To the Beach and Back

Chapter 27

Nick and Wesley leave the next morning.

Feeling my son hug me tight and kissing my cheek brings tears to my eyes, reminding me of the times when he was young, running into the house crying because of a splinter and going straight to me for help. Back when I was mom, maybe not the one he wanted the most but who he needed.

"I'm here for you, sweetie," I whisper in his ear. "Call me later and let me know how it goes."

He steps back and smiles, the tension in his eyes telling me that he might not go through with is plan to tell Nick on the drive home. Which is totally fine. What happens next is up to Wesley. It's on his terms and his terms only. I am merely the background noise cheering him on.

I do wish I could see the look on Nick's face afterward, though, however sinful that might be.

I wave to them both as they pull out of the parking lot and once they drive out of sight, I run through the house and onto the back deck in time to see them on the opposite end, turning onto a side street, watching until they were out of sight.

Alone, now, without Nick, Wesley ... or dear Sadie.

So ... now what?

Now what do I do now that the emotional storms have passed ... for the most part?

The doorbell rings.

I walk back through the house and open the door to find Holda and Allyse on the front porch, each of them holding a bottle of champagne and orange juice.

"Mimosas?" Allyse asks.

In that moment, I fully understand what I had been missing for the past two years. It wasn't Nick. It wasn't a marriage that I wasn't even fully happy with, if I were honest with myself.

It was friendship.

~~~

An hour later, I'm questioning that friendship.

Just kidding.

Sort of.

"Come on, Marcie! Swimming in the ocean is the last major thing on your sand bucket list," she says, holding up the napkin that Dave wrote on two weeks ago, what now feels like a lifetime ago.

"There's other things I haven't done," I remind her.

"Yeah, but this one is significant! It's about facing your fears and jumping back into life ... literally! And since you're leaving tomorrow, today is your last chance, so come on, you have to! In fact," she drains the last of her Mimosa and stands, her legs long and beautiful in light denim cut-off shorts. "I'm insisting. Holda? You coming?"

Holda finishes her drink and shakes her head. "Nope. Can't. I gotta lunch date."

Both Allyse and I raise our eyebrows. "With whom?" I ask.

"That vet," Holda answers, pressing her hands together in prayer and looking up at the heavens. "Thank you, dear Sadie!" Her face then fills with concern as she looks at me. "I'm sorry, Marcie ... too soon?"

I laugh and shake my head. "No, Sadie would be happy to know she hooked you up. Cocktails later then?"

Holda stands, kissing both of Allyse's cheeks and then mine. "Sure! If you don't drown first."

Ha ha.

An hour later, we're on the beach, stretched out side by side on Ryan's Tommy Bahama beach chairs and shaded by his huge turquoise umbrellas. As I apply yet another round of sunscreen on my legs, I noticed a group of bikini-clad young ladies with no umbrella coating their tanned skin with spray-on oil.