Falling Dawn (II)

Chapter 14

Freshly showered, after a much too short night, Tom and I strolled next to each other without any idea of where to go. We'd arranged with Dave to meet him, Corey and the kids for a BBQ dinner at a nearby park at five. This beautiful Sunday was all ours and I intended to enjoy every second of it.

It was a relaxed atmosphere on a busy weekend morning, in the beautiful suburb of Manly: Surfers roaming to the beach with their boards over their shoulders, joggers exercising with IPods in their ears, young families playing at the playground and couples enjoying breakfast in one of the countless cafes. I'd been here many times before, usually alone with the kids, spending the day at the beach and always hoping to catch a glimpse of a fairy penguin along Manly wharf, in vain. Those trips had been nothing but stress, chasing after the kids, while they were whining for ice cream. I'd never experienced the calmness such a weekend day could hold.

"Where would you like to go?" Tom asked me while we were wandering, arm in arm, through the outdoor cafes along the Corso, which connects Manly's harbour with the ocean side. Since we'd skipped breakfast at Corey's we sat down in a lovely outdoor cafe with view of the ocean and a range of water features. Artistic street performers entertained the crowd right in front of us. The refreshing fruit salad I'd ordered was absolutely secondary. Tom also appeared relaxed, all worries seemingly forgotten.

"I could get used to this," I told Tom, leaning back in my chair, enjoying the sunshine on my face.

"Me, too. Why don't we?"

Hmmm.

After breakfast we took a long walk along the beach, watching swimmers, surfers and volleyball players on the sand. Every time I looked into Tom's soft face, he wore a gorgeous smile. The breeze from the open sea blew my hair all over my face and I struggled containing my long summer dress at a decent length. Attentive as ever, Tom placed his arm diagonally around my back, down to my outer thigh, holding the orange dress in place for me. Those were the small gestures which proved just how much he cared.

As we walked along the promenade, I noticed a "Kayak Hire" sign in the distance. I wasn't sure how Tom felt about it. Did he still enjoy the sport after quitting his professional career, or did he resent it because of the trouble it caused him as a young athlete? He must have noticed the sign himself though, keeping his eyes fixed on it.

As we were standing in front of the hire outlet, Tom stopped. "Would you like to take a trip?"

"I'd love to. I'm just not sure how good I'll be at rowing in a straight line." I'd tried kayaking, or was it canoeing - I couldn't tell the difference - a few times when I was younger in holiday camps, but had always been going zigzag or in circles.

"Don't worry," Tom winked at me. "I'm sure I'll still manage to get us both around the water."

While Tom exchanged his technical expertise with the man behind the counter, I made my way to the toilet.

"I chose an orange one," Tom proclaimed as I returned. "Matching your airy dress." Happy mood Tom! This was going to be fun.

I clumsily climbed into the front of the kayak. Even though Tom and the guy from the kayak hire held it steady for me, it swung wildly from side to side. "I'm falling," I squealed.

"No, you're not. Sit down now," Tom instructed me. "No, no, leave your left foot out for now. - That's it. - Hold on to the paddle. - Now get your other foot in." Under Tom's expert instruction, I managed to get in without tipping the whole boat over. Tom, on the other hand, almost floated in the seat behind me. How graceful - and damn sexy!

Skilfully, Tom pushed us off the shore. His upper body moved in a smooth, gliding rhythm, causing the muscles on his arms to flex up and down, as he moved the paddle from side to side. My neck soon began hurting from contorting my head.