016. pain
Shifting positions on my beach towel, I look up to the waves in front of me. She's riding a small one, perfectly balanced on her board. Before long, it dies down, and she falls back into the water. I smile, looking away, and change the station of the radio. Somehow, "The Hustle" doesn't seem appropriate for a day at the beach. I settle on something bossa nova, loving the rhythm of it instantly. The warm sun feels good against the slight breeze, and I thank God for the rare day of warmth on the beach.
Looking over, I notice her watching me. I wave, a smile forming on my face, and she does the same. I watch as she paddles, catching another wave, this one larger than the one before. She gets to her feet, riding the wave with the skill of an expert. Until a wrong turn sends her flying hard into the ocean. When she doesn't surface, I get to my feet, rushing towards where I last saw her. When the surf goes back out, she reemerges, walking slowly to the beach, a cough with every step, arm clutching her side. She reaches the sand before I reach her and falls to the ground.
"Kris?" I ask, kneeling down on the sand beside her still frame. "Kris?" Panic starts filling my body. Her eyes slowly open, only slightly before closing again, and she nods at me while giving out another spell of coughs. I push some wet hair out of her face. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"My ribs." She says through clenched teeth.
"Do you think they're broken?" I ask, taking her hand in mine and giving it a squeeze. She shakes her head no and starts to sit up. "Whoa, Kris." I put my hands on her shoulders, forcing her back down on the sand. "Just lay still for a little bit til you get your bearings." I let my fingers stroke her cheek a few times, while examining the rest of her. Nothing looks broken, but I'm still uneasy.
"I'm okay." She says then covers her mouth as she coughs again. I notice her wince and know she's only trying to be brave for my sake.
"What happened?"
"My board. It hit me when I was under." Her eyes meet mine and I smile at her. She forces one back at me, then tries sitting up again. This time I let her, noting the pained expression on her face as she does so.
"I think we should get you to the doctor." She shakes her head no at my suggestion, again coughing in pain. "Kris, you're hurt."
"They're not broken."
"Is that your medical opinion, doctor?" I ask, earning a glare and smile from her. "You're so stubborn sometimes, you know that."
"Not half as stubborn as you are, my dear." She taps a finger on my nose and winks at me. "I've had broken ribs before, and I can promise you, I don't right now. They're just a little bruised." I study her face for a moment, trying to decide the best course of action. "Really, I'm okay." She says, standing up, illustrating just how okay she is. She offers her hands to me, wanting to help me up, and I let her. Pain crosses her face for a moment then disappears as she smiles at me. "See?"
"Uh-huh." I nod, giving her a look that I'm sure reads, 'I don't believe you.' She turns from me, walking towards where her surfboard waits for her on the beach twenty feet away. "You're not going back out, are you?"
"No," she calls over her shoulder. "I'm just grabbing this." I watch her as she bends over to retrieve the board and wonder just how much that action hurt her. She walks back to me, a smile on her lips, and takes my hand in hers, guiding me back to our beach towels. I sit down on mine while she settles her board on the sand nearby then joins me. "You know, you're adorable when you worry. You get this cute little wrinkle right here." She says and touches her index finger to the bridge of my nose. I can't help but smile.
"And you almost succeeded at changing the subject." She smirks at me and looks back out to the waves. "You promise me you're okay? You're not just saying that for my benefit." She looks back to me, staying silent for a few moments, then nods.
"I'm really okay. It'll hurt for a while, but I'll survive."
"That's something I'll make sure of." I say, imagining that the night will be spent kissing black and blue skin, making my favorite blonde shiver between silk sheets.