t have again.
Charlotte let out a surprised laugh. “Really?”
No longer feeling like the evil queen in Snow White, she smiled at her. “Pick your smallest one.”
A few minutes later, they had donned snorkel masks and jumped into the clear blue water of the Adriatic.
It felt like a cleansing of Antonia’s soul, after so many days of stifling heat and being emotionally wrung out.
Of plotting and planning and crying and forcing herself to be strong.
It was a moment of reprieve before what she knew would be a long, exhausting tightwire act to get out of her marriage while keeping her reputation intact.
It would take years of untangling herself from him—first physically, then professionally and emotionally.
She had enough experience with the human mind and the human heart to know it would be incredibly difficult, and some moments in her future would overwhelm her.
She had loved Ted. Truly loved him for her entire adult life.
She had wanted a future with him—traveling and hiking and maybe even welcoming grandchildren that they would babysit.
But none of that would happen. And she knew that her heart would take far longer than her brain to absorb the truth. To accept it. And move on.
She put her face under and swam through the water, letting her arms pull her forward and her feet flutter like they had when she was a girl. It had been years since she had gone for a swim. Far too long since she’d felt saltwater lifting her as she explored the world of the ocean.
A sea turtle caught her attention, and she followed it, hoping to get a little closer before it dove down too deep.
It spun and moved through the water in a way that made her want to move so easily through life.
Spinning and paddling and reveling in each moment without a care.
It turned and looked at her before disappearing into the dark waters below and she turned back to the boat, smiling to herself for having had that tiny moment of joy.
As she neared the yacht, movement to her right caught her attention.
She turned, hoping her turtle had come back, but it was Ted.
He was holding the spear gun, arm stretched out, aiming it directly at her.
At first, she didn’t believe it. Her eyes must be playing underwater tricks on her.
But the longer she looked, the more clearly she saw him. His eyes through his mask were dark and empty. It was like the man she knew had vacated his body and some stranger was there pointing a deadly weapon at her.
She shook her head and tried to call to him, but her words got lost in the water.
He lifted the gun closer to his sight-line.
A voice in her head told her to lunge to her left. To the ladder hanging down from the yacht. But she was frozen in place.