just a hug.”
Gudanga yells, “No…no!”
Finto snaps into understanding then immediately jumping head first into the water. Without a mask or taking much of a breath, Fin thrashes back and forth trying to locate the pearl. The high transparency allows plenty of sunlight into the water. Just about out of breath, Fin catches a glimpse of light. He sees the descending ball glistening toward the depths it came from. He exerts the last bit of his energy to pull himself through the water in an attempt to save the vanishing treasure. Finding and losing this treasure would make it seem impossible to discover such majestic wonder again. Finto’s piercing eyes focus on the pearl as he extends a hand clenching his stomach, still kicking his legs finning through the liquid barrier and then blank. A moment in time escapes from Finto. Free-floating in the water, he was unable to move due to lack of consciousness. He pushed it to the limit, running out of air and passing out. Before Fin reaches the surface, an arm wraps around his waist and propels him to the side of the boat. Gudanga dove in after Finto just before he went unconscious. When their heads breached the water’s surface Fin gained consciousness from the immediate exposure to oxygen, and from a few helpful pats on the cheek from Gudanga.
“It almost got you, do you hurt?” Gudanga checks on his recovering partner. “It’s okay, we get another a different day. We go home to eat and rest.”
After the two adventurers hold on to the side of the boat for a few minutes, Finto smiles at Gudanga taking a familiar closed fist out of the water. He turns his hand upside down, and opens his fingers that contain the pearl. Gudanga laughs saying, “You did good,” rubbing Fin’s wet hair with his free hand. They make their way back to the island. Fin and Gudanga spend the rest of the afternoon sharing stories, and drinking island wine on the beach in front of Gudanga’s hut- like house. When the night arrives they make a fire under the stars, and Gudanga finds another bottle of the native wine. Their laughter echoed through the night fueled by the sweet wine, and the day’s events revealing more stories from the past.
CHAPTER 2
They wake on the beach to the waves rolling in then out before the fire is relit for breakfast. Gudanga shows Fin his way of fishing the surf for a morning morsel. After catching enough for breakfast Finto and Gudanga pass the remaining bottle of the sweet island nectar back and forth while the fish cook over fire. As happy as can be, they eat the cooked fish chuckling with one another. They kick the fire out with sand, and throw the uneaten fish parts back into the sea. It was time they made their way to the small landing strip on the island so Fin could board the plane to go back home. “I’ll always treasure this, our memory of finding an iridescent pearl,” Finto says this to Gudanga with a big smile before boarding the running plane. In the middle of shaking hands Gudanga also smiling puts a hand to Finto’s shoulder and says, “Always, it will be our iridescent memory.”
As Finto lifts off the dirt runway airing above the island’s tropical tree-covered landscape he pulls a wadded up cloth from his pocket. He peels back its layers and exposes the end of his treasure hunt. As the plane turns a beam of the sun’s light shines through the cockpit making the pearl luster like it had before, this time out of the water. Fin catches the gleam in his eye then quickly rewraps the cloth, and shoves it back into his pocket.
As soon as Finto made it back to his home land he headed for a jewelry shop. For years it seems Fin has passed this shop always knowing it was where he wanted to buy Jules a ring. On entering the shop for the first time, Finto meets the owner, an older gentleman.
“How can I help you?” the owner asks.
“Well,” the Rassi explains, “I need to make a ring out of this.” Pulling the wad of cloth from his pocket, Finto hands the gentleman the precious bundled-up cargo.
The store owner opens the cloth saying with surprise, “Amazing.”
The reason for the pearl, Finto goes into detail about the process it took to retrieve the sea gem, but more importantly he explains why and for whom. “She has always wanted a pearl from the sea.”
The gentleman is intrigued by Finto’s tale feeling a relative closeness to him like he has known Fin for years. “How will we get the ring size without her knowing?” the owner asks.
Fin looks through a hole he created with his index finger rolled up against his thumb saying, “It’s this size.”
They both share a small chuckle and the owner who goes by the name Charles A. Haskins gets out his measuring tape. By the end of their first acquaintance they had already collaborated on a one of a kind.
Because of the pearl’s distinct luster and the length he went to get it, Fin wanted the ring to be an original. Fin decides on a rare silver band with cut to fit diamonds surrounding the—mother of pearl. They agree that the pearl should be sunk down into the band so the diamonds are positioned around the middle of the sphere-shaped gem. Charles and Fin shake on a job well done before the Rassi leaves so Mr. Haskins can get to work.
Finto immediately searches out Jules who he had not seen for too long now. Jules was usually busy running her parents unusual estate. She also battles a certain condition that affects her at times. What affects her stops her in life a few days each episode. Since she has no way of knowing when this happens she decided to do what she does best. By being her own boss she wouldn’t have to explain herself for taking days off. Jules is more compassionate than most, and loves to give to those who are helpless. This could be called her passion in life. On the day Fin returns to see his friend Jules she is in bed at her home. Fin lets himself in, and goes to her bedside.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” Jules says to her friend.
“How are you Jules?” he says grabbing her hand and holding it in his. “I missed you, how do you feel?”
Jules smiles and says, “The usual for a day like today.”
Fin leans forward feeling her with his cheek then kissing her forehead. “What can I do?”
The kiss makes Jules smile and she says, “I could eat some ice cream to cool me down.”
Fin kisses her forehead again then the hand he was holding as he gets up to go get her ice cream. “Can I have some?” He asks before clearing the doorway.
Jules throws an extra pillow in his direction and says, “Of course.”
Fin returns with two bowls of ice cream and spoons. Jules slides herself up to a sitting position. “Thank you Finster, I’ve been trying to talk myself into making it to the kitchen, but I’m really drained today.”
With a mouthful he maneuvers his tongue around the cold cream saying, “I like to get you stuff.”
Jules shortly laughs behind a smile. “So where have you been dare I ask?”
Bright-eyed and slightly unprepared, Fin awkwardly says after clearing his throat, “Well I was on a short business extravaganza.”
“An extravaganza huh…Is that why you smell like wine?”
Fin grabs the collar of his shirt saying, “Really?” smelling it. “I guess I do, little detour on a job well done.”
“Am I going to get the details of this trip or are you going to keep this one secret?”
Fin smirks responding openly. “Not now, but you’ll hear the story eventually.”
