He nodded. “John saved me.”
“I know. What a great man, huh?”
“Yep.”
She held his hand. “Let’s go find your parents.” She turned his shoulders and they headed onto The Pier.
“Where are the parents?”
Monica lowered her voice. “When I left they were looking over the edge, like you would swim out and climb thirty feet of pilings and magically return their boy.” She rolled her eyes.
They walked the hundred yards or so and sure enough, at the deck stood Mom and Dad, wringing their hands. The two cops asked questions and wrote down their answers.
John said, “This is amazing.”
The mother ran to the boy, hugging and kissing him. She turned her face to John. “How can we ever thank you?”
“It’s okay. I used to be a lifeguard.” The father shook John’s hand, looking embarrassed.
The cops took statements, the press showed up and interviewed everyone. People said thanks a dozen more times and asked to have their pictures taken with him and Tyler. The crowd drifted away until John and Monica stood alone on The Pier. John walked to the edge and looked over at the water roiling beneath them.
“That’s a long way down.”
Monica put her arm around him. “You are my hero, you know. Actually, everyone’s, today.”
“Thanks. You know, I don’t do much of anything spontaneously.”
“I know, but you saved Tyler’s life.”
“That’s not what I meant.” He knelt in front of her. “I don’t have a ring, but… will you marry me?”
Monica held her hand to her face. “Oh, yes. Absolutely.”
He stood and they kissed. For quite some time. They pulled away and Monica wiped away tears. She looked into John’s eyes. “But can we have kids?”
He nodded. “Things happened really fast today. But walking back and holding Tyler’s hand, I got to thinking. I took a huge risk, jumping in like that. But what can you do? Yet it turned out well. Maybe I need to take more risks.
“Next, I thought, I could possibly be a good dad. Maybe even a great dad. I sure could clear a lot higher bar than that clown.”
“You sure could. I just know it.” She hugged him and planted another kiss on him. “And while you’re Tyler’s hero today, you’ll always be mine.”
They turned to head back to the hotel.
“Watch your step,” John pointed down. “That one board’s loose.”
Monica jabbed him in the ribs. “Very funny.”
The End
Acknowledgments
The pit crew doesn’t get the accolades of the racer, but is vital to the team’s success. I appreciate my crew, including Miss Tazzie. You first helped me believe I could write. I appreciate you, Terry Burns (Hartline Literary, www.hartlineliterary.com), because more than anything else, you exude integrity. Thank you, Jami Carpenter (www.redpengirl.com); you make me look good without destroying my fragile ego. Susan Campbell, graphic artist extraordinaire, thanks for the fine cover art. Thanks to the Henderson Writers Group; you have aided and abetted in a big way, too. Myriad other people contributed to this work as well, and I respect you all.
A special thanks to my wife, Sherri, responsible for much of the inspiration, along with reading and critique. Thanks, honey, for riding along. It’s been quite a ride.
About the Author
Kevin B Parsons has been published in numerous anthologies and magazines, including American Motorcyclist. He’s a member of the Henderson Writers Group and American Christian Fiction Writers. He has also been a member of Toastmasters International since 2006.
He blogs twice a week, posts on Author Culture (www.authorculture.blogspot.com) and Geezer Guys and Gals (www.geezerguysandgals.blogspot.com). He’s a contributing writer to Choices eMagazine.
Kevin has owned numerous businesses in the construction, motorcycle, and real estate industries, in Nevada, California, Washington, Oregon, and Arizona. He’s ridden and raced motorcycles his entire life and won the ‘Best in the Desert’ off-road championship in his class in 2003 and 2006. In May of 2013 he finished a ‘50 States in 50 Weeks’ Adventure.
If you’d like to “experience” the ‘50 States’ Adventure, visit kevinbparsons.blogspot.com, find the ‘archives’ button, and hit ‘50 States.’ You’ll discover over 400 entries for every day of the Adventure, and almost four thousand photos, too.
He currently lives in Brian Head, Utah, with his patient wife, Sherri.
Be sure to check out Volume #3 …
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50 Stories in 50 States: Tales Inspired by a Motorcycle Journey Across the USA Vol 2, The East Page 10