Beach day

Kelly leaned back on his beach chair and sighed. It was a happy and relaxed sigh. He had been looking forward to this vacation with his family, and his wife is even more thrilled than he was. She’s been planning activities for the past weeks.

He cast a sideways look at his wife, who was looking at their itinerary on her phone. She was grinning from ear to ear. “I’d say… let’s stay for a couple of hours here. Maybe more. I think we can get the kids tired just enough for them to get hungry. Then we can go to the zip line place!”

“Honey, put your phone away. Relax.” He finally coaxed her to recline back on her own chair. Olivia has been busy lately with work; he knew she deserved this break more than anyone. He looked at the twins playing a couple of feet away from him. They finally finished their sandcastle and were busy digging a moat around it. Their giggles wafted in the air.

“I can’t remember the last time we had a relaxing time.” He heard Olivia sigh.

“It was before the kids,” he quipped, eliciting a laugh from her. He chuckled as well and looked up at the bright blue sky. He remembered their early days of dating, of discovering each other and falling in love every day.

“Do you miss it?” he blurted out. He didn’t mean to. It’s not like he’s not enjoying this part of their lives where they are happy, content.

“Sometimes I do…”

He turned to Olivia, who was staring back at him. “I do miss the old days, but I love where we are at this moment in our lives.” She had propped herself up on her side with her arm.

Her curves were so attractive to him. He knew she would shut him down and tell him she doesn’t look or feel attractive, especially after the pregnancy. But he doesn’t see that. She’s there, looking incredible in her swimsuit. She wouldn’t let him compliment her despite his attempts. All he wanted to do right now was take her into his arms, plant kisses everywhere—

“Kelly, I know that look. Stop it,” she whispered. She was trying hard not to laugh. She knew him too well. He beamed her a naughty smile, and she shook her head while laughing.

“Are you sure? We can find a babysitter for the kids and relive the good old days of skinny dipping. ” Kelly’s grin widened as he saw his wife’s face flushed. He loved teasing her. “Remember Hawai’i?” He got her to snort, and he busted out laughing. “Ah, there’s that sexy sound.”

“Kel, you idiot. Stop the teasing.” She tossed her phone back in her beach sack and buried her face in her hands. With a muffled voice, she spoke, “That was fun.”

Kelly sat up in his chair and chuckled. “Which one? The Waikiki trip or the one at the north beach?”

Olivia showed her face, still beet red, and she mouthed, “Both.”

They had so many fun dates, not just the naughty ones. He mentioned that day when they were on their first date, and it started pouring. They were drenched from head to toe. Their first kiss tasted like rain. He remembered how her bright blue eyes stared right back at him.

“I remember we laughed because we both said something about the rain right after,” Olivia giggled.

They continued to reminisce. There was that time they almost broke up at this Italian restaurant. She walked out in tears, and he ran after her. And then their waiter ran after them because they didn’t pay. They laughed that time, too.

There was also that time they were in the Ozarks. He can’t remember exactly where, but they were spending time at the lake, and he was going for a kiss. “Oh god, I swear your eyes got so stinkin’ wide like you saw a ghost! And you started backing up and were just stuttering!”

Kelly rolled his eyes but smiled. “Hey, I can’t help it when I saw something slithering.” Yes, there was a snake that made him turn around and leave his girlfriend, as goosebumps showed up on his skin. He couldn’t help it; he was afraid of snakes. Olivia took it like a champ, though. She saw the snake, realized it was far enough away, and stood up calmly and followed after him.

Another memory was starting to surface, but it felt like it was a memory so long ago that he couldn’t remember the full details. “Do you remember that time we were at a lake? There was a small dock…” He trailed off as he tried to remember the details. What was clear to him was the feelings he felt that day. His heart was beating so fast, and his palms were sweaty.

Olivia cocked her head in thought. “Maybe? Where was it at?”

“I can’t remember exactly…” Kelly frowned. Why was this hard to remember? “We were running up and down the lake shore and splashing each other with our feet.”

Her face contorted, trying to remember it as well. Her eyebrows scrunched up when she’s deep in thought. “Hmm…”

Not being able to fully remember is going to bother him for the rest of the day. “It’s so weird. It’s like a really hazy memory. We held hands when we watched the sunset. It was a really humid summer day, too.” Kelly pointed at Olivia’s hair. “And I think you had a haircut then.”

Olivia eyed him curiously. Did she remember before he did?

Kelly squinted his eyes, as if he was looking at a vision of his memory right in front of him. There was haze everywhere. He couldn’t remember all the details, and it’s ticking him off. “You… were feeling really conscious about your recently cut hair. And I said you were really cute.”

As if on cue, the haze seemed to start thinning, and he could see their vague outline juxtaposed against the setting sun. “I was sad because you were leaving, and you looked up at me—”

And he saw puffy eyes; chocolate brown orbs just staring back longingly at him. He remembered how he brushed the tears away from her cheek, and they kissed.

Ah, it wasn’t a memory with Olivia.

Kelly looked up and saw Olivia smiling. She had just wiped her eyes, and her face was painted with a pained look. “I think the kids were calling for us. Let’s go grab a snack.”