Chapter 28: Day 12, continued

As soon as we arrive in the Philippines, we get right to work. Fine by me, the sooner we finish, the sooner we can go home. I can't wait to tell Linka about the look on Kwame's face when I said "Wind!" and lifted an entire pile of rubble and moved it to the trash pile. Oh yeah, and I found a few survivors while I was at it! Or how I was able to unload a whole pallet of lumber from the Red Cross in seconds and have it stacked exactly where I needed it in order to start rebuilding one of the shacks.

I was really shocked that I was able to use her ring. I didn't think that it would work for me. Our rings were given to us for specific reasons…maybe wind works for me because I'm full of hot air? But I'd like to think that it works for me because of the close connection I feel with Linka. I decide to test that theory.

"Hey Kwame, I'm gonna take my lunch break…you wanna use Linka's ring while I'm gone?"

He hesitates for a second, as if saying yes would prove himself wrong about needing her here…or maybe he's on to my ulterior motives. But he says yes anyway.

"Thank you. It will make clearing this area much easier," he says.

"Take good care of it. She'll kill me if something happens to it."

"Of course."

I walk away and stand behind a pile of lumber and watch Kwame as he tries, but fails to use her ring. I guess I have my answer. I check my watch and realize that it's almost midnight on Hope Island, which explains why I'm starting to feel tired. Usually I'm able to stay up way later than this, and the fact that I slept in today will help me stay up later, but all this hard work is wearing me down.

Before I go to the headquarters to use the satellite phone, I want to get Linka's ring back from Kwame…if it's not working, he doesn't need it…and I don't like not having it. I casually walk up to him with a bottle of water.

"Here, thought you could use this…" I pretend that I've just noticed that he's removing the debris by hand. "What's up? Won't her ring work?"

"Not for me. Thank you," he says as he opens the water and takes a drink.

"Weird," I say, feigning shock. "Lemme try."

He gives the ring back, and sure enough, I'm able to move the piles of rubble that he's been working on.

"Thanks."

"No problem," I say, walking away and putting her ring back on my finger.

Now, off to find a phone…

"Hello?"

"Hello Beautiful!" I beam with excitement at the sound of her voice.

"I am sorry, I think you have the wrong number," she says sadly.

"I don't think so…as a matter of fact, I'm sure I have the right number," I reassure her.

"Is it hot there? Are you keeping hydrated? Clearly you're delusional."

"Knock it off. Hearing you talk badly about yourself scares me…like, what kinda mindset are you in?"

"I am fine Wheeler, really. I just do not know how to take a compliment."

"Oooh, well that explains a lot…all those times I've flirted with you and been shot down…maybe I should insult you and be mean, then you'll like me better!"

"I like you just fine as you are…so how are things going over there?"

"Ok, I guess."

"Has my ring been useful to you?"

"SO MUCH! And the first time I used it…it was great Babe! You should've seen the look on Kwame's face!"

"I am glad you have been able to use it…it makes me feel useful."

"I wish you were here, being the one to use it," I say dejectedly.

"Da, me too."

"Using your ring though…kinda makes me feel closer to you…uhhh, I mean, like you're here. I wasn't sure if it was gonna work for me."

"I was not sure either…I just thought…it would be worth a try. Why did you think it would not work?"

"I just assumed that our rings would only work for who they were assigned to. What about you?"

"Same thing. Why do you suppose it worked?"

"I don't know. I have a few theories though," I say.

"Share them?" She asks, stifling a yawn.

"Am I boring you?" I tease.

"Nyet! You know how I get fatigued. I did not take a nap during the day like I usually do. Now tell me your theories before I really do fall asleep!"

"Well, either your ring worked for me because it 'knew' that you wanted it to work for me…or…we have a connection…a bond…and that's why it worked….or I'm full of hot air and since that element is already a part of me…"

I'm cut off by her laughter.

"That is very likely!"

"So I guess that means that if you tried to use my ring, you could because you're hot."

"Wheeleeeeeeeer," she moans at yet another of my corny lines.

"Uh uh uh, the correct answer is, 'Spasiba Yankee…you are also hot!'" I say, mimicking her accent.

She's laughing again…should I be offended? Nah, I'm just happy to hear her laughing. It's been a while. She breaks me away from my thoughts when she says,

"But I like the second idea…about the connection."

"Yeah?"

"Da," she yawns again, causing me to yawn in return.

"Well then, we'll stick with that theory until proven otherwise." I could tell her that it's true because it didn't work for Kwame, but not now. I don't want her knowing I let someone else use her ring. "I have a feeling that when I'm ready for bed, you'll still be sleeping until I get on somewhat of a normal sleep schedule here."

"I hope you are not there long enough to need to get on their sleep schedule! What time do you think you will be going to sleep?"

"Six more hours maybe?"

"I will set my alarm and wake up to talk to you," she says.

"You don't have to do that Babe, get your rest."

"I will go back to sleep after we speak…unless you do not want to talk to me."

"Of course I wanna talk to you! I just don't want you to feel like you have to go out of your way…you need your sleep."

"I also need to hear your voice as often as possible. So I will wake up at 6am, and you will call me. We will talk again, and I will say good night to you, and you good morning to me…and then goodnight because I probably will go back to sleep. Or maybe I will get up and go for a run," she lays out the plans exactly how she intends for them to go…very much like the old Linka!

"Wait, are you sure that a run is a good idea? I mean, that's great that you feel up to it, but don't over do it…especially with no one there to help if you pass out or something," I'm trying not to sound discouraging, but I am worried that she'll push herself too much.

"Suchi will take care of me."

"Oh right…I forgot, King Kong Suchi can carry you back to your room if you pass out on the beach!"

"Fine Wheeler, I will just sit around in my room all day and wait for you to come home before I do anything," she says with just a hint of frustration.

"I'm sorry Linka. You know that's not what I want. Just promise me that you won't push yourself too far if you don't feel well enough. I'd feel better."

"I promise."

"Thank you. I should probably get back to work and let you get some sleep."

"Da, the sooner you finish, the sooner you can come home."

"That's what I keep telling myself." I take a chance at confessing something to her. "I miss you, and it's only been half a day." I guess that's not too big of a shocker since she knows how I feel about her.

"I know…I miss you too. Goodnight Yankee," she yawns once more.

I can't help the huge smile that's spread across my face. She misses me!

"Goodnight Babe. Sweet dreams…and remember, if you're having a bad dream, I'll be there, in your subconscious, to protect you. Just think of me, and I'll be there."

"I will. Thank you for calling."

"My pleasure Babe. Talk to you soon."

I hope she falls right to sleep…and I hope with all my heart that hearing my voice right before bed is enough to keep the demons away.

I go back to work, save a few more lives, help get the frames of a few more houses up, and before I know it, it's been six hours. The second wave of relief has arrived and is taking over for the next shift. Which means I get to go to bed, but first…I have a date with a beautiful Ruskie.

The phone rings and rings, but there's no answer. She must've forgotten to set the alarm when we got off the phone earlier. Judging from the sound of her voice, she probably fell right to sleep. I guess I'll just have to call her when I wake up. I'm so tired, I don't even change out of my clothes, just fall down on the bed, and I'm out like Boy George.

To Be Continued…

Don't forget, in order to get the full affect of the story, you HAVE TO read Linka's side of the story in Chapter 28 of LouiseX's Codependence.