Warm memories

The afternoon sea breeze and white sands invited Katlyn to leave the cool shade of the fig tree. She stepped out into the sunshine and brushed her long hair from her eyes. Lowering her sunglasses, she made her way down to the firmer sand. She scanned the shoreline. Where are the crowds? Letting the hair flutter in the breeze, three rotten timbers poking out of the falling tide caught her eye. The old jetty. We used to sit out there on the warm summer evenings and make out we were fishing. The feelings from those nights brought a smile to her face. We were laughing too much to feel the fish nibbling on the line.

A distant dog bark made her glance over her shoulder. A younger woman jogged along the esplanade with a terrier. In disappointment, she turned back to stare at the ocean. Take a deep breath, her thoughts went back to the first time she sat on this beach. I didn’t see him coming. Lisha and I were lying back on the sand, taking in the warmth of the afternoon sun, when his wet collie ran up and shook water all over us. The memory of the cool water running over my warm body still gives me goosebumps. That dog was as loving as his owner. Dale Morgan. They were good times. Shame we only had the week.

The shadows of the coconut palms behind her slowly crept over the sand. A passing mud crab drew her attention for a moment before her phone buzzed. My flight has landed, see you at dinner. Oh, look at the time. I need to get ready.

***

The oil lamps fluttered in the breeze as Katlyn made her way along the boardwalk. She slapped her shoulder. Looking back at her hand, a smear of blood stained her palm. “Mosquitoes, why did I wear a sarong?” She scanned the crowded outdoor beer garden. On the second sweep, Lisha waved her arm from a table near a potted palm.

Katlyn took a seat after a friendly hug. A young waiter asked, “Would you like anything to drink?”

What do I feel like? She looked across the table, the hollowed-out pineapple topped with a cocktail umbrella brought back memories. Chilled vodka and pineapple juice cocktail. Yes, perfect for this heat. “I’ll have one of those.”

“How many years has it been since we did this last?” Lisha asked.

“Um. Seven, no eight years.”

“It was longer than that. You were more interested in that dark-haired chap.” She picked up the menu. “What was his name again?”

“Dale.” Those abs and broad shoulders stood over the dog as he apologised. I didn’t recognise him fully clothed when he sat across from me at this very restaurant. His friendly smile and warm hazel eyes captured my thoughts for a moment before he mentioned his dog. I don’t know what Lisha did that night; I never saw her. My Summer holidays became more exciting after that night. He was from Tasmania, visiting Cairns to get some tropical sun. That week went by so fast. Too fast.

We kept in touch after he went back home. He appeared during my summer holiday the following year. I saw his dog coming as I walked along the Esplanade. He wanted to surprise me. Oh, the fun we had in the hotel pool that year. Friendly chats at the café turned into a reef cruise. Snorkelling beside him and seeing the multicoloured fish schooling in the clear ocean waters.

“Why did you stop coming here for your holidays?” Lisha asked.

Katlyn shuffled in her seat and checked her phone. “I decided to explore other places.” She turned and looked out at the moon rising over the waves. After four years, I lost the motivation to sit on that beach.

“Bull. Remember the year he didn’t show up.”

In all that chaos, I wouldn’t have seen him if he had. “We were only here for two days thanks to the Cyclone Fred evacuation.”

“Yeah, a waste of airline tickets.”

The waiter returned with Katlyn’s drink and asked about their dinner order. I haven’t even seen the menu. She skimmed the page, “I’ll have the seafood platter.”

***

The following morning, Katlyn dumped her shopping on the hotel bed. Which bag did I put that in? She rummaged through the tropical printed sarongs and beach clothing, pulling out her new red bikini.

Stopping in front of the mirror, she adjusted her straw hat and ran her eyes toward the floor. This is similar to the bikini I wore when we first met. He was so apologetic about his dog, I bet he didn’t even notice. Well, enough of thinking about him. Grabbing her bag, she muttered, “Look out, beach here I come.”

A heavy patch of cloud hung over the distant headland. Katlyn sat on her towel, staring out at the seagulls floating on the wind. Someone sat beside her. “Are you going to take it or not?”

Katlyn jumped when something cold and wet hit her thigh. Glancing back at Lisha’s hand, a river of ice cream dropped off the end of the cone. “Vanilla, my favourite.”

“Well, you better eat it fast.”

An approaching couple with a dog made Katlyn pause mid-bite. Her eyes lingered on the black and white dog. The pit in her stomach returned, thinking back to the last time she visited this city. The late afternoon sun dipped towards the mountains, and the mosquitoes were getting louder. It was my last day before I returned home to Perth. It had been a quiet holiday. He didn’t show, he didn’t even call. We hadn’t spoken much over the previous twelve months as he was busy with work.

I was packing up my gear when his dog ran over my towel. My excitement rose at the sight of that familiar black patch over its eye. But that excitement did not last. I turned around to see his hazel eyes next to a set of brown eyes looking back at me. Arm in arm, he introduced his wife. I can’t remember her name as the word wife circulated in my mind.

A tear crept into her eye as she gazed back at the couple tossing a stick for the dog and enjoying their day. I had no reason to come back here after that day.

“Hey, are you going to eat that?” Lisha asked.

Katlyn blinked and looked down at the white cream dripping from the soggy cone onto her shorts. “Crap,” she muttered and grabbed the edge of her towel. Rubbing the spill repeatedly spread the ice cream further.

“Oh, I’ll get you some water,” Lisha said, jumping up and heading toward the public toilets on the Esplanade.

Dropping the cone in the sand beside her, Katlyn flicked the sticky mess off her fingers. A golden retriever puppy bounced up and started licking her hand. “No. Shoo,” she said, pulling her hand back and wiping it on the towel. Eww, slobber and ice cream.

“Katlyn?” A deep voice came from above.

She gasped, her head jolting upward. Her pulse increased, seeing those same hazel eyes sparkle. He was not as tanned as last time, and his brown hair had a few shades of grey. “Dale,” she said, surprised. Her eyes scanned each side of him. “You’re alone. Where is your wife? What was her name?”

“Meg. We divorced last year.” He bent over, taking the ice cream cone from his puppy. “Can I sit down?”

Katlyn looked over her shoulder, her gaze connecting with Lisha. She was partway down the beach when she paused before returning to the shady tree. “Sure,” Katlyn replied and turned back to him. With a big smile, she leaned in closer, “It’s good to see you again.”

The light faded as they laughed and chatted about their memories. Katlyn glanced over her shoulder, and Lisha had left. A distant rumble of thunder drew her attention back to the ocean. The cloud that had been hanging over the headland earlier now cast a curtain of rain over the bay as lightning lit up the sky. “We should get undercover.”

“Join me for dinner,” Dale said.

Looking back at the approaching storm, she smiled and grabbed her gear. “Sure, but something other than our usual beer garden.”

THE END