Naomi dug her feet into the sand and lifted her toes. Tiny pyramids of grains struggled to remain on her toenails. She wiggled them off with a giggle, only to bury them once again. It was cool and wet under the dry warmth. It felt good to get out, and she sighed at her view that stretched to the ends of the earth.
Children
ran across, their calves caked with sand, laughing until the time crept with the
need to leave their oasis. They whined and cried, "Life's not fair."
Their
parents, jumbling towels, sand pails, and beach chairs
bargained with their offspring with their favorite meal and cake.
Naomi
was unsure which would be first, dinner or dessert, and figured would it really
matter.
The
ripples of water sang to the audience of one, and the sunlight swayed on the ocean,
twinkling its last goodbye before the moon takes center stage. Yellow to orange
stripes separated the sea and sky. She rested on her bare elbows and daydreamed.
One day, she’ll learn to go into that ocean and swim.
A wolf-whistle
echoed from the pier, Luke, of course, here to take her home. Her knight in shiny
armor, sporting Bermuda shorts, waved as he stood on the stump with the thousand
rings on its trunk. His arm extended high, holding on a line of their freshly caught
dinner.
Who
needs a market when you live by the shore?
The
dock turned gray with the sunset, and from afar, the pillars appeared in great shape.
Naomi brushed the pink sand off her thighs. She knew the walkway had seen better
days when they struggled over each warp board and protruding nails. Luke jumped
down and brought her wheelchair closer, securing it by the steps. Time to go and
he jogged toward her, kicking up a cloud of sand with his flip-flops. Her knight
whisked her in his arms, and she kissed his neck, tasting salt with a hint of fish.
Delicious.
They
kissed and left the sunset behind.
