Bridge to a Distant Star - Carolyn Williford [107]
They nested a bit, shaking out a large blanket, anchoring its corners with towels and sandals, placing the cooler in the shade. And then they peeled off the clothes they’d worn over swimsuits, already feeling the heat of the day.
At that point, Michal took in her surroundings: the gorgeous aquamarine blue of the gulf against the bright white sand, the rhythmic sound of the waves hitting the shore mixed with the calls of the seagulls, the delighted cries of children playing in the water or making castles in the sand with bright-colored pails and shovels. She closed her eyes, concentrated on the salty smell of the breeze as it caressed her. “Oh, Aunt Sarah. Do you think heaven has beaches?”
“I do. But even prettier than this.”
“I can’t imagine anything prettier than this.”
“Okay, a reality check: Did you take a look at the size of those waves, Michal?”
She grinned, noting the lift in her aunt’s voice. “Looks like fun to me.”
“Ready to boogie?”
They both laughed, excited by the thrill of a new challenge. “I’m ready if you are.”
Carrying the boards to the surf, they watched as others nearby demonstrated how to ride the waves. Or attempt to—they watched boards shoot one way and riders another. Sputtering a bit afterward, the beachgoers tried to shake hitchhiking sand out of bathing suits, push back tangled hair, and generally collect their wits. But Sarah and Michal readily agreed that it looked like great fun.
The boogie boards came with ropes that attached at the wrist, so when the rider got separated from the board it was readily accessible. After fastening the Velcro, the two adventurers set off. They soon encountered the first challenge of this new sport: getting past the powerful breakers that continually knocked them back toward the beach.
For the next hour, Sarah and Michal were thrown from their boards, pounded by waves of water, and completely upended in the surf. Yet in spite of all that, they laughed hysterically at how much fun boogie boarding was. After examining various scrapes and bruises (declaring none serious enough to keep them from going again), they realized they were also ravenous. Back on the beach, they set out a veritable feast, thanks to Sarah’s generous provision. And once satiated, they stretched out on the blanket, indulging feelings of laziness.
“It’s what you do at the beach,” Aunt Sarah assured Michal. “After what we boogie boarding broads just did, we’ve earned it.”
Michal giggled in response as they lay on their backs; the sea breeze soothed tired bodies. Nonchalantly, Michal broached the subject weighing on her mind, “So we had this chapel speaker last week. A missionary.”
“Bet he was exciting and original.”
Michal muffled a laugh by putting her hand over her mouth, feeling guilty, as if her dad or mom might be listening. She raised her eyebrows at her aunt.
“Don’t give me that wide-eyed look. I’ve heard more than my share of ’em. How some of them could make living in a foreign country sound so boring is beyond me, when it’s anything but that—as you well know. But all that’s neither here nor there. What was it this chapel speaker said, anyway?”
“Well, one of the things was I should only date guys who are also definitely going to the mission field.”
“Have you settled that call in your mind and heart?”
“Oh, sure.” After squirming under her aunt’s unwavering gaze, however, she admitted, “At least, well, I’m pretty sure I have. Settled that.”
Sarah waited a moment, still staring at Michal, unblinking. “Doesn’t sound very convincing to me. Why don’t you wait until your senior year to make a major decision like that?”
“But I’ve just always … since I was a kid. Known. You know how it is. Didn’t you?” And then, realizing her unintentional blunder, began stammering. “I mean … oh, I’m