Drowning

S.S. Saving Grace

Left with less than a week together, Emmett and I didn't waste any time getting back into the swing of things. We continued the usual of staying with each other overnight, but it seemed that Emmett did his best to keep me away from his place, which was fine with me because I know that I would have to hold my tongue if I ran into Joey. I wasn't exactly feeling very cheeky towards him right now. Maggie and Emmett worked out their differences one morning while I was in the shower. I knew this because they were actually talking instead of just glaring at each other. Maggie told me later that she had listened to everything he said to me, and he also apologized to her for hurting me. Odd, but it made her happy and I just wanted everything back to normal. There was so little time, and I didn't want to spend it in any negative way.

Emmett did everything he could to make sure I knew he wouldn't change his mind while he was away. If I was being honest, I liked being reassured, but I kind of wanted my Emmett back, the confident, sarcastic, sometimes funny Emmett. I trusted him, and as weird as it sounds putting it this way, he learned his lesson. Not that I was some great catch or anything, but he realized that life without me wasn't the same, much like I did with him.

He brought me flowers every day, waking up before I did to go to the store and buy them, as well as stopping by The Bakery and picking up danishes and hot chocolate. He was trying, but I wish he would stop spending money on me. The apartment always smelled amazing now, and since the flowers all kept a few days they piled on each other. I had to find more places to put them after about the third day.

We were sitting on the couch in the living area three days before Emmett's deployment when he suggested we take one last sail. It sounded really depressing the way he said it, but I knew I would regret it if I didn't take him up on his offer. We piled on the layers and drove to the coast in his car. The moments were slipping by and I was starting to panic when I realized how little time there really was. How many more times would I ride in Emmett's Mustang with his hand in mine and the radio blasting classical rock? How many times would I get to hold his hand? I reached my other arm across my body and placed it on top of his hand entangled with mine, running it over his fingers.

I turned my body to face his and just admired him. It was okay, I reassured myself, because it's only six months out of many to come. He isn't leaving forever.

We pulled up to the well-known path and made our way through the greenery. Emmett kept his arm around me as we walked over the sand dunes down to the sail boat. It was midday and the sun was bright overhead. There was just the right amount of wind and the water was completely clear, drifting into a green glass color the deeper the bottom. It was as if nature was on our side before Emmett had to leave. It was only a short time, I reminded myself as Emmett helped me onto the boat. He handed me a life jacket, but this time it was different. This wasn't an ugly, construction site orange color, but instead a light pink with black and gray designs. I held it up, silently asking where it came from. "Pink brings out your eyes." He told me, turning back to untying the ropes connecting us to the dock.

I was sitting next to Emmett while he was steering us into farther waters. This was nothing like last time we were out here, and the sun warmed me up so much that the wind had no effect other than tangling my hair. I pulled it into a braid as Emmett watched me, catching my eye and turning back to the water.

He found a nice, clear area still within sight of the shoreline and reached for my hand. I let him pull me up and lead me to the seats along the front of the boat where the view was much better and the sun fully consumed us. He brought me into his lap as he wrapped his arms around my waist. I would miss being with him like this. It was amazing how much he changed my life.