Capturing Savannah

by Krajcirovic, J. L.

  “I need to take pictures. Sorry.” I say as he shrugs and then walks away.

  A few minutes later I get a tap on the shoulder. It’s David.

  “Dance with me Thea.” He says. “You can go back to taking pictures after one dance.”

  I can’t really argue with that one and I am not sure I really want to argue anyways. “One dance.” I say.

  I set my camera down at the table and join him on the dance floor. It’s a medium paced song and we follow the crowd with ballroom style form, my hand on his shoulder and the other in his hand. I get butterflies in my gut from his other hand that is on my waist.

  We don’t say anything just dance together. It seems like hours but then the song ends and the band starts playing “Shake Rattle and Roll”. I release David and we go back to table. When we get there I don’t know what to say to him so I pick up my camera and go back out into the group of dancers. I take shots within the crowd of everyone shaking it. Alex and Cami are waving their arms in the air and beaming from ear to ear. I take lots of shots of them and all the other couples.

  As I walk back to the table I notice my mom and dad talking to David.

  “It’s so good to see you again Mrs. Clark,” David says. “Mr. Clark.” He says shaking my dads hand.

  “Good to see you too David. And good to see you getting Thea up and dancing.” My mom says. “Things have been really hard for her and…”

  “Hi mom, dad.” I say walking right into the conversation and worried about where it’s headed.

  “How have things been for you David? I was so happy when Cami told me that you and Thea ran into each other.” Mom says.

  “Ya. It was nice getting run into by Thea.” He says chuckling. “Things are good for me. Almost finished with my Masters.”

  “That’s good David.” My mom says as she notices I am giving her a bit of the evil eye stare.

  “Thea would you mind helping with something?” my mom says.

  “Sure mom.” I say back.

  We both leave my dad and David talking. My mom has me help with getting the box of sparklers. The band is wrapping up. The tables are getting cleared. The dancers have stopped dancing. My mom and I pass out the sparklers lighting them up as we hand them out. I give one to David and dad and Naomi, too. They all take the sparklers to the beach and I follow them with my camera.

  I change the shudder speed on my camera to account for the darker surrounds and so I get the moving specks of spark. I get shots of the bride and groom kissing each with a sparkler in hand. Then the wedding party flanks the couple and raises their fiery wands up in the air. Some of the guests make shapes and letters out of the quickness of their movements. Making beautiful and meaningful shots.

  I happen upon Naomi and David laughing and drinking and they urge me to join them and to stop taking photos. Which I end up doing.

  “Always working hard.” David says to me as he forces his sparkler in my hand exchanging my camera for it.

  “Ah it’s not so bad.” I say.

  He snaps a few photos of me with the sparkler. I play until the sparklers start to fade and the guests start to wonder back to the hotel or farther down the beach. Naomi drags David and I back to the bar at the beachfront restaurant along with her brother Michael. Paul and Winston are there too. I decide to have a few drinks with them and then I get a phone call.

  I know who it is again. “Sorry guys I need to take this.” I say as I step off the patio and onto the beach going closer to the tide.

  “Thea?” says the crackling voice.

  “Hey.” I say. “I’m here for you. How are you?”

  “Thea I am not good. Not good at all.” He strains.

  “Sorry to hear that. Do you want to tell me why it is not good?” I ask.

  “It’s all of it. He’s dead Thea. He’s dead, he’s not coming back. And I am alive. Why am I alive?” he says. I can hear the sobs.

  “I know. Sometimes things happen that we don’t understand. But it’s not anyone’s fault. We just have to focus on the good times we had when they were here and go on living the best we can.” I say thinking about my experience with the loss of my brother Jacks.

  There is quiet on the other end of the phone.

  “Thea?” he says.

  “Ya?” I say back.

  “When will you be back?” he says.

  “Soon. I’ll be back soon. And the kids and I will see you at your dad’s house for his birthday.” I say.

  “Ok Thea. I’ll see you soon.” He says.

  I hang up the phone and the water from the tide hits the bottom of my feet. It’s cold but I let it wash over my feet a little longer. When I head back I see Naomi resting her hand on David’s arm and throwing her head back as she laughs along with Michael, Paul, and Winston. David is still drinking what looks like the same beer from before but Naomi has two empty glasses in front of her that appears she downed rather quickly.

  As I join them to sit at the bar a man approaches us and asks me to dance. I say no, but Naomi jumps in and says she will dance with him. I am glad for her and relieved. David and I watch her go to the part of the patio that others are dancing at.

  “Wow. You sure do get a lot of offers to dance?” David says teasingly.

  “Ya. Is there something I don’t know? Is my dress see through or something?” I say half joking.

  “No. Guys just know a good partner when they see one.” He says raising the side of his mouth into that adorable grin. “So is there someone back home? Is that why you aren’t dancing with any of them? And is that who keeps calling you?” he asks.

  “There are two someone’s back home. My kids. I was married to their dad for three years.” I say.

  “Two kids? That’s great Thea.” He says.

  “Ya boys. Jacks is six. Cole is five.” I say.

  “What happened with the guy, the dad?” he asks.

  I think about how to answer that.

  “Sorry if that was too personal.” He says.

  “It’s fine. He is a good guy, but after his brother died of cancer he turned into well…a mean drunk.” I say.

  “Cancer is a nasty thing. I lost my mom to cancer a long time ago. So I know how hard that is. And people grieve differently too. I understand why the drinking wouldn’t sit right with you especially with what happened with Jacks. But I do understand how cancer can tear apart a family. The mean part though…not sure about that.” David says.

  “I’m sorry about your mom David.” I say back.

  “It took a lot to get past it and I am still working at it. So do you still talk to the mean drunk?” he asks.

  “We still talk. I am one of his sponsors.” I say avoiding details on the mean part of it.

  I think about how scary he is when he drinks. He never touched me or the kids. Just yells a lot and brakes things around the house when he was there anyways. His brothers death really tore him apart and I couldn’t reach him. He didn’t want me to either.

  “What about you David. You and Maggie still together?” I ask.

  “Maggie? No, think we ended it like six years ago now. I have dated here and there but no one that ever made me feel…” he says as Naomi interrupts us with slurring mumbles. She is now wasted and can barely stand.

  “I think I better get her back.” I say looking around for the rest of the guys. I find Paul talking to a local girl and he tells me Michael and Winston left to go back about five minutes ago.

  “I’ll walk you two back.” David says.

  “You don’t have to do that.” I say.

  “I want to. And I am not about to let you two walk back alone.” He says.

  “Thanks.” Is all I can say.

  David and I each take one of Naomi’s arm and start our walk down the beach. We laugh a little at her mumbling words not really sure what she is talking about. Halfway back I spot a comfortable looking wooden bench.

  “Mind if we stop for a break.” I say motioning to the bench.

  “Sure. Yo
u’re out of shape Thea.” He says laughing at me.

  “I thought you looked like you could use a break. And besides since you’re taller your pushing her weight more on me.” I snicker in the best possible way.

  “Really? Well in that case let me make it up to you.” He says jumping off and walking quickly across the street.

  I am baffled until I spot Kermit’s, the place with the key lime pie from before. That sounds pretty tasty right now so I make no effort to stop him.

  “Eweee twwo ju kesss arowdy…” Naomi mumbles to me.

  It sounds like she says “You two just kiss already.” In fact I am pretty certain that is what she said. It makes me smile to think about kissing David. But we said we wanted to be friends. I am not sure exactly how to be friends but a kiss would certainly be complicating the friends things. Besides I am not sure I want to cross over that line again with him. It hurt too bad last time.

  Even though Naomi is incoherent I manage to talk to her about it a little. It’s nice to have someone to think out loud with even if they are so drunk they probably won’t remember this in the morning.

  David comes back with the key lime pie and three forks. He offers Naomi some too which she accepts. The pie is incredible.

  “You’re right. This pie is a ten star pie.” I say closing my eyes as I put one last bite in my mouth.

  We toss the pie in the nearby wastepaper basket and continue our decent back to the hotel.

  “So when do you go back home?” he asks.

  “Tomorrow.” I say.

  That word seems to have changed the mood some. Made it serious. We don’t say another word and before we know it we get to the hotel lobby. David helps me get Naomi into the elevator.

  “What floor?” he asks.

  “Six.” I say thinking about how we used to ride the elevator to our sixth floor dorm rooms.

  “Some things never change.” He says.

  We pop out of the elevator when the doors open. It’s only a bit farther now. We get to Naomi’s door and I look through her purse for the key card. I open the door and David helps me get her in. Her brother Michael is asleep in one of the twin beds so we quietly lay Naomi in her bed. I fill up one of the hotel glasses with water and set it on her nightstand.

  We tiptoe out and I shut the door softly. I turn around and David is stopped right behind me and stays still. I nearly knock into him. We just stare at each other for a long moment.

  “I know there wasn’t a jellyfish this time, but surely the pie and walking you and your cousin back counted for something. Friends?” he asks still looking into my eyes.

  “Ok. Friends.” I say.

  We stare at each other for awhile longer and I feel like I want to kiss him. But again that’s kind of going against the whole just friends thing. I don’t think we will see much of each other again but I don’t want to mess the whole friends things up. Parting as true friends is much better than how we parted last time.

  “Well see ya then, friend.” I say.

  Chapter Twelve

  I hug my parent’s goodbye at the airport and they board their plane back to Tennessee. Most of the rest of the family and friends are at the airport too. Except for Cami and Alex, or rather Mr. and Mrs. Sutton who are staying in Key West for another week. I have about a half hour before my plane boards. I take a seat next to a group from the wedding party.

  Naomi and her brother Michael both drift over wearing dark sunglasses and with frazzled hair. The group laughs at them. Naomi takes the empty seat by me.

  “Hey. How are you feeling Naomi?” I ask her.

  “Like I went through a hurricane or something.” She says.

  “You did drink a lot last night.” I say.

  “Yay. Too much. Thanks for getting me back to the hotel. The key lime pie and water saved me too.” She says.

  “So how did it go with David last night?” she asks.

  “Good. We decided to part as friends.” I say.

  “Friends huh? So nothing happened between you too last night then?” she says eying me suspiciously.

  “No nothing did. Why?” I say.

  “You totally should have hooked up with David. I can’t believe everything he went through and that he had to drop out of school because his mom was diagnosed with cancer and had months or years to live.

  “Drop out of school? He is about to get his Masters.” I say.

  “He had to drop out of SCAD. You know when you two were dating.” Naomi says.

  I sit, stunned into silence. I had no idea. How could I have had no idea. None. I mean he did say last night that his mom died of cancer and it tore him apart. But how did I have no idea that he was going through this when he had to leave school and said he wasn’t coming back. Why didn’t he tell me? Why didn’t I ask? Or try to figure out what was going on with him.

  “Your lucky he even talked you after you ran into him. You know after he caught you kissing his college roommate at some party.” She says.

  He was at that party. I thought it was the alcohol and because I couldn’t stop thinking about him and that I was just seeing things. How could he have actually been there? Why was he there? And god. He saw Dax kiss me. Maybe even the two times that he did it. But he obviously missed that part where Remy and Micah pulled him off of me and I slapped him. It was my fault it happened for sure at least the second time. I was probably flirting and I told Dax I only wanted to be friends but for just a minute I liked getting kissed and feeling a little bit loved. So I guess I can see what that must have looked like to someone else looking in. But he was there. He was at the party after all. I should have tried harder to call out to him in the crowd.

  “They are calling your flight to board Thea. Don’t beat yourself over it. You totally should have hooked up with him though. It was obvious you two are still in love with each other.” Says Naomi.

  “Thanks Naomi.” I say getting up from my seat and hugging her goodbye. After hugging and waving to rest of the gang I head to the gangway.

  For the next four hours on the plane I try to replay that phone call with him in my head. The one where David said he wasn’t coming back. I also replay the events at the party in my head too. Both are a little foggy. They were like ten years ago and I had been drinking at that party. I also think about how I say at the pizza place after graduation with his girlfriend. And the gallery showing all those years ago at the Pinnacle Gallery, the one David said he was at. I remember Dax was there too along with Kyle. I wonder what he must have thought about that. Maybe he thought Dax and I were together. Maybe that was why he never said hello to me that night.

  After four hours of thinking and as the plane is landing I decide not to harp on this anymore. I can’t change anything that happened. I can’t change that he was hurting when his mom passed away and I wasn’t there for him. I can’t change what he thought he saw at the party. I feel terrible, but I can’t change them. I am thankful that in Key West we got to see each other again and to be friends again. He seemed happy and I truly hope that he is and continues to be. If I am lucky enough to see him again I hope I can apologize to him.

  The plane lands and I wait for my bag to come up from the baggage claim belt. It does and I drag it off the belt. I check the front pocket where I put a fresh bag of coffee beans from Key West that I got for the kid’s grandpa. Yep still there and not crushed.

  On the drive out of the airport and on the way to Tybee Island I stop at the Piggly Wiggly to pick up a birthday cake. We are celebrating Grandpa’s birthday this afternoon when I go to pick up the kids. It’s a round vanilla cake with butter cream icing.

  I was only gone a week but I missed Savannah. I missed the oak trees draped in Spanish moss. I missed the coastal reed grass flanking the drive to Tybee. I missed the charm of Savannah. Heck I even missed the humidity and sweating, sort of. I park on the street and walk a little ways down the road to Grandpa’s house. It’s a beautiful gray paneled house with a staircase leading to the porch that wraps the front
of the beachfront house. I start up the stairs and before I even make it to the top step two boys wrap themselves around my legs.

  “Mom! Mom!” Jacks and Cole shout.

  “Hi boys. I missed you.” I say setting down the cake and coffee bean bag so I can give them a big squeeze.

  “We are glad you are back. So is Aunt Cami married now? Did she really marry Alex?.” They ask.

  “Yes. And yes she married Alex. It was a beautiful ceremony right on the beach.” I say.

  “But why didn’t they get married on this beach mommy?” Cole asks.

  “Well. They both love to travel and wanted to go somewhere new to start their new adventure together.” I say.

  “Oh.” Says Cole.

  We walk inside the house and I give their Grandpa a hug.

  “How was the trip?” He asks.

  “It was good. My parents say hello. And thanks again for watching the boys.” I say.

  “It was nice having these guys around all the time. Gave me some practice before I have them for the summer, too. Glad you had a good trip.” He says. “Kyle should be here soon.”

  “Daddy. Daddy.” Says Jacks and Cole as they rush back out the door to the top of the stairs.

  “Hi boys.” Kyle says reaching down to hold them in his arms. “Come on dad. Mom is here.” They say pulling his hands inside the house.

  “Hi Kyle.” I say giving him a quick hug.

  “Thea.” He says to me with a forced smile. “Thea I need to talk to you later ok?” He says.

  “Ok.” I say back. “Boys can you two help me with something in the kitchen?” I ask.

  “Yes. Yes.” They say.

  I lead them into the kitchen so they can help me with the cake. I give them each three candles and let them put them on the cake. I search in Grandpa’s drawers and find the matches. I light the six candles and have the boys help me carry the cake out.

  “Ok boys. Start singing.” I whisper to them as we come out of the kitchen slowly.

  They sing along with Kyle and me and we all clap as Grandpa blows out the candles. I serve the cake and we visit in the living room for awhile.

  It’s getting dark now and I need to get the boys home since it’s a school night.