Page 16 of Break Line

“Howsit?”

“S’alright.” Nate nodded, lying through his teeth.

Kai took a swig of his beer, staring out at the ocean. He felt bad for his cousin, but at the same time, it was time for him to conquer his fears.

“That’s a big fat lie.”

Nate nursed his own beer. “Yup.”

“How’s the case with Kang?”

Neither man looked at the other. It wasn’t necessary. They had become like brothers. They shared a blood bond, and Kai had been there for Nate when no one else had. Well, besides Kini.

“I won. The divorce was no contest, so that’s done. I get custody of the girls. When she gets out in ten years, we will go back to court to arrange visitation.”

“Brah! Sorry she did you like that. You deserved betta.”

“Thanks.” Nate took a long swig, finishing off his beer. He reached into the cooler for another, offering his cousin a second as well.

“So, when you going back out there?” Kai stared straight ahead at the ocean.

Nate hung his head. “Can’t.”

“You ain’t nevah gonna get better if you don’t face your fears.”

“I… I’ve been seeing a counselor. My PTSD is out of control. I’ve had suicidal thoughts, and I have to get control over this. I have two beautiful girls that are counting on me.” He shook his head, a nervous laugh as he continued.

Kai listened, waiting for his cousin to continue.

He let out a deep sigh. “It’s complicated.” Nate threw back the remainder of his beer. “Look, I really dig Kini, but I think I screwed that up too. That last day at Kauai, I had a huge freak out at the fountain. Then when we moved back indoors, she reminded me that I was her ‘patient.’ I think I read things in there that I wanted to and there was never any connection.”

"Seemed like she was into you to me."

"Or maybe she's really good at her job, and I wanted more than she did."

"I never saw her taking her other 'patients' out to the beach or pier."

He shrugged taking a swig of the beer, regretting how he had shut her out and didn't even say goodbye.

“I follow, Brah.”

“This guy at the VA specializes in military and PTSD and prosthetics. I’m seeing the counselor over there. He said that I need to address the PTSD from combat first, then things will ease up from the shark attack.”

“I disagree. I think the ocean is your cure, not your combat. You gotta get back out on the water. Take charge. I think until you face it, you’re not going to feel like a whole man.”

Nate harrumphed. “A whole man. That’s rich. I’m obviously not a whole man anymore, Kai.” He threw back the rest of the beer, setting the empty bottle down. His jaw squared as he stared off to the distant horizon.

Kai turned to his cousin. Squinting his brown eyes, he set his beer down in the sand.

“This shell is a place for your spirit to dwell. When we are injured, it tests our true spirit. How we respond to that determines whether we are whole. Until you face your fears, you are incomplete.”

Kai leaned toward him slightly. “I say we practice island therapy. First, I take you to talk to Uncle Ravi. Mom calls him Ravioli. He’s been where you are, Brah, he can help you more than that counselor.”

Nate swiped his tongue over his teeth, irritated at Kai. He ranked “island therapy” right up there with groveling to win Kini back.

“Then we go see Uncle Phan. After that, you choose which path you want to walk. I won’t pressure you. You have to decide.”

It made sense. Visit two uncles, then make his decision. The ball was in his court. Nate already knew his answer, but he'd go through the formality. "Fine!"

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