Page 17 of Gravity

“Yeah.”

Grayson smiles sheepishly as he looks at Dad. “Beer sounds good, Pete.”

When his eyes find mine again, I hold his stare, hoping he can hear the sincerity in my voice and that he keeps his word. “He’d like that. We both would.”

* * *

“I don’t think I will ever get enough of this,” Makenna sighs happily as she devours her cotton candy. The girl is obsessed with the stuff and is on her second helping already.

“I don’t know how you can stomach that much.”

“For someone that has a sweet tooth, I can’t believe you don’t like it. What is wrong with you? You weirdo.” She side-eyes me with a grin as we head toward Ocean Front beach.

I’ve had nothing but constant texts from her all morning, stating she wanted cotton candy and the sand between her toes, and loving the beach, I couldn’t wait to come here either.

“I never said I didn’t like it. What I meant was, I don’t know how you can eat as much as you have in one sitting.”

“It’s the only form of excitement I have in my life right now. Well, that and Ryan.” She stuffs another piece into her mouth and makes an over exaggerated hum, brushing her long blonde hair from her face.

Taking off our sandals, we step onto the soft, warm sand and head toward the water. The sun is scorching in the clear blue sky as people gather in groups along the beach. I’ve missed this place. Even though college is only a short drive from Virginia Beach, on the weekends I’ve often found myself too busy with extra studies to come here. And when Makenna would demand that I took some time out to catch up with her, we often ended up doing other things.

Coming to the beach is like giving a gift to the soul: the calmness it provokes the moment you step foot on the sand is something I don’t think I will ever get over. The picturesque postcard view draws you to it no matter what, but for me, it’s what goes on beyond the depths of the ocean that I love more. The day I knew I wanted to explore the life in the abyss, I had been four years old. My dad had taken me to the aquarium for a father/daughter day out, and I’d fallen in love from that moment. I’d loved the different color fish that I’d never known existed, the beauty of the coral reef—an under-water rainbow. I had been mesmerized from that very second, and life under the sea became my obsession.

“So, you’re definitely set on taking a year out of studies?” Makenna asks.

The cool water tickles my toes as we walk along the shore front and head toward the pier. “That’s the plan.”

At times I’ve felt guilty for not being with Dad, even though I’d seen him most nights at the hospital. But even that had got too much when my workload became more intense. I’d had to cut down on my visits. At that point, though, it hadn’t been so bad as Dad had turned a corner and had been responding to the treatment and therapy.

“I can always go back to college and continue to further my degree next year. Or even the year after that if I’m not ready.”

“So, you’ll just be staying at home all summer?”

“I don’t know. I mean, Dad now has Wade coming in every day, so I tend to leave them to it. And when Mom’s work shifts cross over with Wade, I’m kinda at a loose end. So, I was going to see if I can get some part time work for the summer or something.”

“Hot Tuna is hiring,” she says in a bit of a rush, and it has me looking at her.

“I’m not really a bartender kinda girl.”

“Good job it’s for a waitress then. Ryan mentioned it the other day when we hung out.” Ryan is Grayson’s right-hand man when it comes to working and running Hot Tuna and a good friend with benefits when it comes to Makenna.

We head up out of the water and sit on the sand. Makenna sits with her legs crossed while I rest back on my elbows, looking out toward the ocean.

Numerous people swim while others play about, kicking and splashing at those they are with. The atmosphere down here is one that brings a smile to my face, even when I don’t feel like smiling at all. It’s intoxicating in the best way. Well, for me it is anyway.

“I don’t know. I mean it would be a good little job, but there’s just the small problem of Grayson. I don’t know how he’d feel about it.”

“I take it you’ve seen him since you’ve been back then?”

“Yeah,” I sigh, thinking back to earlier. “He rocked up, hungover, with Asher this morning.”

“And how was it?”

That’s what I’m still trying to work out. One minute it had been like he wanted to run and the next as if nothing has changed. I’d tried to include him in conversations for the sake of Dad and everyone else, but at the same time, I’d wanted to scream at him for his avoidance.

“Odd. He was his usual ‘boy next door’ self, but also acted where I felt like I hardly knew him at all. I can see that the world is on his shoulders, I can see that there is guilt in his eyes, but what frustrates me more is the fact I’m willing to forgive him even after the way he’s treated me. Then I question whether I should be bothered about it at all.”

“How do you mean?”