by Naomi Niles
“Yeah. I was tossing and turning all night.”
“I saw that. Are you OK?”
“Yeah,” I said, fixing my attention on the sky above. “Yeah, I am fine. Just thinking about some things.”
“OK. Well, I was thinking about some things as well.” I looked at her, wondering what she was about to say next. “And the first thing is that I think we should go to Sarah’s gravesite today. I haven’t been since she was buried and I feel like sort of a sucky friend because of it. I wanted you to come with me.”
“Her gravesite?” I was leery about going back to the place where they lowered her into the ground. But as I thought about it more, it seemed like it would provide another level of closure for me. “OK,” I said after I took a sip of coffee. “Alright. I think I will go along with you. It may help.”
“Yes, I think it will.”
A few moments of silence passed between us. A flock of birds flew over our heads as if they were traveling somewhere as a family. I looked at Caroline. I knew she would want a few children running around, and even at my old age, I still felt young enough to chase them around the house if needed. I didn’t mind starting another family; I just hated the fact that Sarah wouldn’t be a part of it. “I am thinking about going to Greece in another month or so.”
“Greece? What’s out there?”
“Nothing. Just a vacation. I was talking to Brian about these days off, and apparently, he has never seen me take a vacation before. I work so much that words like, ‘vacation,’ and ‘days off,’ seem to be foreign to me. So, I figured I’d take another two weeks off and head to Greece.”
“That sounds exciting.”
“Do you want to come with?”
She looked at me. “Harrison, I can’t afford Greece right now. I mean, you are paying me well, but–”
I laughed, “Oh, stop it. You know that if you come with me, you will not be paying for a thing. So, if you are just trying to find an excuse to not go, you may want to try a little harder.” I winked at her, then took a sip of my coffee.
“No, that’s not it. I just didn’t want to assume, you know? I didn’t want to look like an asshole.”
“An asshole? I think you’ve got the saying wrong.”
She laughed. “No, that was an um, an inside joke. Between me and Sarah, that’s all.”
“I see.”
We stayed on the deck for a little while, talking about everything except marriage. I could tell that she was a little disappointed, but I wasn’t ready to mention anything to her about that yet. Later on, we got dressed and headed to the cemetery. I sat in the car with her for a few moments, afraid to get out of the car, and if it wasn’t for her guidance, I don’t think I would’ve ever gotten out. “Come on, Harrison. I’m here with you, OK?” She brushed her thumb against the top of my hand as I took a deep breath. I got out the car a few minutes later.
She wrapped her arm around my waist as we walked past the grave plots until we got to Sarah’s. Her tombstone stood high above the ground. I could feel the mist sweep over my eyes as I read the words. “Sarah Zimmer. The best daughter that ever lived. We will always love you. We will always miss you.” I felt my legs weaken, and if Caroline hadn’t been there, I might have tipped over to the ground.
Caroline placed a few roses on her grave as she kneeled beside it. A soft wind blew against us while we reminisced on our lost loved one. “I remember,” Caroline said, wiping tears from her eyes, “the time we ran out together to a party and she wanted to run through the graveyard as a shortcut. I was scared out of my freaking mind, but Sarah grabbed my hand and pulled me along. She was so fearless. It was one of the things I wished that I could take from her. She wasn’t afraid of anything, and that is why I was so excited to move to California with her. I felt like as long as she was with me, I would always be OK.”
When she started to cry out loud, I kneeled beside her and held her close. I kissed her on the forehead. “Yeah, that was Sarah. Bold. Fearless. Willing to say anything to anyone at any moment.” I took a deep breath and looked up to the sky, more so to keep the tears from falling than anything else. “She will always be missed.”
Caroline put her head on my shoulder and cried out loud. I sniffled and wiped tears from my cheeks as the soft breeze blew against my skin. For some reason, even though I lost my daughter, I felt like I found pieces of her inside of Caroline. The way she calmed my spirit. The way she made me feel complete. I knew that I was going to spend the rest of my life with her and there wasn’t a doubt in my mind about it.
Epilogue
Caroline
I ended up going with Harrison to Chania, Greece almost two months later. I didn’t want to go because I still didn’t have any confirmation about where our relationship was headed. I hated the fact that I seemed to become more in love with him with the passing of each day, but he still didn’t mention anything to me about marriage. I laid in the king-sized bed of our five-star hotel. Harrison said that he had to make a few runs early that morning, so he left me to order room service and enjoy myself before he returned.
He said he had a few things planned for us to do, and I would have been lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to it. This was my first time visiting Greece, and from what I had already seen, I knew I would love it. The people were friendly, and the scenery was amazing. I could see myself traveling with Harrison for the rest of my life, but as time passed, I realized that my imagination was stronger than expected. It didn’t seem like that would come true. In just a month, I was headed for California, and each time I alluded to the fact that I was making plans to move, Harrison didn’t say anything about it. I remembered one time in particular that pissed me off.
“So, I found a place to stay in San Diego. Right by the beach. It is kind of expensive, but I think I can manage it, especially if I land the job I applied for.”
He walked to the refrigerator in the kitchen and pulled the door open. “Oh? That is nice! San Diego is an amazing city. I can’t wait to visit once you get settled in.”
I glared at him as he bent over into the refrigerator. I wanted to get up and kick him in the butt right then and there. I didn’t know whether to be hurt or angry at the fact that he didn’t care that I was leaving. I threw hints like that from time to time, but he never reacted the way I wanted him to. After a few minutes had gone by, I got out of the bed and walked to the window. The sunlight beamed down on the water below. It was only 10 am, but people had already begun claiming their spots on the sandy beach. The wind blew my hair softly as I stood by the window. My silk housecoat fluttered as I took in the scenery. Far out on the water, boats traveled, both big and small.
As I enjoyed the view, I heard the door open behind me. Harrison walked in with a smile on his face. “Good morning,” he said as he walked towards me.
“Good morning, Harrison.”
“It is gorgeous out there.”
“Where did you go?”
“Oh, I just had to make some plans for later this evening. Wanted to make sure things were just right, you know? No hiccups.”
He kissed me on the cheek as he hugged me from behind. “What do you have planned?”
“You’ll see, and trust me, you are going to love it.”
I looked out on the water at the boats. They floated effortlessly across the water. I wanted to experience what the was like. I’d never been out on the water before, and even though the thought scared me, I still wanted to experience it. I always thought that some kind of shark would attack my boat, or that somehow, a hole would pop up in the base of the ship and send us all sinking to the bottom of the ocean. Maybe I watched too many movies, but either way, I was both terrified and excited about the chance if it were to happen. “So,” he continued, “I think you should get dressed. We have a long day ahead of us.”
I hopped into the shower and started to get ready. It was just our second day in Greece. The only thing we did on our first day was sleep because of the length of the trip. We we
re both a little jet-lagged, so we ended up laying around in the hotel, ordering room service and watching movies all day. That was great, but I wanted to experience what life was like in another country, so I knew we had to get out.
Harrison sat on the bed waiting for me to come out of the bathroom. As soon as I emerged, he smiled. The top two buttons on his short-sleeved shirt were undone. He wore khaki shorts and sandals with shades hanging from his shirt pocket. “You look stunning,” he said as his eyes scanned my body.
“Thank you, Harrison. I bought this just to wear on our first day out.”
I wore a loose-fitting, lavender sundress with the bracelet and earrings that he bought for me a few months ago. “Well, I am happy to escort you throughout Chaina as the most beautiful woman in the city.” He stood up and made a loop with his arm. “Shall we?”
I grabbed my purse, then connected my arm with his, and with that, we left the hotel room. There was a vehicle waiting just outside the door for us. Another driver stood by the back door with a smile on his face. He opened it as soon as we drew near. “Mr. Zimmer,” he said as he bowed his head to him, “and Lady Zimmer.”
I looked at Harrison with a confused gaze. He smiled, “Just go with it, Caroline. Just go with it.”
I shook my head, then entered into the vehicle. Harrison followed right behind me, and with that, we were off. We rode past gorgeous buildings that looked as though they were antique. The city burst forth with life and vigor at 12 pm. “Where are we headed, Harrison?”
He put his hand on my thigh. “Just enjoy the ride, sweetheart. We will be there momentarily.” He pointed out the window, “Look at that.” A beautiful glass building extended high above the ground. It reflected the surrounding buildings like a mirror.
“Wow, that is gorgeous! What is that?”
The driver spoke up, “That is one of the most exquisite restaurants in Chania. On the top floor, you can see everything in the city because it revolves slowly. It really helps you see the city, especially at night when everything is lit up. I would definitely recommend that place for tourists. Now, it is expensive, but I am sure that money is no object for you two.”
I looked at Harrison. A smile escaped his face as we continued down the street. “Yes, I think we will have to check that out.”
We arrived at another beach in Chania. The driver opened the door for both of us as we stepped out onto the sand. “Give us about two hours,” Harrison said to the driver as he put his arm around me. We walked across the sand and headed for the edge of the shore. I fixed my attention on the boats that were docked near the long, wooden deck. My eyes lit up as we got closer. “Harrison?! Are we going on a boat!?”
He smiled but didn’t say a word as we continued. “Harrison! How did you know?! How did you know I wanted to go on a boat?!”
“Let’s just say that I am vigilant. I will keep it at that.”
I wrapped my arms around him, then we headed to the deck. As he spoke to one of the attendants, I stood on the ledge of the deck. The boats were amazing. Speedboats, paddle boats and larger boats that looked like small cruise ships. A few minutes later, Harrison tapped me on the shoulder. “Are you ready, sweetheart?”
I intertwined my fingers with his, then followed him to one of the small cruise ships. After he helped me inside, the sailor climbed in behind us. One of the waiters led us to the deck inside of the boat. As we got to our seat, there was a trio of musicians standing almost 10 feet ahead of us. A violinist, saxophonist, and a bass player. I looked at Harrison as he pulled my seat out for me. “This is beautiful,” I said with a smile.
“This is just the beginning.”
He took a seat beside me, and a few minutes later, the boat took off onto the ocean while the band played softly in the background. He rented out the boat and hired a private chef to serve us hors d’oeuvres as we traveled across the water. I took him by the hand and led him to the outer portion of the boat. I leaned onto the edge while he put his arm around me. “Harrison, I…” I wanted to tell him more, but I couldn’t. I wanted to tell him how much I loved him and that I didn’t want to imagine my life without his, but ever since a few months ago, I promised myself that I wouldn’t allude to marriage or anything like it.
“I truly appreciate you taking me out here today. How you knew that I wanted to get on this boat, I will never know. But, I appreciate it.” I tipped up and kissed him on the cheek as we traveled smoothly across the water. The sun was suspended directly above us as we came back to the shore. I didn’t want the date to end, but I knew we couldn’t stay on the water forever.
“Why is your lip poked out?” he asked as we got off the boat.
“I don’t know. I am just thinking about things, you know?”
“Things?”
I fixed my mouth to say what was on my heart, but I kept the words inside. “Never mind. It is not important.”
We walked through the sand and back to the car as the driver stood, waiting for us to enter. “Where to now, sir?” he asked when he got inside.
Harrison responded, “We can head to our final destination.”
“Sounds good.”
I looked at Harrison with a curious eye. “Final destination? I don’t know if I like the sound of that.”
“Don’t worry,” he said with a smile. “You will enjoy it. I am sure.”
I leaned my head against the back of the seat as Harrison put his hand on my thigh. A little while later, we stopped in front of the tall, glass building that we’d passed on our way to the beach. I smiled flashed onto my face. “We are going up there?”
“Did you ever think that we wouldn’t? This is a special day.”
“What makes it special?”
Before he could respond, the driver opened the car door and ushered us out. Harrison didn’t answer my question, and I didn’t ask again. If he wanted to tell me, he would’ve said it already, so I just went along with whatever he had planned. Inside the building, the floors were marble. The hostess’s table was made out of crystal, and she smiled as we approached. “Mr. Zimmer? You are early.”
“Indeed, Shelly. We are ready to proceed. Is that a problem?”
“No, sir. We just finished preparations. Right this way.”
“Harrison, what–”
“Ssssh,” he said as we followed Shelly to the elevator.
I grabbed his arm tightly as we rode to the top floor. My heart fluttered inside my chest as we rose higher in the building. The elevator chimed when we reached the top floor. “Enjoy,” Shelly said as she held her hand out for us to walk off the platform.
As we walked into the room, I noticed a large, crystal ball hanging from the center of the room. One table covered with a black cloth sat front and center, and on top of it, there were roses. After we approached the table, he pulled my chair out for me to be seated. “Thank you, Harri–” I stopped mid-sentence when I turned to see him kneeling before me. In his hand, a small black box with a large diamond ring was sparkling like the crystal ball above us.
“Caroline, you have been my backbone since the day Sarah died. I never knew that I would meet someone like you. I am just upset that it took me so long to see you for who you really are. I love you, and I can’t see a future that doesn’t involve you being my wife. And if that future is out there, I don’t want it. I love you, and it would be an honor if one day, I could call you my wife. Will you marry me?”
Tears streamed from my eyes like a waterfall. I couldn’t find the words to say to him. I scooted closer and pressed my lips against his. “Yes, Harrison. Yes. I will be your bride.” We embraced, and at that moment, I felt complete. I felt like Sarah was behind us, nodding her head with a smile as if to question why it took us this long. Peace fell into my heart as he slid the ring onto my finger, and from that point on, I never looked back.
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SEAL’D BY HIM
By Naomi Niles
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 Naomi Niles
Chapter One
Dwayne
I knew that we were flying through the air, but I couldn’t fully convince myself that I was in a plane. The light hit the seat in front of me and took on an elusive quality as if it were a mirage reflecting off of the Afghani sands below us.
Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack.
The sound seemed to rise up out of nowhere, almost like I had been dreaming and now I was waking up.
Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack.
I was dreaming. I couldn’t imagine how it happened. The sound of the helicopter rotors drowned out everything, even my thoughts. I had to focus. There was a group of children holed up in a school less than a hundred miles from where we were flying now. It was my job to go in and take out the Taliban operatives holding them prisoner before they killed the kids.
I tensed up and waited, watching as the Afghani desert passed below us. “Go! Go! Go!”
I jumped out of the helicopter, my body suspended in that split second before gravity caught me and pulled me back down to the ground. I was staring at a patchy, yellow canvas with jagged gray lines etched in the sand. They called it Allah’s cat box, the place that he forgot.
I could believe that. Nothing had changed there since Biblical times. The people still dressed in long pieces of cloth draped around their body. Their houses were crumbling mud brick, and they survived off of nothing but opium, wilted pot, and bread so tough it scraped against your throat going down. Life was cheap and fragile, not something to be cherished because it wasn’t worth living.
