Page 47 of Leather and Longing
They walked up the front path, crunching across the gravel until the gradient changed, and Adam knew they were climbing the driveway to join the lane. He was conscious of Paul athis side, ready if he were needed but allowing him some independence. It was the one thing Adam had hated when he’d first lost his sight—those people who continually took his arm without asking.
If Adam wanted help, he’d ask for it.
“Hang on while I open the gate.”
He stood still while Paul unfastened it, the metal hinges grinding as it was opened. Paul guided him through a gap and Adam stood once more while the gate was secured.
“Which path would you find easiest to negotiate?”
Adam brought to mind the two access routes: a set of steep steps with an iron railing, narrow, difficult to walk two abreast, or the sloping path, steep in two main sections that led to the far end of the bay. That made him think: the steps would mean walking along the promenade to reach the café. More opportunities to meet with disaster.
“The path to the Beach Shack.” It was a no brainer.
“Fine.” Paul guided him along a small stretch of the lane, up to the juncture where he knew the two paths met. “There’s a steep part here.”
They carried on, Adam taking it slowly, relieved Paul was in no hurry. The sound of the waves below, apparent as soon as they’d set foot outside the house, grew louder as they descended. It reminded Adam of the wind brushing through trees. He took small steps, his cane constantly sweeping in an arc before him, taking in the width of the path. The going got a little easier for a while, until Adam froze at the sound of voices ahead of them.
“It’s a group of four walkers coming down the steps from the Botanic gardens,” Paul informed him quietly. “We’ll let them go first, okay?”
Adam gave a grateful nod, coming to a standstill, Paul’s hand at his back. He listened as the group’s lively chatter grew fainter. A slight pressure at his back and they continued forward.
“Remember the covered part of the path, where it’s grown over, before it turns left?”
Adam did. “I know, I have to duck.” He didn’t want to catch his head in the branches. Once they were through, Paul stopped him.
“This is the steepest part of the path. There’s a railing to your right if you need it. I’ll go first. Small steps, yeah?”
He nodded, conscious of the irony. This whole episode was one fuckinghugestep, as far as he was concerned. As they turned left, what struck Adam immediately was the sound of the sea and the salty breeze that hit him in the face.
I’ve missed this.
“The tide’s in, isn’t it?” Adam could tell: he heard the loud crash of waves hitting the rocks, followed by the squeals of children and adults alike.
“Yes. The waves are really rolling in. It’s a great day to be out there surfing.”
Adam caught the wistful edge to Paul’s voice. “Do you surf?” There was so much he had to learn about his assistant.
“Yeah. My friend Taylor has a house down here in the bay. He runs a water sports equipment rental business. He and I go out on boards whenever we can.”
The name struck a chord. “Taylor. The same Taylor you were speaking with on the phone the night I?” It was on the tip of his tongue.
The night I fucked you.
Adam snapped his mouth shut. This was not the time for such reminders.
Paul spluttered out a cough. “We’re here.”
In other words, Adam, shut up, there are people around.
Adam got the unspoken message. He steeled himself for the sensory onslaught, the prospect of meeting people. “Let’s have some lunch, shall we?”
No going back now.
Paul looked into the café, assessing the number of people already seated outside. The tables next to the railing were all occupied, but a group of five or six adults was walking toward them, clearly having vacated a table. The café was starting to fill.
“I think we’re in luck,” he told Adam who was standing by the high stools, just inside the entrance to the café. “There’s a table just been freed up.” He had no idea if the others were there yet and he couldn’t see around the corner to know if there were more empty tables.
Adam merely nodded, his fingers gripping the cane. He didn’t have to say a word for Paul to know what was going on in his head. Adam rubbed at the skin above the neckline of his T-shirt, his Adam’s apple bobbing. Paul was still amazed he’d gotten Adam to agree to this. He expected to wake up any time soon.
