Page 40 of Below the Far Horizon
She wasn’t going to think about that today. She hadn’t thought about it when they suggested the outing; it had been nothing but a fun trip. And that’s the way she wanted to keep it. She wasn’t going to keep living her life constantly thinking about the past and allowing it and the fear it brought to control her.
“I’m in. That wasn’t as bad as it could have been. I don’t know how many times I’ve capsized my kayak getting in and out. Of course, that was back when I was just learning.”
“I’ve capsized mine multiple times too. It’s not bad in the summerwhen it’s warm out. It’s nice today, but I don’t think I want to go for a swim if I can keep from it.”
“I’m in agreement with that. When I was younger, I might have disagreed with you, but at this point in my life, I know I would be cold and miserable for the rest of the day. Or at least until my clothes dried out enough that I could feel like I was warm.”
“Sometimes I would get wet and wouldn’t be warm the rest of the day. So, especially if clouds come up and it starts to get windy.”
“True. And I don’t expect that to happen today, but that would generally keep me from getting warm again.”
“Of course, nothing makes a hot shower feel better than to be freezing for the six hours prior to it.”
“Good point,” he said good-naturedly.
She didn’t like sitting in front of him where they couldn’t see each other. She’d rather turn around so they could face each other, but that wasn’t the way the kayaks were made.
Gita and Don were out ahead of them about fifty yards and seemed to be chatting and enjoying themselves.
They were quiet for a bit with just the dipping of the oars, and while they could hear their parents talking, they couldn’t hear what they were saying.
“What you said about voices carrying, I can hear them but can’t make them out. I think we’re safe to talk if you need to.” Trevor’s voice came low and soft behind her.
“I was thinking the same thing,” she said, smiling, although he couldn’t see her.
“Good. I feel like our parents are moving closer without us even doing anything,” he said. “I know they talk on the phone every night, and a lot of times, he’ll mention that he’s talked with her in the morning before I get back from my jog.”
She hadn’t realized that he ran in the morning. And she found that almost as interesting, maybe more so, than knowing that their parents talked so much.
“I guess I knew that. I wonder what in the world they could have to talk about. But they seem to discuss pretty much anything and everything.”
“I think that’s what the best relationships do. They are interested in each other’s opinions and listen. Conversation really does seem to bring people closer together.” She could hear him sigh. Even though the strokes were slow, the rhythmic splashes of his paddle never wavered. They fell into a rhythm that worked for both of them, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever kayaked with someone who got her so quickly and easily.
“I might not have admitted that when I was younger. I thought…other things…were more important in a relationship. A romantic one anyway.”
She grinned a little and then was kind of glad that her back was to him, because she didn’t think before she asked the next question. “What were other things?” Even though she thought she knew the answer.
He huffed a little. “A teenage boy, hormones, need I say any more?”
She laughed. “I guess I would say that’s important too. But I definitely think that the talking probably gets left by the wayside more than that.”
“I think that’s spoken like a woman. Because, from my perspective,that,” he said, emphasizing the word with a humor that made her smile, “is probably more important to a man than talking.”
“Really?” She wasn’t sure she agreed with that, but she wasn’t a man, so her opinion was hardly expert or even semi-knowledgeable.
“Yeah. Really. I agree about talking. Although so many times we hear about communication, and I don’t really see that as a necessity. I see it as important, but not more important than kindness, consideration, and even sacrifice. A lack of pride, a desire to put the other first. Those are all things we read about in the Bible. Communication isn’t really in there.”
“Good point. Butthat,” she emphasized “that” the way he had, and she could practically feel him smiling, “is.”
“It sure is,” he agreed and didn’t say anything more.
“I’m not sure how we got on that subject, though, because we were talking about our parents.”
“Yeah. And saying how they had the communication thing down, but I’m not sure aboutthat.”
“Oh. No. Don’t. Please. We are not going to discuss our parents andthatin the same sentence.” She gave an exaggerated shiver, which she really didn’t have to fake.
“That is something we agree on,” he said. And was quiet for a bit.
