I look at him and he looks back at me.
Ha-It is the fastest way to get down. There is a place I can take you to until the first option becomes available again. Hold very, very, very tight and don't let go if you value your life.
I get closer to him and I put my arms around his neck and he tightens his grip around me.
Ha-Ready?
-Yes.
Ha-Keep your eyes on me at all times.
He puts a feet on the edge of the window and then he jumps from the window to the streets. I make the mistake of looking away from him and I enter in a panic attack. I start screaming at the top of my lungs and in the middle of all of it I make him lose his trajectory and we get separated midair. The force is such that it separates us that we don't reach each other. I see as the ground gets closer and I try to land on my feet but it doesn't goes as well as I hoped. He lands gracefully after me and he runs towards me checking me first. He shakes me by the shoulders.
Ha-I told you not to look away from me.
-I'm sorry, truly I'm sorry.
He takes me on his arms again and he takes me to his apartment. At the speed he's going it only takes five minutes to get there and when we get there he puts me on the bed in the guest room. He takes a couple of first aid kits from the closet and puts them beside the bed. He sits there and he tries to minimize my fever a bit.
Ha-Let's see how you pass the night and if you don't get better we go to Olympus.
I nod at him and I stretch out my hand and he takes it. I hold his hand close to my chest until I fall asleep.
When I wake up the next day I see that he's asleep by my side. I squeeze his hand a bit and I try to sit up but feel as the world starts spinning out of control. I hold my head with a low sigh when I feel the urge or the need to throw up. I jump out of bed and run to the bathroom to throw up. When I make sure it has passed I wash my face with warm water. I stay there looking at myself on the mirror when I hear Hades from the door.
Ha-Morning.
I look at him and I give him a smile before I sink to the floor. I rest my head against the wall and I start to cry a bit. He gets on the floor by my side and he plays with a loose strand of hair. I take his hand and give it a light squeeze.
-I feel vulnerable, weak.
Ha-You might be vulnerable but you are not weak. You just got hurt pretty badly and you need to rest and recover.
-You're just trying to make me feel better.
Ha-Yes and no, because that's what I do and I only speak the truth.
-Do you think we can race or do a friendly competition when I get better?
Ha-Yes but where, or how do you suggest we do it?
-I got the idea from when you jumped out the window. We can use the walls and floors of New York city as our coliseum while we do lots of tricks.
Ha-And what's the goal?
-I was thinking on putting something on certain points and we have to try and get to all those points in the least amount of time possible.
Ha-That sounds like a good idea, we can tell something about the place, like, that's where I asked her to be my girlfriend or I had my first kiss there or a curious fact about the building in general.
-Or something else that we might want to do or share.
After a couple of minutes maybe an hour we go to the living room and Hades turns up the news but I take the remote and put a live documentary on sharks. He looks at me in surprise and I stick my tongue out at him before he turns back to watch what I put.
Ha-How long does it last?
-All day long and the best part, without commercials.
We spend all morning watching how sharks eat, sleep, mate, etc. Close to dinner time I see a familiar figure on the screen and I give it backwards and pause and I zoom in on the person and I smile widely as I see who it is.
-Esteban.
I give it play and as it resumes I shake Hades to look and he does, still confused.
Ha-What?
-Look, is Esteban, he's about to swim in shark infested waters.

On TV
Announcer-So, do you have any tips, thoughts or anything you want to share for the people watching this at home?
E-Yes, I want everyone to know that this is no joke. Do not do it ever, all I can say is this, people without experience and proper training that did this and come out alive, they are extremely lucky. Because, and this is important, I have trained for this all my life and I'm a professional and I still get out with a few bruises here and there.
Announcer-Can you tell us what exactly is it you're going to do now?
E-Well, as you can see, this is a feeding frenzy between sharks. As you can see, the water is a deep red, that means that they are eating and right now this is the most dangerous moment to swim with them. This is something I wanted to try before but I didn't have the courage to do it until now.
Announcer-Is it true that you rejected this same thing when they offered it to you and they were offering you more money than what you get now. What made you change your mind?
E-Love.
Announcer-So you have someone special at home, any words for her in case she's watching the program today?
E-That I love her, miss her and wish me luck.
He turns to see the camera and blows me a kiss.
E-My love, don't worry, I'll be fine. I love you with all my life. I'll be back, sound and safe and whole. Wait for me.
He puts his mask on and he stands on the edge of the boat before he jumps to the waters. I watch as they turn to the underwater camera and I see as he maneuvers skillfully between the sharks. Every time a shark swims by his side I feel a jolt of energy travel through my body. I watch as he accommodates the camera so it can capture the entire frenzy and him in it. I watch as he swims around the frenzy and then goes to the middle from below. He makes a wrong sudden turn that alerts one of the sharks and I let out a short small scream as it goes towards him. He manages to evade the shark pressing a nerve on it's head and then he gets out of the frenzy and swims towards the camera. He stops and looks at his watch and then he presses a button and the camera changes and the next himg I see is how he surfaces out of the water and he is helped on to the boat. He takes the equipment off and open his suit with a smile and a short laugh.
E-That was intense. For a moment I really thought I was going to die.
Announcer-Congratulations on surviving once more without a scratch.
E-That's not entirely true. I dislocated my shoulder.
Announcer-Is that why you came back up?
E-Oh no, I was running out of air. But not to worry. I'm going back down there.
Announcer-And I assume there is no way to change your mind.
E-Not a chance, besides I want to do something first. Can you film the sharks for a moment, I'll be right back.
With that he goes inside and I let out a sigh of relief as he's safe and sound. I hear my phone ringing behind me and I answer it with a groan.

The apartment
I answer the phone and the voice I hear is so lovely that I smile widely.
Esteban through phone-Hey love, what are you doing?
-Not much, how were the shark's frenzy?
E-You saw that?
-Yeah, thanks for the compliment.
E-I only spoke the truth. Now, I need you to do something for me.
-Sure, shoot ahead.
E-Are you dressed properly?
-Yeah.
E-Ok, then, I need you to switch to videocall.
We both change to video call and when we can see each other I can see him smiling.
E-There we go. Stay put, don't move, I have to show you something. Now, where is it? I know I put it around here somewhere. No, no, not this one either, aha, got you.
I see as he takes a rolled paper and he motions for the TV cameraman to step closer to film him. I watch as he starts unrolling the paper while he speaks.
E-Now this is for the best, most beautiful woman I've ever met and the one and only owner of my heart for now and forever. Tikvah, my love, will you accept this proposal and become my wife?
At a loss of words I just nod my head at him.
-Of course, I only wish I could be there with you. I'll be happy to marry you.
E-Hades, if you may be so kind.
I feel as Hades puts a hand on my shoulder and he gives me a small box on my hands.
-You knew?
He nods as I open the box to reveal a beautiful gold ring. I look at it and then as I put it on I show it to him through the video call.
-Look, is a perfect fit. How long have you been planning this?
E-Since we met. I decided to do it like this, while apart because of a simple reason. I wanted to show you and the world, really show that no matter how far we are from each other, our love is stronger than anything else.
Then we hear a voice from outside and he snaps to attention.
Captain-Esteban, the next tank is ready for the next dive.
E-Just a moment, keep watching the TV. I will go deeper, maybe pet them a bit.
Captain-Esteban, the clock is ticking.
E-Just a moment.
Captain-Esteban!
E-Coming! I have to go or else he will eat me alive. Call you later and keep watching.
Captain-Esteban!
E-On my way, geez what impatience.
Before he says anything else he's being pulled outside. I hang up and I keep watching him on the TV.

On TV
Announcer-And now after that proposal our deadly animal lover prepares to go back to the water to perform yet another swim with a frenzy of sharks. How do you feel now?
E-I feel more alive than ever. Now, shark time.
He puts his mask on and he jumps to the water once more. This time however there are more sharks and bigger too. I watch as they start to swim around him menacingly but he still jeeps his cool. Suddenly two sharks start fighting over a piece of food and that develops a chain reaction and in a matter of seconds Esteban us trapped underwater between a fight of sharks and all of them hungry and mad. I watch as he evades the shark's touches but just barely. I watch as he looks for a way out but as he doesn't find any he takes a remote from a pocket on his arm and he presses the button and all the sharks swim away from him. I can see as some of the smaller ones swim confused. I stand and go to the bathroom and when I come back he's back at the boat. I mute the TV and rest on the couch.

At the apartment three days later.
Ha-Bored?
-Maybe.
Ha-Did you like the surprise?
-Yeah. I didn't realize you grew so close together.
Ha-That was thanks to you mostly.
I nudge closer to him and then he takes out his phone.
Ha-Pizza or Chinese?
-Chinese.
He calls a restaurant and he orders the food in Chinese. He hangs up and after an hour of waiting the food arrives. He pays the delivery boy as I take the bags and put them on the table. We eat dinner while cracking jokes and he telling me stories of when he took care of mom when she was a baby. I stand to throw away the trash and as I walk towards the trashcan I feel a sudden pain in my chest. I stop frozen and I'm pulled out from my thoughts when Hades puts a hand on my shoulder.
Ha-Are you okay?
-Yeah, it's probably nothing, just me being silly.
I give him a small smile and sit back down with a satisfied sigh.
-Can we go home?
Ha-Wich one?
-Where Storm is.
He nods and we make our way home. We stay silent until I see someone at the door of my house.
-Who is that?
Ha-It looks like a police officer. Let's see what he wants.
He parks and we get out of the car and we walk over to the police officer.
-Excuse me, what are you looking for in my house?
Officer-You live here?
-Yes. What do you need?
Officer-I'm looking for Tikvah Garcia.
-That's me, what can I do for you?
Officer-I need you to come with me and answer a few questions.
I frown but I nod and I take Hades's hand and give him a look as he follows me to the officer's car. I tap anxiously my fingers on the armhold and I can't help but remember the bad feeling I had earlier that day. We reach the main police station and they take me inside and after a lot of questioning I snap at them.
-But why are you asking me all this questions? Shouldn't you be asking him all this? Wouldn't he know better where he was at that time?
I laugh at their supposed mistake but I stop when they look at each other with concern.
Officer-He's dead, did nobody told you?
I stand slowly from my chair.
-No, no, this is a joke. This is a bad joke. He's not dead, he can't be. No, no, no, you're lying to me.
One of the officers reach out to me but I snap a look at him and he backs away.
Officer-I'm sorry for your loss.
I shake my head and I take the back of the chair in my hands.
Officer-He is dead.
I swing the chair in their general direction screaming.
-He is not dead, he's alive and he is on a trip for work. He will come back in four days just like he promised. He is not dead.
I storm out of the room and I bump into someone and when I look that is Hades I break out in tears and hug him tightly. He strokes my hair gently and I hear as the officer talks to him.
Ha-What happened?
Officer-We informed her of the death of Esteban.
-He is not dead, stop saying that he is. Stop saying that, is not true. Is not.......
For a moment we stay there before the officer leads us down the hallway. She stops at the door and I look up to see we're standing in front of the morgue. I feel the tears grow.
Ha-I'm here for you. You don't have to do this.
I shake my head at him.
-No, I have to, I just don't want to.
Officer-We can do this later if you like.
I shake my head and take a deep breath and enter the room. She lead us to where he is and I straighten up and close my eyes as I squeeze Hades's hand harder.
Officer-Can you confirm if this is him?
I open my eyes and fearfully look at his lifeless body. I raise my hand and brush my fingers down his face. I can feel the coldness of death in his body. Not warm to the touch, not a single trace of life on him. I look at his hand and I take it on mine. I see my ring from when he asked me to be his wife and I take it off and put it on his hand instead.
Ha-Tikvah?
-He's not dead, he can't be dead.
Ha-Tikvah.
-He can't be, he promised he'll be back.
He takes me on his arms and hugs me tightly. I cry on his arms until I'm too tired to even open my eyes. I feel as he carries me away but I'm too tired to care and don't even bother in moving.