Page 55 of We Thought We Were Invincible
“Stop calling me that.” Jamie's grip on my arm tightened. Yep, there'd be a bruise there later. I shifted to get him to release his grasp, but he wasn't focused on me.
“We're heading into an election year. I can't have my son living with someone else.”
“Afraid it will affect your family man image the republicans love so much?” A snarl entered Jamie's voice. He wanted a fight. His father didn't bite.
“Frankly, yes. Don't forget, James, you still drive a car that I pay for. You wear clothes that I've bought. If you manage to convince a college to take you, you will need me to pay for it. So, make no mistake, you will cooperate with this election. I expect you home by the end of the week.”
He turned and walked away without another word. Jamie suddenly released my arm.
“Sorry.”
I rubbed the spot where his fingers had been, not knowing what to say.
I wanted to hug him, give him whatever comfort I had, but there were eyes on us so there was nothing I could do as his shoulders slumped and he walked toward the car where Kat and Colby were waiting.
As we sat in the backseat, I gave Jamie the only thing I could.
I didn't look at him as I said, “Storm's coming.”
* * *
Let me ask you a question.When something terrible happens, do you hide or do you run into the fire ready to fight?It was a favorite question of my mom's, one of her parting pieces of wisdom. She never wanted us to be runners, only fighters. That's why I was there. Telling myself that didn't make it any easier. It didn't slow my rapidly beating heart. It didn't make the collar of my wetsuit feel any less suffocating. I tugged at it with one hand while the other ran over the smooth surface of the board that was stuck in the sand beside me.
It wasn't my board. Mine was still in pieces beneath my bed. No, this was a spare one we had in the garage. My mom had never used it as she had the other and it no longer felt like she was out here with me. It no longer felt like I was safe.
Jamie grinned at me for the first time since his conversation with his father, reminding me why I even bothered. The waves crashed and rolled, waiting for us to take the plunge.
I ripped my board from the sand and tucked it under my arm, taking tentative steps until I was ankle deep in water, the foam swirling around my calves. Jamie was just ahead of me.
“It's perfect out here today,” he yelled back toward me.
I didn't respond. I couldn't. A lump formed in my throat, cutting off all words, making it hard to breathe. I dropped my board, but it didn't go far tethered to my ankle as it was.
Air. God, I needed air. A sharp pain stabbed through my chest. When I closed my eyes to block out the waves, images assaulted me. Being pulled under. Gasping for breath. Darkness. So much darkness. Pain in my leg.
I couldn't take it anymore. I picked up my board and ran from the water. Dropping it on the sand, I ripped the board leash from my ankle and fell to my knees, trying to breathe.
One hand on my chest and the other in the sand to keep from falling over, I sucked in air.
The images sank back into the ocean and the panic loosened its hold on my heart.
Jamie ran up the beach toward me, dropping at my side.
“Cal.”
At the sound of my name, I lost it, burying my face against him as large tears rolled down my cheeks. His arms came around me, calming me down.
“Come on,” he said, pulling me up. “We don't need to do this today.”
“No.” I wiped my face. “We came here to help you work out your frustration. I can watch. You should get out there.”
“I can think of better ways to work out frustrations.” He tilted my face up to kiss him.
“Mmmm,” I whispered, my trauma forgotten when he was that close. “That is something I think I can help you with.”
21
Callie
