The Ways We Become Undone [ON HOLD]

Chapter One (rewritten)

     

MY GRANDMOTHER used to tell me a story about how the sea solved the problems of young lovers, how the cool cerulean waves washed away all their troubles. I was too young to understand the exact meaning of this, but as we passed by that same cerulean sea and its rolling waves on that cloudy afternoon, I realized then what my Grandmother had actually meant. What she had meant was that the sea washed away the troubles of those younger lovers by drowning them.

    

And if that was the cruel fate of young lovers, I never wanted to stand on that shore while being so in love.

    

“Are we almost there yet, Dad?”

    

I looked away from the vast ocean and glanced at the one who asked the question. My brother sat next to me, wearing his bright blue pajamas and a bored expression that was slightly hidden behind his long golden locks.

    

“That’s the third time you’ve asked in the past half hour, Samuel,” Mom responded from the passenger seat, turning around and giving a look that said have patience, dear to my brother.

    

Samuel let out a frustrated groan, making a smile curl on my lips.

    

“I know,” I said quickly, “I’ll tell you a story.”

    

At the sound of my idea, Samuel’s bored expression was replaced by one of excitement. “Okay, Helen!”

      

It wasn’t hard to distract an eight year old boy, especially if that boy was like Samuel. I ruffled his hair, brushing back the little strands that fell in front of his eyes—he had the eyes of his mother—softly with my fingers. “Let’s start. Once upon a time, there was a girl and a boy.”

    

“Was he a prince and she a princess?” he immediately asked.

    

“Not exactly. She was a princess and he was a pauper,” I answered. “But, let me continue the story…The boy saw the princess sitting in the rain and she was smiling. But he knew she was in pain.”

    

Samuel interrupted again, “how did he know she was in pain?”

    

My thumb stroked his temple in circular motions. “He saw it in her eyes,” I whispered before continuing. “The boy sat down next to the girl and asked her what’s wrong. The girl shook her head, saying nothing was wrong. The boy didn’t believe her but decided it was not best to pester her about it…”

    

“So was there really nothing wrong?” Samuel questioned.

    

I frowned. “You keep interrupting me. Let me finish and maybe all your questions will be answered. Anyway, the boy and girl talked for the longest time as they waited for the rain to stop. They talked about everything and realized how much they had in common and how much they enjoyed each other’s company.”

    

Glancing up, I noticed Mom and Dad were listening too.