Page 57 of Road Trip
I took her hand. “Let’s work out the details later. Right now I want to ride the pirate ride and hold your hand in the dark. Then I want to walk around with you and see the sights one last time and watch the show. Then I want to take you back to our room and tuck you in. I’m sorry to be leaving you. Are you sure you don’t want to fly to Vegas? I could get you a ticket.”
“No, thank you, Kelly. I love to drive. The time alone in the car with my music is precious to me. You do what you have to do, then come find me.” She smiled hopefully up at me, and I just had to kiss her.
I stood from my chair and knelt next to hers.
“Come here,” I coaxed. I tangled my hand in her hair and pulled her to me. I kissed those lips so hard. I wanted her to feel me, to feel how much I wanted her. Not just because I wanted to sleep with her, but because she was quickly becoming the part of me I wasn’t aware I’d been missing. I wasn’t ready to let go now that I’d found it.
We came up for air a few moments later and heard laughter. Our server and his co-workers were next to him, cheering us on.
Abra smiled down at me and said, “You are such a fantastic kisser. When we get to Vegas, can we just spend hours kissing each other?”
I chuckled, stood and then helped her to her feet. “We can do whatever you want.”
“On second thought, we’re going to have more important things to attend to.” Then she got serious. “I hate for you to go home alone. Are you sure you…I would come with you.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I don’t want you near this mess. I don’t know how long I’ll be there. I’ll call you…”
Things were so much in the air, I wasn’t sure what I could even promise her.
The rest of the night went exactly according to plan. We enjoyed the rides, we talked and laughed, we enjoyed more people watching, which included a young man proposing to his beloved on the pirate ship as it pulled into the dock. There were cheers all around, including from Abra.
“That dude had good timing.Look, they even have people taking pictures for them! Aw, they look so happy!”
Sure, I saw what happened, but my eyes were completely on her. I couldn’t believe the turn my life was taking. I wanted to care for this woman, make it my life’s mission to keep that smile on her face. I’d never felt this way about anyone before and it just felt right. I just wondered if she’d let me. What was she so afraid of when it came to making a future with me? What was I going to find out about her when we returned to reality?
Abra watched the evening’s show from a special area where we had a clear view. I just watched her. I was focused on her, so much that I almost missed it.
The show was over and the crowd was starting to disperse when I heard a faint sound that was like a child crying. I squeezed Abra’s hand and said, “Stay here.” I followed the sounds, redirecting my search when I couldn’t hear it anymore. We were near the water, and as I got closer, I kicked into action. I heard one more cry and a small splash. At the edge, I climbed over the chains, ignoring shouts from what was likely park personnel, and I stepped off into the water.
Clinging desperately to the edge down a little from where I’d entered the lagoon was a tiny little girl whose face was barely above the water. I got to her quickly and swung her up onto my shoulders, then moved to an area where I could lift her back onto the concrete. She coughed and cried so quietly, it was obvious she was exhausted.
Abra rushed over with another tiny female, who looked to be a grandmother. She was crying and speaking Spanish with Abra. The little girl went desperately into her arms. Park security surrounded us and started yelling questions.
“This is her grandmother. She said they got separated when the show was over and her granddaughter tried to step around the chain to get back to her when someone bumped her and she fell into the water. She doesn’t know how to swim.” Abra’s big brown eyes were wide with worry. She had an arm around both the girl and her grandmother. A young security guard took off his jacket and wrapped the girl in it. The tiny woman grasped my hands in hers and cried out to me in Spanish.
“She says thank you, thank you for saving her little girl. You are an angel. God bless you.” Abra’s smile was so loving, it warmed my heart as much as seeing the little girl reunited with her grandmother. Another couple came over, most likely the parents, and the mother fell into tears, squeezing her little girl. The man shook my hand and thanked me. I noticed they all were wearing stickers that said ‘First Visit.’ How awful would it have been to lose her like that on what was supposed to be a special trip?
My reaction to the situation reminded me just of what I’d made it my life’s mission to do: to serve and protect. Policing was such a huge part of who I was, despite all the reasons I was thinking of leaving. I was at such a crossroads. How could I keep going? How could I not?
“I’m just glad I heard her,” I said, wanting to get out of the spotlight. The park security guard asked for my name and information, so I gave it to him, and he thanked me profusely.
“It gets nuts down here during these shows. I wish they didn’t insist on having it near the water.”
I sympathized with him. This was really a nightmare as far as security was concerned. He wished us well and said they’d be in touch if they needed anything else. Abra was right by my side and wrapped her arms around me.
“Oh, doll, don’t. This water is probably nasty.”
“I’m so glad you heard her. You are amazing, babe. Really.” The magic had kind of run out of the evening. My head was spinning with thoughts of what I needed to do. I looked around the park and was angry that this was how things were going to end.
“Hey,” Abra said, tugging on my hand. “Do you feel up to one more ride?” She was pointing at the railroad ride line.
I’d told her it was one of my favorites and that I’d wanted to do it at night.
“It’ll dry you off at least!”
I let her tug me into the short line. We wound around the pathway for what seemed like forever until we reached the end of the line, which was near the foot of the stairs. The line didn’t move for a long time and Abra was shifting her weight from foot to foot.
“They hurting you?” I asked.
