Rafael's Convenient Proposal

Before leaving her condo in Los Angeles, she’d packed her ancient one-piece yellow and orange suit she always wore for surfing. She’d also brought a pair of sandals she wore on the beach. Once she was ready, she hurried out of the room and used the closest staircase to reach the ground floor.

“Bom Dia.” A male palace employee opened the doors for her so she could go outside.

“Bom Dia,” she answered. “Thank you.”

The ocean was calling to her. After negotiating more steps down to the pristine beach, she stopped by the nearest lounger, deposited her sandals and ran into the water.

It was warmer than the ocean at Huntington Beach this time of day. Lianor had referred to this area as the Sun Coast where you could swim year-round.

This was heaven!

Mallory used the momentum from the fairly strong rip current to reach the curls quickly. In the late afternoon she would ask for a surfboard and come out again when the waves were bigger. Right now they were perfect for body surfing.

Once she got way out, she had so much fun she lost track of time. It wasn’t until she was waiting for one final wave before going back to the palacio that she heard people shouting. The sounds of terrified voices made her suddenly aware of her surroundings.

There were at least twenty people gathered near the water. Amid all the noise she heard someone crying out Apolonia’s name over and over again hysterically.

Oh no…

Mallory started swimming parallel to the shore, cleaving the water as fast as she could in the direction they were pointing. Several swimmers were making an attempt to get beyond the first curl, but they weren’t strong enough.

A little further now she could see Apolonia who’d somehow made it past both curls, but she must have grown tired.

Her head was back, mouth open. Those little arms were extended, making downward motions in the water. She was drowning!

Please God. Don’t let it happen.

In a few more strokes Mallory executed a deep dive under Apolonia, then came up behind her and put her hand under her chin.

“I’m here, darling. Lie still and let me do the work. Your father wouldn’t want to go on living without you. I’ll get you back to him,” she promised.

Using the rescue side stroke, Mallory headed for shore with her precious cargo, praying all the way.

The crowd gathered round as she pulled the girl’s limp body onto the beach and turned her on her side to get any water out of her lungs.

Though she felt a pulse, waves of fear washed over Mallory to realize Apolonia wasn’t breathing. In an instant she put the girl on her back and immediately began mouth to mouth resuscitation.

Keep calm, Mallory. Pace yourself. Fifteen compressions, two ventilations. Fifteen compressions, two ventilations.

Time had no meaning as she settled down to perform this procedure for as long as it took. She’d only rescued one other person when she’d been out surfing. It was an adult who’d gotten in trouble, but after she’d reached the beach with him, he’d started breathing right away.

This was much different. Apolonia had been struggling too long. She had to live. There’d been enough tragedy in their household. She was exceptional. Her family needed her.

Let her live.

When Mallory had all but lost hope, she heard sputtering and quickly rolled Apolonia on her side to get rid of more water.

“Papa,” the girl half moaned her father’s name.

Mallory’s heart rejoiced.

“I’m right here, querida,” came a deep masculine voice so full of love and emotion, Mallory’s eyes flooded with tears.

“We’ll take over now,” another voice sounded.

With exquisite relief, Mallory sat back on her heels to let the paramedics deal with Apolonia. Over the shoulders of one of them, her eyes met another pair of eyes. Intensely black and moist. They stared at her incredulously before the man got to his feet.

It had only been a fleeting moment of contact, yet she felt a trembling in her soul even after he’d followed the stretcher into the ambulance and it had driven off.

Lianor knelt down and wrapped her arms around Mallory, sobbing quietly as she poured out her gratitude. They stayed in that position until Mallory stopped trembling.

When they both finally got to their feet, an older woman standing nearby made the sign of the cross and kept murmuring something Mallory didn’t understand. Lianor introduced them.

“This is our housekeeper, Ines. She’s saying ‘Bless you.”’

Mallory swallowed hard. “Tell Ines that God helped me.”

After hearing the translation, the older woman’s eyes filled with tears. They spilled down her pale cheeks.

The dozen or so sober-faced staff hovering next to the housekeeper said the same words, ‘Bless you,’ before they dispersed and got back to their duties. Ines followed them inside the palace.

Before resuming their various pleasures, the guests who’d been out on the beach congregated around Mallory and praised her in several languages for her heroic rescue.

That left one young woman in a bikini who looked to be in her late teens. She stood there with her face in her hands, weeping. Lianor went over and put her arm around her shoulders to comfort her.

“This is Brianca, Mallory. Just this morning Ines asked her to keep an eye on Apolonia until we had breakfast. They came down to swim. When my niece saw you body surfing, she wanted to do it too and slipped away before Brianca could stop her.

“The lifeguard doesn’t come on duty until eleven o’clock, and Apolonia knows better than to go swimming without Rafael. As you can see, Brianca is devastated. I’ve tried to tell her it’s not her fault.”

No. The fault is mine.

Inhaling deeply, Mallory said, “Will you translate for me again, Lianor?”

“Of course.”

“Tell Brianca I’m the one to blame. Last night Apolonia found out I love to swim. I’m positive she thought I’d seen her, and that’s why she dared to venture past the curls. Ask Brianca if she was the one who called out Apolonia’s name to me.”

Lianor conveyed her wishes. Once Brianca understood what Mallory had been saying, she lifted her head and nodded.

“Remind her that she was the one who saved Apolonia’s life. I was so busy having a marvelous time out there, I would never have known what was happening if I hadn’t heard her screaming your niece’s name in a clear voice.”

More conversation ensued.

The teenager’s face brightened a little.

“Tell her we need to be thankful that everyone did their part. The ambulance came just in time and everything worked out. I know Apolonia’s going to be fine.”

Again Lianor translated, but the teen still didn’t seem totally convinced.

On impulse, Mallory hugged Brianca who hugged her back. They both shed a few more tears, then parted with smiles.

“Thank you,” Brianca said in English before darting back to the palace.

As she ran off, Lianor squeezed Mallory’s arm. “After receiving blame from everyone, especially from Ines who told my brother Brianca could be trusted, she needed your kindness. You’re a truly wonderful person, Mallory.”

“Please don’t give me any credit. The only thing of importance is that Apolonia’s alive. Where did the ambulance take her?”

“To the local hospital in Atalaia where Violente lives. It’s five kilometers from here.”

“I want to see her.”

“We’ll go after you’ve had breakfast and relaxed for a little while. I know you’re strong, but that was an emotional as well as physical ordeal you’ve just been through. I don’t want you passing out on me.”

They walked up the beach. Mallory picked up her sandals but didn’t bother to put them on. “There’s no chance of that happening; however I must admit I could use some tea.”

“Come on. Let’s go up to your room and take care of you.”

Side by side they hurried into the palace where Mallory took a shower and washed her hair. Since they were going to the hospital, she opted to wear a cotton blouse and matching wraparound skirt in a khaki tone.

When she entered the dining room and saw the amazing breakfast waiting for her, her appetite returned. Lianor was hungry too. They ate a little bit of everything including the sausage which had been cooked with green pepper, onion and a cheese sauce.

“Oh that’s good. No wonder it’s Apolonia’s favorite.”

Lianor’s eyes filmed over. “Thanks to you, she’ll be eating more of it, although she shouldn’t,” she added in a tremulous voice.

“What do you mean?”

“Apolonia has been putting on weight and looks like I did at her age, but Maria has never worried about things like that. Neither did my mother who fed us constantly. By the time I was seventeen, I was huge.”

“I was overweight in my early teens too, but then I shot up and that changed everything.”

“It didn’t happen that way for me.” As if she were embarrassed by the admission, she got up from the table. “How long do you think Apolonia will have to stay in the hospital?”

Lianor had changed the subject so fast, Mallory realised she’d just had a glimpse of the pain she hid from the world. Maybe one day she’d trust Mallory enough to tell her the rest.

“I have no idea. Every case is different. Maybe she’ll be home by tonight.”

“I hope so.”

Mallory eyed her with concern. “I’m ready to go whenever you are.” In truth she was anxious to see Apolonia for herself. There could be complications, but she hadn’t wanted to upset her friend further by discussing them.

“I’ll pack a bag for Apolonia and meet you at the car.”

Within fifteen minutes they’d reached the hospital in the peaceful little town surrounded by beaches. Though not big, the hospital was as modern and up to date as any in Los Angeles.

After learning that Apolonia had been transferred from the ER to a private room, they walked to the nursing station on the main floor where Lianor found out which room down the hall was her niece’s.

Mallory touched her arm. “You go in first. You and your brother need some time alone with her. I’ll wait in the lounge we passed.”

“Thanks. I won’t be long.”

Once she was on her own, Mallory walked the short distance to the waiting room where she saw a mother nursing her baby in one corner, an old couple sitting in another holding hands. Mallory smiled at everyone and sat down.

Tension kept her body from relaxing. Until she knew how Apolonia was faring, she wouldn’t have any peace. Not able to sit still, she got up and decided to take a walk outside. On the way to the exit she told the nurse at the desk she’d be right back.

The beautiful sunny day mocked the turmoil going on inside of her. Though she looked out on a calm ocean, all she saw was a pair of fathomless black eyes staring at her with a mixture of agony to think it might have claimed his daughter…and shock to think the woman he’d disliked without ever having met her, had plucked his Apolonia from its watery grasp in time to save her.

“Ms. Ellis?”

Mallory had heard that low, gravelly male voice earlier today. With heart pounding, she turned around.

She’d only noticed his eyes before.

Now she saw the whole man dressed in black swimming trunks and a blue T-shirt. He must have been planning to join his daughter in the surf when he’d heard she was in trouble.

Physically she saw nothing that nature could improve upon. His Mediterranean heritage gave him his olive skin. The arrangement of striking male features beneath vibrant black hair and brows created someone fascinating as well as unbelievingly appealing.

He had height and breadth in perfect proportion to his long powerful legs. Such an unforgettable face and strong, cut body could well inspire any artist to immortalize him on canvas.

To say he was an incredible-looking man would be an understatement.

“How’s your daughter?” she asked tremulously.

She heard the ragged breath he took. “Right now they’re giving Apolonia warmed fluids intravenously. So far she’s holding her own. The doctor says if she doesn’t develop additional symptoms in the next five hours, she’ll be able to go home.”

“That’s wonderful news!” she cried. Mallory couldn’t have been more thrilled if Apolonia were her own flesh and blood.

Those black eyes, eloquent with emotion, bore into hers. “You saved my daughter from drowning,” his voice shook. “How does one person thank another for the gift of life?”

Mallory could hardly breathe. “You just did,” she said in a quiet tone. “Would it help if I told you a lifeguard once saved my life when I was about Apolonia’s age and thought the ocean was my friend?”

His eyelids closed tightly for a moment. Perhaps he was thinking Mallory’s thoughts. That if she’d died, she wouldn’t have been here to save his daughter.

But Mallory knew that if she hadn’t come to Portugal, Apolonia wouldn’t have gotten into trouble in the first place.

“A big part of our thanks needs to go to Brianca. She screamed your daughter’s name loud enough for me to hear, and she kept screaming until she got my attention. That enabled me to return the favor the lifeguard did for me and my family by reaching Apolonia in time.”

His features hardened. “Another few seconds in that water and she would have drowned,” he whispered, still reliving the agony.

“But she didn’t,” Mallory said gently. “Seeing you like this, I now know what terror my parents must have experienced when the CPR didn’t seem to be working on me. I was their only child too.”

“Por Deus.” His dark head reared back in more anguish. “I told her I would swim with her this morning. But she left my room before I did because I received a call from one of my hotel managers in Cabo Espichel I had to take.

“I was still talking to him in my bedroom upstairs when one of the maids burst in and told me to come quick. By the time I reached the beach, you were already giving her CPR.” He paused. “I’ve only known pain like that once before…”

Mallory knew he was talking about his wife. If she could steer his mind away from the worst—

After a slight pause, “I met your daughter last night. She’s very precious.”

A visible tremor passed through his body. He cleared his throat. “She hasn’t stopped talking about you. When Lianor walked in the hospital room alone a few minutes ago, Apolonia begged me to come and find you.”

Mallory bowed her head. “Will the doctor allow her to have visitors yet?”

“Only if it’s the woman who restored my daughter to me. He feels it will aid in her recovery. So do I,” he said in a husky tone.

CHAPTER THREE

MALLORY felt Rafael’s hand on her waist, urging her forward. The touch was purely impersonal, but its warmth seeped through her body.

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