Page 9 of Waves

The very idea elicited a sigh while I resumed walking to the beach. I supposed it didn’t matter what I felt. I was nothing but a wanderer to him, and I couldn’t take advantage of his kindness any longer. The very last thing I wanted to do was meddle in his life. I would have to be content with waiting for his boat and seeing him only then, carrying on a one-sided friendship.

I was at least halfway to the beach when a silver car slowed beside me. The window rolled down, and a familiar smiling face peeked from the driver’s side.

“Hey, so, I remembered I needed to go to the store when I saw you walking, and I figured... I mean, I’m already out. If you changed your mind about a ride, that is.”

“I’ll be fine.” I assured Ezra with a wave before continuing down the road.

“Kai?”

I stopped and looked back at Ezra, half his torso out the window while he leaned out to watch me.

“You’re walking back to the beach, aren’t you?”

I quietly confessed with a nod.

“You live there?”

I kept my hands pocketed and shrugged. Not all the time, but I visited that beach often. I had a habit of coming back to a lot of the same places and that beach had always been one I visited.

Ezra looked away. A long sigh escaped him while he sank back into his seat. He unlocked the passenger door before turning back to me. “Get in.”

While I felt fairly certain he meant in his car, I’d never been inside a car—even while stationary. Ezra noticed my hesitancy and the way his eyes softened warmed me from the inside despite the cool breeze accompanying the setting sun.

“I won’t force you. This isn’t a kidnapping. But I cannot let you freeze to death out there. My conscience won’t allow it,” Ezra said.

I lifted the handle, and the door opened. As a sign of good faith, I sank into the seat before closing the door behind me. Ezra reached over and clicked a buckle into place. Oh, this required being strapped in—not something that inspired much faith in me. Still, I reached over and did the same as him.

“So, shopping... and then?” I asked. Not to be rude, but really, I couldn’t expect him to understand everything at stake for me. If I agreed to this, I had to be sure. And if I wanted to be sure, I needed an unmistakable clarification of his offer. I refused to assume.

“You can stay at my place… if you want.” Ezra fidgeted with his hands while the car idled. “If not, well, most of the lodging in town hasn’t reopened for the season, but maybe I can find something available.”

“You don’t need to do that,” I said. While I appreciated the gesture, and did not want to spend the night on the beach, I couldn’t ask that much of him.

“Well, my couch is free and very comfortable.” He adjusted his glasses and turned to look at me before changing his mind and flicking his gaze back forward. “Crash overnight, and tomorrow we’ll figure out the rest. Sound good?”

“Sure.”

Oh, humans and their social customs. Not too long ago, the humans had an obligation to host anyone who happened by their home. The ability to do so was not only an honor, but a sign of significant wealth, since only those who had the means could feasibly host an ever-changing number of guests for however long they wished. At some point, that changed. So much so, two people spending the night together would be next Sunday’s scandal. Almost made me grateful I kept up with the humans only by watching and listening, rather than living among them.

I stood in the supermarket and rested my arms on the handle of the cart while I quickly typed a message to Mary. It was a damn good thing she frantically texted me a few times before actually calling the cops because I totally forgot about her.

Sorry, I wrote with a frowning emoji. I was in the car and missed your call. I’m so sorry for making you worry.

In the car?

I’m at the grocery store.

Why?

Because I need food?

Honestly, I had enough at home for me and Ishmael that I could’ve gone a few more days before a trip to stock up, but I needed an excuse to be out of the house by total coincidence. My sneaking suspicion that Kai had nowhere to go turned out to be right, and I couldn’t let him stay out in the freezing cold. I had a conscience.

You’re with that guy, aren’t you? Mary quickly typed back.

Guilty, I confessed with a sweating smiley face.

Are you KIDDING ME?