Starfish – A Short Story!

4 mins

The sand felt hot and grainy as Gareth and Eve walked along the beach.

‘Here?’ He chanced glancing at Eve.

‘Yes, this is fine,’ Eve replied before rolling out a large beach towel on the golden sand. Gareth followed suit, then gazed around admiringly.

‘This really is a good choice Eve, nice and secluded.’

‘Would you?’ Eve responded holding out a bottle of suntan lotion, ‘thanks!’

Gareth did as requested before smearing the lotion on his own arms and legs and then gestured for Eve to do his back. The sun was hot even in the shade of the large greying rocks behind them. It was a welcome break from the dreary overcast weather of London. Gareth sighed with contentment before turning his head to look at his fiance. His eyebrows shot up with bemusement.

‘Eve, what’s happening? What are you doing?’

‘This is my starfish impersonation.’

‘I see,’ Gareth replied solemnly. ‘Eve, what grown woman lies on a beach, arms and legs wide apart like that?’

‘Stop being such a wet blanket,’ she retorted, ‘we are very secluded here besides.’

‘Sometimes I feel I don’t really know you,’ Gareth pressed on mildly troubled.

‘That’s nonsense!’ Eve replied squinting into the clear blue sky. In the far distance children were yelling and playing excitedly.

‘Hmm!’

‘Please allow me to think my thoughts on this gorgeous beach,’ Eve implored.

‘I’d give you a penny them, but I don’t have that kind of money!’

Eve sat up and peered at her fiance intensely before speaking. ‘You know everything about me. You know about Jason, and that we have been divorced for four years now. That’s over with.’

‘But sometimes I get the impression you still have feelings for him,’ Gareth said uncertainly. I mean, I know you’re still in touch with him.’

Eve shot him a cautionary look.

‘What’s that look for?’

‘Because if I want to be in touch with an old friend, I don’t see what could be wrong with that. You can’t expect a woman of thirty-seven to not have had a past,’ she continued in a brittle voice.

Gareth looked into the distance, calmed by the blueness of the sea, the frothy waves gently nudging the shore. He turned and felt dazzled despite himself as he looked at Eve. Thick brown hair tumbled down her back, golden after only a few days in the Algarve.

‘What I also want to know is, what’s your fascination with those starfish anyway?’ He enquired now.

Eve’s eyes snapped open. ‘I like them because they are mysterious and resilient creatures of the sea.’

‘Really! Is that so! They just look like giant creepy crawlies to me!’

Eve shook her head, ‘I can understand why you would say that but I see them differently, and when I’m in there,’ she nodded in the direction of the water, ‘I feel at one with nature.’

Looking at Eve’s long arms and legs Gareth didn’t doubt that for a moment. Sometimes he wondered if she originated from the sea, and was some sort of undiscovered marine creature!

This knowledge did nothing to sooth Gareth’s building concerns however, if anything it only seemed to deepen them.

‘Eve, we’re getting married next year and I just want to be sure of you, but sometimes your actions make that difficult.’

‘Actions?’ Eve arched a dark brown eyebrow.

In the distance families were drifting back to their hotel rooms as it was almost evening. Soon sunset would descend in all its pink and orange glory.

‘Take last night,’ Gareth pressed on in a lowered voice, ‘when we were intimate, I felt that I wasn’t reaching you and certainly not moving you.’ His voice caught in his throat at the last submission.

‘You know what I think?’ Eve said with the flicker of an arm, ‘You think too much. Or could this be your way of saying you are having doubts about next year and want to pin it on me?’

‘I am not saying that at all! I certainly want to marry you next June, but if you need more time to think about it, then please let me know, instead of shutting me out of here,’ Gareth pressed his heart region faintly.

‘Yes,’ I want to marry you, ‘ Eve replied lightly, ‘now let’s go for a swim,’ she added standing up quickly and taking hasty strides to the water. Gareth rose to his feet.

Gareth was amazed by Eve’s transformation. She, unlike him, was a strong swimmer and came alive in the water. Her arms and legs sliced through the water with such ease. The look of pure bliss on her face was captivating. Gareth flapped around clumsily for a short while before heading back to shore.

‘Don’t forget we have a table booked for 7.30,’ he hollowed over the din of the crashing sea.

‘What?!’

‘Dinner later!’

‘Oh that!’ Eve bellowed back. ‘If I’m not back by next June, don’t wait for me!’

With that Gareth collected his beach things and headed for the hotel. He turned around just as Eve plunged back underwater with a huge splash. In that moment he saw clearly why Eve had such a fascination with the sea and its creatures. She was one of them, elusive and mysterious. He also conceded, she was no good on dry land.

How could he have known you could never fully capture someone like that. With a final glance he walked heavily across the sand.

The End

*****************

Thanks for reading!

Until next time

Sharon

Image courtesy of Pexels – Mark Walz