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“ C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s ! Yo u a r e n o w a d v a n c e d d i v e r s ” , Vi r g i n i a ’s s m i l e i s h a p py a n d g e n u i n e. “ Ye a h , c o n g r a t s ! ” , - M i k e i s m a k i n g h i s w a y t o w a r d s B o b by. “ l i s t e n , g u y s , t h e r e i s t h i s M o n k e y Pa r k ; i t ’s r e a l l y i m p o r t a n t t o m e t h a t yo u g o t h e r e, o k ? ” “ S u r e, w e w i l l s e e h o w t h e i t i n e r a r y g o e s b u t w e w i l l t r y ” , the answer slips off my lips on its own. M i k e ’s t o n e i s s t i l l n i c e b u t b o r d e r l i n e p u s hy. B o t h , m y m i n d a n d b o d y a r e t o o e x h a u s t e d t o d e a l w i t h i t r i g h t n o w. T h e pain drained whatever energ y was left... … “ M i k e i s i n s i s t i n g t h a t w e g o t o t h e M o n k e y Pa r k . ” , “ I t ’s k i n d o f w e i r d , d o n’ t yo u t h i n k ? ” , - B o b by ’s v o i c e s l i g h t l y echoes in the spacious room as we’re getting ready for the d i n n e r. I t ’s b e e n a l o n g d a y. D i v i n g d i d n’ t g o a s s e a m l e s s l y as I wished it would. Some serious ear pain, a hospital visit after and a few medic a t i o n s a f t e r, B o b by i s f i n a l l y f e e l i n g a l i t t l e m o r e a l i v e. My mind tries to make sense of his words. I t d e f i n i t e l y i s w e i r d . E ye a r e g l a n c i n g t h r o u g h w o r k e m a i l b o x t h a t f i l l e d u p t o t h e b r i m d u r i n g t h e d a y. An email catches my attention. “ B o b by … h e e m a i l e d t h e t e a m t o o . A n d . . “ , - e ye s q u i c k l y s c a n t h r o u g h t h e t e x t , “ h e i s b e i n g k i n d o f a g g r e s s i v e. A c t u a l l y, r e a l l y a g g r e s s i v e. ” A n a g g i n g h e av y f e e l i n g t h a t a l m o s t disappeared during the diving certification days started to c r e e p b a c k u p. W hy s o p e r s i s t e n t ? A n d t h i s a g g r e s s i o n ? “A n d … h e i s n o w t e x t i n g m e t o o . ” - a l a r g e b l o c k o f t e x t a p pears on my screen notification. “He is pulling the guilt trip m ov e. W hy i s h e o b s e s s e d a b o u t t h i s M o n k e y Pa r k ? A n o t h e r m e s s a g e f r o m M i k e m a k e s m y j a w d r o p. “ I f o r g o t t o t e l l yo u . . . r e g a r d i n g C a s a G i v i n g Tr e e, p l e a s e d o n o t h i g h l i g h t / m e n t i o n t h e c o m p a n y Va c a t i o n i n C o s t a Rica. The owners of that company were one of the people w h o d i d n o t w a n t t o b e a p a r t o f m y p r o j e c t , s o j u s t d o n’ t m e n t i o n i t a t a l l w h e n yo u w r i t e a b o u t C o s t a R i c a ” . The all-alar ming feelings of caution mixed with fury take ov e r m y c o n s c i o u s m i n d . E ye s f o c u s o n B o b by ’s f a c e i n f r o n t o f m e w i t h o u t r e a l l y s e e i n g i t . A l l t h e a t t e n t i o n i s i n s i d e. M y b r a i n s i s a l i g n i n g a l l the details from the last few days. “ S o , t h e d u d e f l a t o u t l i e d . T h e w i f e a n d C ov i d s t o r y i s a l i e t h e n , t o o ? B o b by, l e t m e a c t u a l l y m a k e a c o u p l e o f c a l l s ” . My fingers start to dial a number as the last words slip off my lips.
