All the Cuts and Scars We Hide by Garry Michael
Twenty-Four: Wyatt
That’s A Worry For Tomorrow
The ferry back to Friday Harbor was one of my favorite parts of living in the San Juan Islands. I get to enjoy the scenery without being responsible for sailing the ship. It wasn’t like I could captain this behemoth, but the size of this boat dwarfed other sailboats and yachts nearby. The deep blue water shimmered with the sun hitting the waves. The neighboring island’s rolling hills were covered with pine trees, and the narrow passages of the Puget Sound could rival the fjords of Norway and New Zealand.
The ferry slowed down to a complete stop and everyone wondered why.
“Why did we stop?” Kai said while looking around.
“I’m not sure, sometimes the ferry stops to let barges or container ships pass ,but I don't see anything.”
“Should we go back to the car?”
“Is that a submarine?” one of the passengers asked before I had the chance to answer Kai’s question.
I looked to where the passenger was pointing and saw a long black torpedo with a tower containing the periscope. It was glistening as the water cascaded down because it was emerging from the depths. “Look, Kai! That’s a submarine.”
Kai stood in front of me and I pointed in the direction of the sub while my other hand wrapped around the back of his neck. “Oh my goodness. Like a military submarine?” he asked, after turning to look at me.
“Yes, it is. Our state has one of the largest naval bases and I believe that’s one of those Trident Nuclear Subs.”
“That is so cool.” Kai’s eyes glimmered with excitement as if he just opened his favorite present on Christmas Morning. “And I love it when you talk military.”
I was falling for Kai, and the more I was with him, the more I wanted to be a better person.
More passengers, including kids, gathered around the broad steel deck where we were standing to get a glimpse of the elusive Trident.
“Tell me more about your family and life in Hawai’i,” I said while we drove off the ferry toward home. I knew two things about him so far, he loved to surf, and he was an architect. Desperate to learn more, I continued, “You never talk about them.”
Kai’s posture became rigid and he pulled his hand that was resting on my leg away. He looked out the window avoiding my stare. Odd, but I’d seen that reaction whenever the topic of his family and life in Hawai’i came up.
“Kai, is everything okay?” Still, with no answer, I began to worry and pulled over to the side of the road. After placing the truck in park, I turned to face him. “What’s wrong?” I asked.
Kai played with the hem of his shirt.
I wanted him to open up. “I can tell something’s amiss with your family. You go silent every time I mention them, and I’ve seen you screen their calls.” I unbuckled my seatbelt and leaned closer to him. “How’d you get that?” I pointed to the scar on his arm.
“I’m fine, let’s just keep going,” he mumbled.
“No, you’re not fine. What’s going on?” I hated seeing him distraught. I needed to know what made him upset so I could try to fix it for him. I wanted him to trust me.
“My family hates me,” he continued. Tears started cascading down his cheeks.
I was momentarily stunned. “What? How could your family hate you? Talk to me, please? These tears are killing me.” I slid across the seat and wrapped my arms around him.
I wasn’t the only one who was hurting. After a few minutes of letting him cry, it dawned on me that I was falling in love with Kai. I would do anything to take all his pain away, and that fucking scared the shit out of me.
After his crying subsided, I loosened my hold on him and tilted his head back to look into his eyes. The sparkle I’d come to love had been overtaken by a wave of dark clouds. I was lost. I didn’t know what to do or what to say. Helplessness was all I felt.
I gambled and decided to be honest with him about what I felt. I closed the distance between our lips for a soft, sensual kiss. “I love you, Kai, and I hate seeing you like this.” I didn’t know how this was going to end, but I would worry about it tomorrow.
His eyes widened, but he never looked away, instead he said, “I love you too, Wyatt.”
Kai loved me too and that was equally as terrifying and freeing. I’d never been with anyone who treated me with kindness like he did. The way he looked at me like I was the king of the world, made me feel that I was worth something. More than my damaged self. “No one cares for me the way you do. You’re always there when I need someone. Sometimes, I think that you’re just a dream, a dream that I don’t want to wake up from.”
“I’ll always be here for you,” Kai said with conviction.
I believed him.