"What do you mean, Adoni?" Yanni asked.
"I mean that I am not attracted to women-that is what I mean," said Adoni, the ouzo letting out his painful secret.
"Not you, Adoni," said Yanni, astounded. "But why?"
"Maybe I am trying to find the love I never got from my father in another man."
Nikolas and Yanni stopped supporting each other and separated. There was silence as the trio strolled back to the ship. Nikolas finally said, "Adoni, you are very valuable to me. You are an excellent sailor and an honest man. I can't search for Anna without you."
"Thank you, Captain. Thank you, sir."
"It's okay, Adoni. I wish I was honest enough to express my feelings as you have," said Yanni.
***
Arriving at the boat, Nikolas went below to his cabin, as did Yanni. Adoni lay on the deck, watching the star-studded sky. The stars, the half moon, hung still in the early dawn's darkness. Adoni felt a heavy burden had been lifted from him. Soon, he slipped into sleep.
The roosters crowed to welcome the light from the east, pushing the night away. Nikolas jumped to the edge of his bunk. His heart was pounding. His entire body was soaked in cold sweat. He moved his wrist around to the ray of light coming from the porthole in order to look at his watch. It was just before 5 a.m. His head felt heavy. He let his body fall backward as he slumped into his bunk. His right hand rested on his chest as his eyes stared at the wooden ceiling above. "What a nightmare," he murmured.
He tried recalling the dream to give it meaning. Then he remembered the huge black vultures circling a monastery. Just like the ones he had seen on the inhospitable rocky island the day before. The largest vulture was clutching a baby in its claws. It was a little boy. The vulture circled many times around the monastery and then dropped the child. As the baby fell, an angel appeared and caught him with graceful movements. Somehow it all seemed very familiar to Nikolas.
He tried to close his eyes to go back to sleep. But he was unable to do so. "What is the meaning of this dream? A vulture? A baby?... Anna?" He wondered. He bolted upright and said, "I must confront the doctor as soon as day breaks."