Above the waves

12

~Nate~

Josh left an hour ago and now I'm in my room looking at the ceiling.

I hear the familiar knock and ready myself for some fifteen year old real talk.

The door opens and dad comes in.

I sit up. "Oh. Hi, dad."

He smiles knowingly. "Expected someone else?"

I nod. "Tasha."

"Ah. Well I hear she's been giving good advice." He sits beside me and I nod. "But now here's some father advice."

I brace myself.

"Nate." He stops and looks at me. He raises an eyebrow and laughs. "Am I that intimidating?"

I relax my shoulder and shake my head. "Not really. Just not used to this. I must be making a lot of mistakes, huh?"

Dad's smile fades into a small one.

"Nate. It's not that you're making mistakes. You're just experiencing things that will either benefit you or teach you a lesson. Okay, both ways benefit you but you know that." He pauses. "I'm not good at this but your mom told me to talk to you. She sees how you're not really yourself these days."

I continue staring at the picture frames wondering how in the world I ended up here.

"Is there anything you want to talk about?" Dad asks.

I think for a while. What am I supposed to say?

"There is a lot going on in my mind right now but I haven't told anyone and I don't think I'm ready to." I say quietly.

Dad nods. "Does it have something to do with Savannah?"

I sigh. "Dad. Not everything revolves around her."

He looks at me but I still keep my eyes on the wall.

"But surprisingly in my life, they sort of do."

His eyes smile though his face stays the same.

"I don't get how friends, school, church, surfing and even my love life are all connected to her somehow." I admit. "It's like I couldn't move on to bigger dreams with anything if I didn't set things right with her."

"And have you?"

This question bothers me. Everyone on the beach now knows we talked but are things between us okay?

"I don't know. Talking to her was so easy and like nothing ever happened but-" I pause and dad waits. "I know that they did and I can't seem to forget that I have so much to work on and improve on my self and prove to her."

Dad nods. "I believe Tasha told you that already. And she's right. As are you. You have much to prove to her and yourself. Forgiveness is something that you don't just do by yourself. It requires both of you and God. Also, I'm pretty sure that if you've set things right, you wouldn't be feeling this way. Or maybe things are okay but you know you should let go of some things to move forward into this newfound freedom."

Okay. That definitely hit its target.

"Dad you're doing pretty good." I say with a smile.

He smiles back. "I hit the target didn't I?"

He looks so happy and I hug my dad. I may not be a little boy but I'll always be his little boy. And I'm glad I am.

"Thanks dad. It'll take a while for me to act on it though." I say, rubbing my hands slowly.