Tides

Chapter 4 - Lawyer in the Water

DAX

Nothing out of the ordinary in the emails Luna forwarded this morning. New suppliers for beach sandals and wetsuits. Funny to think my father started Kalani in a hut and right now we have the biggest retail space on the Boulevard, plus the income Skye generates with the surfing lessons.

You would think I can relax during the weekend and stop being a lawyer, but then I become the lawyer for my family and friends. People run every single contract through me, whether it is to get a new supplier for the store, or to check if they made a good deal on their personal mobile phone agreement.

My phone buzzes on the dining table, and I see a message from Kay. As I open it, I see a picture of an ad about the 'Sea Glass Beach Surfing Festival', but can't read what it says in the small print. I get another message with just two words.

U in?

I don't know what to answer. I don't spend as much time in the water as he and my brother do, so I'm not sure if I have good enough skills to compete. He answers on the first ring when I call him back.

"This is just off the hook Dax!" Kay's voice blasts over my speakerphone. "You have to join us! It is a team competition! We need to do this together!"

"I don't know Kay. I'm rusty for a competition, plus I have a day job," I say, unsure if I can pull it off.

"Are you kidding me? Nobody does snaps like you!"

I let out a deep breath. I can do quick turns on top of the waves, and I'm a decent tube rider. Still, I'm not sure how my skills could match the other competitors.

"What about Skye?"

"Your bro is in. You know Skye is good at aerial maneuvers and makes those crazy turns. If I practice hard, I might get the hang five under control. This is my chance to make my dad and my grandpa proud," he says, and I can imagine his dreamy smile.

Kay always tells us stories about his grandfather impressing the ladies by putting five toes over the nose of his board. Kay is proud of his Samoan heritage and his family accomplishments. He even has the same tattoo on his shoulder his father and grandfather have.

"Where is this anyway? I saw the picture, but I couldn't read the small letters."

"Here at The Reef. Where else? The bone yard at the beach is not big enough to hold many people, and well, the rest is flat. It is a non-mobile event, Dax. We are locals, and it gives us an advantage. We know that part of the beach."

"I don't know Kay. I think going back to The Reef is a bad idea," I hesitate.

"Oh, I'm sorry man. It's not I forgot, I didn't think of it," he sounds sad.

It has been a while since I have been at The Reef. Two years and three months to be exact. That is the place where we lost my Natalie.

After Boy was born, Natalie wanted to get back in shape. I didn't mind the extra weight. I found her beautiful anyway. We all spent a good time practicing on the beach. It became tedious, and we all were in need of some challenges. There was a strong current on the day we went to The Reef, but we were having so much fun. Boy was at the store with Luna. She didn't mind. My sister knows plenty about surfing but doesn't like to practice it.

We should have known there was something out of the ordinary on that day. Well, the warning was there: the 'meatball'. The yellow flag with a black circle displayed to warn of hazardous conditions hung by the lifeguard post, and we ignored it. The wind was strong, the sky was gray and the loose sand on the beach lashed at our faces with the wind gusts. It was chilly, so we all wore wetsuits.

We paddled to reach the safer part of the ocean for the line-up, but could barely get past the breaking surf. It should have been our hint to call it quits and move to the break in front of the Boulevard. Instead, we saw it as a test of our abilities. I admit I live for the adrenaline and sometimes don't think about the risks.

Natalie picked to ride a wave that made her fall off the board almost immediately. She got sucked in circles along the lip of the wave, and the motion of the water brought her to the reef. I was already on shore and saw it happening after she fell. She didn't come above water until a while later. I tried to swim there, but it was almost impossible to reach the area where she was. I could see her board floating close by the rocks and kept yelling at her to grab it. She couldn't do that as she was dead already. My muscles were fatigued, and I also got sucked in by the current and thrown against the rocks, breaking my arm and getting many cuts on my face.

Kay alerted the emergency services. The people running in the dunes went back to the beach area to bring the lifeguards. Skye walked barefoot on the reef wall to reach me. I held on to the rocks with my good arm but was losing strength by the minute. My brother had a bad fall, but got up, reached to where I was and pulled me out. Once sitting higher on the reef, I could see my wife's lifeless body floating ahead. The leash was stuck between the rocks and was tied to her ankle. I grabbed on to Skye and sobbed. He held me tight, and I could feel his own body shaking from his own sobs. Skye and Natalie were close friends, and he was the one who introduced us.

Not long later, the lifeguard boat reached the area where we were, and they got Natalie out of the water. I got brought to the hospital together with Skye. He had several cuts on his feet which needed stitches and a big bruise on his hip. We were told later on that evening that Natalie had a fracture in her skull and a broken column. Probably she was shaken underwater, and then her body slammed against the rocks. There were zero chances my girl would have made it okay from the situation. The whole community of Sea Glass Beach attended her funeral. Many people knew her as Natalie was a local artist. It took me a good year after her accident before I surfed again. I don't think I will ever stop grieving the love of my life.

I look at my son as he plays with his building blocks. He is so unaware of everything that happened on that day. Boy hasn't realized yet he doesn't have a mom as Luna takes care of him and gives him the attention he needs. My kid has lost a parent already. Is it worth risking my life for a competition?

"Kay, I need to think of Boy," I look at his little figure hunched over his toys.

"Dax, I understand man. I do, and I know Boy is your priority. It is okay if you don't want to join but just think about this; that day at The Reef it was just a bunch of us. No organization, no first aid available close by, no lifeguards. This is a big event with international competitors. We will not be allowed in the water if the conditions are not right."

"How international are these competitors?" I ask. I can't help I'm a curious person.

"Oceancrush is the organizer. Blue Smith is coming, and I'm sure they won't risk losing him."

"For real? I guess I can ask Skye to train with me before going to work. I need the rest of my time to relax and be with my kid in the evening."

"I can train as well before heading to the library," Kay says with enthusiasm. He spends so much time in the water it's a miracle he hasn't grown fins.

"Okay, then I'm in."

"Yes! Yes! Yes! I'm stoked, dude! We need to meet with the three of us and figure out how we will do this. I know we will be in the open category, but we can see if Kalani and Hibiscus can sponsor us as a team. Then we need to pick clothes and our boards-"

"-and don't you think we need to sign up first?" I interrupt his passionate planning.

"That is why you are the lawyer. You think of the details. Let me know if you need anything although you know everything about us. I will send you the website, and you can check the small print, so we don't get in trouble," Kay says excitedly.

And again, in the weekend, I end up being a lawyer, but in the next minutes, I'll become a competition surfer.