Dreams Can Come True

80. African morning sun

I stood on the sand, my shoes loosely dangling in my left hand as I felt the grains of sand tickling between my toes. The sun's rays danced on the water's surface, and the sea stretched out to the horizon, an endless expanse of peace and serenity.
After a short walk along the waterline, I sank down onto the soft sand, my gaze fixed on the rolling waves gently lapping against the shore. A stone caught my attention, and I picked it up, my fingers feeling the rough texture as I let it roll in my hand.
With a sigh of nostalgia, I remembered the days of my childhood when my father was still with us, and we went on vacation together. He had taught Tom and me to skip stones across the water, a simple yet enchanting game that always kept us entertained.
I flicked the stone with a smooth motion of my arm and watched as it skipped a few times over the water's surface before disappearing with a splash. A smile played on my lips as I imagined my father approving of the gesture.
But soon, darker thoughts replaced the joyful memories. My father had left after the divorce, and we had never heard from him since. A wave of anger and disappointment washed over me at the thought of his cowardly departure.
What kind of man abandons his own children? What kind of father was he to leave us without a trace of explanation or apology? My fists clenched automatically as I struggled with the painful memories of his betrayal.
But amidst my indignation and sorrow, there was also determination. I would never be that kind of father, never inflict the same pain on my own children that I had endured. I would always be there for them, unconditionally and without hesitation, and I would never allow them to experience the same sense of abandonment that I had known.

Suddenly, my contemplation was interrupted by the appearance of Gustav beside me. He settled down in the sand next to me, his gaze fixed on the horizon, just like mine. "You're up early too," I mumbled in greeting.
He looked at me sideways. "Yeah," he replied softly. "I couldn't sleep and then I saw you sitting here from my balcony."
I shrugged, not entirely sure where this conversation was headed. "Do you want to talk about it?" Gustav asked suddenly, his eyes on me.
I frowned slightly, not quite understanding what he was getting at. "About what?" I asked, my voice a bit louder than intended.
"Why you're up so early and sitting here," Gustav clarified.
"Oh," I said, as I picked up another stone and threw it into the water with a smooth motion. "Elise woke me up with a call," I continued, as if it were an everyday occurrence.
"Aha," said Gustav, as if a puzzle piece had fallen into place. "I thought you were supposed to video call in the morning."
"That was the plan," I confirmed. "But she's out with Bas at that new nightclub. She sounded a bit tipsy, and I think she didn't realize the time difference."
A small smile played on Gustav's lips. "Are you worried?" he asked, his voice full of understanding. I sighed and ran my hands through my hair.
I hesitated for a moment. "Yes and no," I admitted honestly. "I trust her completely, and Bas is with her. But you never know what can happen when you drink too much, right?"
Gustav looked me straight in the eyes, his gaze reassuring. "Oh, Bill," he said in a calm tone. "You really don't need to worry. Elise is crazy about you."
A warm feeling spread through my chest at his words.

"And what's your excuse for being up so early?" I asked my friend, turning my attention to him. He averted his gaze and stared back at the sea. "Nothing," he replied curtly.
"Come on, Gus," I pressed. "I've known you long enough. Something's bothering you, I can tell."
He let out a deep sigh and seemed to hesitate before speaking. "The truth is, I'm still struggling with the time difference," he began. "And... I'm worried about Georg."
"Georg?" I repeated, as if I hadn't heard him correctly. "Haven't you noticed he's constantly on his phone? And when he says something, it's always about that Valerie," he continued, rolling his eyes.
I hummed thoughtfully. It was true that Georg had seemed more preoccupied with his phone lately, but I hadn't noticed it as strongly as Gustav had. "Hmm," I murmured, thinking about his words.
"I just have a feeling she's not a good girl for him," Gustav went on, his concern clear in his voice. "I'm really worried about it."
I looked at him with an understanding expression. "We haven't even met her yet, Gustav," I tried to reassure him. "Let's give her a chance. After all, you guys accepted Elise, right?"
"Elise is a completely different story," Gustav grumbled back, clearly unconvinced.
I sighed and placed my hand on his shoulder. "I'll keep an eye on it, Gustav," I assured him. "But let's see how it goes first before jumping to conclusions."
I felt a vibration in my pocket and pulled out my phone. "I wish you were here Xx," the message read, with a few typos. A smile curled on my lips. Even though she was drunk, she was still thinking of me. My heart leapt at the thought.
I heard Gustav's stomach audibly growl, which brought a smile to my face. "Maybe it's time for breakfast," I suggested to cheer him up.
He looked at me gratefully and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, good idea," he replied. "I am quite hungry."