Sweet Saltwater

Chapter 1

At the age of 25, Iris supposed that many of her peers would have gone out to see the world, to learn what else it has to offer, what doors there were to open, but she had always figured that those doors were for people more adventurous than her, more ambitious and in some ways more restless. She never felt the need for such things. Her comfort lay within the confines of the island, the coves and sandy beaches she took her first steps on, the sea battered rocks and the winding cobblestone streets. Most of all, her comfort was the sea, the familiar sound of the waves lapping onto the shore, almost as if scrambling to greet her, to cool her skin and soothe her mind. She couldn't understand how people could just uproot their life and go elsewhere, how did they let go so easily? It was these types of questions that still held her moored to Lagona.

Iris didn't think of it as a bad thing, she was in no way less progressive than anyone else her age; albeit she didn't have any shiny diplomas to reflect her capabilities, however that didn't mean she didn't have any. She was bright, she knew that; her parents always urged her to do more, she guessed it was because they felt guilty that she was raised on an island with little to no opportunity for a young woman, but she never saw it that way.

Iris grew up in one of Lagona's most exclusive hotels. Her parents built "The Grand '' from the ground up with nothing more than their own sweat and hard work. Her mother, Ava, was a hard woman, there were no limits to her ambitions. Iris knew that if it weren't for her, The Grand would never have come to life the way it did back in those days. Ava had a talent for charming each and every person she came across, she did it with a dazzling smile and the most sincere set of large doe brown eyes, that ultimately charmed Iris' father, Leo. The pair moved to Lagona to begin their project, but it wasn't until much later that they had Iris. She was always told that she was their blessing, the final piece to their story.

Iris was close with her parents through her youth, but their age was bringing on new challenges for their relationship. Her father had always been an earnest and honorable man, he didn't grow up with much but he always said that Ava and Iris were his biggest treasures in life. That was before the dementia set in and his memories began fading to a thin mist which came and went depending on the day. Iris knew it wasn't his fault, but she couldn't help but blame him for the way things turned out for the three of them.
The Grand, which they worked so hard on for all those years, was sold to the first buyer when they found out about Leo's quickly worsening condition. Iris remembers it as if it were yesterday, her mother telling her that she no longer would be able to run through the carpeted halls with her friends or jump in the pool whenever she wished. She was only 13 at the time but she was devastated. Shortly after, her parents bought a two story house up in the hills, and ever since, Ava and Leo had been living off of the hotel money.

The first couple years after they lost the hotel were difficult, not due to a lack of money, but rather a lack of purpose. The hotel was Ava and Leo's life, their 8 story cement child, which they spent years building out of a figment of imagination. Every detail, regardless how small, was hand-picked and purposefully chosen, everything had a purpose at The Grand.
The new owners however, did not see it the same way. The lack of passion and upkeep spread like a mold across the hotel. The once brilliantly white walls faded to a dull gray, the pools' sparkling water no longer teemed with the colors of bathing suits and the hotel's steps became vacant until a "CLOSED" sign was put on the glass doors and the hotel's grandeur was forgotten.

Iris walked past it now, feet shuffling quicker, as if walking past the skeleton of the building quickly would erase the feeling of nostalgia from her heart. She tried to push the memories aside whenever they arose, she didn't want to think of the time when her family was whole and her father's mind wasn't in shambles.

She checked the time on her phone again, 11:52, her shift didn't start until 12:15 but she wanted to stop by and see Erica before she started work. She picked up the pace and headed for the quaint bakery that looked out onto the fishing boat harbor. The boats swayed gently, their white paint illuminated by the morning sun beating down on them. It was going to be another scorching shift, Iris thought as she entered the bakery, greeted by the sweet smell of freshly baked bread and the hustle and bustle of the locals picking their afternoon snack.

"Thank you Mr Tomlinson, I'll be sure to come by for some fresh figs later today. My mother is making a new batch of jam if you're interested" Erica smiled at the man before her, handing him a plastic bag filled with baked goods. The old man reached for it, his signature fedora tipped to the side, revealing a tanned and wrinkled face lit up by a smile.

"Oh please do save a jar for me." he said as he turned to leave. "Oh! Good day child, I almost didn't see you there!" he exclaimed as he saw Iris standing behind him.

"Good day Mr. Tomlinson" she greeted him as she held the door open, the heat from the outside creeping in.

"Thank you young lady" said the man as he dipped his head in gratitude and strode out of the bakery, plastic bag in hand.

"Hey hun, hectic day today, are we still on for tonight? I hear Pierce has some news but I didn't have time to ask this morning before I left for work" Erica babbled as she reorganized a tray of cheese swirls. Iris smiled. Although many thought that Erica's babbling was a bad habit, Erica's mother included, Iris always found comfort in it. As if the chaos of her friend's stream of consciousness matched the torrent of thoughts and feelings Iris always seemed to have.
The two were an inseparable pair. Where there was one, there was the other. Ever since they were children. Iris with her mother's golden locks always in a loose tangle down her back, while Erica's straight onyx hair was always tidied in a braid or a bun, never a stray hair in sight. They looked like polar opposites but in truth they were one and the same.

"Yeah I heard something about it, I'll get off work at around nine if you guys want to come by for a beer?" Iris said as she checked her phone for the time again; 11:59.

"Will Vern be alright with that?" Erica asked, breaking her concentration and looking up at Iris with some concern. She had beautiful green eyes which Iris always envied. Her own were a chocolate shade of brown that sometimes, if the sun hit them at the right angle, would have a streak of gold run through.

"I mean I don't see why not, Pierce will be there." Pierce, often referred to as the third musketeer, was the newest addition to their group. He and his parents, Vern and Mathilda, moved to Lagona a mere 6 years ago, but they fit in right away, as if they were a missing piece all along.

The restaurant Pierce's parents opened soon after they arrived, became the town's crown jewel very quickly, which worked in Iris' favor, as she got a job there as soon as she moved away from her parents, 4 years ago. Mathilda, or Tilda as they began calling her, was the very definition of a sweet woman. She became somewhat of a second mother to Iris over the years, as her own was always busy taking care of a memory of a man. 

Tilda was truly the driving force behind the restaurant, always chattering with the guests, a glass of wine in hand, making everyone feel as if they belonged to the community.
Vern, her husband, was quite the opposite. He was stern, always a frown on his brow and a harsh comment on his breath. Iris usually tried to steer clear of him. He made almost everyone cower in his presence. Iris knew he didn't mean harm, in fact he could be rather sweet with his son Pierce, but his demeanor and presence always seemed to frighten people.

"Yeah, alright. Do you reckon he got with the new girl?" Erica's question brought Iris back from her thoughts. She couldn't tell if there was a bite in her friend's question or if she imagined it.

"Who? Pierce? I doubt it, with the moves he has he couldn't even get someone he paid to get with him" Iris chuckled to herself, but she saw the quick flash of shame that crossed Erica's features. Iris straightened and quickly thought to change the subject, she didn't want to linger in Erica's confused feelings. "Ok, I'll head out now, before Vern skins me, see you at nine yeah?" she said, hoping to break her friend's dazed stare. Her phone read 12:02.

"Yeah, okay" Erica trailed off quietly, clearly looking for a distraction amongst the now perfectly organized pastries before her.

"The cheese swirls won't help you figure Pierce out, E" Iris said as she opened the door to leave. It was the way they dealt with things, teasing each other was their love language.

"Well they sure as hell can't harm the process" the girl smiled, the dazed expression melting off her round face as she picked a pastry up and took a bite.

Iris stepped out into the afternoon heat and headed for the restaurant. It was sure to be busy tonight, the summer months always brought waves and waves of guests. She checked the time one last time before she quickened her pace, beads of sweat already forming on her brow.