Chapter 27 #2
‘Where is he?’ Cesca asked in shaky, brittle English. ‘He hasn’t come up yet.’
Beth glanced at Marco who was already throwing off his jacket and shoes and after a short sprint had dived from the side of the pier into the cold, icy water. The crowd were silent around them, everyone clasping hands together, drawing the children away, afraid of what they might see next.
With strong movements, his arms powering through the water, Marco swam to the boat, took a breath of air and dived underneath.
The rower from Giudecca who’d fallen in the opposite side, did the same as they searched for Emilio underneath the surface.
Beth felt Cesca’s body shake and picked up Marco’s coat from the ground, wrapping it around her shoulders.
Tears were streaming from her eyes as she muttered prayers in Italian.
‘Where is he?’ she asked, as Paola too wrapped her up. ‘He’s going to be all right, isn’t he?’
‘He’ll be fine,’ Beth responded. ‘Marco will get him out.’ She spoke in Italian knowing that English would only tax her friend’s brain more than needed right now.
Emilio must have hit his head on the boat or perhaps one of the oars caught him during the crash.
She hoped he wasn’t unconscious, but she knew they needed to get him up soon. He needed air and quickly.
Her heart was beating so fast she thought she might pass out. She had to concentrate on her breathing, telling herself to calm down. Cesca needed her and panic wouldn’t help anyone. Her mind began to plan, to think of what needed to happen next.
‘Has anyone called an ambulance?’ she asked out loud, speaking first in English then repeating it in Italian.
When she was met with shocked faces, she knew she couldn’t take a chance and pulled out her phone.
It was possible the organisers had already called one, but it couldn’t hurt to be sure.
She dialled 112 and explained what had happened, giving the operator the address.
As the operator was giving her instructions on what to do next, Marco’s head popped up from under the water with Emilio in his arms. Marco had angled his head back so it was on his shoulder and was holding it tightly.
With the help of the other rowers who had all jumped in to find their friend, they manoeuvred him to the pier where Cesca’s father and brothers pulled him out onto the side.
He was unconscious, his mouth falling open and head lolling horribly to the side.
Having had first-aid training, Beth fell to her knees and checked for a pulse. Thankfully he was breathing, so didn’t need CPR, but in all likelihood he’d inhaled some water.
‘Emilio? Can you hear me?’ she asked in Italian. His eyelids flickered and she took his shoulder, rolling him into the recovery position.
Cesca knelt down in front of him, taking his pale, shaking hands. ‘Emilio? Emilio, please, you have to wake up.’
From somewhere someone handed Beth some blankets and towels and she covered Emilio to try and keep him warm.
‘He’s breathing,’ Beth said to her gently. ‘Which is a very good sign. The ambulance is on its way.’
‘Emilio, please?’ Tears fell from Cesca’s eyes as she sobbed, and Beth rubbed her friend’s back.
She noticed Marco, pale and shivering, looking as though he might cry, and she stood, placing another of the blankets around his broad shoulders.
Doing so brought her face incredibly close to his and their eyes met for a second, fear and tears softening the ice-blue to a washed-out paleness.
‘Will he be all right?’
‘I don’t know,’ she said quietly. ‘But he’s alive and he wouldn’t be if you hadn’t dived in to save him.’
From behind her, Emilio coughed, and she spun back.
It was a wet, rattling sound as the water he’d inhaled exited his body.
Beth was relieved to see there wasn’t much, which meant that though it had seemed a lifetime, he hadn’t been under the water long enough to really fill his lungs with liquid.
That would have been even more treacherous.
‘Emilio!’ Cesca cried, kissing his cheek.
‘Ciao, amore mio,’ he mumbled, still coughing with the effort of speaking.
‘My love,’ Cesca replied in Italian.
Beth found herself tearing up as she stood next to Marco.
She felt the weight of his hand on her shoulder and she stepped closer to him.
She wanted to press herself against his body, to wrap her arms around his waist. She didn’t care that he was wet.
She wanted to hold him, to comfort him, to warm him. His teeth were chattering.
‘They really love each other, don’t they?’ he said quietly, his voice gravelly with emotion.
‘Yes, I think they do.’
‘I’ve been an idiot haven’t I?’
She smiled. ‘Maybe a little.’ She turned to him, seeing the man she’d known before. The kind, gentle, sweet person who’d helped her find an apartment, who’d helped her business, who had kissed her as no one else had. ‘You should go and get dry.’
‘Not until I know he’s definitely okay.’
The ambulance arrived, the crew bustling over to Emilio where he lay on the ground. He kept trying to sit up, but Cesca wouldn’t let him. The paramedics took over, helping him sit up gently and checking his vitals.
‘We’d like to take him to the hospital for some further checks and observations. You could have a concussion,’ the paramedic said in Italian. ‘And there is a risk of secondary drowning.’
‘What’s that?’ Paola asked, as worried as if Emilio was her own child.
‘Water inhaled can cause problems hours, sometimes even days later. We’d like to be sure his lungs are clear.’
‘I’m coming with you,’ Cesca said and as they manoeuvred him onto a stretcher, Emilio held out his hand to her.
‘Wait!’ Marco suddenly stepped forwards, surprising them all. He placed his hand on his friend’s chest and Emilio gripped it in return. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘Mio amico. It’s all right. Bring me some sweets in the hospital. And beer.’
‘No beer!’ the paramedic replied with a laugh. ‘I can see you’re going to be trouble.’
‘He always is,’ Cesca added, following them into the ambulance.
They watched as the doors closed and the ambulance drove away. Other members of the rowing club were clearing the boats from the water, congratulating Marco on his quick reflexes, saying that he’d saved Emilio’s life.
‘Can we get out of here?’ he asked Beth, as soon as he was able to speak just to her.
Shocked, she almost didn’t know what to say. ‘Of – of course.’
‘I don’t live far. Will you come? Please? I – I don’t really want to sit alone right now.’
‘Okay.’
Paola wrapped her son in a hug, telling him how proud she was of him. When she let him go, to everyone’s surprise, Elio did the same, patting his son firmly on the back then cupping his cheek.
‘Do you want to change here first?’ Beth asked.
He shook his head. ‘I just want to get out of here.’