“Cat, you found a sand dollar. Do you remember what I told you about sand dollars?”
Cat shrugged her head back and forth. “No, Daddy what do they mean? Tell me again Daddy, please?”
He held the sand dollar in his hand and ran it through his skinny, wrinkled hands. His voice came out in a rasp as he spoke. “The sand dollars have an intricate meaning. They are spiritual and their meaning is that the Lord is constantly watching over us and he cares beyond what we as human beings can comprehend. They are like the Lord’s eyes given to us at the sea.”
“Wow, Daddy that is special. It’s so beautiful. Can I keep it? Please Daddy, pretty please?” Cat whined as her big blue eyes helped beg her father by seeping into his core; his heart.
“Yes, Cat keep it, you found it. God wanted you to have it. You finding it was part of his plan.” He smiled down at his daughter in admiration; proud that he had given such a bright soul a life.
“Thank you Daddy! I am going to keep it forever and ever and ever because we found it together.”
He squatted down to be at his daughter’s eye level. “Cat, do keep it always. Keep it as a remembrance of God and the miraculous life that he has granted upon us by dying on the cross for our sins. It holds the truth of life that there will always be hope and love for you, no matter what happens in your life. Don’t let the hope fade away, no matter how many struggles God puts you through he will always help you find a way out.”
“Daddy, it means so much to me. I could never get rid of it as long as I live. It is the true meaning of God, hope and love.” She put it carefully in the side pocket of her light pink shorts as she gallantly ran along the rest of the shore thinking about the lessons her father had just taught her.
Her subterranean thoughts were interrupted as the waiter set down her plate full of salad that looked so utterly delicious that she could feel her stomach growling. By the look on Marc’s face, he could tell that she had been in another time and place. He had wanted to ask her about it possibly, but the waiter had interrupted any intention of doing that. So instead he moved his bread platter to make room for the wholesome steak he had ordered with a side of creamy, buttered potatoes.
Marc eyed Cathy’s salad with hungry eyes and started a conversation on a lighter subject. “That looks like a voluptuous salad you have there. I usually don’t eat salads often, not as much as I should.”
Cathy smiled. “I am a vegetarian. I couldn’t stand the sight of eating what used to be a poor animal. I went into marine biology to save the animals, not to eat them.”
With big eyes Marc looked down at his plate full of steak and chuckled. “Well you must think I am a huge jerk then. Here I am eating a big, juicy steak while you are basically saving the world.” He looked straight into her eyes. “In an effort to save my jerkiness, my mother was actually a vegetarian.”
“It’s alright really. I’m not one of those vegetarians that hates people for eating meat. I do it for the animals. That’s great your mother was a vegetarian. She must have loved animals as well.”
Marc grinned as he bit into his steak. “Animals were like souls to her. She actually connected to them more so than humans. She understood them, their feelings and their existence. Growing up we had seven pets; three dogs, two cats, a turtle and a fish. Whenever I was at school or doing an activity she would always take care of them. I always believed that she connected with them on another level, that’s why I am an only child. Animals were and are her life.”
She looked at him as her clear blue eyes showed understanding. “Wow that’s so deep. She must have really had a profound desire and appreciation for animals. People like that are my inspiration. Animals are my life as well. I could never hurt a fly.”
Marc glanced down at his plate and realized he had already eaten all of his food. Time flew by fast when he was with Cathy, he enjoyed every second of time that they spent together. He skimmed over at Cathy’s bowl noticing that she had finished her salad as well. He paid the bill, handed it to the waiter and left a nice tip in the center of the table. The sun was making its way into the ocean.
Marc asked Cathy, “Would you like to take a walk on the beach as the sun sets?”
“Yes. Of course! I love when the sun sets. It’s like a dream.”
He grabbed her hand as they ran out of the restaurant and onto the boardwalk. Marc held her hand with a tight grip, feeling the bones of her hand with a squeeze. He didn’t want to let her go. The time of his life was now and he was excited where this adventure would take them.
* * *
The light house was the only brightness shining down on the pitch black sky. There were faint clouds warning of the rain entering soon. The air was rough as it hit the crests of the waves crashing down into the sea. He could taste the salt on his tongue and feel the smidgens of sand in-between his toes as he followed behind his father. He could barely keep up with his father’s long strides.
“Dad, Dad! Wait up! Wait for me!” He exclaimed into the dark night.
“Hurry along Marc, the tide is high. We don’t want to miss night surfing in these killer waves.”
He ran along and stood behind his father, mesmerized on the angry fury that the ocean was spilling out. His father was a fearless man, nothing could scare or haunt him from doing something he wanted. Marc didn’t understand surfing at this time of night particularly when a storm was coming in. His father had wanted to teach him about being courageous with the waves and conquering them throughout all tribulations. He stood behind his father in fear and clutched onto his legs. Afraid of facing the ocean, he let out a cry in desperation.
“Dad, can we please go home? I don’t want to do this! I am too scared! We could die out there! Look how hard the waves are crashing!”
He looked down at his son with reassurance. “Marc, we aren’t going to go out very far. We will stay close to shore. I want you to have the experience of night surfing. Your skills will improve that much more. It will bring you closer to the ocean.”
His father grabbed his long red board and took a plunge into the ocean. Marc yelled out for him and waded slowly into the sea. He held his board tight to his body, closed his eyes and started paddling as fast as he could. He was only 10 years old, but he had to be strong like his father. He prayed silently in his head that he would make it out of this stormy night alive. He took hold of the first wave he could find and rode it into shore. He figured the faster he could catch more waves, the sooner they could go home. He saw his father in the distance catching wave after wave, riding them in joyfully. Marc grabbed another wave and rode it into the tip of the beach, it was so forceful that he took a plunge into the sand.
“Marc! Are you okay?” His father yelled across to him as he paddled fiercely over to where Marc had crashed.
He had landed hard on his stomach and his breath wouldn’t come out of the tip of his lips. He tried to shake off the bad feelings and sit up. His stomach lurched into panic mode as he moved to his side. He could feel his father’s hands on his chest pumping him with life. As he lay motionless and started to lose consciousness, he drifted off to a blank slate in his mind. His eyelids were drooping closed as his father tried to shake him awake. He fought with all of his might to keep out of the darkness.
“Dad, what happened?” He suddenly cried out.
“Marc? Oh thank God you are awake and alive! You were riding a wave into the shore and you hit the sand pretty hard. The waves kept eating you up. I think you swallowed a lot of water. I’m just glad to see you up and talking.” He held his son with the grips of God as if he hadn’t seen him in years.
“Dad, I’m okay now.” He said as he shrugged off his father’s arms. “Let me get back in and ride another so I don’t leave with my last wave as a wipeout.”
“Marc, I’m not so sure that is the best idea. You may have a concussion. We need to take you home as soon as possible. I’m going to ride by the hospital on the way back just to make sure you are alright.” His father said conc
erned.
“Dad, I am fine. Just let me do this.” Marc looked up at his father with determination in his eyes so his father would know there would be no stopping him now. “I won’t even go out very far. I’ll just be close to the shore. I can’t leave here feeling like a failure.”
He ran as fast as he could to the waves, feeling dizzy as he paddled. He hopped up on his board and caught the wave closest to him. He rode it slowly, but it burned out quickly. With determination, he paddled again persistent to get a wave. A medium-sized one came crashing down on him as he stood up rapidly. He rode it all the way to the shore standing with ease on his board. He had such grace and poise, nobody would have known that he had just crashed a few minutes ago.
“Marc, that was amazing! You really have some talent there. You will do big things one day. I am so proud to call you my son.” His father hugged him tightly as he started leading him off of the beach. “Are you feeling okay? I will still drive by the hospital if you would like me to. You know I get worried about you. It’s a dad thing.”
“Thanks Dad, but I am fine. I just wanted to erase that bad crash from my mind. They say it’s good to leave with your last wave as a success.” He ran his hand along his soaked wetsuit and yawned. “I’m so tired, I just want to sleep. Surfing wore me out.”
“Alright home it is then. You were a success, you always were.” He took his keys out of his pocket and secured the surfboards on top on the car. “Let’s get home and get some sleep.”
He started the engine as Marc hopped in on the passenger side and fastened his seatbelt. They drove away from the bay beach slowly as Marc stared wistfully out the window in silence. He looked out onto the lighthouse and saw it gleaming back at him. He smiled in pure joy that surfing had brought him. It made him strong. He was a fighter. He stole a glance at the man who had taught him everything he knew.
“Dad?” He said softly into the darkness.
“Yes, Son?”
“I love you. Thanks for tonight. I became a true surfer. I got back on that board even when I was hurt and scared. It’s all because of you.”
“I love you more Son. And no need to thank me. You turned out to be a great son. I feel rewarded every day that God has blessed me with your presence and one day you will make a great man as well.”
Marc beamed at this father’s remarks as he laid his head against the glass of the car door. He replayed the images of the night over and over again as he drifted off to a restless sleep. He had never felt so alive in his life and he didn’t want to lose this miraculous feeling.
Marc was swiftly pulled back to the present as Cathy squeezed his hand while they walked down the shore of the bay together. Remembering the good times with his father was something he often did when he walked along a beach. There was something about the water hitting the sand that reminded him of his past life. It was almost as if the water was calling out his name, calling him back to where he had first discovered who he was. He couldn’t escape the past; no matter how badly he had wanted to move on, it was always there. He knew he couldn’t change his upbringing or his identity, but he tried to avoid it to escape the pain that it would bring him. He realized Cathy was looking at him with a tangled look on her face. He figured it was time he said something and left his thoughts for later.
“Beautiful night out here isn’t it? You can see the sun setting right before your eyes. I always loved this time of night, right before it gets pitch black. Everything in the ocean is so clear. It’s almost as if it has a purpose for being, like it exists specifically for this moment alone.”
“It is beautiful. I love how the sun is sparkling down on the water like that. It looks so warm and generous. Do you want to sit down by the water? We could get the tips of our feet wet by the sun soaked water.” She grinned sheepishly, her deep blue eyes persuading him.
“Of course. It would be my pleasure.” He sat down in the sand and softly set her upon his lap as her attention drifted swiftly out to the bottomless blue sky as a seagull flew ahead.
He held her hand as he set her in his lap where the sand meets the sea. She was only three years old and wiggled as he tried to sit her steady. She laughed as she kicked her feet in joy at the water. She leaned into him as he held her tightly against his lap. Her bright pink, floppy sunhat blew in the wind as she reached her hand up to steady it on her head.
Her little finger pointed up to the sky. “Daddy what’s that? That big thing flying in the sky.”
“That’s a seagull Cat.” He brushed through her tangled curly hair with his rough fingers. “Seagulls are always found on the beach. Look above. Do you see the whole flock of them?”
She looked up into the sky. “Yes Daddy I do. I like them. What are they doing here?”
“Well, seagulls represent integrity, purity as well as opportunity.” He held his chin deep in thought. “Seagulls are spiritual messengers that have a higher communication. Since they fly above in the sky they see situations with better clarity than humans do. They have a strong sense of friendship and community. See how they all fly in a flock like that Cat?”
“Yes Daddy.”
“They fly together as a team and they understand the cooperation that is needed for them to operate efficiently and successfully.” He coughed searching for his breath. “If you look carefully you will see that they teach us that there are many perspectives to consider. Seagulls demonstrate how to ride the currents of the mental, emotional and physical worlds.”
“Daddy, you’re silly.” She held his face and giggled.
“These are old Native American tales. One day when you’re older you will understand.”
“Okay Daddy.” She got off his lap and bounced down to the beach as he still sat in the sand looking after his daughter.
She lifted up her long green dress in an effort to save it from the splashing ocean. She pulled off her black jeweled sandals and pushed them off to the side in the sand. As she kneeled down she raveled up Marc’s khaki pants to his knees. She softly moved her hands up to his arms and slowly pulled up the long sleeves of his white buttoned down shirt.
“There now we won’t get drenched from the mess this water is making.” She giggled as Marc made a sarcastic face.
“Yes, but now I look silly. At least I look silly with you.” He laughed as he pulled back her long, blond curly hair into a hand-made ponytail. “I want to be able to see your face. I love your vibrant blue eyes.”
Cathy smiled as she looked into his dark brown eyes. She ran her hand over his cheek in admiration. He pulled her closer to his body and held her tight as the waves crashed fiercely at their feet. The sun set further down into the clouds as the sky started to darken into night. He moved her face closer to his and planted a light kiss on her lips. She soaked in the moment as she kissed him back passionately running her hand through his dark wavy hair.
“I don’t want this night to end.” Marc whispered into Cathy’s ear. “I love being with you.”
“Me too.” Cathy held Marc closer to her body and gave him a playful grin. “We should get back to walking, though it’s getting dark out.”
“Yes, you’re right. This beach gets rough at night. Let’s walk back.”
He stood up as he held Cathy in his arms, pulling her up with him. She slipped on her shoes as he pulled down the cuffs of his pants and shirt. He grabbed her hand as they walked the beach back to the boardwalk. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her as they strolled along the coast. She looked beautiful as the moonlight danced off her shiny blond hair.
Chapter 5
“Cathy? Where in the world have you been? I haven’t heard from you in weeks. Mom and I have been so worried. Plus it’s so weird living in this house without you. We don’t ever get to see you. My room gets so lonely, I miss you talking with me on the edge of the bed. I literally have nobody to share my problems with!” Carly screeched on the phone right as Cathy answered.
“Carly? Is that you? Sorry I just got home. We just barely missed the stor
m. If we would have stayed there for another few minutes, we would have been soaked.” She took off her shoes with her feet as she prepped the phone with her shoulder so that it would stay by her ear.
“Did you even hear anything that I just said? And who’s we?” Her sister cried so loudly into the phone, Cathy had to remove it from her ear for a second.
“Sheesh, Carly give it a break. I just walked in the door. Now what did you say?”
She sighed and Cathy could feel her sister’s eyes rolling from a mile away. “You know I hate repeating myself. Why couldn’t you just listen the first time?” Whining as she set the phone down.
“Come on Carly, just this one time please. I honestly didn’t hear what you said. Please repeat it for me?” She waited patiently for her response, but silence followed. “Carly? Carly? Did you hang up on me?” Silence still held its place at the other end of the line. “I didn’t know she was that mad.” Cathy said more to herself as she was about to end the call.
“Cathy? I’m still here sorry. I was getting a snack. I just ran two miles. I needed water and a protein bar.” She said matter-of-factly.
“You run now?” She asked in confusion. “When did this start? You hate running. Actually you hate doing anything physical.”
“Yeah, well you would have KNOWN if you would have called me!” She said sarcastically. “And don’t go turning this around on me. Where have you been? And what’s his name? You have been too distracted lately, there has to be a guy.”
“It’s called school. Maybe you should try it.” She grinned to herself at her comeback.
“Hey! I do try in school. I’ll have you know I am currently receiving a 4.0. So take that!” Carly stuffed a protein bar in her mouth and downed some water.
“Well of course you do. Everyone does! The semester just started and it’s only two weeks in, but good job anyways.” She laughed as she went to the refrigerator to get some water, realizing she forgot to bring her glass cup with her. She set the phone down and went to the cabinet to grab a glass, then she moved over to the ice machine as it sounded it the background. She filled her glass all the way up and brought it down to the couch with her.
Shark Lover Page 4