“Don’t you just love days like these, when you don’t have any obligations?” Nicole said, lingering over her sake.
“Not in my case. I had a busy night cleaning up the house, and then today I met with the photographer and the band. At least now I’ve marked two things off my list,” Chloe said, taking out her chopsticks.
Nicole didn’t answer. She was still sipping her sake.
“Did you hear what I just said, Nicole?”
Nicole poured more sake. “Yeah, yeah, I heard you.”
Chloe knew Nicole wanted to discuss Richard so she decided not to push it.
After lunch, Chloe drove to the beach where she parked her car at one of the many open spots along Half Moon Bay, and then they walked down to the beach. Nicole and Chloe had been to almost every beach in Half Moon Bay, each place beautiful in its own right. Today, a few people were walking their dogs along the beach but with spring approaching, the place would be packed. Half Moon Bay was known for the “Maverick,” which was the biggest and most dangerous wave in the world. Every year, Maverick Surf Ventures would sponsor a Maverick surf contest wherein twenty-four of the best surfers from all over the world would compete in this event. In 2007, thirty thousand people had come to watch the event.
Chloe exited the car and the two carried their straw hats and blankets to the beach. They picked an ideal spot on the sand to lay out their blankets. The weather was perfect, not too windy, nor too hot.
“So what book did you bring today? I hope it’s not one of your cheesy romance novels,” Nicole said, removing her leather jacket.
“Don’t worry; I didn’t bring any of those,” Chloe said, removing the envelope from her purse. “In fact, I brought something more exciting.”
Nicole turned to look at her. “What is it?”
“You’re never going to believe what I found last night while cleaning the attic.”
“Tell me.”
“I think they’re letters my dad wrote to my mom when they were dating. I never knew my dad to be the romantic type,” Chloe said, opening the envelope, “so they should be interesting.”
“Show me,” Nicole said, moving closer to Chloe.
“Wait, I haven’t read them yet.”
The waves came in close and Chloe shrieked as she opened the letter, but the swell quickly receded with the tide. She counted the letters. “There are nine, all in order, knowing Mom.”
“Read me one,” Nicole pleaded.
“Okay, here goes.”
“Dear Suzanne,
Today, I left my heart in San Francisco. Hope that doesn’t sound too cliché. I have never met a woman as beautiful and extraordinary as you. Your eyes, your hair, your smile – everything about you makes me feel alive. I don’t know when I will see you again, as we’re traveling to Asia, but spending these last few days with you has been the best time of my life. I hope to see you again as I hold you dear in my heart.
Te quiero mucho mi amor,
Ignacio Rodriguez
January, 1968”
“Oh my gosh!” Chloe exclaimed. “I can’t believe it. All this time I thought these letters were from Dad. Mom never told me she had a mysterious lover. Who the heck is this Ignacio Rodriguez?”
“Ignacio must have been a sailor from South America or Spain,” Nicole said, looking at the letter.
“Let’s see.” Chloe tapped the letter on her knee. “I know she met Dad on August 14, 1968. According to the date on the letter, she met him before she married Dad.”
“Let’s read the next letter,” Nicole said, stretching her toes and leaning backwards to get more sun.
Chloe opened the next letter.
“Suzanne amor,
You don’t know how happy I was to receive your letter today. I could hardly believe it was from you. We are out at sea and there’s nothing much to tell about my life here. I can hardly sleep at night thinking about you and what you’re doing. Thank you for telling me your stories, and for sharing your feelings with me. I will never find a woman as beautiful and kind as you. You are like a precious flower that has touched my life. I look forward to your next letter, and until then I shall be thinking about you.
Con cariño,
Ignacio Rodriguez
February 1968”
“Oh my goodness, he sounds so romantic,” Chloe said. He reminds me of Josh.
“He sounds just like you,” Nicole teased.
“Wait a minute, Nicole,” Chloe said, snapping her fingers. “I’m curious to know why she didn’t end up with this man. I mean it sounds like he was madly in love with her. She must have felt the same way about him, since she responded to his letters.”
“Chloe, sailors have women in every port.” Nicole said, turning over to lie on her stomach.
“Yeah, but I know my mother. She wouldn’t waste her time writing to this man if it weren’t serious.”
Nicole looked at her watch. “It’s almost three o’ clock. Hey, it’s getting late and I promised Matt I’d come see him.”
“Oh sure, we can do this another time,” Chloe said, removing the sand from her feet.
They folded their blankets and arrived at the car just in time to feel the wind pick up. Chloe was silent as she drove Nicole to the restaurant. Finally, Nicole broke the silence.
“There’s only one way to find out who this guy is, Chloe – call Suzanne.”
“I’ll never hear the end of it if I tell her I’ve found these letters,” Chloe said, while making a left turn.
After dropping Nicole back at the restaurant where she left her car, Chloe drove back to the beach. She still had time to hang out before seeing Richard for dinner. She parked her car, then carried her blanket down and laid it on the sand. She sat down and curled her toes then tilted her head up to bask in the sun. She was listening to the waves, when she heard someone call her name.
***
Josh felt the hot sand between his toes as he prepared to go surfing. Trish had called him three times begging him to come back to her but no matter what he said, she wouldn’t listen. What was he supposed to do? As he was getting ready to walk down to the water with his surfboard, he noticed a woman with long black curly hair seated on a blanket. It looked like Chloe but he wasn’t sure.
“Chloe, is that you?” he called, walking toward her.
Her eyes opened wide. “Josh, what are you doing here?”
He waved. “I’m going surfing.”
“Oh?” She leaned forward and wiped the sand from her hands.
He sat down beside her. “Care to join me?” Chloe didn’t respond. “C’mon, it’ll be fun. I have an extra suit and surfboard in my truck. I always bring spares for friends.”
Chloe wiped her mouth. “Sure, why not.”
“Great, if you want we can drive to the shop so you can change,” Josh said, pulling her up.
“I can change in the portable bathroom,” Chloe said, following Josh to his truck to get the extra wetsuit. She went to change and returned a few minutes later.
Josh was waiting for her in the water so she waded toward him. He was glad the waves were not overly strong. “Is it too cold for you?”
She dipped her head in the water to wet her hair. “I’m good. Can you believe it? I’ve lived in Half Moon Bay all my life and never learned how to surf. How ironic is that?”
“There’s always a first time.” Josh winked, remembering their first kiss. She looked more beautiful now with her hair wet. It seemed like only yesterday that he’d seen her running around the playground in her pigtails, her cheeks turning red each time he smiled at her. Chloe seemed shy and innocent back then, but that hadn’t stopped him from approaching her. He often watched her as her mother dropped her off at school and would note her frustration.
He didn’t dare ask her about it until the day they kissed. She said her mom pushed her too hard. Nothing Chloe did was good enough for her mom whereas, she and her dad got along well. She was Daddy’s little girl, but her father was cold and distant to
wards her mom. Even at a distance, Josh knew they weren’t compatible. What Chloe said that day stuck in his head: “When I grow up, I’m going to marry my true love.”
When he kissed her, they both knew they belonged together. That’s when he had seen her beautiful smile – a smile of joy and confidence. He promised himself that he was going to marry her and take good care of her. Now here she was again, the Chloe he knew and loved, smiling like the first time they’d kissed. He wished he could tell her now how much he loved her.
Her face was pale as she regarded the upcoming wave. “Are you ok?” he asked.
“I’m just nervous about the waves.”
“Don’t worry. Watch how I go first. The trick is to ride with the wave, not against it,” Josh said. Chloe walked back to the beach, surfboard at her side.
“Okay.” She watched closely as Josh rode on his board to catch the wave.
He couldn’t believe how eager Chloe was to go surfing when Trish would never even try it. He spent the next ten minutes showing Chloe how to ride the waves.
“Did you see that?” Josh asked, when he returned.
“Your approach was smooth, but I think I’ll need more than one lesson,” Chloe joked, still clinging to her board.
“We offer surfing lessons if you’re interested.”
“Really? That would be great.”
Josh licked the tangy saltwater from his lips. “I love what I do. I can’t imagine having a desk job and wearing some fancy suit. That’s so not me.”
Chloe laughed. “I can’t imagine you at a desk job, either.”
Josh smiled with relief. Trish had pushed for him to go to work with her father in advertising. The thought nearly gave him panic attacks, whereas Chloe was so easy to talk to, just as he remembered. When they were dating, he had ridden her around Half Moon Bay on his bike and she had reveled in the experience. Chloe was so easy-going which was why they got along in the first place.
“Besides,” she added, “if you were behind a desk, we wouldn’t be riding this beautiful board. It’s so shiny,” she said, fingering its smooth surface.
“Thanks, I always make sure we wax our boards before we use them.”
“Okay, teacher, I’m ready for my first lesson.”
“I’ll race you to the shore,” Josh said, sprinting ahead.
Moments later Chloe arrived at the shore gasping for breath. “Cheater.”
Josh grinned.
“What do I need to do?” Chloe asked, dipping her feet in the water.
He couldn’t believe it. He was with his childhood sweetheart, teaching her how to surf. “First, before we go in the water, put your board on the sand, and then lay on your stomach.”
“Okay, I can do that.” She followed his example.
“You need to move a little back so your feet touch the end of the board.” Josh showed her how to do it. “There you go. Now, keep the board the same level as the sand.”
“All right.”
“Next, put your hands on the rails of the board and pretend that you’re doing pushups.”
“I can do that,” Chloe said, repeating the task five times.
“That’s great.” Josh nodded. “Now swing your feet underneath you and plant your lead foot on the center of the board so that you're in a crouched position. Let me show you how.” He planted his feet on his surfboard.
“I’m not sure I can,” Chloe said, trying to balance herself on the board.
“Sure you can. You see, there you go. You’re a natural, Chloe. Now try that five more times until you think you’ve mastered it.”
Chloe’s movements were awkward in the beginning, but she soon had it down.
“Great, now you’re ready to paddle on the water. This is how you paddle,” Josh said, showing her how.
Chloe once again followed Josh’s example. “I’m a little nervous.”
“You’ll be fine. You just need to focus on your balance and remember the basics I taught you.”
Chloe took a deep breath and picked up her board. “All right, I’m ready.”
“Great, now let’s catch our first wave together,” Josh said, giving her the surf sign.
Chloe closed her eyes, her feet touching the end of the board, her hands on the rail. As the wave approached, she pushed her body up into a crouch position, carefully balancing herself. Her body danced with the wave that washed over her.
“This is euphoric,” she said, after conquering her first wave.
“I knew you’d enjoy it,” Josh said, jumping out of the water.
“I want to try again.”
“Okay, but we need to wait.”
“What do we do while we’re waiting for another wave?”
“We sit on our boards and wait for sets.”
“What are sets?” Chloe asked, pulling herself up to sit on the board.
“Sets are a series of waves.”
She pushed her hair away from her face. “I’m so excited.”
There it was again – that smile that he had worked so hard to win the first time he had kissed her. “I’m glad you like it.”
“I love it, but I can’t just sit here and wait.”
“There’s more to surfing than the waves. It also teaches patience.”
Chloe sighed. “Is that why surfers spend hours catching a wave?”
Josh nodded. “It’s between you and the wave. What more can you ask?”
They surfed the whole afternoon. Chloe fell down numerous times, but bounced back on her feet laughing boisterously. The day was almost over and Josh didn’t want to leave. He couldn’t believe how much fun he was having, and what better way to spend it than with Chloe?
“This is one of the best days ever,” Chloe said pushing her board to the shore. “I swear, I’ve never felt like this before.”
Josh smiled. “You’re great for a beginner. We normally teach classes before taking our students to the water. You’re one of my best students.”
“That’s because you’re a great teacher. I’m sure your students learn a lot from you. You’re very patient and calm.”
Josh smiled sheepishly. “That’s what they all say.”
“Is Phil as calm as you are?” Chloe asked, as they sat down in the sand.
Josh handed her an extra towel then dried himself. His cheeks felt burnt and his lips were dry, but that didn’t bother him because he was having the time of his life with Chloe. “Phil is more competitive. At times he pushes his students too hard, but most of his students end up joining competitions, so they need that type of training. I’m more of the ‘enjoy your surf’ type of guy.”
“You’re still the same Josh I always knew,” she said, giving him that dreamy look she had given him when they were young.
He gazed at her and smiled. A part of him wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her, but another part of him encouraged patience. Instead he scribbled in the sand, “Josh and Chloe were here.”
She smiled at him, and then excused herself to go to the portable bathroom to change. She came back moments later and handed Josh the towel and wetsuit as he walked her to her car to say goodbye.
“Thanks again, Josh. I really had fun today.”
He was about to ask her out when he caught sight of a ring on her finger, which seemed like an engagement ring to him. His spirits sagged like a deflated balloon. “I’m glad you had fun, Chloe. See you around.”
After she left he sat down on his car thinking. Am I too late?
***
That evening over dinner at her house, Chloe showed Richard the letters she and Nicole read earlier, but Richard handed them back to her without looking at them. Her face was still red from surfing with Josh. For once she was relieved that Richard appeared too busy to have noticed. Like always, he was wearing his blue tooth earpiece, and between courses had been trying to close a deal with Steven Yates who was opening the biggest mall in Sacramento.
“I don’t know why it should bother you. That was forty years ago. Why don’t you
call your mom and ask her about the letters?”
“I’m curious to know, that’s all. What if Dad wasn’t “the one”? What if Ignacio was her true love and she let him slip away?” Chloe said, drinking her red wine.
“Does it really matter? Your dad is gone and she married him, didn’t she?” Richard yawned.
“What if she married my dad for the wrong reasons? Could it be possible that she never loved my dad, and that she still pines for Ignacio?” Chloe set her glass down.
Richard just shook his head. “Would you get a grip on yourself. What are you up to, anyway? Are you planning to reunite them?”
Chloe froze, and then snapped her fingers. “You just gave me a brilliant idea.”
“Chloe, why does it always have to be this way with you? You live in Fairytale Land, always believing in happily ever after,” Richard said, spearing his last bite of steak.
Chloe scowled. She took the dishes to the kitchen and put them in the dishwasher while he sat on the couch and watched the news. Her thoughts once again turned to Josh. He was always a good listener and he treated her like she was the most important person in his life. Seeing him today only confirmed that he hadn’t changed.
She longed for that same feeling with Richard. Surely, in years past, he had felt the way Josh had for her; he just hadn’t had an opportunity to show it lately. With that, she walked barefoot to him and leaned her head against his chest, stroking his arm. To her frustration, he ignored her and continued to watch the news. Angry, she stood.
Mom deserves a second chance. And so do I.
Where had that last thought come from? Is that what she wanted with Josh – a second chance? Chloe knew that crazy things were happening after her fateful meeting with Josh and surfing with him today, but where that would lead she had no idea. She sighed and got busy picking up the remainder of the house.
An hour later, Richard announced that he had to leave. He stood up and tripped over her giant teddy bear. “Chloe, promise me that you’re going to get rid of this stuffed toy when we get married.”