The water is still warm, even under the moonlightâthe dayâs heat hadnât left it yet, not like the sand, cool under the soles of her feet, slick and sticking between her toes as she lets the water lap at her, the coastline ebbing and receding back, the night wind tangling her hair.
âIâve never seen this ocean before, â she says, glancing over her shoulder at Richard, standing hesitant on the sand behind her, a shadow at her back sheâs grown used to over the weeks, silent and ever present. âMy familyââ she swallows, throat still tight after all these years ââwe never made it this far east.â
Richard shuffles across the sand to her side, sliding his feet into the ocean beside hers. Strange to see him this way, collar undone, his pants and sleeves rolled up, the breeze lifting strands of his hair left loose, glasses goneâfor a moment, she thinks she has enough in her to unravel him, take him apart layer by layer, see whatâs inside, but sheâs been inside his head and Richard still has yet to make sense to her.
âIâve never seen the coast from this side of the border. Seth wouldâveââ He says, and stops himself, ducking his head, jaw tightening under his cheek.
Her hand raises, as if to touch him, but stalls, faltering on whereâhold his hand, grabs his shoulder, stroke his cheekâshe canât think of what would be welcome, if any, not from her.
âDo you think he found his beach?â she asks, unable to stop herself, words flying off her tongue unbidden, quicker than she could catch them.
Richard gasps, then laughs as he exhales, thick and raw, a rough broken sound. âNo,â he says, shaking his head, burying his feet under the mud. âGeckos are never lucky enough to get what we want.â
She doesnât touch him and Richie slides his hands into his pockets, out of reach, eyes cast down as he watches the water wash back the sand from the tops of his feet, unburying him as the silence lingers between them, palpable as a heartbeat.
âLetâs go,â she says, a soft command, finality heavy in her voice. âItâs just not the same without the sun.â
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