Page 46 of Changing Tides

“Fly away, fairy prince,” she says instead of goodbye.

Then, she takes the tray and flitters off to the old oak tree house.

Amiya appears from the front of the house and meets me at the gate.

“Nice wings,” she notes as I exit the garden.

I turn and shake my backside so they flutter in her direction.

She laughs.

I shrug them off, and the relief is instant. I rotate my shoulders a couple of times as the circulation returns to my arms.

Gramps lets out a long, sharp whistle to get my attention, just like he did when I was a boy.

“That’s my cue,” I say as I hand the gossamer wings to her and head across the street.

“Smart move, by the way,” she calls after me.

I turn to face her and begin walking backward. “What’s that?” I ask.

“The fastest way to her heart is definitely through Leia,” she states.

“Who says I’m after anyone’s heart? Maybe I just enjoy a good afternoon tea party.”

She folds her arms over her chest and glares at me.

It’s an intense staredown that relays everything she wants it to.

I raise my hands in surrender. “Or maybe I’d like to get to know her better.”

The corner of her mouth rises.

“Tread carefully, my friend. All knowing her better will do is make you want herandher heart even more,” she warns before calling for Leia to come in and shower because her mom is on her way home.

I join Gramps in the backyard, and we set to prepping the pool for the season as Nana and Ida Mae sit on the deck, drinking iced tea and supervising.

I spent many summers here in this oasis. The bike ramps and trampoline have been replaced by a vegetable garden, bursting with tomato and pepper plants, but the pool and firepit hold a ton of good memories. My older brother, Lennon, and I learned how to swim right here with Nana’s patient guidance, and my cousin Harry split his head open, jumping off the side into the shallow end during a cutthroat game of Marco Polo.

It was an idyllic childhood. One full of love.

When we weren’t spending our afternoons with Nana, we were on a boat with Dad and Gramps. Learning to catch, clean, and cook our own dinner.

Lennon and I both knew how to pilot a boat before we learned how to drive a car. Nothing excited me more than being on the ocean, sailing against the waves and hoping for a big take. Those voyages are where our sense of adventure was born. My brother joined the Navy and spent months at sea, serving his country on aircraft carriers, while I chose a much less noble approach by taking off to California and spending my days playing on a yacht with my friends to quench my thirst.

Once the cover is removed, thoroughly cleaned, and stored in the shed, I check the pump, filter, and heater for any damage while Gramps drags the garden hose over.

We take a break and join Nana and Ida Mae while the pool fills to the proper level.

“Will it be ready by Monday?” Ida Mae asks.

“It should be. I’ll measure the pH and chemical balances tonight, and we’ll shock it before I leave. Then, tomorrow, I’ll swing by and vacuum it well and check the temperature. If needed, we can turn the heater on overnight to get it just right,” I say.

“Wonderful. It’ll be fun to have a little one splashing around again,” Nana says.

“Now, don’t you go getting too attached, Nana,” I say as I take a swig from my glass.

“Says the man who was sipping tea with a four-year-old a couple of hours ago,” Ida Mae retorts.

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