Wipe Out

Chapter 4:

Images flashed in my mind. We were down at the beach. I was several years younger. My Dad is with us. Mum, Dad, Tommy and I were all laughing and enjoying ourselves. Dad walked into the water and I went to follow him but something was holding me back. I turn to see Tommy holding me.

"Look at me Mal! Don't look at the water, look at me!" He screamed whilst holding me close to his wet, bare chest. I managed to move my head slightly and saw the water was red. My mother raced down to the water screaming.

"NOOO!" Tommy picks me up and ran back to the car. I kick, scream, cry, even try to bit him to be free of his grip. But I cannot get free.

I wake up screaming and drenched in sweat. My door burst open and Tommy comes in.

"I had the dream. I had the dream." I sob as I bury my face into his shoulder as he sits down beside me. What I have just dreamt about was the day my Dad was mauled to death by a shark. I was 15 when he died. We were all down at the beach, enjoying the waves and soaking up the sunlight, when he was attacked.

"It's okay. You're okay. It was just a dream." He whispers in my ear with a soothing voice as he strokes my hair. Might seem stupid to you that an eighteen-year-old has to get her twenty-four-year-old brother to sooth her nightmares, but everybody has nightmares and everybody needs somebody to sooth them. And since I'm fatherless, Tommy is my next best thing.

"No, no it wasn't. It was real." I sob. "Did I wake you?" I ask after a couple minutes of silence.

"No. My mind just won't rest." He says, still holding me close like the day Dad died, and he's still stroking my hair.

"Are you thinking about what I told you about Mom?" I ask him.

"Among other things, but yeah. You alright now?" Tommy asks slightly moving away from me.

"I'm fine now. Thanks Tommy." I say as I lay back down.

"Yell out if you need me." He says in a quiet voice as he leaves my room. I roll over and look at my clock; 4:00am it read. I want to go back to sleep but I'm afraid that I would have the dream again. I've already lived through it; I really don't want to dream about it either. I lay there, clutching onto my necklace as my eyes start to feel droopy. I end up going back to sleep.

I wake up several hours later to the sound of the blender. 'Mom' I say to myself. I swing my legs around and place them on the ground. I sit there for a little while before I walk out of my room and into the kitchen only to find Mickey making pancakes and Tommy making the morning smoothies.

"Hey Malina." Mickey says with a huge smile as I sit on a stool at the bench.

"You alright?" Tommy asks me, probably still concerned over our little incident earlier this morning.

"Yeah I'm fine." I reassure him as I tuck some stray hairs behind my ear. "Oh, Happy Birthday Mickey." I say when I remember what day it is today.

"Thanks Malina. Glad to see somebody remembered." Mickey smirks at Tommy.

"I did remember! Who was the one who organised for us to go night surfing?!" Tommy giggles.

"That was me Tommy!" I smile at him.

"Thanks Mal, now I'm really in trouble." Tommy giggles.

"Oh that reminds me." I say to myself as I get off the stool and walk back to my room. I pick up the canvas and walk back out to the kitchen. "Here you go Mickey." I hand the canvas to her.

"Oh my goodness! I remember that day! Thank you Malina!" Mickey laughs as she gives me a hug.

"Mum shouldn't be too far away. She has something better for you." I say as I sit back down on the stool.

"What do I have?" Mum says as she enters the kitchen. "Happy Birthday Mickey." Mom gives her a hug.

"Thanks Jocelyn." Mickey thanks Mom. As she broke the hug, Mom handed her a small black box and Mickey looks at it with curiosity. "What is it I wonder?" Mickey lifts the lid. "Oh Jocelyn, it's beautiful, thank you." Mickey says as she lifts the silver necklace out of the box.

"What is it?" Tommy asks as he places his arms around Mickey's waist and his chin on her shoulder.

"It's a necklace and it says Tommy and Mickey." She says with a smile as she hands the necklace to him. He takes the necklace and moves her hair aside and ties the necklace around her neck. "Thank you Tommy." Mickey places her hair back in place.

"Everybody stay put! I'll be right back." Tommy says as he walks off. I know exactly what he is going to do; he's getting the ring.

Tommy walks back into the kitchen and places the little black box on the bench in front of Mickey.

"What's this?" Mickey says as she picks up the box. Tommy stands beside me and tucks his hand behind his back; he has his finger crossed. I turn to Mickey and watch her expression change from happiness to shock. She places a hand over her mouth and stares at the ring for about a minute. She then looks up and whispers something.

"What was that?" I ask with butterflies in my stomach. Don't know why the hell I'm nervous for. But if I am, I can only imagine what Tommy feels like on the inside.

"Yes." Mickey says a bit louder. I smile as Tommy walks over and gives her a kiss and a hug. Mom and I stand there smiling like idiots as we watch them.

"You two had better get going, Malina you had better get to work." Mom says and I remember that I was working today. "Oh crap!" I mutter to myself as I race to my room and quickly throw a pair of shorts on. I rummage through my drawers until I find the shirt that I had bought about a week ago. I grab my kimono cardigan that is lying on my floor and then I do my hair in my little mirror. I pause and look at the shark tooth I wear around my neck. It was from the shark that killed Dad. I wear it because it as a reminder of him. I replay memories I have of him and think that he would be so proud of Tommy.

"Come on Malina! You'll be late!" I hear Mom call out. I snap back to reality and grab my bag. I then walk back out to the living room.

"Mom have you seen my sandals?" I ask her.

"You mean those ones at the door." Mum calls out. I walk over to the door and sure enough, there they are. I slip them onto my feet and stand up.

"Hey Mom, I think I will ride today." I yell out to her as I open the door and realize what a wonderful day it is outside.

"Okay, just please be careful." She calls out as I shut the door and race around to the side of the house where my bike is standing. I place my bag in the front basket and ride off.