Page 83 of The Surfer

Cove’s back.

He really is alive.

“Hi,” he says, his voice weak.

“Hello,” is all I can respond with. I can’t believe it. I’d thought he was gone. But he’s here, he’s alive.

“Hi, sis,” he says, spotting Sandy over my shoulder. “Nice for you two to drop by.”

“Hey.”

“You alright?” I ask him. His chest rises and falls, his breathing returning to normal.

He slowly smiles. The old Cove I knew was coming back. “Never better,” he replies.

Typical. Nearly dead and he makes a joke of the situation. Such a dick.

I laugh. Even though he’s annoying the hell out of me, it’s good to see him okay. He’s going to be alright. “You nearly drowned! What the fuck were you doing? Why were you out here on your own?”

“I just thought I’d go for a little surf in the ocean, that’s all.”

“You stupid man,” Sandy says from behind my shoulder, rolling her eyes. “I’ve got a total idiot for a brother.”

Her idiot brother casually shrugs, still trying to breathe correctly.

I only have one question for him.

“I got your message… you weren’t doing this for me, were you?”

Cove winks. “Don’t be silly, I didn’t do this for you.” He attempts to push himself to a sitting position, but his arms are too weak. He collapses back into the sand. Sandy and I quickly rush to help, pulling him up together, and Cove grunts as our arms forced his body up. “Well, maybe I did do this for you.”

“You did?”

“I think I wanted to prove something to you.”

“By nearly drowning?”

“Look, I didn’t think it through enough.”

“That’s putting it lightly.”

“I think what I was trying to do - trying to say - is that I’m sorry. For everything.”

“Oh, Cove.”

“Today – earlier – when I ran away, I didn’t mean those words. I’m sorry for what I said. I really didn’t mean those words. I was angry at myself for not being good enough for you. But, instead of dealing with it, I lashed out at you. I lashed out at the one person who actually cares for me, and I am so sorry.”

Oh, Cove.

My heart bleeds for him.

I wave him away. “Don’t be sorry, Cove.”

“I am, though. I was a dick and… I’m sorry. I did this stupid thing because I wanted to prove to you that I could stand up on the surfboard, that you’ve been good for me. That’s why I did it.”

“Well, it was a pretty stupid thing to do.”

“It didn’t really work, did it?”