Rising Tides

by Maria Rachel Hooley

  He opened the back door and stepped inside. “Because if you’re still fighting me, you’re body’s still fighting the cancer, and that means we still have time.”

  I wrapped my arm around his neck. “But how long, Tyler? It won’t be long enough.”

  He passed through the hallway without turning on any lights. In the bedroom, he set me on the bed before going to get my medication. When he returned, he helped me sit up and popped the pills into my mouth. Then he pressed a glass filled with water to my lips so that I could drink before I lay back down.

  “Kelly?” Tyler asked, brushing the hair from my face. “There’s somewhere else I want to take you tomorrow, something else I want you to see.”

  Pain exploded in my head. “Tomorrow,” I whispered and slept.

  * * *

  I woke to the sound of soft music drifting in from the living room. Sitting up slowly, I realized the pain in my head had vanished. Nine-thirty glowed red on the digital clock beside the bed. Frustrated by the loss of another day, I savagely rubbed the sleep from my eyes, stood and walked down the hall toward the music, pausing in the doorway as I spotting Tyler sitting with an accoustic guitar. Only a single light broke the darkness of the room, and in its pale light, Tyler’s dark hair appeared reddish gold.

  He strummed softly, probably trying not to wake me, and as I focused on the music, I realized he was playing “Time In A Bottle.” I leaned against the doorway, losing myself to the soothing chords. His shoulders were rounded, and he stared at the frets, watching his fingers move fluidly across them with each new chord. The music erased all the lines which had shadowed his face, making him seem younger, more carefree. He gently cradled the guitar as though it were a part of him, not something he held but instead something he was. He sat on the edge of the couch and leaned forward.

  I watched his face, sometimes smiling, sometimes frowning as the music worked magic within him, and when the song was spent, I closed my eyes and held onto the last chord.

  “Nice to see you awake. How are you feeling?” Tyler finally asked as he spotted me.

  I opened my eyes and found him staring at me. “I feel much better,” I replied, smiling as I crossed the room and sat next to him on the couch. His shoulders remained softly rounded as he leaned over the guitar and the hand which had been strumming rested on top of the guitar. His silver watch glittered in the soft light.

  “You had quite a nap, Kelly.” He said, lifting the guitar from his lap to put it away.

  “No, don’t,” I said, latching onto his wrist. “That song was beautiful. I’d like to hear you play more.”

  Tyler blushed and looked at the carpet as he still held the guitar. “I didn’t expect to have an audience.”

  “Well, now you’ve got one.” I leaned over and kissed his neck before moving up to his earlobe. “Play something else, please.”

  “I can’t play anything with you doing that,” Tyler said, squirming away. He tilted his head, trying to ward away my future kisses.

  I giggled and rested on the couch as his fingers pressed down on the frets and he started to strum a warm ballad I didn’t recognize. As he played, he started to sing in a warm tenor voice.

  I see you in the summer rain

  All along the sandy beach.

  I see you in the gentle waves

  That come to Heaven’s reach.

  I collect you in the shells,

  In every song I’ve ever sung.

  I feel you in the morning breeze

  That leaves my soul undone.

  You are my moon, my sky, my ocean,

  The heat of summer’s fire

  Burning bright within me,

  My heart’s only desire.

  As Tyler sang, he looked at me instead of his hands, as though my face would tell him the next notes. With each new word, I felt the lump in the back of my throat growing, and tears blurred my vision until they spilled over with his last note. His voice had thickened, sweetening the sound with emotions he barely restrained.

  “I wrote that for you, Kelly. I first heard the music right after I met you. The words came later, when we fell in love.” He set the guitar on the floor with trembling hands and wrapped his arms around me. “It’s true--every word of it. I thought I’d seen everything about the ocean until I met you, and then I saw it all over again in a new way.” He lifted his hand and gently touched my cheek under my eyes, wiping away the tears. “You let me see the world through your eyes, Kelly, and nothing’s been the same since. You gave me the world.”

  “So I’ve distorted your perception, have I?” I asked weakly, smiling. His ocean-colored eyes mesmerized me with a white-capped undertow I couldn’t break free of. Outside the open widow, I heard the tides rolling to shore in rhythm with the moon’s silent pull. With him sitting so close, I could barely breathe or swallow. “It was a beautiful song,” I finally managed, knowing I could never put into words what hearing it had done to me.

  His thumb brushed across my cheek. I stared at his prominent cheekbones and blunt chin. His thick eyebrows furrowed over his eyes as he stared at me. “Oh, God, Kelly, I think I’ve been blind my whole life until now. I’ve been waiting to find you. I just didn’t know it.”My breath shallowed as he slowly leaned over. Each second was agony until his lips finally touched mine. His hand lovingly stroked my hair. In the distance, I still heard the tide over the thunder of my heartbeat. Just as the ocean responded to the moon, I felt myself responding to Tyler. His pine-scented cologne filled my senses until I felt as though I were breathing a part of him.

  As he moved his lips across my face, his chin brushed my skin with roughened stubble from not having shaven in a couple of days. I gasped from the tingling sensation that trickled across my skin.

  Tyler felt my body stiffen and lifted immediately. “Does that bother you, Kelly?”

  I laughed. “No. It just feels kind of funny.” I touched my cheek, trickling my fingers across my skin.

  He leaned close and kissed my ear. “You’ll forget all about it in a minute.” With each breath, I felt myself falling further and further away from remembering anything except what it felt like being so close to him and loving him so much.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Kelly, time to wake up,” Tyler whispered as he kissed my ear. I moaned and tried to roll away from him, but his arm tightened around me, anchoring my body in place. “We’ve got a wonderful day ahead of us.”

  I rolled my head forward, and my hair slipped from my shoulders and covered my face. Forcing my eyes open, I peered at Tyler through the thick strands.

  “I think I see an open eye,” he said, reaching out and gently pushing the hair behind my ears. “Yep, definitely an open eye.” He traced my lips with his finger. “Good morning, sweetheart.”

  I closed my eyes. “It’s a good morning for sleeping.” I snuggled deeper into my pillow.

  Tyler sat up. He grabbed the corner of my pillow and gently pulled it from under my head. “It’s an even better morning for what I’ve planned.”

  I rolled over. “Which is?”

  “A surprise.” Tyler climbed out of bed. “I’ll get some coffee started.

  “Are we flying again?” I guessed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Bright sunlight spilled from around the curtains, and snatches of it stole through the sheer netting hanging from the ceiling around the bed.

  Tyler picked up his jeans and tugged them over his hips. “Nope. The sooner you get out of bed, the sooner you’ll find out.” He buttoned his fly and strode out the doorway, toward the kitchen.

  After a warm shower, I dressed and ventured to the kitchen. He’d left a mug beside the coffee pot. I filled it with the steaming liquid. Carrying it, I walked out onto the deck where Tyler sat at his table, reading the newspaper as he sipped his coffee.

  The bright sunlight shimmered across the rolling waves and reflected off the exquisite brightness of sea gull wings as they flew overhead. With each new wave, I heard the ocean’s rhythm, and my heart r
ate quickly fell into the same pattern. As I sat, Tyler offered me the paper and excused himself to get ready to go.

  He re-emerged after his shower wearing khaki shorts and a white t-shirt that deepened the healthy tanned glow of his skin. He rubbed his cheeks over mine. “Better?” he asked.

  “Yeah,” I agreed, liking his smooth, freshly-shaven skin far better than I had the stubble. As he leaned over, I felt the sand dollar and quickly touched it. “I see you’re wearing your good luck charm.”

  Tyler’s fingers closed around mine. “I never leave home without it.” His free hand touched my neck, and he quickly found the necklace he had made for me. “I see someone else believes in lucky charms.”

  I shook my head and embraced him. “Nope, I don’t. I just believe in you, and you made this for me.”

  For moments, we stood holding each other as though the rest of the world had ceased to exist. Laying my head on his chest, I heard the beat of his heart lazily pumping blood through his body as though it had all the time in the world to accomplish its task. I closed my eyes and rested in the sanctuary his arms offered, focusing on feeling the light weight of his chin resting on the top of my head. My arms wrapped around his back and I felt his muscles relax at my touch. Our bodies belonged together.

  Tyler kissed my forehead. “Are you ready for some fun, Kelly?”

  “Define fun,” I replied, wanting to hold onto him for as long as possible. For a moment, I felt him trying to draw away, but when he realized I wasn’t going to let go, he stopped trying.

  “You always say that.”

  I smiled. “And you never answer.”

  “You’re right. Time to get a move on. The day’s wasting.” With his arm still around me, he prompted me to walk down the stairs toward his driveway and the surprise he had planned for me.

  * * *

  “Now that’s a boat,” I said, unable to stop staring at the yacht in front of us as we stood on the pier. The air smelled of salt and burgers that an open fast-food restaraunt was selling just down the pier.

  “Yes, it is,” Tyler agreed as we boarded. His hands rested on my shoulders, gently massaging my neck. “And you’re going to love it.”

  “Do you think I can behave on something this big.”

  “Tyler grinned wickedly. “I have ways of enforcing good behavior, Kelly. Don’t worry about that.” As we strolled around the deck, Tyler pointed to a narrow staircase. “Have a look.”

  I descended the steps slowly, and at the bottom found myself in a large bedroom. To the left, I saw a small kitchen area, and to the right I found a small bathroom. Tyler stepped to the bar by the kitchen and asked, “Would you like something to drink?”

  I scanned the earth-toned room and shook my head. “A glass of juice, if you have it.” I ran my hands across the cream-colored comforter. “This is really nice.”

  Pictures hanging on the walls depicted several photographic angles of the beach, capturing the tide’s lure in various states. In one of the pictures, I saw Tyler’s sister sitting on the beach, building a sand castle. “I took that photo last year.” Tyler handed me a glass filled with orange juice and, as I took it, his fingers brushed across mine softly and he smiled. “I’m glad you like it here. Consider it home for the next few days.”

  I sputtered on the sip I’d just taken. “We’re going to be sleeping on the boat?”

  Tyler placed his arms around me and nibbled on my ear. “Well, we’re going to be spending some time in bed. How much sleep we get is optional.”

  I set my glass on the table next to the bed and leaned into his embrace. “I just knew you were going to say that.”

  Tyler trickled his fingers down my back. “Yeah, if I hadn’t, you would’ve, and you know it.”

  “You’re right.”

  Tyler kissed me softly and pulled away. “We’d better set off, Kelly.” He offered me his hand and we ascended the stairs. As we emerged into the bright sunlight, I looked into the azure sky and saw the gulls spiraling overhead, the endless pattern of wings dancing above us, moving effortlessly beneath the soft canopy of white clouds.

  Tyler started the engine and steered the boat away from the dock, navigating around the other boats docked nearby. A warm breeze stirred the air, and sweat beaded on my forehead. My stomach lurched unpredictably with the movement of the boat, and I thought I might vomit as bile coated the back of my throat. Each breath seemed to have less air, and I took deeper, quicker breaths, trying to get enough. Even breathing had become a chore.

  Please not now. Not today. Let us have this trip in peace, I prayed while fumbling to take a seat.

  “You okay, Kelly?” Tyler asked, gripping the wheel tightly.“Fine,” I replied, forcing myself to smile as I wiped away the sheen of sweat. I leaned against the back of the chair and closed my eyes, saving my energy. My stomach kept cramping, and I tried to ignore it by focusing on my breathing. The swaying of the boat felt sharper than what I’d noticed on the catamaran, and each rough movement made my stomach roll and grumble even more.

  Once we’d moved out into the clear ocean, Tyler stopped the boat and knelt in front of me. His hand gently touched my face. “Kelly? “You sure you’re all right?”

  I slowly nodded, trying to swallow that damnable-tasting bile. Each breath I took sounded choppy. “I need something to drink,” I said.

  “If you’re feeling nauseated, put your head down. I’ll get you some water.” Tyler patted my leg and rose. “As he walked away, his fingers raked through his hair, brushing it away from his face. He disappeared down the stairs and returned a moment later with a cold bottle of water he handed to me.

  “Thanks,” I said, unscrewing the lid and taking a sip. As it slid down my throat, I felt revived, as though this spell might pass.

  He sat next to me and softly rubbed my back. “I guess the ocean seems a little rough right now. There’s a big different between riding a cat and a boat.” Even though the boat wasn’t moving, the waves rocked it up and down constantly.

  For a moment, I thought about telling him that the way my stomach felt probably had little to do with the boat but quickly decided against it. He watched as I screwed the lid back on the water. “Feeling better?”

  I nodded and leaned against him, placing my head close to his neck, right between his chin and chest. I felt his arms wrap around me, pulling me to him. I closed my eyes and reveled in the cradle his body created for me, and I wondered if any two bodies had ever fit together as perfectly.

  “I could turn the boat around,” Tyler offered. His fingers toyed with my braid.

  “No,” I insisted, slowly pulling away. First I lifted my head, then my chest, and finally withdrew my hand from where it had rested on his forearm. “I want to go. You said you had something you wanted to show me, remember?”

  “Sure you’re up to it?”

  I took a deep breath. “Yeah. I’ll be fine in a few minutes.”Tyler frowned. He leaned forward from the chair and sat on the edge of the seat, his back rigid. In the glare of sunlight, I noticed a few freckles dotted his nose and cheeks. I studied them, memorizing more of him. Finally, he stood. “Then I guess I’d better get us out to sea.”

  I watched him climb up to where he’d been sitting to maneuver the boat just a few moments ago. He sat and started the engine again, and as we began moving, I could feel Tyler watching me just as much as he stared at the great blue in front of us. The speed of the boat gradually picked up, and the hand not holding the bottled water clutched the armrest of my chair. The outline of the marina shrank and then disappeared altogether.

  Although I’d braided my hair before we’d left the beach house, many strands had blown free and now danced wildly in my face from the harsh wind. My stomach still ached, and fatigue wound through my body. I stood on legs too tired to move. “I’m going to go lie down for a few minutes,” I said, pointing to the stairs.

  Tyler nodded. “Okay, Kelly. Yell if you need something,” Tyler said loudly over the hum of the engine and w
ind. While sitting there, his shoulders, the same ones that had carried me so many times, squared themselves into a hard line as though supporting invisible weights. He gripped the wheel tightly and half-smiled, but in those ocean eyes, I saw the wariness of the approaching riptide

  I descended the stairs. As I lay on the bed, I closed my eyes, trying to ignore the upsetting sway of the boat and the unpredictable rolls of my stomach. Even lying down, I still smelled the salt of the ocean, and I tasted it, too, as tears streamed down my face and blossomed into dime-sized stains on the pillow where I’d lain my head.

  * * *

  When I first opened my eyes, I felt disoriented until I remembered we were on a boat, and grew accustomed to the rhythm of the ocean’s sway. The light of a single pillar candle flickered on the walls and ceiling, dancing with the shadows. I stared at the gentle light, thankful for its warm glow.

  Rolling over, I found the nausea gone, but the shortness of breath remained, making me work harder just to get enough air in my tired lungs. They were fighting this battle just like my heart, and they were losing. I grabbed two fist of comforter and tried to squeeze, but my hands wouldn’t cooperate, and the fingers bunched the fabric into loose balls.

  I heard footfalls on the floor above as Tyler moved around on deck, and an image of his face appeared in my mind: dark hair, sharp blue eyes, a strong jaw. Each feature taken out of context left no impression, but together I found myself drawn to even the memory he’d left as a simple picture in my mind. A heart never felt ill. It never aged. It remembered the start of my life when I’d first found him on that lonely stretch of beach. It had loved him then and it loved him still.

  I sat up and thought I’ll fight these next few days for you, Tyler. Standing up, I paused and waited to gain my balance despite the tilting of the boat. Then I ascended the stairs to the bridge to find Tyler sitting behind the helm under a sherbet sky and a setting sun.