Page 76 of Love Unwritten
A sense of tranquility washes over me like one of the waves crashing against the shore, and I want to write about it.
I want to write.
I’m not sure what the song would be about, but the feeling is familiar, and one that makes me happy I packed my guitar after all.
My fingers itch for a pen. “This is…”
“Amazing.” Nico presses his face against the bifold glass door that takes up the entirety of the wall.
“I spy something blue,” I say, using our game as a way to check in on his vision. Asking him bluntly only leads to his discomfort, so I learned long ago to use games like “I spy” to gather information instead.
Nico’s smile widens. “Waves I can’t wait to ride!” He does the shaka sign, making me laugh.
“You got it.”
He strokes his chin. “I spy…something green.”
“Palm tree fronds?”
He shakes his head.
I scan the beach looking for something green before spotting it. “Trash cans!”
He presses his forehead against the glass and squints. “No.”
“The bushes?”
A dark look passes over his face. “Isn’t it obvious?”
“Um…” Fuck.
I don’t have the heart to tell Nico he is struggling with color discrimination again because of his diagnosis. In a panic, I glance over my shoulder, hoping Rafael answers my distress signal.
Our eyes connect for a brief second before he walks over and stares down at the shoreline. “Hm. Maybe Ellie is the one who needs to get her eyes checked because I think I figured out the answer.”
“Maybe!” Nico laughs, making Rafael’s eyes widen, along with mine.
Some of the pressure in my chest lessens when Rafael answers, “Beach towels.”
“Yes!” Nico holds his hand up for his father to smack.
Rafael looks stunned for a second before he returns the high five.
“Oh. The beach towels.” I fake a huff.
“It’s okay, Ellie. You’ll win next time.” Nico pats my arm with a smile before abandoning us.
“Thank you for helping,” I whisper to Rafael as Nico veers off to the left and runs into the only room on that side of the suite.
“He’s had trouble discriminating between pink and orange before, but green and blue is new.”
“I know.”
His frown says more than words ever could.
“I call this one!” Nico shouts from the room before letting out a small giggle.
Rafael’s sullen mood seems to fade away at the sound, his son’s happiness acting like a healing balm for his aching heart. Gaining control over his emotions is no small feat, and I’m overwhelmed with pride at him obviously pushing aside his own worries to make his son happy.