Karavi

Callie turned quickly away from Dyssi.  She stormed down the deck, her heels clapping against the wood, echoing out into the open sea.  Her fury drove her, her clenched fists propelled her and she gritted her teeth down as she headed toward the life preserver.

“Calliopi Demenidis! Stop this instant!” his voice bellowed behind her. 

She had never heard him use such an angry tone with her and although she could tell he was irate with her, she felt a small twinge of fire inside of her ignite.  She kept moving though, ignoring the flame and grabbing onto the life preserver.  She clutched it in her hands and held it tight against her chest as she whirled around to face him.  She was now face to face with him.  He began to slow considerably as he saw her turn around.  His eyes locked onto hers.  His wet hair flailed in the breeze and his blue eyes had turned an angry shade of red.  His nostrils flared and his chest was heaving up and down.  He was still wearing his bathrobe and she had to stifle a chuckle as she saw that one side of the robe had come loose and half of his soapy body was peeking out at her.  She regained her composure though as he rapproached and squared off her shoulders, ready for a battle.  As the distance between them shrunk she shoved the life preserver out to ensure the distance between them remained sufficient.

“What is this?” he asked in a defensive tone his eyes locking on the life preserver.

She did not reply and simply held the life preserver strongly in front of herself.

They stood like that, for at least two minutes.  His breathing slowly began to steady and her tight grip on the life preserver seemed to soften. 

“I don’t want to keep you here.  I’ve told you that from the very beginning” he said in a calm, soft voice.  She tightened her grip.

“You can’t keep me Dyssi” she said through gritted teeth.

“I never said I could” he replied, taking a step closer.

She took a small step backward, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

“You expect me to be some type of quiet housewife?  I am not a piece of furniture, something to shine and show off.”

He nodded his head up and down, “I agree”

“Stop talking!” she screamed out. 

He nodded in agreement by shutting his eyes and tilting his head as if to say

‘as you wish’ .

“I gave up my dreams.  I gave up a life that might have been different from this one.  I might have been poor and tired living on a farm, but I would have been happy choosing my own life and making my own decisions.  I was not put here to make you happy and you alone.  I can’t let that go.”

She was breathing heavily, tears rolling down her cheeks.  He looked at her and his eyes pleaded, ‘can I speak?’ and she nodded yes.

“You are always free to go.  I am not here to hold you captive Calliopi mou.  You can go, but just know this, you are very mistaken to think that you would have been happy and making your own decisions on that farm.  My sole purpose is to not make decisions for you, but to help you so that you can make decisions for your own life.  Herding sheep and growing oregano does not afford you the ability to make choices for one’s self “

He waited for a reply but her eyes were blank.  She didn’t appear to be angry or sad.  For that matter, she didn’t seem to exhibit any type of emotions.

He held his hand out toward the sea, motioning to her that she was free to go.  She turned toward his outstretched hand, the Adriatic sea sparkling under the bright August sun.  He kept a close eye on her face, studying her exquisite features, searching for a hint as to what she was thinking.  Her eyes peered intently toward the sea and in an instant, she hugged the life preserver close to her, as if she was going to put it on and then in a split second, she flung it over the railing, out into the open ocean. 

She looked back at him, her shoulders falling as she exhaled deeply.

“Dinner’s at six” she said quietly and walked away.