Page 33 of SEAL'S Baby Surprise
“Sure,” she says. “That sounds like fun.”
I look at her a minute, then I dig through my gear and find one of my old flotation vests. Paddle boarding is fun, especially for two people and a dog. And I am good at it and a good swimmer. But even though our little cove is placid as ocean water goes, it still is always a good idea for everyone to wear a flotation device — even the dog.
My old vest isn’t the sexiest piece of equipment, but it will get the job done.
By the time I get the extra gear together and a snack packed in a waterproof box, Lee comes out of the van wearing a black one-piece competition style swimsuit. It fits her perfectly and hugs every curve.
For a moment, I want to just take her back into the van and skip paddle-boarding.
But I had told her I would take her out, and she is ready. So, we walk down to the ocean, her flip-flops going flop, flop as we go.
“My feet sound funny,” she says.
“I think that’s where they get the name flip-flop,” I say. “Maybe after Julia gets home, we should make another trip to the Goodwill store and get you some real shoes.
“These are fine,” she says. “I’m not all that much into shoes anyway.”
Then we are at the water’s edge. I get our snack, the first aid kit, and Ark’s water dish all strapped on. Then, while we are still in the shallows, I get my mermaid and Ark loaded on. Ark doesn’t need the help, but he does a good job keeping Lee calm.
I wade out, checking the board to make sure we haven’t loaded it too heavy. This one is my inflatable since it is rated for more weight than my rigid board. It is more stable for doing yoga on the water, too.
The water is calm this morning, just getting warm on top, and cool underneath. When the water is up to my waist, and the board is doing well under the combined weight of dog and woman, I hoist myself on and unship the paddle. I get Ark to scoot back a little to balance me at the front, then I position my feet and begin paddling.
When we are out in the middle of a placid area, I hand the paddle to Lee and show her how to dip it first on one side, then on the other to get the board traveling in a straight line.
Ark gets tired of us messing around, jumps off and goes for a swim before hopping back on. When Lee has the stroke pattern down, I suggest she try standing up and paddling. Either she’s done it before and is humoring me, or she’s a true natural.
When we are all hot and tired, I hop in the water and tow us over to a small island where we can sit on the board in the shade and have our snack.
I pour fresh water into Ark’s bowl, and give him a handful of kibble, while Lee and I have salty crackers and fresh water.
Lee gets the idea to feed me crackers, so I start feeding crackers back to her. Then she snuggles up to me and starts kissing me, so what can I do but kiss her back?
She kisses me like I’ve invented kissing. Like she’s never had anything so wonderful in her entire life.
It’s flattering. But more than that, it gives me a renewed zeal for kissing her back.
I could do this all day.
Ark sprawls out behind me letting the sun dry his fur. It seems right and natural, sitting there on the board, Lee and I feeding each other crackers and kissing the crumbs away while Ark keeps an eye out for anything unusual.
After a while of this, Ark nudges me in the back with his nose, and I look at my wristwatch. I gather Lee into my arms and pat her bottom gently. It’s a nice bottom, well-rounded and firm. It reminds me of what we were doing the night before.
Regretfully, I say, ‘‘All good things must come to an end. We need to head back so we are there to make lunch for Julia.”
Lee gives a little sigh and says, “All right. You are such a good dad, Austin. I wish my dad had been like you. Then maybe I wouldn’t have turned out so screwed up.”
That’s a little more serious than I want to get into right now. I really do need to get back and be at the van for Julia. So, I say, “All parents make mistakes, Lady Mermaid. I suspect I’ll make my share before Julia is old enough to be on her own.”
“I guess,” she says, “but I don’t think she’ll make as many as I have. Julia really is lucky to have you.”
I can’t think of anything to say to that, so I turn the board around and start paddling back in toward shore. What kind of dad had Lee had that I am so much better? After all, I’d slept in, and my baby girl and her friends had to serve themselves breakfast. I’m not all that sure I’m father-of-the-year material.
16
LEE
Days slipby on Freedom Beach. The place has that timeless quality. It is as if we are trapped in a time bubble, like in a fairy tale or one of those 1950s science fiction stories.
