Page 84 of 7 Miles High
This wind is blowing harder now, and there’s white caps on the ocean. I make it to the first outcropping of rocks and climb over quicker than I knew I could. Okay. Keep it up! Think I can do this even faster. My high school track days are about to come in handy.
I see a small figure of a man ahead. That’s Parker! This will be a breeze. As the last thought settles, I jump off the boulder and land on the shifting sand.
“Ow!” My voice is swallowed by the sound of the sea. The pain in my ankle blocks out everything else.Shit!
Landing in a pile in front of the boulders, I grab my foot and roll onto my back. Oh no! This hurts like hell. The tears I’m starting to cry are now about the physical as well as the emotional. What a mess! If I had the time I’d scream and kick my legs like a child having a meltdown.
Laying on the wet sand to the right my cell glistens in the sunlight. Balls! Oh no! It must have flown out when I fell. Okay, it’s within reach if I just roll over a few times. I push myself onto my stomach and try to elevate my foot as I roll.
There! Grabbing the phone one second before the last wash of a wave reaches me. It doesn’t go over my body, but drenches my undercarriage and completely soaks the cell. Is it time to start screaming?
But there’s no time for tantrums.Just do it!
His figure is getting smaller by the moment. I tell myself to put on my big girl panties and keep going. Somehow I need to make this happen. If I can just get to those people up the beach, they could help. That’s right, aim for that group playing catch with the football.
It’s too far away for me to yell at them and get their attention. Rolling back to the hard-packed sand, I test my foot without actually standing.
“Ow!” The pain shoots up my leg. Shit. There’s no way I’ll be able to walk on this. I can’t even stand. What are my options? There’s only one I can see. I start crawling. The progress is excruciatingly slow and the further I go the funnier it gets. I must be crazy to find this humorous, but I do.
Ten minutes ago I was standing defiant. I was sure my view was the clear one. Now I’m literally crawling my way back. The bikini clad woman with a wet cell phone in her bra making way like a character from a horror film. I may frighten someone if they don’t figure out my problem. Angling toward the group, I continue the metaphorical march for help.
About a minute ago snot came out of my nose like a tap. Without thinking things through, I went to wipe it and got a face full of sand. Of course it stuck to the snot, went inside my nose and mouth, and now I think there’s a few grains in my right eye. I don’t even have the towel to wipe it off. I abandoned it a few feet back when it got too cumbersome.
Am I being punked by a disgusted God? Did he look down on how I devalued this great love and make me pay for the insult? I hope not. I hope he sees I’m just a woman who is making her way. Learning what matters. Trying her best to experience real, lasting love.
Maybe I’m close enough now. I yell for help in the general direction of the group.
“Help! Somebody help me, please!”
At first no one hears my pleas over the sound of the crashing waves. I keep it up and add a one armed wave, calling them over.
“Help me!”
The head of the youngest player turns toward where I lay. I guess teenage ears are proving to be superior to older friends. He waves his hand to stop the game and starts talking. The other faces look up the beach at the figure crawling in the sand.Yes! Oh good!
The three men playing, and the boy, start toward me. Two women sitting on beach towels get up and join them. It takes only a minute or so for them to reach me. I waste no time.
“Oh, thank you! See that man walking down the beach? That’s my boyfriend Parker. He’s wearing a red T-shirt and jeans. Can you get him and tell him I’ve sprained my ankle? He’ll come help.”
The young kid looks at one of the men and he nods his permission. The boy runs off.
“Let us help you.”
There’s all kind of action as the plan is formed. A ten-minute meeting of the minds. I’m surrounded by the chatty group, each having something they want to contribute. Then a beach towel is brought to make me more comfortable. I’ll be pulled by two of the men. There’s a loud conversation as to what we will do when we reach the sea wall.
“If you can get me over there, Parker will bring the car,” I add. “I don’t think it’ll be a big deal. It’s the getting me there that will be.
“What did you get yourself into?”
His beautiful voice cuts through all the others. My heart rate elevates as soon as I know he’s near. Like a scene in a movie, the crowd parts to let him come to me. I look up and see the smile and the sea blue eyes and most of all the forgiveness in them. I start crying.
It surprises everyone but Parker. He kneels down and moves a sandy strand hanging in front of my eyes.
“What’s this all about? You crying because you miss me?” As he says it he’s rubbing my arm. “Did you figure out you love me too much to waste any more time?”
I nod my head and try to control my wobbling chin. There’s no way I can speak. I can barely control the tears that threaten to burst out of control into sobs.
“Okay, babe. We’re going to get you to the wall and then I’ll take it from there.”
