Page 43 of And Then There Was You

Thirty-Seven Merryn

It’s the first time I’ve been in a wetsuit for more years than I care to count and it feels a little strange as I emerge from the surf school changing room. Jakey Lowen grins at me, taking in the sight of me in neoprene.

‘Looks good on you, maid!’

‘Um, cheers?’ Nerves dance in my reply.

Jakey catches it and pats my arm. ‘Don’t sweat it, dude. Trev’s the best in the biz. Seriously. Even with a dodgy knee.’

There’s something really lovely about the way his eyes shine when he says this, the smile he wears brightening more when Zach sprints across the sand towards us.

I don’t know their history, beyond the fact that they competed on the same circuit for a while, but it’s clear how much they respect one another.

It’s a window into Zach’s life that I wasn’t expecting, and I like it.

I’m so glad he accepted my request. Even if it means I’m now well out of my comfort zone, with the waves looking scarily big from the shore.

I silently thank Ruthie for holding the fort at Sweet Reverie this morning to let me do this.

I suspect she only agreed so she can have first dibs on the gory details when I return.

‘Sorry, sorry,’ Zach puffs, reaching us. ‘Matt had a last-minute order so I had to drive it over for him.’ He grins at me. ‘So are you ready for this?’

‘Are you?’ I laugh.

A flicker of something dims his smile for just a moment and then he’s back. ‘As I’ll ever be. Now, boards.’

Jakey is already prepared, with two boards resting against the surf school wall. They look enormous, but Zach assures me they’ll be fine.

We practise on the sand first, as I’ve seen countless classes from the surf school doing over the years.

It’s a regular sight on Porthmeor Beach, but I never thought I’d be the one jumping to my feet on a beached board.

It feels strange at first, but after a while I start to get the hang of it, aware that doing this on moving waves will be a world away from the safe foundation of the sand.

Jakey watches Zach as we repeat the standing drill. The wince Zach makes every time he moves to a crouching position is impossible to ignore. I wonder if he’s having second thoughts. His eyes drift to the surf every time he’s standing on the board, the sight robbing his smile.

His greatest love is the waves. But will his body allow him to reclaim it?

Jakey grins at us. ‘Okay, kids, enough of that. Ready to get in the sea?’

We tuck our surfboards under our arms and head down towards the distant surf.

The tide has turned, but much of Porthmeor Beach is exposed as the waves begin to slowly reclaim the bay.

A strengthening breeze is whipping the peaks of the waves, causing sunlit bursts of sea spray to lift into the air.

Despite the warm summer day, the water temperature is decidedly chilly.

I’m glad of the wetsuit, the shock of the water making my hands and feet sting.

I notice Jakey watching Zach from the shore, a look of pure pride on his face. I hope Zach sees it, too, as we wade out into the waves.

Zach is quiet beside me as we go deeper, only speaking to direct me to sit up on the board. It takes a couple of attempts to achieve, my hands and body out of sync as I grapple with the wet surfboard. But on my third attempt, I make it up, rewarded by Zach’s smile as we bob with the waves.

‘You make that look easy.’

‘Funny,’ I grin back. ‘It’s cool up on the board, though.’

‘It is.’

‘How are you doing?’ I ask, aware of his thoughts being far away from where we are. I can see what it means to him, but can only imagine the battle he’s faced to get here.

‘Okay, actually. Good. So the question is, are you ready to catch a wave?’

‘If you’ll show me how it’s done.’

Zach grins and starts to explain the process to get me up on the board. Wait for the right wave, push into it, follow it to shore. Lying on the board for the first few tries, then attempting to stand.

‘You’ll fall off a lot,’ he says. ‘But that’s part of the fun. Feel the rhythm of the waves, try to let that guide you.’

It’s only when we start trying – and I start failing – to follow the waves that I understand what he means. The sea has a rhythm beyond the waves on the surface. I feel the pull of the current as it races to shore, the swell and ebb beneath the board.

‘It’s like music,’ I say, breathless from the effort.

‘Exactly like that,’ he replies, his blue eyes bright. ‘Only you feel it with your whole body, your senses and your instinct. It’s just learning to coordinate your body and board to take advantage of it.’

‘You say that like it’s easy,’ I reply, loving the smile this elicits.

‘Better take me at my word, then, Mer. Let’s go again.’