Angel had Tommy’s hand pressed against his lips, and he was mumbling in Spanish with his eyes closed. Tears glistened on Angel’s dark lashes. Her heart hurt, not only for Tommy, but also for the pain that masked Angel’s face. She knew he loved Tommy just as much as she did. She took Tommy’s other hand and also brought it to her lips. It was lifeless, but his fingers were warm, and the peace across his face made it seem as if he were only resting. The deep red stain strewn through his blond locks reminded her that his condition was far from benign.
The flight attendant lifted pressure from Tommy’s wound, which seemed to have finally stopped bleeding. She asked the pilot for his shirt, ripped it into strips, and wrapped it around Tommy’s head to form a bandage. “That’s the best I can do. Hopefully he’ll wake up soon.”
Worry and anxiety gnawed at Jessi’s heart. “Tommy,” she called softly. “Wake up.”
“Please wake up, mi amor.” There was a tremor in Angel’s voice.
They each still held one of Tommy’s hands, and it connected the three of them like a lifeline. She brushed her fingers across Angel’s worried cheek. “He’s going to be fine,” she tried to reassure him, or herself.
“He has to be. Otherwise, I don’t know if either of us could bear it. I love you, Jessi.” He suddenly hugged her. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I could never handle it if both of you were injured. I feel so helpless. I wish there was something I could do to help him.”
“You did the most important thing, Angel. You saved him.”
They slowly broke their embrace and resumed holding Tommy’s hands. Jessi’s eyes went to the blood-stained bandage around his head. She took one of the bottles of water that the pilot scavenged and washed some of the blood out of Tommy’s hair. Angel ripped off another section of the pilot’s shirt and helped clean the blood. Together, they rid Tommy’s golden locks of the offending crimson stain, and he looked peaceful again.
“That wasn’t a smart idea,” the pilot stated. “We don’ know how long it will be before a rescue plane arrives. It’s hot. We may have needed that water.”
Jessi looked at their surroundings for the first time. They were isolated in the middle of the South Pacific. Beyond the shoreline, the island was covered with dense trees. A new wave of fear and apprehension washed over her. She was so absorbed in worrying about Tommy that she never comprehended their whereabouts or that they were in need of rescue.
“Do either of you have a cell phone?” the pilot asked. “I notified air traffic control that we were going down, but I have no idea how long it will take before they find us. This is an uninhabited island. A working cell phone could provide a GPS signal for tracking.”
Angel pulled the shattered remnants of his cell phone from his pocket. Jessi’s handbag had been in the overhead compartment of the plane. No one’s cell phone survived the impact. Tommy needed medical attention, and they were cut off from civilization.
Jessi stood and stared up into the desolate sky. She knew it was too soon for a rescue plane, but perhaps a passing aircraft would see the fire and smoke and radio their location to ground control. Angel’s arms were suddenly around her, and she fell into the hard muscles of his chest. She hugged him with all her might, grateful for his bravery. She would be forever indebted to him for not only saving Tommy, but for ensuring her safety as well. “I love you, Angel,” she whispered, before she leaned up and kissed him. She only expected a soft closed-mouth kiss, but his tongue dipped inside and bathed her mouth with his love and affection.
“I love you, too,” he whispered in her ear, still holding her in his arms. They both glanced down at Tommy. It was unfair. There were five people on the plane, and four escaped unscathed. Why did Tommy have to endure a significant injury? Why couldn’t he be standing between her and Angel right now, sharing their love? A tear slipped from her eye. Before she had a chance to wipe it away, Angel’s loving hand brushed her cheek.
They both returned to Tommy and sat on the ground on either side of him. With his hair washed clean, he looked content. There was still a smudge of black soot on his cheek, so she used the last drop of water in the bottle to wash it away.
Tommy moaned and turned his head slightly.
“Tommy! Tommy!” she called with her heart reeling.
His eyes flickered, and she was able to see their beautiful color for a moment before he closed them and moaned again. In that fleeting instant, Jessi swore they made eye contact. Maybe she imagined it, maybe it was only wishful thinking, but his eyes seemed focused.