Waves of Solace

by Ariel Bonin

  Andrew heaved out a sigh. "Probably later today."

  "That would be good. I'm meeting Elizabeth at the school for a tour and rundown on next week's lesson plans. I think it would be better if I wasn't there."

  "I agree. It should be just me."

  "Would you like me to take Jacob with me when I go?"

  Andrew smiled at her offer. "Thank you, but I'll be all right. You go and get acquainted with your new classroom."

  A slow grin lit up Lindsey's face and she planted another kiss on his lips. "I love you."

  Andrew gazed into her eyes and whispered, "I love you, too. More than I can ever express to you."

  Her smile widened impossibly more. "I think you've done a pretty good job of that," she said, referring to his proposal only minutes before. Not only did the act tell her how much he loved her, it showed that he was ready to start anew and look forward to their future, instead of their pasts. Truly, she could not have been happier.

  _____

  Lindsey and Andrew remained on the bluff for another hour or two, discussing everything and nothing. It was incredible to have the uninterrupted time together. To Lindsey, it felt as if they were starting over with a new relationship that wasn't built around fear, but hope. The idea of marriage had barely crossed her mind before today—she'd been a little busy trying not to die at the hands of various monsters—but she welcomed it now. She wanted to be with Andrew forever, whether it was one year or fifty, they'd already gotten more time than most.

  After walking down the trail, they stopped to pick up Jacob from Kat and Nicholas and ended up staying for lunch. Friendly conversation took place over plates of sausage and vegetable kabobs, with Andrew and Lindsey choosing not to mention their special plans just yet.

  When they were almost back to their bungalow, Jacob in Lindsey's arms, Andrew stopped her suddenly.

  "I don't have a ring for you."

  The thought hadn't occurred to her either, but she already knew her feelings on it. "We don't need rings. The world is different now. Marriage is still important but objects aren't. Of course I'd love to show everyone that I'm taken by the most wonderful man on earth, and I'll shout it from the bluff if I have to, but only we need to know that we belong to each other."

  Andrew's lips spread into a beautiful smile, his blue eyes twinkling in the sunlight. "God, I love you," he whispered, and then silenced any reply by kissing her full on the mouth.

  _____

  As discussed, Zoey came home late in the afternoon. While Lindsey was away at the school, Andrew had spent his time with Jacob. The little boy was close to standing on his own and would probably be doing it within the week. They'd worked on that as Andrew thought of what he was going to say to his daughter. When Zoey came through the front door though, his mind went blank.

  "Hey. How was Tommy's?"

  "Awesome! He's got some really sweet games. His dad's pretty cool, too. And look…" Zoey held up a few worn books. "Tommy let me borrow these—like, something I haven't read a thousand times!"

  "That's great," Andrew said with a genuine smile. "Listen, uh, can we talk for a minute?"

  Zoey's expression fell at her father's ominous words. "Is something wrong?" She must have mistaken Lindsey's absence because she asked, "Did something happen to Lindsey?"

  "No! No…she's okay." Andrew gestured for Zoey to sit on the floor next to him. As she did so, Jacob remained on his feet while holding onto the simple end table, oblivious to the tension weighing in the air. Andrew looked at Zoey and saw the anxiety in her young eyes. He hated to be the cause of it. "You're not a little kid anymore, so I won't dance around it… I asked Lindsey to marry me, and she said yes."

  Zoey's stunned gaze dropped to the floor, her brow twitching in a wounded manner. She said nothing for a long time and Andrew fought the urge to speak. He waited patiently for her to process the news, but the silence was killing him. Finally, she asked in a strained voice, "Why?"

  Why? "Because I love her."

  "But why do you need to marry her? What's wrong with the way things are now?"

  "Nothing's wrong. It's just that…this is important to us. Things will keep going the way they have—you may not even notice a difference—"

  "So then why are you doing it?" Zoey snapped.

  Andrew struggled to keep his voice calm as he continued on with his original statement. "But this is something I need to do."

  "What about Mom?" the girl asked in an accusing tone.

  "She's gone, Zoey…you and I both know that. I still love her and think about her every day. There's nothing else I can do beyond that. Lindsey makes me happy. She gives me hope…something I've been lacking for a long time."

  "But what if this place goes bad? What if someone like Samuel comes here and takes over? What if Lindsey dies? Are you sure you're not rushing into this?"

  The questions streamed out all at once. Andrew tried to ignore the one about Lindsey dying—that hurt too much—but he understood where Zoey was coming from. Her uneasiness had more to do with future pain that could come to her father from such a big decision, though, Andrew was sure that the fear of Kelly being replaced was still there.

  "There is always a possibility of those things happening, that's just the world we live in now, but I know I'm not rushing into this. I want Lindsey to be my wife—no matter what happens, good or bad. Besides, you need to see this from both sides. Lindsey lost her spouse, too. She's putting herself out there just as much as I am."

  "It sounds like you've already made up your mind, so why are you even talking to me about this?"

  "Because you're my daughter—"

  "If I asked you not to, would it make a difference?"

  Andrew closed his eyes and rubbed his brow. After releasing a defeated breath, he confessed, "No, it wouldn't."

  Zoey pushed herself up and started for the door.

  "Zoey! Wait!" Andrew called out as he scrambled to his feet. She stopped in the doorway and dropped her shoulders. "Why can't you accept this? Do you not like Lindsey—is that it?"

  Zoey scoffed. "No, she's…nice." Lowering her voice, she said, "Dad, I get why you want to do this and I'm glad you're not marrying some bitch—"

  "Hey, language—"

  "But I didn't know you and Lindsey were that serious. I thought maybe she was just some girl you needed around after Mom. I can see now that you really love her. I just need some time..."

  Relief washed over Andrew. He knew he'd never get her full support, but this was close enough. "That's fine… Thank you for hearin' me out." When Zoey began to open the door once again, he asked, "Can you at least tell me where you're going?"

  "To the beach."

  _____

  As Lindsey strolled back to the bungalow, she pondered everything she'd learned from Elizabeth, a spunky, middle-aged redhead with a fetish for gaudy jewelry. She was like Ms. Frizzle in the flesh—minus the school bus. Before the world fell apart, the older woman had been a math professor at a community college. She was struggling to teach her current students anything beyond that, and welcomed Lindsey's expertise in reading and writing with open arms. Lindsey was somewhat nervous to teach the little kids because she didn't have much experience in that area, but she was the most qualified person on the island. Knowing that, she willingly accepted the responsibility. Her first class was scheduled for Monday morning and she could already feel herself becoming excited and nervous—exactly like the first day of school. Much to her luck, she and Elizabeth were similar in size, so the other woman had given her a dress to wear. With a button-up front and pleated skirt—all navy blue and cinched with a thin belt—it was a nice change from her usual boots and jeans. The dress was cute and sophisticated, but Elizabeth had claimed that it wasn't bold enough for her own wardrobe. Lindsey was more than happy to take it off her hands.

  She was halfway home when she crossed paths with Charlie. He slowed his long strides to walk alongside her as she pulled the front of her sweater closed to ward off the impendin
g evening chill. So far every day had been quite warm, but that afternoon a cold front must have moved in. Charlie was dressed in his usual attire, but his rifle was still absent. He might as well have been naked.

  "Where've you been?" Charlie asked casually.

  "At the school, remembering how to teach." She smiled and held up her recently acquired dress. "Check out my new duds."

  He nodded in approval. "Very nice, though, I was under the impression you were startin' your own line: Dresses by Lindsey."

  The young woman laughed, remembering her ripped and shredded excuse for a dress that was actually hanging in her and Andrew's closet—for sentimental reasons only—but Charlie didn't need to know that.

  Before Lindsey could come up with an appropriate response, Charlie narrowed his eyes on her. "There's somethin' goin' on with you, and it has nothin' to do with teachin'."

  She fought the urge to blush as she glanced at Charlie and said, "Andrew and I are getting married."

  Charlie smirked. "Well, all right…'bout damn time."

  "I haven't known him for that long and it's not like we've had an opportunity before this," she countered with a crooked smile.

  "Don't matter. If you know it's right, why wait? We always think there's gonna be more time, but there ain't." Lindsey looked at him sadly, knowing he was referring to Nadie. He must have realized the negativity of his statement, because he quickly cleared his throat to say, "Sorry."

  "No, you're absolutely right. Andrew's been given a second chance…we all have. We're not wasting any more time."

  Lindsey and Charlie stopped in front of her bungalow and she moved forward to wrap her arms around his middle. He stiffened for a brief second and then relaxed under her touch, even allowing himself to return the hug.

  Stepping back, she said, "Thank you…for everything. You've been such a good friend and saved our asses on more than one occasion. We wouldn't be here without you."

  Charlie shrugged off her compliments. "Andrew can hold his own…you, too. Just been watchin' out for each other. That's all."

  You and I both know it's more than that. Instead of saying the words though, she simply gave him a grateful smile. He returned it with a nod and said good night. Turning around, Lindsey took a deep, cleansing breath and started up the steps to see her groom-to-be.

  Chapter 4

  The next day Brian called together Andrew's group to discuss the jobs they would all be responsible for during the week. Eleven adults met at the picnic tables under the outdoor pavilion and awaited Brian's instruction. Zoey had gone down to the beach with Tommy and a couple of other kids, leaving only Jacob under Andrew and Lindsey's care. The infant played on a fleece blanket as the happy couple looked on from the bench of a nearby table.

  "With the exception of Lindsey—sorry you have to listen to all this—we generally appoint jobs to those who are able, but we do try to appease everyone's skill set. While a job isn't required, everyone in New Canaan has to pull their own weight. It's the only way we can all survive and make this place work." Holding a clipboard and removing a pencil from behind his ear, he said, "I'm going to list off the various positions we have open. If you think something would be a good fit for you, we have people in those departments who are more than willing to get you up to speed on how things are done around here. All right? So, we have: farmers, fisherman, engineers, nurses and doctors, and of course, security."

  Tyler was quick to volunteer for engineering. His expertise in solar power and other resources of that nature would be a huge asset to the island. He managed to get Bill on it as well. The man was still in a bad place, but no one could deny his wealth of knowledge. After that, Hannah volunteered to be a nurse at the clinic. The world ended before she could graduate from high school, but she'd learned quite a bit since then. Caren couldn't do anything overly physical, so she elected to join Robert at the clinic. He had taught her enough to be of significant use. Nicholas and Kat immediately elected to do security, as they'd always done well in that area. Ana was somewhat reluctant as to where she belonged. Brian said the demand for workers was in farming. With what she had learned from Nadie at the school, she knew enough to volunteer for the job.

  That left Andrew and Charlie. Brian explained that the fishermen also acted as outer security for the island, warding off possible threats. Between their muscle, and skill with weapons, it seemed like the right place for them. The boat would leave before dawn each morning, Monday through Friday, and return sometime in the afternoon.

  "What about Jake?" Andrew asked. "Who's going to watch him while we're working?"

  Brian said, "We have a daycare right down the hall from the school."

  Lindsey laid a gentle hand on Andrew's arm. "My schedule isn't going to be very demanding, what with Elizabeth and I splitting the workload. I have no problem watching Jake the rest of the time. I'll pick him up after my last class."

  Andrew appreciated the sudden active roll Lindsey was taking in Jacob's life. It was as if she had finally realized that it was okay to take the roll of mother figure to the boy. If she and Andrew were to be married, then it only made sense for things to be that way. Zoey would be much more reluctant since she could still remember her mother, but Jacob would only know Lindsey. Andrew felt sad for his son. He'd never know the wonderful mothers he'd been blessed with before now—Kelly, Nadie…

  "So that's about it. If you need more information—when and where—I'll tell you whatever you need to know," Brian stated.

  The group started to stand and buzz with a few quiet discussions, but Andrew cleared his throat and took Lindsey's hand as they rose. "Hey, if you all don't mind, I'd like to make an announcement." Everyone stopped in place and looked on with interest. Andrew and Lindsey exchanged a euphoric smile. "We're getting married."

  Caren was the first to react. "Oh, my God… Congratulations!" She swept in and enclosed Lindsey in a tight squeeze. Meanwhile, Robert shook Andrew's hand, and then allowed the rest of the group to crowd in and congratulate the couple.

  "So how much time do we have to plan this thing?" Caren asked when Andrew and Lindsey had given their last hug.

  "Uh, well," Lindsey began, "we don't want to do anything huge. It's really not that big of a deal." She shrugged it off, hoping to give a casual impression, even though the act of marrying Andrew was a big deal to her.

  Kat scoffed. "Um, hello? It is a big deal! If you think you can get away with depriving us of an epic party, you are sorely mistaken."

  Lindsey smiled and looked to Andrew. He returned the smile and gestured a hand toward her as he said, "Whatever you want."

  After sighing, she rolled her eyes in a playful manner. "Oh, all right!"

  Caren and Kat both said "yes!" and exchanged a high-five. They swarmed Lindsey and started to ask her questions while giving suggestions. She threw Andrew an overwhelmed look and he shrugged, as if to say, Sorry, I can't help you. He picked up Jake from the blanket and settled the infant on his hip.

  Brian came forward to shake Andrew's hand but saw that the sling and Jacob were impeding that, so he gave the man a nod. "I'll see what we can come up with for food. How does Saturday sound?"

  "That would be great. Don't stress about it too much, though. I'm sure whatever we have will be fine."

  When Brian walked away, Charlie sauntered over and stood next to Andrew. The two men remained silent as they watched Lindsey get bombarded by Caren and Kat. Eventually the rancher said, "Should we help her?"

  Andrew smirked. "Women live for this sort of thing…right?"

  "Don't know why. Gimme sixty seconds and I can have you two married—no fuss required."

  "As much as I like the sound of that, I think Lindsey deserves more—we all do. It's about time we had something to look forward to."

  "I suppose you're right." Charlie turned and tenderly took Jacob's small hand in his large one. "Guess we'll need dates—don't wanna go stag—right, little man?"

  Andrew grinned at his son as he reached for Charlie
. To his surprise, Charlie took Jacob and placed the boy on his shoulders. Andrew held his arm up to make sure he wouldn't fall, and then shook his head as he realized something. "Who's gonna marry us anyway?"

  "At this point it don't matter. Just get some rings, say a few words. Shouldn't be too difficult."

  "We're not doing rings," Andrew stated, watching Jacob grab fistfuls of Charlie's light, shaggy hair.

  "Well, ya gotta do somethin'."

  Andrew scoured the reaches of his mind, his eyes unfocused on the dirt beneath their feet. Suddenly, he had it. "I've got an idea, but I'm gonna need your help."

  _____

  After another romantically charged night with Andrew, Lindsey was well-rested and prepared for her first day of school. Since he'd left early in the morning to meet Charlie at the dock, it was up to her to get Jacob fed and dressed. Once that was done and the little boy was content playing with his wooden spoons, Lindsey went to her room to get ready. She happened to pass by her bedside table and noticed that something was missing. Scowling, she searched under the bed and through their small piles of clothes, but came up empty.

  Calling out, she asked, "Zoey, have you seen my knife?"

  "No, sorry!" she hollered back from the living room where she was reading one of her books from Tommy.

  Lindsey sat down on the edge of the bed and cradled her face in her hands. It was stupid to care, but aside from her boots, her knife was the last thing she had of her own. Losing her Glock had been worse, but this still hurt. She sighed and wondered where it could be. Maybe Andrew would know. She'd have to ask him when he got home that night.

  Knowing that she didn't have time to keep looking, Lindsey quickly put on her blue dress from Elizabeth and a pair of tan sandals that a neighbor had given her. After brushing her long blonde hair, she twisted it into a braid that swept over her shoulder, and tied it at the end.

  Zoey knocked on the bedroom door. "You ready yet?"