Sweet Reality by Laura Heffernan (23)

Still more from the Guppy Gabber, Saturday:

 

Justin: When Jen went over the side, my heart stopped. Security stopped me from jumping after her. Sure, I was upset about what she did to Ariana, but I get why she did it. I love Jen with all my heart. I don’t want to live without her.

 

Rachel: Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. Those were the only words going through my mind. I can’t even. Jen! *incoherent sobs*

 

Ariana: What? Of course I didn’t push her! Maybe I never liked her, or most of the rest of them, but I’m not a killer. Besides, Jen and I have come to an understanding.

 

 

The moment my fingertips brushed open air, my old training took over, and my mind started to race. An Olympic diving platform stood ten meters off the water. About a fifth of the distance between the eighth deck balcony and the water. In about ten seconds, I’d slam into the ocean. About as soft as a sheet of glass. No way to stop it. No way to slow down. Think, Jen. Nine seconds.

Platform divers jumped. They weren’t pushed, but the basic principles of diving should apply. Eight seconds.

No time to spare. Instinctively, my body folded into the pike position. I rotated one end over the other. The edges of the ship flew through my peripheral vision. As the water neared, I unfolded, pointing my fingertips at the water while twisting my body to face away from the ship. My eyes shut. I inhaled deeply and braced for the impact.

The water stung, but not as badly as if I’d belly-flopped from so high up. My body curled into a ball, allowing me to roll over, toward the surface. I swam away from the ship, seeking not to get caught in the water and other stuff churning from the bottom.

A cheer went up when I broke the surface. Treading water, I waved my arms overhead to let them know I was okay. Halfway up the ship, a tiny blond figure jumped up and down, then disappeared. Justin. He must’ve gone for help. I cupped my hands and yelled toward him, but the wind whipped my words in the opposite direction. He didn’t reappear, so I let my hands drop. Better to save my energy for getting back on the ship. Once I caught up to it.

Surely, the ship’s crew would send someone to rescue me once they realized a passenger fell overboard. I couldn’t let the ship get too far away, but I wouldn’t have to scale the sides or anything.

My mind racing, I egg-beatered my legs, eyes scanning for a rescue boat. Thankfully, there were plenty of witnesses to my fall, so I didn’t have to wonder if Ariana cared enough to call for my rescue. Breathing in and out, I forced myself to remain calm and not wonder if sharks lived in the water off Cozumel. Sting rays. Jellyfish. Manatees.

Something brushed against my foot, and I screamed. In the dusky light, it was impossible to see what lurked below the surface, and I probably didn’t want to.

Finally, a siren split the air, and the boat stopped moving away from me. Floodlights lit up the area. The waves flickered around me as fish swam for the safety of the darkness, and my breathing came a bit easier. These were good signs.

Someone shouted instructions from the upper deck using a megaphone. I couldn’t hear much over the roaring in my ears, but I imagined they said something like, “Don’t move!”

As if I might go for a leisurely swim across shark-infested waters for the thrill of it. A moment later, something white flew high into the air, landing in the water between me and the ship. A life preserver. Awesome.

Feeling better already, I swam toward it. The light guided me to my destination. Swimming in the ocean took a lot more energy than swimming in a pool. Between my argument, my unexpected dive, treading water, and the swim, my arms felt like overcooked rigatoni by the time I wrapped them around the white circle floating on the water. Hopefully, they wouldn’t expect me to hold on while they towed me to safety. What a ridiculous thought; exhaustion was clearly affecting my mind.

Toward the rear of the starboard side of the ship, three lifeboats began to lower. Oh, good. Climbing into a lifeboat sounded much better than hauling myself up the side of an ocean liner. I continued to tread water, trying not to think about what else floated around out there with me. Finally, the orange rafts drew near enough for me to hear one of the occupants call out to me. With graying hair at his temples, a dark tan, and deep-set eyes, the man reminded me of my father. For a moment, I thought I was hallucinating. I blinked water out of my eyes and shook my head, revealing that he looked like most of the other officers on the crew, down to the white uniform, but a couple of decades older.

When he spoke, his unusually deep voice dissipated any lingering resemblance to my father. “Hello there! Are you okay?”

“Just swell,” I said. Trying to sound blasé helped me stave off panic. “You should offer balcony diving as a group activity for guests.”

The man chuckled. “Hold on another sec. I’m Frank. Let me pull this thing up next to you, and then my friend Raoul and I will haul you aboard.”

“No worries. I could float here all night.” My voice shook, revealing the lie.

Two hands reached out to me, one tanned, the other dark brown. I stared at them, not wanting to relax my death grip on the life preserver.

“It’s okay,” Frank said. “Grab my hand first, then Raoul’s. We’ve got you. You’re going to be fine.”

As scared as I was, getting pulled into a lifeboat sounded better than continuing to tread water indefinitely. I took a deep breath and reached out with my left hand. Once Raoul’s warm hand gripped mine, I reached out with my right arm. He and Frank hauled me aboard.

It wasn’t graceful. If the cameras reached this far out to sea, I’d go viral on YouTube within a few hours. But I was safe. I lay on the bottom of the boat for a long moment, panting until Frank helped me up.

Once I settled onto a bench inside the raft, Raoul wrapped me in one of those thin emergency kit blankets that looked like aluminum foil and handed me a stainless steel beverage container.

“Coffee,” he said.

“Got anything stronger?”

He winked at me. “How about you wait until we get back to the ship for that?”

Frank asked, “You okay, miss? Your name is Jennifer, right? I’d hate to think we saved the wrong damsel in distress.”

“Jen,” I said automatically. “And I’m the right damsel. Ariana was about to fall overboard, and . . . I miscalculated a little.”

“Don’t talk now,” Frank said. “And don’t move too much. Once we get onboard, I need to take you to the infirmary, and then the captain’s going to want to take a statement.”

“Did you hit your head when you fell, miss?” Raoul asked.

Shaking my head, I sipped from the thermos. Hot, bitter coffee seared all the way down to my belly. I’d never tasted anything so satisfying.

Finally, our raft reached the side of the Queen Kelly. I’d expected a ladder or something, but instead Frank pulled up next to wire hooks dangling from the side of the boat. He attached them to large metal rings at either end of our raft and tugged on the lines sharply. Then he whistled twice, and we jerked upward.

“Is this safe?” Landing in the ocean two times in one night did not sound like twice the fun.

“Much safer than diving over a railing.” Frank winked at me.

Someone called my name. Looking up, I spotted Justin a few decks above us, waving frantically. I waved and blew him a kiss, trying not to create any motion that might capsize us in mid-air. Finally, after what felt like hours, we came to a stop next to an opening in the railing. Raoul went over first, then Frank lifted me up like a child and handed me to him.

My eyes went straight to Justin, who seemed to have aged about ten years. I stepped toward him, but Frank stopped me.

“I’m sorry, but we need to get you checked out by the ship’s doctor before you go anywhere. We brought a wheelchair for you.”

The idea of not being allowed to walk twenty feet to the elevator and then another few steps to the infirmary made me want to laugh, but the cruise line was probably already peeing their pants worrying I’d sue. They didn’t know what was in the waiver the Network made me sign before coming on the trip. I couldn’t sue if the captain tried to execute me on live television for the ratings. Still, I let a member of the staff transport me to the infirmary so a medical professional could confirm I hadn’t broken anything in the fall.

Also, my legs buckled as soon as Raoul let go of me. He helped me into the wheelchair. I thanked him and turned to Frank.

“Can my boyfriend come with me? He won’t be in the way, I promise.”

Frank studied our faces for a moment before nodding. I wanted to throw myself into Justin’s arms, but I settled for grasping his hand while Frank wheeled me down the hall to the elevator.

Justin gripped my fingers until they turned white, but I couldn’t protest. I fully understood wanting to hold on to him and never let go, and I hadn’t watched him nearly die. If I’d doubted how he felt after our conversation, the look on his face when he spotted me in the lifeboat cemented my trust in him. In us.

In the infirmary, Frank lifted me onto a paper-covered cot before leaving me and Justin alone. The door hadn’t finished closing before Justin pulled me to him, crushing me against his chest. He rained kisses down my face before our lips met hungrily. His hands were everywhere, as if he wanted to examine me for injuries personally. I clutched at him desperately, never wanting to let go. When we finally parted, my breath came as fast as when I’d come up from my dive.

“Sweet Jesus. Don’t you ever scare me like that again,” he said. “I thought you—”

“Shh.” I leaned forward and kissed him again, lightly. Tears streaked his face. “But I didn’t. I’m okay, really.”

“When you went over the edge, those were the longest seconds of my life. It felt like eons before you broke the surface.”

“I’m glad the girls’ high school diving coach was such a cutie. Otherwise, I might never have joined the team.”

He relaxed the tiniest fraction at my bad joke. My heart still beat frantically in my chest. Before he could reply, the ship’s doctor entered.

Fifteen minutes later, the Chief of Security arrived to ask me some questions about what happened. He assured me that the ship’s therapist talked to Ariana, and she would be fine. She and Dominic would be moved to a room without a balcony, just in case.

I gave a quick statement, and he handed me a sheaf of papers trying to make me swear not to sue. Justin would never forgive me if I signed a waiver without consulting him. With a polite smile, I declined to take a pen about four times before the doctor let me walk out of the room under my own power, papers still in hand.

When I finally emerged, Justin leaned against the wall, staring at his hands. “What did he say?”

“I should be okay. They want me to stay awake for twenty-four hours in case I have a concussion. And I need to make an appointment with my doctor when we get home. Also, they want me to sign this waiver.”

He pulled me into another long hug before dropping the papers into a nearby trash can. “I’ll spend the entire night with you, keeping you awake, if that’s what it takes.”

“I suspect I’m going to enjoy that.”

“Oh trust me, you will.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too. I can’t believe I almost lost you.” After one last kiss, he pulled me toward the elevator. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?”

“Up to the Lido Deck. We’re having an impromptu party in your honor. Ed and Connor are in charge of drinks, and Rachel’s making sure we have some food. Danielle’s already got the chairs reserved for us. I’m not the only one who needs to see you in one piece.” He paused. “Ariana and Dominic are there, too. But I can make them leave if you want.”

A rush of love for my friends passed through me. Even considering the horrible start to this cruise, I was the luckiest woman in the world.

“No, it’s fine. Let’s all enjoy the rest of our last night onboard.”

* * *

After a quick trip to my cabin to change into dry clothes, I found my friends at the bar on the back of the Lido Deck. Everyone oohed and ahhed over me. Danielle complimented my dive, giving me a score of six out of six. Ed suggested I thank Tammy Rae for my new aerodynamic scalp.

“Hey!” Rachel said. “That was my idea.”

Everyone laughed.

Ariana approached cautiously. I smiled at her, unsure what to say. Luckily, she spoke first. “So, um, I’d already forgiven you. No need to steal the show by almost dying.”

“Well, that fall wasn’t really part of the plan,” I said. “But somewhere in this vast disclaimer they’re making me sign, I’m going to make sure they agree not to air the video of you and Dominic. There must be plenty of other footage of us fighting to explain the fall.”

For the first time I could remember, Ariana’s smile reached her eyes. “I can pretty much guarantee it. Anyway, thanks. I officially promise never to bother you and Justin again.”

“I officially promise to say nice things about you at the funeral, if I’m invited.”

“Awesome.” She eyed me. “We don’t need to hug, do we?”

“Better not. I could have a concussion.”

Instead I offered her a hand, which she took. A few minutes later, after saying good-bye to Justin, she and Dominic left the deck. With the ship returning to Miami the next day, I wondered if I’d ever see either of them again, other than on TV.

Under the stars, my friends and I ate and drank and talked and joked like I hadn’t just almost died. The earlier horror of the evening evaporated. Other than the addition of Danielle and no Birdie or Abram, it felt like being in the Fishbowl. I never wanted the evening to end.

After eating three cupcakes from the ship’s bakery (which were nothing compared to Madison’s recipe) and draining my second hot cocoa with Kahlua, I leaned against my lounge chair with a happy sigh.

“Looks like I got my perfect final evening on the cruise after all,” I said. Ed raised his eyebrows at me. “I mean, sure, I fell into the ocean, but now I’ve got an awesome story to tell when I get home. People will come into the bakery purely to ask me about it.”

“That’s my girl,” Justin said. “Always looking at the bright side. I’m just glad this chapter of our story didn’t turn into a tearjerker.”

“Also, I’m surrounded by some of the most important people in my life. I love you all.”

“I love the way you look at things,” Rachel said. She and Justin exchanged a look. “But I wouldn’t say the evening is perfect. Not yet.”

“It’s awesome for me,” Ed said. “The truth has come out about Ariana, so we can all process it and decide how to deal. The three of us are rocking the new ’do. The Network is going to give me and Connor a suite for the evening as a thank you for the awesome drama we provided. Jen and Justin are together and happy, as they should be. Plus, Jen got to show off some bad-ass Olympic diving skills.”

I chuckled. “I’m far from Olympic quality. I never even made it to the state championships in college.”

“Hush,” Ed said. “We’re celebrating you. Smile, nod, and take a drink.”

“State Championships or no, you’re a survivor,” Justin said. “That’s part of your indomitable spirit, and I love you.”

Squeezing his hand, I said, “I love you, too.”

Rachel cleared her throat.

“Now?” Justin asked.

She nodded. “What are you waiting for?”

Ed shrugged at my questioning look. “I have no idea what they’re talking about.”

Before I said anything else, Justin stood, raising his glass. “I’d like to propose a toast. All I wanted for this trip was to spend some time alone with my girlfriend and have a nice, quiet, romantic voyage. Clearly, that was never going to happen.” We all chuckled. Of course the Network would throw some wrenches into our plans for a nice, relaxing vacation. We never should’ve expected anything less.

“But through it all, we managed to come out closer than ever. We’re lucky to be surrounded by all our friends.” Justin swallowed and continued, speaking only to me, despite the crowd. “First I wanted to do this before we left, but with the other store opening and Sarah burning the cupcakes, it didn’t pan out. I wanted to do it in the Bahamas, but I let worries about losing our identities get in the way. Then I wanted to do it in Jamaica on the beach, but I missed the boat. Literally.”

I bit my lip to keep from squealing. Was this it? Did he have the ring with him? No. It wasn’t possible.

“I missed you so much all week. I hate fighting with you, and I don’t ever want to be apart that long again. The moment you kissed me in the casino, it reaffirmed that you’re the one for me. I should’ve asked right there, but I wasn’t ready. I’m an idiot for waiting so long. I thought I needed the perfect timing or the perfect thing to say. I don’t. All I need is you, because you’re what matters.”

“We’re what matters,” I corrected him.

“Shhh,” he said. “I’m kind of in the middle of something important here.”

Oops. “Right. Sorry. Please continue.”

“I finally realized: what could be better or more perfect than this moment right here, right now when we’re surrounded by old and new friends? Better than sharing our love and happiness with all of the viewers who’ve been with us for every major step of our relationship?”

My heart pounded in my throat, preventing me from saying anything. Tears prickled the backs of my eyes. To my horror, my nose started running. But nothing could ruin this moment for us.

Justin knelt in front of me and produced a box from the pocket of his shorts. My eyes widened. After an entire week of wondering and waiting, our moment finally arrived. He was going to do it.

My breath caught when the box creaked open. The world blurred. Inside the box lay the most beautiful ring I’d ever seen. A dazzling diamond nestled between two triangular sapphires sat in a platinum band. It would’ve been truly tragic if I’d swallowed it.

Justin’s eyes met mine, shining with love. Was he crying, too? “Jennifer?”

My ears perked up. This had to be the real thing. He never called me by my full name. No one did.

“Yes?”

“The past sixteen months have been the best time of my life,” Justin said. “Ever since I saw you at the audition for The Fishbowl, I knew you were someone special. But I never dreamed I would care about anyone as much as I love you.

“I know we’ve had some ups and downs, but being down with you is better than being up with anyone else. Life with you promises to be challenging, exciting, and full of surprises. Nothing excites me more than the thought of us sharing that life.”

I barely registered the words. Before he finished speaking, I started nodding and babbling, “Yes!” over and over. He could have been saying anything, and I would have agreed to it.

“He hasn’t actually asked you anything yet,” Ed said helpfully. Rachel elbowed him in the ribs before I got the chance to tell him to shut up.

To Justin, I said, “I love you, too. More every day.”

“Will you marry me?”

Those words, the sweetest I’d ever heard in my life, I heard very clearly.

“YES! Absolutely! Of course I will.” My nose flowed freely by then, and I was babbling, but I didn’t care.

Tears of joy streamed down my face. Justin gave me a long, lingering kiss, full of tenderness. He pulled me against him, holding me like he never wanted to let go.

All around us, the cameras rolled. Behind me, I heard clapping. Someone whooped. Probably Ed. I’d almost forgotten everyone else surrounded us. Justin and I kissed again before I pulled away to accept his gift. Justin slipped the platinum circle over my left ring finger. It fit perfectly.

We turned to the growing crowd and raised our clasped hands. “Guess what, everyone? We’re getting married!”

A roared went up around the deck. Cameras flashed. I beamed and hugged Justin again. Then, he pressed his lips to mine, and the rest of the world fell away. This was what mattered. The two of us, and the way we felt about each other. Nothing else.

“No more cameras, Jen,” he whispered. “Just you and me. Forever.”

“Forever.” I agreed.

No more being on display. We were done with television. And we were going to live happily ever after.