Sparks Like Ours

by Melissa Brayden

  Hadley looked from Gia to Elle and thankfully took the reins. “You guys are gonna kill it this tournament. No doubt in my mind.”

  Elle squeezed her hand, always grateful for Hadley’s positivity. She was good people. “Thanks, Hadley. I know we’re both hoping to.”

  “It’ll be weird not seeing you wear the yellow jersey,” Gia said.

  Elle winked. “Won’t be for long.”

  “See ya out there,” Gia said, with a smile and sliver of their old competitive banter.

  Elle smiled. “Yeah. I look forward to it.”

  The rest of the week couldn’t have gone any more according to plan if Elle had mapped out each detail herself. She sailed through the first four rounds without so much as a glance behind her. She was in top form, and everyone noticed.

  “Elle, how have you recaptured that old magic to take France by storm?” Shoshana from Surfline asked, as Elle trotted in from round four with a smile on her face. “We’ve all missed you!”

  “It’s just about giving all you have to each and every turn out there. Every ride is different. I just have to keep listening to the waves. And can I just say that I love my fans? They’re the best around, and I appreciate them sticking with me even through the down times.”

  “Doesn’t look like there are too many more of those on the horizon. Not the way you’re surfing.”

  “You’re sweet to say so. Looking forward to the semis!”

  “We’ll be watching,” Shoshana said, and offered her a high five.

  When the cameras were gone, the fans all signed for, Elle returned to the locker room and gathered her belongings. She’d walked away triumphant once again, doing what she did best. Somehow the wins felt hollow, however. She knew why, of course. She just couldn’t allow herself to dwell. When she learned just an hour later that she’d be going head-to-head with Gia in the tournament’s semifinals, she knew she had more than a little mental prep ahead of her. Just the thought had her hands sweating, her shoulders tensing, and her heart squeezing uncomfortably.

  Whoever said life was easy?

  * * *

  “You’re going to go out there and tackle each and every wave that looks like it has possibility. No holding back for the perfect specimen. You hear me?” Hadley asked, with her serious face on.

  “I hear you,” Gia said. “You’re scarier than Katrina with that glare.”

  “Yeah, well, she’s not here, so you’re stuck with me.”

  “Got it, Coach. Taking the aggressive approach, right out of the gate.”

  “And you’re not going to worry about surfing against Elle. It’s impossible for both of you to win, so take this one.”

  Gia softened, less emphatic about this point. “That’s the plan.”

  When she and Elle paddled out, she was feeling less sure. But she’d laid the proper foundation and had her focus steady up until this point. There was no way she was gonna falter now.

  “You okay?” Elle called from several yards away. Gia nodded and offered her the thumbs-up sign. She had priority and would be up first. She waited, letting one wave after another pass without engaging. All eyes were on her, but she just couldn’t seem to make herself attack. In her peripheral she saw Elle paddle over to her.

  “Hey, what’s going on?”

  “Just need to shake loose a little.”

  “Okay,” Elle said, calmly. “I want you to turn your brain off, okay? This next one’s yours. See it out there?”

  Gia nodded.

  “Good. Now take a deep breath and get ready to charge.”

  Gia met Elle’s eyes and took on strength. She remembered herself, took that breath, and went for it.

  From that point forward, the heat was a back and forth of innovation. One killer ride after another from both her and Elle, making the final margin a very tight one. In the end, Elle took the semis with four tenths of a point over Gia. One of the best damn matchups she’d seen in a while.

  Didn’t matter that she’d lost. It was the kind of competition, the kind of surfing Gia lived for. Would the win have been nice? Of course, but it wasn’t meant to be. Elle had earned it, and there was a big part of Gia bursting with pride for her. She’d kick ass in the final, and that was the way this tournament was meant to go. A showing in the semis would still prove good for Gia’s ranking, and she’d take it.

  Underneath all of that, she wished she’d be there to celebrate this victory with Elle and to cheer her on in the finals. She’d do that silently, but it wasn’t the same. In fact, had she hung around, maybe there wouldn’t even have been a final for Elle. That was still a bitter pill to swallow.

  “You put up a good fight,” Hadley said, as they walked back to the resort together.

  “Thanks, Had. I’m proud of the way I surfed. And of Elle.”

  “You know something? You’re a good egg, Gia, and you deserve the world. I wish you could find a way to take it for yourself.”

  Gia felt that familiar ache as she ruminated on all she’d lost. “Yeah. Me, too.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Two weeks later, it was a beautiful morning in Venice Beach, relatively warm and bursting with the kind of sunshine that makes a person want to stay outdoors all day. Gia had gotten in an early morning surf session when the waves were hoppin’ and stopped by Pajamas late morning for a second pick-me-up. She waited in line patiently behind Larry Herman, who ordered his very specific drink and stepped down the counter.

  “Caramel lattice drizzle for you, too?” Autumn asked with a wink.

  “I’m gonna mix it up. How about a cappuccino, extra foam.”

  “My kind of girl. Any special art on that?”

  “Can you do a peace sign?”

  “You’re insulting my talent.”

  Gia laughed. “I’ll let you choose, then.”

  Moments later, Autumn delivered a cappuccino with a startlingly accurate depiction of the Pink Panther created in foam. “You continue to outdo yourself,” Gia told her. But Autumn wasn’t smiling proudly like usual. In fact, she was frozen in what could only be described as a pain-filled wince with one hand on her pregnant belly. Gia snapped to attention. Her stomach dropped out from beneath her. “You okay?” A pause. “Autumn, talk to me. What’s going on?” She was up and standing next to Autumn in less than a second, her hands trembling.

  “Not sure.” She shook her head over and over. “Doesn’t feel right.”

  “Pain?”

  Autumn nodded, gripped a nearby chair for support, but didn’t say anything, almost as if she couldn’t.

  “Okay, no panicking. Got it?” Gia said calmly, though every ounce of her wanted to climb on top of the table and scream for help. Why was her voice so calm? Shouldn’t it be trembling, too? “Should I call an ambulance? I think maybe I should.” She searched the counter for Steve but didn’t catch his gaze.

  “No,” Autumn managed, shaking her head. “Can you drive me? That would probably be quicker at this point.”

  “Of course. Can you walk?”

  “I think so. I don’t know what’s going on. I’ve never felt like this.” She winced again and gripped two chairs, her face contorting in pain. Customers turned their concerned gazes in their direction.

  “Take my arm,” Gia ordered. She didn’t know how much time they had and felt her sense of urgency triple. Deep breaths. She could do this. She had to do this for Autumn, for the kids. “Steve?” she called.

  He whipped around and, catching sight of Autumn, practically leapt over the counter. “What’s happening?” he asked.

  Autumn shook her head, unable to speak.

  “She’s in pain. We’re not sure. I’m going to drive her to the emergency room.”

  “Good idea. You’re going to be okay,” Steve said to Autumn, but the terror that crisscrossed his features said he was just as worried as Gia was. Steve and Autumn were like family, and he would do anything and everything for her.

  Autumn nodded and squeezed his hand. “Watch the shop?”r />
  “You got it. Don’t give it another thought.”

  Steve helped Gia get Autumn to her Jeep. As she drove, Gia placed a call to Kate, who was at work. She was forced to leave a voice mail but would call again once they arrived. Still in what seemed to be crippling pain, and taking very deep breaths, Autumn called her doctor and in a shaky voice explained her symptoms.

  “She says not to worry,” Autumn told Gia as they drove. “She’s going to meet us at the hospital. But I feel like something is really wrong. It’s not just the pain, G. It’s instinct. The babies are in trouble. I can feel it.”

  Those words were enough. Autumn had always been intuitive, and when it came to her children, that intuition would only be magnified.

  Gia pressed the gas and got them there in half the time, dodging cars and taking every shortcut she knew. All the while her heart thudded away in her chest. Her breathing came in shallow spurts. Regardless, she would stay calm. She had to.

  Once they arrived, a nurse took over and ushered them to an exam room. With the professionals there, she could breathe a small sigh of relief. It was fleeting, however, as she remembered there was still a larger problem. Nothing could happen to these babies or to Autumn. Not sure what to do with herself, she decided to walk to rid herself of the extra energy, which she did in the hallway while Autumn was examined. Now feeling nauseous, she texted her friends. They had a right to know. She would want to.

  Then she waited.

  The seconds ticked by like hours, and with each one that passed, Gia was just certain the prognosis was grim. Just as Autumn’s had, her gut told her something was very wrong.

  She had to prepare for that. They all did.

  * * *

  “Why am I never a match for the giant ones?” Holly asked, swimming back to Elle, dragging her board behind her. They’d been out in the water for a couple of hours now, having taken the Jet Ski to catch some bigger action. “I watch you practically dance across those monster waves, making it look so easy. When I try it, I get smashed to pieces and left sucking water.”

  Elle flashed her a smile, her hands resting on top of her board. “That’s why I’m a pro. I spend hours and hours practicing in order to make it look easy. All part of my scheme.”

  “Nope. You’ve always been a prodigy and I’ve always been a hobbyist. Just how things are, Wave Weasel.”

  Elle laughed, because the comment mirrored the lightheartedness of their entire morning together. “If you’re asking my advice, and I’m not sure you are, it’s because you chicken out at the last minute and it shows all over your stance. You edge away from the action.”

  “Are you saying I cower in fear?” Holly splashed her.

  Elle blinked to clear her vision, and splashed her back even harder. “I would never say that.”

  “Fiction. I can read between the perfectly crafted Elle Britton PR routine. All right, so the next big one? I’m on it, and I will hold my ground, and my stance, and stick to that wave like we’re in long-lost love.”

  “Don’t think too much, and don’t back down, whatever you do. You’re a great surfer, Hol, but you’re in your head a lot.”

  “Good point. No thinking. Got it.” She paused and watched the horizon and her incoming options. “Okay, here comes a big guy. What do you think?”

  “Nope. Let that one go. It’s going to fizzle early. Watch the edges. You can tell.”

  “I’ll just rely on your inarguable instinct.”

  They stared off at the incoming waves, until a solid, sturdy one headed their way. “That’s the one. You ready?”

  “Ready.”

  “Fearless?” Elle asked.

  “Check.” With a funny little salute, Holly was off and paddling like a maniac as Elle called after her, egging her on.

  “You got this, Hol! Take your time. No rush to stand. There ya go! Yeah! Killing it!”

  It was gorgeous, the turn Holly took right off the bat. Nothing tentative about her. She found the barrel and sailed right through it with the most perfect of S-curves. But she didn’t quite make it out in time and the wave, a monster one too, came right over the top of her. Elle winced, knowing how those things could take the wind right out of you. Silence hit. She swam closer, waiting for Holly to surface. It was getting to be lunchtime, and maybe a wipeout like that was the perfect time to call it a day. Though the first part of that ride had been beautiful, and she was ready to let Holly know.

  Elle scanned the water for her friend. Nothing yet. She swam farther out, popping up in the water for a better vantage point, and so she’d be sure to spot Holly right away. But still no sign. Weird. She was starting to get nervous. Her blood pressure edged up and her heart rate escalated the way it did when something felt off. Where in the world was Holly? She unleashed herself from her board and dipped under the water, but saw no sign of her. “Holly?” she yelled, once she surfaced. Nothing. Under again, swimming farther and farther down, until she needed air. “Hol?” She blinked the salt water out of her eyes, ignoring the sting. This couldn’t be happening. She scanned the horizon, but the nearest people were out of earshot. Down again, this time farther out. She saw movement to her left and followed it. As she approached a small reef, there was Holly tethered to it by her leash, which had apparently gotten caught. Holly blinked at her in terror as she approached. Elle had to think fast. Holly was still conscious, thank God, but she wouldn’t have long. Elle reached for the safety latch to release Holly from the leash altogether, but the current made it nearly impossible to open. Damn it. She didn’t have time for this. The clock seemed to tick away at exponential speed. The other end of the leash was jammed around a rock. She tried again, screaming inside her head, her adrenaline pulsing. She wasn’t going to let this happen, but without air herself, she was no good to either of them. Her lungs were throbbing painfully, stretched to their limit.

  Calling on her muscles to move her as fast as possible, she raced for the surface, fully aware of her enemy, the ticking clock. With a deep inhale, she headed back, more determined than ever. Holly’s eyes had fluttered closed when she returned to her, which meant time was running out.

  The scenario was a nightmare come true, but she wasn’t about to let it end that way. She could not, would not, lose Holly. Not on her watch. Impossible.

  She tugged the leash, wishing to God she’d carried a knife that morning, as she’d been known to do in the past when they’d gone out so far alone. She pulled, and yanked, and wrestled the leash, expending all of her strength. Though she couldn’t break the material of the leash itself, she was able to move the latch to the other side of Holly’s ankle, giving her better leverage to negotiate the release.

  She gave it a final tug, the last of her energy, and to her surprise, it opened. Thank God. But they still had to make it to the surface, and getting them both there when her levels were depleted would be a feat. Elle couldn’t think about it. She ignored the pain in her chest, the numbness in her limbs, and fought with everything she had to return with Holly to the surface. She looked upward as she swam, focusing on the goal, the sunshine that guided her way. This couldn’t be the end. If Holly wasn’t okay, she’d never forgive herself.

  She hoped with everything she had that it wasn’t too late.

  * * *

  “The pain can luckily be attributed to Braxton Hicks contractions,” Kate calmly explained to Gia, Hadley, and Isabel, who’d gathered in the hospital waiting room, bonded together like one friendship unit. Autumn’s doctor had arrived and assessed the situation while they’d waited patiently to hear. They each had their own unique way of dealing with stress, though it was so much more comforting to do it together. Isabel talked nonstop at a high rate of speed, Hadley offered only positive words of encouragement coupled with the occasional uplifting metaphor, and Gia walked incessantly, needing to release extra energy. To each her own.

  “What are Braxton Hicks contractions?” Isabel asked with a worried squint.

  “They’re basically false lab
or pains that can hurt just as much.”

  “Oh, no,” Hadley said. “Poor Autumn, having to go through all of that before any actual labor begins. That doesn’t seem fair.”

  “But that’s good, right?” Gia asked. “That means nothing’s wrong with the twins or Autumn?”

  “That part is good,” Kate said. “But unfortunately, Autumn’s blood pressure has bottomed out, which has the doctor very concerned.”

  “Fuck,” Isabel whispered, shoving her hands into her back pockets. “What can that do?”

  Kate exhaled slowly, which told Gia that she was doing her best to hold it together. But when Gia looked further, she could see that Kate’s hands were shaking, a sure sign that, internally, she was a wreck. Her eyes fluttered closed briefly and she swallowed before continuing. “Apparently the danger for Autumn is high. If her blood pressure gets any lower, we’re looking at the potential for organ damage or a heart attack. For the twins, it could decrease their blood flow.”

  “What’s the plan?” Gia asked, wanting the doctors to solve this problem before those awful consequences were even possibilities.

  “They’re going to treat her BP and keep her overnight for monitoring. We don’t want to deliver the babies at this point, at only thirty-two weeks, but the doctors say it’s something we’ll have to consider if Autumn’s life is at risk.”

  “Oh, no,” Hadley said, hugging herself.

  “It’s going to be fine,” Isabel said, putting her arms around Hadley. “The doctors know what they’re doing.”

  Gia nodded, needing to believe that. “Yep. They do. By tomorrow, that blood pressure will be much more in range.” There was an old saying, fake it till you make it, and Gia planned to apply that adage here. Everything would be just fine. She would cling to that until told differently.

  Kate nodded, worry now creasing her face. “Autumn’s asleep right now. But I can call you guys if anything changes.”

  “Thanks, Kate,” Gia said, and gave her pal a hug, as did Hadley and Isabel. But when Kate disappeared down the hall again, nobody made the move to leave. They looked at one another.