Differently Normal

by Tammy Robinson

“Go,” I pant, climbing in. “Quickly.” I pray that this is not one of those times the car decides to play up on us.

  Mum turns the key. It roars to life.

  “Where are we going?” she asks.

  “Shop,” says Bee.

  I am watching the house. The door has just opened and Colin is at the top of the steps. He sees me and starts shaking his finger, his face red with rage.

  “Just go, I’ll tell you when to turn,” I shout. Mum floors the pedal and we’re off, just as Colin starts to run up the path. He’s too late though and we are gone before he gets anywhere close. I exhale my breath once we are around the corner, travelling fast, putting more and more space between us.

  “We did it,” I whisper to the box. “I’m taking you home.”

  Maddy

  When we pull into the carpark the sun is low on the horizon. The sky is a vibrant orange. It is breathtaking.

  “Seaside,” Bee says. She loves to look at the ocean and listen to the waves, but she refuses to walk on sand barefoot. When we’ve tried in the past she curls her toes and tries to lift both feet up at the same time. It’s been an epic fail, so we haven’t brought her here in years.

  But today she has her sneakers on and she is so excited by the sight of the water she willingly lets mum lead her down the dunes and towards the water. I carry the box of ashes under my arm, breathing in the salt air and remembering the last time I was here. Tears spring up. It wasn’t that long ago. We were so happy.

  “Is this where you two used to come?” mum asks softly, looking around.

  “Yes.”

  “I can see why. It’s beautiful.”

  There is no one here. Just us and the empty ocean, the sky and the hills. It is incredibly peaceful, and exactly where Albert would like to be.

  “He loved it here. You should have seen him on the water, it was like he was a part of it.”

  Mum stands back with an arm around Bee as I walk down towards the water.

  Suddenly we hear the sound of tyres on the gravel road, travelling fast. The car pulls into the carpark with a skid. I turn, curious, and as soon as I see it my stomach sinks.

  It’s Colin.

  He gets out of the driver’s door, Wendy hot on his heels. I haven’t come this far to let Albert down now though. I don’t care if he arrests me and throws away the key, I’m doing this for the love of my life. I wipe the tears away angrily and run to the water.

  “Stop,” he calls as he runs down the beach. “Don’t you dare open that box.”

  I wade out in the water until it is just above my knees. The waves pick up, as if they sense why I am here.

  “Don’t come any closer,” I warn him.

  Bee is picking up bits of driftwood and throwing them into the water. “Splash,” she says, oblivious to anything that is happening.

  He stops at the waterline. For the first time I see a look of vulnerability flash across his face, but it’s quickly replaced by anger again, and I doubt whether I saw it or not.

  “You’re in a lot of trouble,” he growls. “But if you come out of the water now and give me back that box I’ll go easier on you.”

  I laugh. “Go easier on me? You think I care what you do? I’m not doing this to piss you off, despite what you might think. I’m doing this because it’s the right thing to do. Did you ever see your son surf?”

  He doesn’t answer.

  “Splash,” Bee says.

  “You have no idea what you’ve missed out on. What an amazing, incredible person your son was. And you treated him like he was a disappointment.”

  “I did no such thing.”

  I am about to protest when I realise that he truly believes what he is saying.

  “If I treated him harshly,” he continues, “it was only because I knew he could do better. Better than working in some stable for the rest of his life for stuff all money. And better than you and your dysfunctional family.”

  My mother gasps. She reaches over and plucks a piece of driftwood from Bee’s hand and hurls it at the back of Colin’s head.

  “What the hell,” he yelps as it connects. He reaches up a hand to feel for blood. “Jesus you’re all crazy. That’s assault on an officer.”

  “Stuff you, pig!” my mother shouts. I feel a bubble of hysterical laughter pop up. I’ve never felt more connected to her as I do in that moment.

  “Right, stuff this,” he says, starting to wade into the water. “You asked for it.”

  “Enough.”

  Wendy says the word quietly but with enough emotive power to make us all freeze and look at her. Except Bee of course, who says “Splash,” and throws another piece of wood. Because she has seen my mother do it she aims it at Colin. Luckily for him she is a lousy shot and it misses.

  “That’s enough,” Wendy says again. She walks down to where her husband stands and stops a foot in front of him.

  “I’m not letting her do this,” he says, jerking his head in my direction.

  “I want a divorce,” Wendy says.

  He stops jerking and stares at her, frowning. “What?”

  “You heard me. I want a divorce.”

  “You don’t mean that.”

  “I certainly do.” She shakes her head. “I don’t know why I stayed married to you as long as I have. But I’m done. I’ve had enough.”

  “You’re just grieving,” he says dismissively.

  “No. I mean, yes, of course I am. But this is me making the best decision I have made in a long time. If Albert’s death has shown me anything, it’s that life is too short to spend it with an asshole like you.” She spits out the last three words bitterly.

  He reels.

  Mum snorts.

  I bite my lip.

  Colin stares at her, completely speechless.

  She turns to me.

  “I’m sorry,” I say. “I didn’t want to steal them but it was the only way I could think of to stop you from burying him somewhere he wouldn’t want to be.”

  She shakes her head. “Don’t be sorry. You were absolutely right to do what you did. I only wish I had thought of it myself.” She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. Then she releases it slowly and opens them again. She looks like she has gained an inner peace and strength.

  “This is perfect,” she says. “Let’s do this.”

  She bumps through the waves until she is at my side. The sea is green and choppy, and the waves kick up and splash us both. I smile through my tears, feeling like Albert is here with us.

  “He loved riding the waves,” I tell her, my voice breaking. “Now he can ride them forever.”

  I prise open the lid and she gently lifts out the plastic bag and its contents. Seeing them gives me a shock. How can one person be reduced down to so little? To dust?

  This is it. That is all that is left of the boy I fell in love with.

  “No,” Wendy says, seeing the distraught expression on my face. “This? This is not him. He is here, in our hearts.” She presses her free hand to her chest. “And here, all around us.” She gestures to the sky and the ocean. “As long as there are stars in the sky, he will always be with us.”

  Then she rips open the bag and sprinkles Albert’s ashes into the water, while a blazing sun sets over the horizon. When the last pieces fall and the swirling water pulls them away, we stand arm in arm and watch, as the ocean currents carry them off on adventures unknown.

  “Catch you on the next drift Al-bear,” I whisper.

  THE END

  A NOTE FROM TAMMY

  Thank you so much for choosing to read ‘Differently Normal’, I really hope you’ve enjoyed it!

  If you did enjoy it, I would be hugely grateful if you could take a few minutes and leave a review for the book on Amazon. It doesn’t need to be very long, even a few short words is appreciated and helps me out a great deal. Reviews help other readers to discover my books, and as an author I rely tremendously on word of mouth and reviews to get word of my books out there.

  If
you’re interested in learning more about me, my writing journey or my other books, please look for me on Facebook (Tammy Robinson – Author) or twitter @TammyRobinson76

  Please feel free to message me, I love to hear from readers and will always reply :)

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