Summer Ever After

“Occassionally,” he chuckles and I nod. “I don’t lie about these things,” he says, and of course, how could one lie about several dozen umbrellas?

“No, you definitely don’t,” I say and grab the first one I see. I’ll have to ask Maddie about her fascination with gifting umbrellas when I return to Gold Beach.

ROMAN

Watching Abby get out of the shower was torture…Wrapping a scarf of mine around her neck was a little like marking my territory. Walking to the aquarium in an afternoon sprinkle under an umbrella covered in pink flowers and butterflies…now that was a bit emasculating, but I managed to survive. This reminds me to tell Maddie once again, no more damn umbrellas. My collection is something ridiculous and not one of my own making.

We walk on the sidewalk, dodging other couples and kids not yet in school, on our way to the aquarium. Being much taller than Abby, I hold the umbrella and navigate the way. It makes holding her hand difficult and disappointing for the twenty-minute trek from my building. I haven’t been to the aquarium in a year, maybe two, but the layout is still familiar.

“So when was the last time you visited a place like this?” I watch Abby look through the glass wall of the aquarium behind a group of pushy little kids fighting to see the larger fish swim by them. Her forehead is a little scrunched up as she searches for the fish darting between rocks and plants. Her expression is thoughtful and distracted, and I wonder what she thinking so deeply about.

“Um… I must have been eleven. It was definitely before my mom’s first cancer treatment, probably before we all found out what had been making her so tired and sick all the time. She took Leah and me down to San Diego for the weekend. My dad didn’t come on the trip and we went to Sea World. I couldn’t wait to see the seahorses, seals, and penguins.” Her hand touches the thick Plexiglas of the tank and I know she’s lost in a thought about her mother.

“What was she like?” I feel terrible for bringing it up, but I guess these will be the moments we learn from each other’s past experiences.

“She was beautiful, smart… I remember her cooking a lot and braiding our hair for school.” Abby touches her loose braid reverently, her loss keenly present. Her mother was taken quickly by cancer and mine instantly by a drunk driver. Neither is something a kid can emotionally plan for, and we’ve both got open wounds still.

“She was always home for us, which I guess is easily taken for granted. You never know which moment will end up being the most precious or last.”

I tug her into my arms. A vice constricts around my chest and guilt over the last moment with my mother surfaces.

“Definitely not.” There isn’t much I can say that’s comforting, so I offer Abby my arms. Her warm breath puffs against my chest and I hope to hell I haven’t made her cry. I already know we have to talk about what will happen in a few weeks when she goes back to L.A., but I want to push that away for as long as I can.

“My sister was all about the predatory fish,” Abby mumbles against me, and I can’t help but laugh. She turns in my arms to look at me and scowls. “What? Why are you laughing?” She certainly knows how to break the ice.

“Hollywood, you and your sister are lawyers. Please tell me she wasn’t fascinated by the sharks even at that age.” I’m trying really hard to not laugh, honestly I am, but covering my mouth doesn’t seem to be helping. Abby steps back, staring at me. She shakes her head in a combination of mad and cute before walking off to the next exhibit. “Awe, babe, come on. It was funny. Get it? Sharks and lawyers?” I’m forced to dodge between kids and adults in the exhibit hallway to catch up to her.

“Uh-huh. Yup. Funny.” Abby continues the façade of being pissed at me as she stands before another exhibit. This one showcases the seahorses she loves. Tilting her head, she watches them hover and dart through the water and plants. I come up next to her from behind and kiss her neck. “Why can’t I ever stay mad at you?” she whispers.

“Because I’m the only one who lets you be who you are.” My lips reach desperately to kiss her neck again, but she steps away. Little brat.

“And that would be?” Panic floods my gut for a moment because I’m going to be honest. Hey, she did ask.

“Totally stubborn and completely bratty.” Huffing, she jabs her small fist into my stomach, so I grab her hand. I can’t have her leaving me amid toddlers and strollers ready to mow me down. “Come on, the seal show is going to start soon.” I pull her toward the outdoor enclosure before she can think about what I said too much.

Just as we’re rounding the corner to the seal exhibit, I stop, causing Abby to bump into me. “Oomph! Roman?” Abby’s voice is muffled because her face is in my back.

“Sorry, Abby. I uh...” I don’t know what to say because the person in front of me is greeting kids and parents happens to be… well, one of those ex’s I didn’t think I was going to ever see again. Honestly, when we ended things amicably, she just didn’t cross my mind again, and so I kind of forgot she works here. As in, at the aquarium. It wasn’t Sasha, thank God.

Turns out, Aryn Lavoie moved up from an assistant to the lead seal trainer here at the aquarium. Shit. “Abby, I’m kind of hungry. Do you, uh…?” I turn around so she can’t see Aryn, but I’m obviously having one of those ‘let’s meet every girl I banged before Abby day’ Inwardly, I’m groaning in misery because this is not how I planned to have Abby get to know me better.

“Um, no, I’m not. We ate at your place, remember? Roman, what’s going on?” She peers around me.

“Nothing, I, uh…” I’m so busted.

“Roman? Roman Winters?” Aryn spots me. Fuck my luck like a duck. I turn and prepare myself to face the music and hope Abby isn’t a jealous ‘claw your face off’ kind of girl, though I’m sure she’s had tons of practice schooling her reaction being a professional shark.

“Hey, Aryn. Abby, this is Aryn. Aryn, Abby,” I say cautiously, introducing the girls and giving her a weird wave, so I don’t have to shake her hand. It’s kind of strange to shake a girl’s hand after having sixty-nined with her, wait… forget I said that.

“Hi, I’m Abigail Holliday.” Abby steps forward and offers Aryn a handshake. “It’s nice to meet you. I just love the seal exhibit.” Abby is polite and perfect while I’m still processing how to not throw up over botching our day.

“Hi there, I’m Aryn Lavoie. You must be a new… friend of Roman’s?” Aryn’s question, obviously demanding more information. Abby laughs, giving me an anxious feeling. Oh, I am so screwed later and not in a good way.

“Yeah, pretty much.” Abby keeps smiling and I’m ready for the bagpipers to plan my funeral processional. “So, how long have you been a seal trainer?” she inquires with that deadly politeness.

“Oh, only the last eighteen months or so. I’ve worked here about five years though, since graduation. I mostly do the shows now and kid-education programs on sea life. I love it, except for all the dead fish, you know, eh?” The more Aryn talks to us, I notice she still has her Canadian accent.

“Wow, that’s great. This is my first time here, so I can’t wait to see the show.” Abby and Aryn keep exchanging pleasantries as if they are communicating on some level I can’t understand. Their eyes dart back and forth to me, and it’s all very weird. I’m sure it’s some kind of