White Dragon

by Regina A Hanel

  "I don't think the kids noticed. Your mom probably did, but they didn't, and your brother certainly didn't. I think he's a bit smitten with our tour guide."

  "You think so? She's a little young for him. I'm staying back here with you where it's safe."

  "Oh, you think so, do you? I wouldn't be so sure of that," Halie said. She slapped Sam light on the rear.

  Sam turned in Halie's direction as Halie grinned and shook her head.

  From up ahead, Ranger Bartlett's powerful voice trailed back to Sam and Halie. "We'll start out on this trail that runs through the dunes," she said. "Island Beach is an island nine miles long. The Atlantic Ocean meets land on one side and Barnegat Bay on the other side. Because it lies between these two bodies of water, it's subject to wind, rain, and beach erosion."

  "What's erosion?" Jessie said.

  "That's when the side effects of the weather eat away at the beach until less and less of it exits."

  "That's not good," Jessie said.

  "No, that's not good," Ranger Bartlett replied. "What we have here then, is the island's first line of defense from damaging winds and waves--the grasses. These taller ones are American Beach Grass and the lower ones are Japanese Sedge."

  Katelynn called to her grandma, "Is the American Beach Grass what you have in your yard, Grandma?"

  "I think so sweetie," June said.

  "The secondary lines of defense," Ranger Bartlett continued, "are plants such as these: Poison Ivy, Seaside Goldenrod, Common Bayberry, and Prickly Pear Cactus."

  "Grandma has those prickly pear plants too," Jessie said.

  The ranger chuckled and peeked over at Matt, who shyly looked away.

  "Maybe she's bisexual," Halie whispered into Sam's ear.

  "Maybe," Sam said. "That'd be good for Matt."

  They followed the trail farther inland. The sun beat strong on Sam's back. Ranger Bartlett informed them of the plants and animals in the thicket community, the transitional community near the roadway, and the mature forest community. The forest community consisted of trees such as the American Holly, Atlantic White Cedar, various oaks, and Pitch Pine. She also explained the importance of why people should not disturb any of the insects, reptiles, birds, mammals, or plants that lived in those communities or remove them from the island.

  "Island Beach is home to over one hundred different bird species including hawks, owls, sparrows, herons, egrets, ducks, gulls, sandpipers, pelicans, starlings, loons, and other more common birds as well," the ranger added. "They all rely on the thick brush for protection and food." Ranger Bartlett paused for a moment, as if gauging whether or not she was losing the girls' interest. Then she led everyone closer to the water. "I have a secret to tell you girls, but you have to promise not to tell anyone, because most people don't know this," the ranger said. She winked at Matt.

  "We promise! We promise!" they yelled in unison. "Tell us, please!"

  "Okay. Way back, around the sixteen hundreds to early eighteen hundreds, this island was home to pirates and smugglers," Ranger Bartlett explained. "In fact, it's thought that storms have wrecked and sunk over one hundred and twenty five ships around the eighteen thirties between Point Pleasant and the Barnegat Inlet. The risk of wrecking a ship became so bad, they used to call this area the Graveyard of the Atlantic."

  The girl's eyes widened, and at first all they could say was "Oooh." Then Jessie said, "That means there could be treasure in the water or maybe even washed up on shore, doesn't it?"

  "That's right. But most of the treasure has already been found, and in order to protect the island today, no treasure hunting is allowed. If some of the treasure happened to wash up on the beach though, well, that's another story," she said.

  "Oh, boy! Did you hear that Dad? There might be treasure. Can we hunt for gold later, Dad? Please, huh, please? Maybe with that storm yesterday, some trinkets might have washed on shore."

  "Some trinkets, huh? You'll have to talk to your grandma about that."

  "Is that metal detector we used to use when we were little still around, Mom?" Sam asked.

  "You mean the one I bought because you wouldn't leave me alone about hunting for coins and gold, when you were their age?"

  Halie chucked as Sam's face flushed. "Yeah, that's the one. Well anyway, maybe we can put new batteries in and see if it still works. Halie and I could take the kids up and down the beach after lunch, if it's okay with Matt."

  The girl's stares traversed from Sam to their dad.

  "That's fine with me," Matt said. "Knock yourselves out. Only don't forget about me when you find a treasure chest of gold."

  AFTER POLISHING OFF sandwiches at the house, Sam and Halie took the girls on their treasure hunt along the beach as promised. Halie brought her camera. Not one cloud dotted the sky. The waves were strong and several feet tall, and a few surfers were out landing larger than usual waves. Jet skiers were also present. The sun glistened off the waves. The mild breeze cooled Sam.

  "You girls take turns holding the metal detector. Katelynn goes first because she's the oldest. I'll time it. We rotate every fifteen minutes, okay?" Sam said.

  "Okay," they said.

  The kids walked up ahead, with Sam and Halie not far behind. Halie glanced over at Sam and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek at the same time Jessie veered around.

  Jessie slowed her pace until Sam and Halie caught up to her. "You guys are in love, aren't you? Like Dad and Mom used to be?"

  The question broke Sam's heart, but at the same time was so cute and innocent. "That's right sweetie, the same way."

  "Do you think it will be forever?"

  "I hope so Jess, we feel like it will," Sam said.

  "I hope so too. I wish Mom and Dad would have lasted forever."

  "I'm sure they did too, but you know, that doesn't change the fact they love both of you girls more than anything. Nothing can change that special bond. You'll always have it."

  A huge smile crossed Jessie's face. "We will? Are you sure?"

  "Yes, I'm sure," Sam said.

  Jessie was quiet for maybe half a minute and then she added, "So if you have kids, then they'd have two mommies? That's what Dad said."

  Sam was impressed. "Yup, they would, and we'd love them as much as your mom and dad love you. For now though, we have Jake to take care of."

  Jessie laughed. "Oh, yeah. I wish you could have brought Jake. Dad won't let us have a dog. At least he hasn't so far. I think we're wearing him out about getting one though." Then she skipped along the beach next to her sister.

  "I'm glad I got to meet your brother and the kids," Halie said. "The kids are so precious."

  "Yeah, they're something else. They have so much energy." Sam squinted at her watch and then yelled over to Katelynn. "Okay girls, time to switch."

  After a couple of minutes, Katelynn slowed and walked in between Sam and Halie. "Auntie Sam, are there sharks in this ocean?"

  "Sure, but most don't swim this close to the shoreline."

  "Do you think they ate pirates years ago when their ships got wrecked?"

  "I don't know sweetie, I hope not. I think they had enough other fish to eat. I understand sharks don't particularly like the way people taste anyway," Sam said.

  "Oh, well that's good," Katelynn said. Then she redirected her line of sight at the sand and their footprints. "How come when the water rolls over our feet and then when you can see the sand again, so many air bubbles pop up?"

  Sam didn't answer right away, so Halie interjected. "That's because of air pockets trapped under the sand and also because hundreds and thousands of little crabs burrow into the sand for protection from the birds, and they have to breathe."

  "Crabs? What kinds?"

  "Oh, I don't know. All kinds. You've got big horseshoe crabs and little hermit crabs, mole crabs, ghost crabs, lady crabs, green crabs, rock crabs, and even clams and mussels," Halie said.

  "Wow! You know a lot about that stuff. How come?"

  "Well, back where I grew up in
Scituate, Massachusetts, we lived near the ocean too and people went crabbing and clamming a lot, so you pick up on that stuff."

  "Was it like this ocean?"

  "The water's a lot colder there and the shoreline is rockier, but it's the same ocean and it has lots of the same animals in it," Halie said.

  "Like sharks?"

  The corners of Halie's mouth turned upward. "Yes, like sharks, but also bluefish, lobster, shrimp, and lots of other fish."

  Jessie yelled from up ahead. "It's beeping, it's beeping! I found something."

  Sam and Halie gathered around the spot Jessie already started to dig. A second later, Jessie held up a coin. She wiped it clean before she handed it to Sam. "What is it Auntie Sam? It has an Indian head on it."

  Sam felt the coin between her fingers and flipped it over. "This is a Buffalo Nickel from 1913. You don't see many of these around. This is a great find, kids. It's not a gold coin, but it could be worth a lot of money. You should hold on to it. Make sure you don't spend it."

  "Wow, wait until we show Dad what we found," Jessie said.

  "Do you girls want to search a little longer or head back?" Sam asked.

  "I'd like to stay a little longer if that's okay," Katelynn said.

  "Sure, I don't mind, I could be out here all day," Sam said. She smiled at Halie.

  Halie smiled back, then turned toward one of the jet skiers. She lifted her camera and took a few pictures of the man "cutting it up" on the waves.

  The jet skier angled into a wave and did a complete flip.

  Sam never saw anyone circle around in the air like that before. "Wow, did you see that?" Sam said.

  "Not only did I see it, but I got it on film. If this comes out good, I'm going to hang it in the gallery. This should be a great shot," Halie said.

  "That guy is something else," Sam said. "I wish I could ride like that."

  "Oh, no you don't, Ms. Tyler. I want you around for a good long time. Don't even think about it."

  Sam smirked at Halie. "Come on, we better catch up to the girls, they're getting too far ahead of us."

  Halie ran off first and yelled back, "I'll race you."

  When they got near the kids, the jet skier made his way near them, close to the shore. He waved them over. Sam told the kids to stay where they were and she and Halie went to see what he wanted.

  He bobbed back and forth in the water on his Jet Ski. "Hey," he yelled. "My name's Colin Mitchell. I'm a semi-professional jet skier, among other things. I saw you on the shore with your camera and I was wondering if you happened to get a picture of the flip I did back there."

  "I did, it was great. You're very good. I'm a photographer, so I know a good shot when I see it," Halie said.

  "Thanks. If the photograph's any good, I'd like to buy it from you. I'd pay up to a thousand dollars, depending on how well you captured me."

  "Are you kidding?"

  "No, I'm dead serious. If I give you my address, do you think you'll remember it?"

  Halie glanced at Sam. Sam indicated that she'd remember. "Go ahead," Halie said.

  Sam made a mental note of his address, repeating it over and over in her head until it stuck. Then they both waved good-bye and trudged through the sand toward the kids.

  "What did he want Auntie Sam?" Jessie asked.

  "He wants to buy one of the pictures Halie took of him in the ocean, for quite a nice penny too."

  "I hope you're getting more than a penny," Jessie said.

  Sam tussled Jessie's hair. "Yeah, we'll get way more than a penny. That was just an expression. I think we better get back to the house now, how about it you two?"

  "Yeah, then we can tell Grandma and Dad the good news about our nickel and Auntie Halie's picture," Jessie said.

  Sam and Halie looked at each other. Sam sensed they shared the warmth and glee at the words Auntie Halie.

  When they returned to the house, June and Matt were sitting on the porch; June in a wicker rocker, and Matt in a lawn chair. Both sipped on a drink. Not even up the last step, the kids started in with the coin they found and kept right on talking. Sam went inside and poured herself and Halie a glass of spiked punch her mom had made for herself and Matt. She poured the kids fruit juice, and then joined them on the porch for some chatter and relaxation.

  The afternoon passed quickly. Later that evening, the kids suckered them into another name game, but this one was harder and a lot more fun than the one they played in the car. The game included clapping, and it required hand-brain coordination, which messed up the adults after the couple of drinks they'd had, making the game all the more funny.

  Everyone sat in a circle with legs crossed. Jess started out as the leader. She set the rhythm, which was a mix of a slap on the thighs, a clap of the hands together, and snaps of the fingers.

  Jess's first rhythm went like this: slap, slap, clap--then on snap, snap she said, "Names of animals."

  Going around the circle clockwise, next to Jessie, Katelynn did the same thing, slap, slap, clap, snap, snap, and said "goat." The game would continue until someone either messed up the beat or ran out of an animal's name. The person who messed up sat out until only the winner was left. The end result was that Sam sat a lot, but they all laughed equally as much.

  THE NEXT MORNING was a difficult one. Matt and the kids were packed and hugs were given and taken. The girls cried in unison while Grandma assured them she'd come visit them soon and Sam and Halie said they'd see them again too and that they'd send them pictures of Jake and pictures they took during the week. When the heaviest of sobs abated, Matt pulled out of the driveway.

  "It's so quiet with the kids gone," Halie said. "It feels odd in a way."

  "It does," June said. "I love it when they come, but it's so hard to see them go."

  "Hey, Mom," Sam said. "Why don't you invite your neighbor over for dinner tonight? We'd love to meet her."

  June was surprised that Sam would want to meet her neighbor and wondered why she asked. Containing her nervous energy she said, "Who, you mean Maggie Seymore?"

  "If that's the neighbor you were talking to the other day when we came back from playing mini-golf with the kids, then yes."

  "Oh, uh, yeah, that was Maggie. Sure, I don't see why we couldn't, although I can't guarantee she'll come, but she'd probably like to. I'll ask her. I think that would be nice, actually."

  "Good, it's settled. Is she married? She should bring her husband, if she is."

  June smiled at her daughter, a suspicious yet affectionate smile. "No, she's not."

  "That's fine. I'll cook, and you can have the evening to relax," Sam said. "Seven o'clock okay?"

  "I have a better idea," Halie interjected. "I'll cook and you guys can catch up with each other. How does that sound?"

  Sam started to voice objection, but Halie put her hand up. She winked at Sam, which halted any attempt Sam might have made in protest.

  "Sounds good you two, I'll let you know." June said.

  "HEY BABY," COLIN said. He placed an arm around his wife's waist and kissed her on the side of the cheek. "Will you keep an eye on Cody? I wanted to take the four-wheeler out for a spin."

  Colin Mitchell was a young man in his early twenties who married his high school sweetheart soon after graduation since he'd gotten her pregnant with their son.

  "Do I have a choice?"

  Colin smirked as he walked out the back door. "Thanks," he called back. He skipped the porch steps as he headed for the truck. "Keep practicing, buddy!" he yelled to Cody, who was playing on his battery operated four-wheeler. "Show Daddy how good you're getting when I come home okay?"

  Cody nodded, then drove into a small bush. The four-wheeler churned, but didn't go anywhere.

  Colin jumped from the truck and ran to his son. "I told you, you've got to keep your eyes focused on where you're going, right?"

  "Right. Where ya going? Can I come?"

  Colin kissed his son on the head, and pulled his toy truck free from the shrubbery. "Not today.
Dad's got some things to take care of, okay? I'll see you later though," he said before making his way back to the truck.

  Eileen Mitchell watched her husband from the kitchen window and shook her head.

  Twenty minutes later, Colin stood in front of a familiar townhouse door and rang the bell.

  A tall, short haired blonde with full lips and mascara laden eyes, dressed in a tight white sun dress and white sandals with silver pearls, wearing large silver bangles on her arms, opened the door. "What are you doing here today?"

  "I missed you, Sugar," Colin said. He handed her a bouquet of two dozen red roses.

  "Yeah, right," she said. "Me or the sex?"

  "Same thing, no?"

  "Whatever. Come on in," she said. She grabbed him roughly behind the neck and pulled him inside before closing the door.

  HALIE STOOD IN the kitchen slicing up eggplant. She placed the even slices on a cookie sheet. At seven o'clock sharp, a succession of rapid knocks landed on the back door.

  Halie heard June yell from the living room, "I'll get it, it's probably Maggie." Before Halie was able to rinse her hands off and wipe them dry, June was at the door and let her neighbor in.

  "Hi," Maggie said to June. Then she leaned in and gave her a hug. "I brought a bottle of wine for dinner. It's red. I hope that's okay."

  "Hi. I'm glad you could come. That's great, the kids love red wine," June said. She took the bottle from Maggie and picked at the seal over the cork.

  "The wine will go perfect with dinner," Halie interjected. She sensed tension in the air. "We're having linguini with eggplant and mozzarella in red sauce."

  "Sounds fantastic..." Maggie said.

  "Oh, I'm sorry," June said. "This is my daughter's partner, Halie Walker."

  Maggie extended her hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you Halie. June talks about you and her daughter often." Maggie Seymore was an exceptionally pretty middle aged woman. She was tall and slender with large hazel eyes and wavy brunette hair. She wore a white button down blouse, snug fitting jeans, and brown leather sandals. The only jewelry she wore was a silver ring on her index finger and small silver earrings with turquoise hearts embedded in them. Maggie's handshake was firm, yet gentle.