Lessons Learned, Healing Hearts

Tides of Change (Chapter 42)

Sitting on a lounge chair, staring at the passing shore, Marlow felt melancholic this morning. Not only was it her last day at sea, but her time with Piero was also ending. With only three days left, it would be hard to go back to only being able to see him on a screen. Doting on each other, their connection was stronger than ever. Smiling at Piero as he came up from below to join her, Marlow scooted over to make room on the lounger for him. Grasping her outer thigh, he pulled her leg over the top of his and rested his hand on her hip.

"It is going to be hard to say goodbye to you once I have to leave," she said.

"I refuse to think that far ahead," Piero said. "I am only going to focus on today and on you." Dropping his chin to his chest, he puckered his lips and waited for Marlow to kiss him. Wrapping his arms around her back, she did not disappoint.

"Oh, sorry to interrupt," Francesco said, stumbling upon the two of them. "Nicolo apparently has a surprise stop for us and has asked that we all come to the boat's bow."

"This is for the beautiful ladies to enjoy," Nicolo said once everyone appeared.

"Yes!" the girls exclaimed as they looked out at a small, secluded cove and inviting beach. "But what about the guys?"

"They can go too, but I am making them in charge of coming back and forth to the boat to get things for you ladies."

Chuckling, both girls thanked Nicolo and hugged him tightly.

"Now go," he ordered, "You are keeping me from relaxing."

***

Isolated from civilization, the island was a veritable treasure trove, where sky, earth, and water all waited to be appreciated. To have a whole cove and beach of pale-yellow sand all to oneself was indescribable. Pairing up and going off to do their own things, Piero and Marlow investigated the tidal pools between the rocks.

"Piero," they heard Franz hollering from down the beach.

Making their way back to the blankets, Piero and Marlow met with Aubrey and Franz.

"You have got to come with us," Aubrey said, holding her stomach as she tried to catch her breath. "You won't believe what we found."

"What?"

"Just come with us," Aubrey said, grabbing Marlow's hand.

Clamouring over a much higher outcrop of rocks at the far end of the beach, a rush of adrenaline tingled through Marlow's limbs. Reaching the summit and looking out at the aqua-coloured sea, a coral formation acted as a natural barrier, shaping the waves before they gently rolled into shore. Below them, exposed by the receding tide, an expansive stretch of sand vanished into the darkness of a cave at the bottom of a jagged cliff face.

"Wow! This is amazing," Marlow exclaimed, tightly holding Piero's hand as he guided her down the other side.

Taking their time to explore their newfound hideaway, the group eavesdropped on a private conversation between the sand, the cave walls and the sea. Appreciative of the acoustics, Piero initiated an impromptu singalong. Harmonizing together, a few seagulls stopped at the water's edge and squawked their approval.

Catching out of the corner of her eye a spurt of water shooting up from the sand, Aubrey raced over and dropped to her knees.

"Franz, come help me," she hollered back as she began to dig.

Joined by everyone, a few minutes later, Franz triumphantly raised a good-sized clam.

"My fisherman," Aubrey squealed. "Now, if we could only find another three or four dozen, we could cook up some clam chowder for dinner tonight."