Page 114 of Wrecked
I pull out my cellphone and dial 9-1-1, frantically telling dispatch that my father is having a heart attack. Then I take a seat at his desk, hide the file of incriminating evidence, and wait for the ambulance to arrive.
I force out tears for the man I hate more than anything in my entire life.
The man that beat me black and blue since I was a child.
The man that made me hurt the people I love.
The man that turned me into the monster that feelsnothingbut reliefas they cart my dead father’s body away.
CHAPTER 47
NATE (6 MONTHS ON THE ISLAND)
Iwalk up and down the shoreline, collecting as many last-minute seashells as I can. I have to hurry because Ellie is going to bathe and then head over to the beach. I’ve been accumulating shells for weeks, making sure to only pocket the ones with a flawless shape and vivid colors. I walk down the beach toward my hidden pile of gems and load them into the woven basket.
The sun is shining brightly today, but the temperature is comfortable. We are heading into the rainy season, so the morning heat tends to cool down later in the evening. I break out in a sweat anyway, one that has nothing to do with the weather.
I head over to our favorite part of the beach and start to arrange the shells. The bonfire roars behind me, and the smell of burning wood lends to the romantic seaside ambiance.
Once the shells are arranged the way I want them, I get to work on the driftwood. I tie them together using the fibers from a yucca plant and adorn the entire structure with large hibiscus flowers. I pull my design upright and stick both ends in thesand, decorating the bottom of each leg with large rocks to help keep it in place.
I stand back to look at my creation.
The driftwood is completely hidden by the beautiful flowers that are decorating my carefully constructed design. I take the beach blanket that Ellie crafted from the clothing that was too small for us to wear and lay it underneath the tall arch. I toss some passionflower petals over the blanket and head over to the bonfire to grab our dinner.
Two large, gorgeous lobsters boil in the pot on top of the high flames. Next to it, the salmon I caught earlier today cooks perfectly in a bed of freshly picked herbs. I pull them both off the fire and bring them over to the two large tree trunks we fashioned as tables for our beachside dinners. I plate our food, using trays made from the metal of the plane’s wing, and grab some passionfruit to have as a side. I meticulously arrange the food until it’s exactly right. I pour coconut water into our bamboo cups and make sure everything looks perfect.
I head back over to the arch and drape vines in between the flowers, ensuring every detail is picture-perfect. It looks like our own untouched slice of paradise.
A part of me never wants to leave.
I go and grab the umbrella-like structure I formed out of palm leaves and bamboo shoots, and place it directly over our dining area, creating a little secluded utopia.
The sun is sitting lower on the horizon, casting a warm glow, and setting the perfect mood. I can hear Ellie’s footsteps as she walks the pathway out of the jungle and onto the beach. A few seconds later she comes into view, gasping when she sees the giant arch decorating our little dining area.
“Nate,” she says in awe, “what is all this?” She continues to walk down the sandy beach, a wide smile embellishing her natural beauty. I could stare at her every day for the rest of my life and never get tired of her.
As she gets closer, her eyes flick to the shells in front of the archway. She stops short, and her hands fly to her mouth. I can see her eyes glisten from here, but I’m not sure if that is a good sign or a bad sign.
I walk around to the side of the seashell design and get down on one knee. Tears fall down her eyes in earnest now, and she’s already nodding her head yes at the question in front of her.
Marry Me, Pip.
Each shell painstakingly placed to spell the words I’ve wanted to ask her since we were just kids hanging onto each other like lifelines.
“Are you going to let me ask the question before you answer?” I grin, my own eyes starting to fill.
She shakes her head several times before realizing her mistake. She nods vigorously, her eyes comically wide as she loses complete control of her bodily movements.
“Ellison Grace Hansel…”
“YES.” She slaps her hands over her mouth. “Oh, shoot. Wait. Okay…go again,” she mumbles, her words smothered as she talks through her fingers.
God, I love her.
I smile, starting again. “Ellison Grace Hansel, I have loved you my whole adult life. I know things have not been easy for us. I know I made decisions that weren’t fair to you. But if you let me, I want to spend the rest of my life making that up to you. Because my heart no longer beats without you. I gave it to you when I was eighteen years old, and I don’t ever want it back. I don’t want to live in a world where I don’t get to call you mine.” My voice cracks, the very idea of that is too devastating to consider.
“So, please be mine, Pip. Whether it’s here on this island, or if we find our way back home. Let me love you the way you deserve. Let me prove that I can be the man who never lets youdown.” I beg. I will never forgive myself for instilling doubt, but I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure she never feels it again.
