Page 15 of Return to Cheshire Bay
“It sounds…well…” Definitely different. “Like it’s something to consider whileI’m here.”
Itwasn’t something I was going to explore right here onthe beach, but if Icouldn’t find an OB in the area, I’d consider giving her a call.Poor Beth would roll her eyes at the idea of me giving birth in myliving room, if it ever got to that, which was highly unlikelysince I’d planned on being back home before that becamereality.
“Hungry?” Ericpassed me a raw hotdog already stabbed onto a stick.
I tookit, my fingers grazing his as I did and lookeddeep into his eyes. “Starving.”
Timehadn’t erased the ability to properly cook a hotdog over an openflame, and when it was cooked to perfection, I wrapped a bun around it and slid itoff.
Acontainer of condiments came my way, and I shook my head. Instead,I took a hearty bite. And itwas so good. A river of grease escaped my lips, and Ericpointed it to and hesitated as if he wanted to wipe it himself.Instead, I reached for a napkin and dabbed it myself while Icontinued to gaze upon him as the bonfire cast flickers of lightand shadows across his face.
Silently, he passed me a can of coke, his fingers touchingmine longer than need be, although I wasn’t going to complain.
Sittingaround the fire had been everything I hadn’t known I needed. Iwasn’t aware how much I longed for the connection that came from deep belly laughterand great company until I was snorting from an off-colour jokeMitch told, and playfully grabbing Eric’s arm as I tried to catchmy breath.
When thestars started twinkling, Arlo brought out his guitar andplucked out a few songs for us.We didn’t sing along, but it was peaceful listening to his fingersstrum. Clearly, the way he played, he wasn’t a beginner, and I knewmost of the traditional songs he hummed along to, but the folksierones were new.
Thetime ticked on as thefull moon cast shadows along the beach, and the fire died down toglowing embers. It was well past midnight, and time to bid adieu tothe small beach party.
“Time tocall it a night,” Willow declared and folded her and Arlo’s chairs.“It was lovely meetingyou.”
Her hugreminded me of the kind you’d give an old friend, long andlingering with a touchof comfort. I didn’t want to let go.
“Staysafe and peace out,” Arlo said, packinghis guitar. He wrapped a hand around his wife’swaist, and the two of them disappeared between ourhomes.
Mitchcollapsed his chair and helped a tipsy Cedar out of hers. All the way to their vehicles,her giggle echoed off the houses, and only when it was silent, didI suspect she was safely tucked into Mitch’s vehicle.
Jessesaid goodnight, and shuffled down the beach to his place, which wasindeed, only twodownfrom Eric’s.
Iassisted Eric in puttingout the fire, making sure the coals were extinguished. The coolocean waves lapped at my feet as I scooped up a bucket of water anda deep sizzling sound escaped the fire when I poured it over top.In the light of the moon, smoke trails shot towards theheavens.
“Thanksforinviting metonight.” I walked beside Eric up to the dry sand stretching acrossthe ocean-facing part of our homes.
“I’m soglad.”
“It wasnice to not be reminded of who I was.” And for afew hours, to not evenhave thought about it.
“They’regood people and they were once crazy teenagers too. We all were, and we all grewup.”
“Didthey all live here too?” We all seemed to be about the same age,but I didn’t recognize them. Truly, my teenage years were a wasteland of selfishnessand ignorance.
“Willowand Arlowere born andraised here, and Mitch is from the other side, near Nanaimo, sameas Jesse. Cedar grew up on a commune in the northern part of theisland.”
Ofcourse, they were all islanders. Iwas the odd one out. The city girl.
“You didfine, Lily.” Eric stopped walking andstared at me. “Stop worrying so much.”
“Iwasn’t worrying.”Much.
He stoodso close, but I wasn’t frightened. At least not in a bad way. I wasworried Eric had read too much into my playfulness, as the moonlight bathed his facein a soft glow, and there was a twinkle in his eye.
At least myinstincts weren’t wrong, and Eric leaned his face in, but I put myhand on his chest to stop him.
“Ican’t.” I lowered my head and took a step back, even though the rush of imagining his lipson mine was strong. “I’m sorry.” I rubbed my tummy as areminder.
There would beno romance, there couldn’t even be what I was known for best backin the day - a quick romp in the hay.
“That’sfine.”