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“Thanks. I think Becca will be occupied for a while.”
I leave them to it and head out the back and down the path to the jetty.
Anna spends a lot of her time here, either swimming or doing yoga — writing, as well. She’s been a little lost as to what her purpose is here. She doesn’t need to work, but that’s not in her character. She’s finding her way, and all I know is that I’ll give her anything she needs to be a success.
I sold my dad’s boat. In fact, I sold everything I could that had any reminder of him for me. And I took great pleasure in dismantling his company, piece by piece, and selling it to the highest bidder. It was my revenge, to take apart what he spent his life building.
He took everything from me, so this was payback. It didn’t give me the satisfaction I was looking for, but it ensured my future and Sophie’s. Not that we needed it — we were both set for life with his inheritance alone.
The sailboat I bought for us now is anchored one jetty along. The first three now all belong to me, making it more private for us — even more our place than ever.
I pause and watch as Anna rises up from a forward position, lifting her arms to the sky.
She is my world.
She always has been. I just couldn’t see that for a while.
Now, my vision isn’t distorted by the crutches I’d always reached for to block the bad shit out.
Last night, I got my two-year chip.
Sober for two years.
It’s the longest stretch since I took my first drink back in school. Sure, I wasn’t out of it all the time back then, but that changed when I turned eighteen.
Everything changed then.
And it did the damage, rotting my life from the inside when I didn’t know any better.
My eyes drink her in as she moves from one stance to another. She’ll be finished soon. I’ve watched her often enough to know. My hand clenches around the coin in my hand as I walk the rest of the way along the wooden deck and strip my shirt off, tossing it onto the rattan sofa that’s permanently out here for us. I leave my sobriety chip on the cushion and push out of my trainers.
With a goofy smile already on my face, I walk towards Anna, building up my pace and pulling her to me, carrying her with me and over the edge into the water.
We plunge in, and I swear I can hear her cussing at me through the bubbles around us.
“What the hell?” she spurts as we both re-surface. Her arms cling around my neck, and I’m happy to pull her to me, treading water for both of us.
I want to re-capture everything we did together, and I want to make room for all the things we missed out on. Dunking her in the water will never get old.
“What was that about?”
“Just feeling nostalgic. Your mum’s here, too.”
“So, you thought I needed to take a shower?” She splashes water at me.
“I’ll enjoy a shower with you anytime.” I squeeze her thighs as they wrap around my waist and tighten.
“You are incorrigible.”
“Only for you.” I lean forward and steal a kiss, the heat of our lips diminished by the water.
“Come on,” she murmurs against my lips. She pushes back, forcing me under the water and releases her hold around me before making her way to the steps.
She squeezes her T-shirt, wringing the water from the fabric and doing the same with her pitch-black hair as I climb up onto the deck.
“What do you want to do today?” she asks.
“I don’t mind. But I’d like to get married.”
