A Love Like This

Races On The Beach

February 9
Scout:11
Sage:8

Amelia rolled over in the cold bed. It was February but Alabama was chilly.

The bed was empty. She went to bed every night like she expected to wake up and Link still be there. She knew he was gone. She knew that.

Amelia rolled to the other side of the bed and opened the bed side drawer. A hundred memories in that moment seemed to just hit her.

It was a photo of her and Link on the beach. She had no clue who had taken it. But Link had picked her up from behind it seemed.

Her fingers ran over the picture. They looked so happy. She flipped it over. Thank god someone had wrote the date on it.

Amelia and Link. February 9, 2009.

It hit her. That photo was taken 12 years ago. They looked the same but then again the sun was setting in the picture so you couldn't really tell.

Amelia pulled herself out of bed.  A task that instead of getting easier seemed to get harder.

She walked past Sage's room. She was fast asleep, Scout was awake but reading some book.

"Hey baby." Amelia leaned on the door.

"Hi." Scout mumbled.

"Can you talk to me?" Amelia asked.

"There's not much to talk about." Scout sighed.

"I know you miss Daddy. It's okay to admit you miss him." Amelia said sitting next to Scout.

"I miss him mommy. I miss him." Scout leaned into Amelia. Her heart aches for him. He only called her mommy when he was truly in pain.

"I know baby, I know. He's watching out for you though. He's gonna keep you safe." Amelia rubbed his back.

"I want him here keeping me safe. Not keeping me safe from the sky." Scout cried.

"I know baby. You're gonna be okay, it's gonna be okay." Amelia said.

"Do you miss him mommy?" Scout whimpered.

"I do." Amelia said.

"But you don't show it." Scout said confused.

"Well I like to think of the happy moments I had with him." Amelia lied. She wasn't foing admit to her 11 year old she was dying on the inside every second.

"Like what?" Scout asked.

"Well when he asked me to marry him, when I told him I was pregnant with you and Sage, when we used to have races in on the beach, when he used to bring me here." Amelia kissed Scout head.

"Those sound cool." Scout said.

"They were very cool. How about me you and your sister do something your daddy and I used to do." Amelia offered.

"Yeah for sure." Scout smiled softly.

-

"Mommy, it's February, the beach is cold." Sage said.

"Well you won't be cold with what we are doing." Amelia said.

"What exactly are we doing, you said this was something you and daddy did." Scout said.

"Yes it is. Walk with me." Amelia laughed. God this beach made her feel better? Not better but safer, calmer. Those were better choices.

Her bare feet brushed through the cool sand of the small beach. There was a "fallen" tree that was truly just a big root growing out the ground.

"Okay. Here we are." Amelia said sitting on the root.

"It's a root mom." Scout said.

"Your dad and I would start here and run across the beach seeing who could pick up the most shells without falling over." Amelia said.

"Like bend over while running?" Sage said a grin growing on her face.

"Yes. You run and try to grab as many shells as you can without falling over." Amelia said.

"Where do we stop at?" Scout asked.

"That very first tree right there." Amelia pointed.

"You're so on." Scout laughed.

"Okay you and Sage. Then I'll race the winner." Amelia said.

"Are you timing us?" Sage asked.

"I can." Amelia laughed pulling out her phone. 5:07 the sun would set soon. There was always a calming, enchanting feeling about the small beach in Fairhope at sunset.

"On your mark get set GO." Amelia yelled.

She watched sandy blonde hair and light brown curls blow in the air as the kids ran as fast as the could down the edge of the water.

The giggles that filled the air made Amelia forget all her pain for a moment. The golden sky with hints of pink that looked unreal blinded her vision while the salty air filled her nostrils and the cold wind blew her curls.

"I WIN I WIN." Sage cheered coming back to Amelia with Scout not far behind.

"Yeah whatever." Scout laughed.

"Okay now I have to race Sage." Amelia said handing Scout her phone.

"ON YOUR MARKS GET SET GO." Scour yelled excitedly.

"I'm gonna beat you mommy." Sage laughed dipping  her hand on the cold edge of water.

They ran to the tree and back and once back at Scout, collapsed into the cool sand, a puddle of giggles and tears not from sadness.

For the first time- tears from how hard they had laughed.

"I can see why Daddy loved this place." Scout smiled sitting on the log watching the last bit of sunset.

"Me too." Sage said leaning into Amelia.

Amelia wrapped her arm around Scout and her other around Sage. She kissed their heads as the sun slowly sunk seemingly into the water.

Leaving a picture that was fit to go inside a gallery.

"We love you Daddy, we miss you." Scout called softly watching the water ripple.

Not there in person, but Link was definitely there in spirit. They could tell. The air felt lighter, the breeze calmer, the atmosphere nicer.