I looked out to the uneasy blue sea under me and rumbling gray clouds above me as tiny flecks of ice rain melted against my skin. I spread my arms out as my unzipped jacket caught the wind. I took a deep breath and I jumped.
Flashing back a few days I was at my friend Kate’s beach house and we were playing in the sand as the hot basking sun burned our bare backs.
“Come on, Mei” Kate called as she ran towards the cool petrified ocean.
I swiftly followed laughing as the wind kissed my cheeks and tossed my long black hair. I
was faster than Kate but she got a head start so we arrived at the water’s edge at the same time crashing into a wave as both our bathing suits got soaked and our faces were immersed in the cool Cape Cod waters. It was summer so the air was hot and the water cool as the two of us crawled back to our towels to wipe the salty water from our faces. The two of us stood drying off laughing
“Do you want to go back to the house?” Kate asked
“Sure, let’s grab our stuff and go back for lunch,” I replied.
We got back into the house with the delicious aroma of grilled steak and freshly baked bread.
“Mom, we’re back from the beach!” Kate yelled.
“Ok, just wash up before lunch and go out to the porch.” she responded.
We both washed up and walked out to the porch to find Kate’s parents talking in hushed voices.
“She’s not ready yet and Mei doesn’t need the added stress with what happened to her parents,” Kate’s mom whispered in a barely audible tone.
Kate and I heard enough to know what they were referring to. About a year ago my parents had died in a plane crash while coming home from their anniversary in Japan. They had given me everything they had which was a lot. I was now the owner of 4 vintage cars, a 250,000-acre house with its own golf course and a butler who took care of me during the school year.
“Hey, mom do we have anything to drink?” Kate signaled that we were with them.
Her mom gave a small jump but quickly brushed the hair off her face, “Of course, there is lemonade in the fridge.”
I sat down on the corner of table that had a spectacular view of the ocean that was glistening in the sun. I used the tongs to swiftly pick up a large slab of beef, added coleslaw and fries to my plate and filled my cup with lemonade. Kate’s dad looked tenderly at me as he asked me what I wanted to do in the afternoon
“Well Kate’s mom has to take Kate to a doctor’s appointment, so I suppose that we could go for a walk around town.”
“Sure that sound great.” I replied trying to sound enthusiastic.
“Don’t worry Mei my dad won’t bite.” Kate teased
All four of us looked at each other and started cracking up.
“Well you three can chat while I clean up lunch but remember that we need to go in half an hour Kate.” Her mom finally said standing up
“Mei I think we will just go to the beach and get some fresh air,” Kate’s dad said.
“That sounds great,” I replied
So me and Kate’s dad went to the beach and just relaxed on the hot sand. A bit later we went back to the house and found Kate and her mom fast asleep in their beds.
Late that night long after dinner and s’mores, I jerked awake to a voice that was softer than silk and sweeter than honey in my ear. I wiped the sleep from my eyes, put on a robe and followed that voice all the way down to the top of the dune.
It was high tide so the water was crashing below me I looked down heard the call, it sounded like my mom’s voice and I jumped.
Written by plumtree
Topics: (2018-2019)