Sand Castle Sandy

My phone on the table started buzzing, it was my sister.

I answered and Sam went off on me before I could even say hello, "Oh my god, Sandy! Where did you get moves like that?! And your boyfriend looks like a god!"

*

We had a second and then third cup of coffee each before making our way to the pier. I didn't want to show up at our entry until after the judging anyway, and I needed some time to process what had happened.

Before we headed out, Rick asked if I had a large or floppy hat. "Yeah, sure," I replied. "Why?"

He answered in a fatherly tone, "You got pretty red yesterday. Might want to hide from the sun a little today." I'd understand his true prescience in just minutes.

The hat, the dress, and my sunglasses did little to hide my identity when we got to the pier, of course Rick's loud shirt wasn't any help. We were instantly recognized and the paying crowd milling about the pier viewing the sand sculpture entries nearly bowed to us as if we were royalty. It was the weirdest feeling I had ever experienced.

We took at least three selfies with 'fans' and gave just as many signatures of the newspaper before we even made it to our sculpture and crossed the ropes. I was so flabbergasted by the attention I didn't even notice the blue ribbon 'Best of Show' and trophy at the base of the castle until Rick practically rubbed my nose in it.

That cleared my nerves instantly and got my attention. I did a little dance, making eye contact with Rick before I squealed and launched at him, throwing my arms around his neck, lifting my feet off the ground. He stumbled a little bit until he secured his feet and held me. I was practically in tears as I said into his ear, "Four. In. A. Row."

He chuckled, "Does that mean 'gas money' to you?"

I replied, stretching out the words, "G-a-s m-o-n-e-y."

As if on cue, someone got my attention with a forced cough. It was the competition official, and the half smile he had on his face was the only time I ever remember him even close to smiling. He held out an envelope for me, it was my check. "Nicely done, Sandra. I hope to see you here next year to defend your title. Your win gave you the longest streak and the most wins in the competition's history."

My elation was short lived as we were mobbed with requests for selfies and signatures. When the crowd somewhat abated, Rick pulled me around to the back of the sculpture, away from the public who were kept at bay by the ropes.

I looked at him in a daze from all the attention. "Wow, what's going on... "

When he put his hands on my shoulders it struck me that he does that a lot. It also instantly calmed me down, even if my tummy did flip. He spoke to me with a smile, "I'm so proud of you."

"I couldn't have done it without you," I replied, hoping the sunlight masked my obvious blush.

"Bahh, you only needed me for my height and my extraordinary yoga skills. This was all you, Sandy. I was just honored that you let me help execute your vision."

Excited shrieks got our attention from the ropes, followed by, "Unka Rick, Unka Rick," from a couple of excited and identical little girls. The two were jumping up and down, flailing their arms to get their uncle's attention. Their parents, Brett and Hannah were grinning broadly while standing right behind them.

"Hey, girls!" Rick went over and gave them and then their parents hugs while I kept a little distance just behind. I was glad to see that everyone was acting like a happy family bunch again. Rick bent down and picked both little girls up, one in each arm and then brought them to the castle to go over all the details up close.

I was kind of left with the adults and we exchanged greetings until Hannah said with a smirk, "That was a hell of a photo in the paper this morning."

"Um, yeah," I responded sheepishly. "I honestly don't know how we pulled that off."

Brett chuckled, "I remember his wife said he was terrible at couples' yoga."

Hannah playfully smacked her husband's arm and said to him, "Yeah, but that was only because Rick could never keep his hands off of Vick whenever she wore yoga pants and was always grabbing her ass."

He replied playfully back, "Yeah, but who could blame him. It's the same ass as yours, and you know I have the same problem."

Hannah blushed with an, "Aghh," and I surely matched her blush tone for tone.

*

"OK, so what are you going to do again?" Rick asked, not like a question. The orange and pink color of the sunrise over my shoulder coloring his face.

I sighed, we had gone through this a dozen times the night before while we watched the tide go out, perched on our boulder. He had spent the entire weekend with me, practically joined at my hip. Even spending Saturday night on the convertible RV bed, "For old time's sake," he said.

In a snotty teenager-like tone, I recited, "I'm going to kick ass at every competition and text pictures of my entries to you from every city." I rolled my eyes at him until they landed back on his dreamy ones.

"What else?" This time, a real question while he squinted his eyes at me.

"I'm going to drive safely."

"And...?"

I sighed again, "I'm going to be careful to look out for perverts and weirdos."

I thought I passed the test, only not really. I wanted to avoid the final one but had no such luck.

"And what are you going to do when you get to Santa Cruz?"

I replied, unsure if it was a lie or not, "I'm going to call you."

"And why would that be?"

My final response was just above a whisper, "So when my mother frustrates me, you can get on her bandwagon and tell me that I'm just crazy and stupid."

He shook me gently by my shoulders, "Stop that! Wrong! So when your mother frustrates you, I can tell you that you are lovely."

I shook my head at him and scrunched my face, "I've been thinking. What big, strong manly-man uses the word 'lovely' anyway? Huh?"

He chuckled, "I do. Because it fits you."

He wrapped me up into a bear hug that was also tender, lingering in the embrace. It was a miracle I didn't cry.

I loaded myself up into the cockpit of the RV and started it up, giving the engine a long while to warm up, just like Daddy taught me. I used that time to check each of the gauges and then walk through the back cabin one more time to make sure everything was secure.

Rick didn't move from the spot in the parking lot where he had hugged me. With a wave at him looking at me through the passenger window, I put the RV in gear and pulled away. In my huge side mirror, I made several glances back and I didn't see him move until he blinked out of sight.

*

Dana Point went well, I carved like a demon possessed, buoyed by unusual emotions but I felt good from beginning to end. Remembering last year, I avoided anything gory and unsettling, replaced with friendly and whimsical. It might have made the difference as I got second place, the best of show award going to a local favorite who never lost, even though he carved the same thing year after year. I made a mental note that the guy was no Rick as far as skills and artistry were concerned.

It was weird being treated like a celebrity from the officials and carvers at each competition along the way, as well as the media in each town, trying to drum up public support (in order to translate to revenue). Before the summer was over, I'd be pretty sick of seeing that picture of our miraculous pose.

Next was Newport where I did better than I originally thought I would, thanks to Rick. While complaining to him from atop our boulder one evening in San Diego, I bitched that Newport imposes stupid themes, and that all I want to carve are castles. This year was 'aquatic creatures', I was already counting it as a loss. Rick turned my thinking around with a simple suggestion in that I create an environment like that of an aquarium. The central focus being a bottom decoration that was a castle. That set my mind into motion and I sketched it using more sketchbook pages than I normally would. Later, I was proud that I executed it just like the sketches, including a pensive fish positioned just inside the opened drawbridge, keeping itself safe from the other aquarium fish.

I didn't win but I was proud of it and Rick gave me high praise after I sent him the pictures. He told me of all my castles, in all the pictures I had shared with him, this was his personal favorite of mine. My heart swooned over that.

Overall, the summer competitions were good to me. I got a handful of wins and at least placed at every competition, even scoring gas money here and there. I was interviewed, put on the news in a couple of cities, and managed to not embarrass myself too much despite my nerves and knocking knees.

Yet the further north I went, with every passing mile as I closed in on Santa Cruz, my mood and emotions further darkened. Only it felt different this time. It wasn't until just outside of Monterey before I was finally honest with myself.

My psyche wasn't knotting because I was getting closer to Santa Cruz. It was because I was getting farther away from Rick.

*

3

*

With all of my students now having gone on their way home, I sat back in my chair at my desk for the first time of the day with an exasperated sigh. I looked at the empty walls that just the day before were wallpapered with artwork and writing assignments from my students until I had pulled them down and sorted them out to send home with the kids on the last day of school.

What a year.

I wasn't even surprised when my phone rang, alerting me it was Rick.

"Hey, teacher-teacher, how did it finish up for you?" He asked with mirth.

I laughed inside, just happy to hear his voice. "All done and, you know, feeling at odds over it. A lot glad but also a little sad."

He chuckled, "Yeah, but the sand is calling. That will put you right on Cloud 9, and we have a whole summer ahead of us."

My tummy flipped at the words 'we' and 'us'.

In order to change the subject, I almost burst at telling him, "OMG, remember me telling you about 'Creepy Dad'? Well after all school year of not meeting the kid's mother, I finally did on the last day of school. Know what?! She was even weirder than the dad. She even leered at me creepier than he did. Ewww!"

He laughed. "Good thing you didn't hold that kid behind. Now his folks are the first-grade teacher's problem. That made me laugh but I had been thinking the same thing.

He asked a little nervously "Hey. How are you sorted out? Plan still on?"

"Yeah, I'm packed and ready," I replied. For the millionth time I asked, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

He exaggerated a sigh, "Yes. We're doing this."

I smiled, not that he would know, "OK. There's something wrong with you, you know."

"I hear that all the time. Alright. I'll let you go now. See you in a few days. Drive safe, OK?"

"Yeah. See you."

I put my phone down on my desk and pondered how we got to this point.

I picked up the phone again, ringing my sister who picked it up right away, "What's up sand-sister?"

I smiled at her nickname for me. I said, "Hey, I need to give you a head's up, maybe you can give Mom advance warning."

"OMG," she intoned, "it's really going to happen, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it sounds like it. He just confirmed again a few minutes ago."

"OK, run down the logistics and how we want to play Mom."

I ticked through some bullet points in my head and ran through them with Sam. First things first, the mobile mechanics and detailers would be by the Monday after the weekend, and go over the RV. Rick had a meeting in San Francisco on Tuesday, late afternoon. He was looking to buy another tire shop or something like that, then he'd take a ride share to Mom's after the meeting. I'd get there ahead of him, Tuesday morning. We'd all have dinner with Mom, and provided she didn't run him off, Rick would sleep in the RV that night while I stayed in my old room. Then Rick and I would take off early on Wednesday for San Diego.

"OK," Sam sounded on board, "I got your back. Any subjects off limits at dinner?"

I responded, "Yes. Thanks for asking. Please don't tell Mom he's going to spend the entire summer traveling with me and shaping sand."

She chuckled, "OK, does he know that, I mean, to not bring it up to Mom?"

"No, I would never ask him to do that. And I don't mean any of us should lie about it either, just let's not bring it up unless we have to."

"Got it. I've been warming Mom up to the possibility that the mechanics may be back just like last year, and at least she didn't have a fit. I'll start with her now on getting used to the idea of meeting your boyfriend over dinner."

"He's not my boyfriend," I scolded.

"Yeah, you keep telling me. Yet you're going to sleep with him in your RV for the next 10 weeks."

"I'm not going to sleep with him."

Sam chuckled, then got serious, "Why did you say 'yes' to this again?"

"I don't know," I semi-honestly replied.

She sighed, "OK, I'll leave you alone about it. For now. I actually hope you do sleep with the guy. Would probably do you a world of good."

"Just stop it. You haven't even met him yet."

"True," she laughed, "and I can't wait to. I'll let you know how it goes with Mom."

"Thanks, Sam. I love you."

"Love you too."

*

The streak of my life being a disaster kept going. I blew out a tire on the way to Mom's and it scared the crap out of me when it happened. Triple-A couldn't fix it on the side of the road and the spare was flat. Of course it was. I was towed to a busy tire shop, and after being put into the queue as a 'walk on', I waited forever. I did wonder if Rick had any interest in the shop and if I should call him. I opted not to and paid full price to replace the tire.

Meanwhile, Sam totally blew up my phone. Pissed that I was running late, but then sympathetic to the circumstances. After that, I got a blow by blow of what was happening. Rick showed up at home and he and Mom apparently were entrenched in deep conversation on the front porch. Then, to my relief, the tone changed in her communication, going from stress and drama to one of calm. At one point she texted, "I think Mom likes him." Then another, "I like him too. Where'd you find this guy?"

Then, as I pulled into the driveway on some new rubber, I wondered if I shouldn't show up until later. My circle with Rick was about to intersect with my circle with Mom, what if that burst all the bubbles. If Rick and Mom are getting along, then I shouldn't stir things. Then I got a sick realization, remembering that Mom liked my ex too.

My niece got to me first, she had been playing with her dog in the front yard. I got hugs and kisses, and even some slobber from the dog. I made my way to the front porch and everyone was still there. It was a nice evening out and the porch was big, so that was not an unusual place to gather this time of year. I got a hug from my sister, a signature full wrap bear hug from Rick, and a dainty hug from Mom without her preceding it with the typical negativity over my appearance.

With concern on his face, Rick said, "I heard what happened. I'm so sorry I wasn't there to help. I bet that was scary."

Mom didn't skip a beat, "Dammit, Sandra. If you wouldn't spend all your money on these silly summer flings, you could buy a safe, reliable car."

Sam snapped back, "It was a tire, Mom. They found a giant screw-bolt thingie in it, it could have happened to a brand-new car too."

Mom ignored her, "Why didn't you call Rick? Your boyfriend could have gotten you a free tire and a faster turnaround."

Rick gave me a smirky grin at the 'boyfriend' comment but didn't correct her and I just let it go too. He said, "Wish I could have helped but Sam told me it happened around Petaluma, and I don't have any resources north of Fresno. Yet."

Mom was going to start in on something else but Sam quickly changed the subject, "C'mon, Mom. Let's get dinner together. Sandy is probably tired, and everyone's hungry."

The two marched into the kitchen and my niece followed them inside, leaving me alone with Rick. "How did that go?" I asked.

"How did what go?" He replied. I rolled my eyes in response and he chuckled. "It went fine. Your sister is a hoot, your niece is just a doll, and your mom is, well, she's intense but nothing I can't handle. Don't worry, and if you hold that expression on your face any much longer it's going to stick like that. Give me a smile."

He was right. I was so tense I felt like I was a rubber band stretched right at its breaking point. I just couldn't give him the smile he asked for, I just took in and let out a massive breath. For some reason that earned me another hug, the lingering tender kind, where he said into my ear, "Boyfriend, huh?"

*

Dinner went without incident except for when Mom, as if Rick wasn't even at the table, told me that she thought my boyfriend was a good guy and hoped I didn't screw it up. Then citing how I ruined my marriage, and she hoped I had learned from my mistakes. Sam scolded her for that but Mom ignored her, as usual. I could feel everyone's eyes on me but just looked down at my plate, unable to make eye contact with Rick. Or anyone else.

Instead of reading to my niece, upon request, I recited a made-up story for her at bedtime, and then Mom eventually went off to bed. Sam stayed up with Rick and I as we talked about our trip and plotted our route. Rick had some different ideas about that but with an apology in advance, I warned him that I have to pee a lot, and my route is carefully planned with clean places for #1 in mind. That made him chuckle, but he assured me that would be OK and he didn't mind. We'll see about that.

When I couldn't stifle a yawn, and I covered my mouth which opened wide enough to park a Volkswagen inside, we called it a night. Rick went out to the RV after I wished him a good night and urged him to take the big bed.

I walked upstairs with Sam, and we brushed our teeth side by side, just like when we were little girls. Then we brushed each other's hair.

"Well?" She asked.

"Could have gone worse, right?" I responded, getting a nod from her in response.

*

Ready to go, I knocked on the door of the RV in the morning. Rick unlocked it and opened it up fully dressed. Announcing my arrival with a giant smile and a cheery tone, "Good morning, sleepyhead."

"It's six o'clock in the morning!" I replied with angst. "Oh my god. You're a morning person!" I didn't wait for a response. "This isn't going to work. Call off this trip right now."

He chuckled and I groaned. I thought about ten weeks with this version of Rick every morning. Then it hit me like a brick to the head. Ten weeks. What am I doing? What is he doing?

My thoughts were interrupted with the sound of Rick starting the engine. We let it warm up real good, I battened down the hatches, so to speak, and Rick made a general inspection of the RV inside and out. Rick wanted to drive the first shift so we buckled up into the cockpit seats and we zoomed out of Santa Cruz like a bat out of hell. Well, as fast as this piece of shit RV would go anyway.

Clearing the city traffic and finally heading down the highway, we each managed to put down a cup of coffee before conversation started to flow. We talked about all kinds of things. Politics, which we both paid attention to but were disgusted and uninterested in at the same time. Books we've both read and wanted to read, and what we are both reading currently. The weather. Our favorite places in California and the national parks Dad used to take me. He told me all about his travels, and he was quite the world traveler as I already knew. We were sort of talked out by the time we reached the bottom of our third cups of coffee.

It was time.

I even suspected that some of his talking at the end was meant to be a distraction, delaying the inevitable conversation we had to have.