Blackbird by Nicole Salmond

as
often. Then of course the accident happened…”
    “Was he a good surfer?”
    “The best. Although he’d never admit it. He surfed all his life, and
when I was born he couldn’t wait till I was old enough to get me on a board.
 When I was two, he had this tiny board made up; it seemed he couldn’t
wait any longer for me to grow up and learn to ride a real board. So he taught
me to ride the white wash with it, and then as years passed I got better and
better until I was on a real board and we were both surfing together. Even if
the surf was shit, we would still come out here and just sit out here talking.
It was something we always had together, our ‘thing.’
    “He tried to get my sister into it, and she loved
it as well, but then she became a teenager, and she was more interested in
sunbaking then surfing. He never pushed us, though. He only wanted what was
best for us. He told us that surfing would give us the power, fitness, and
strength we needed. It helped us relax. Out here, there is no yesterday, no
tomorrow, just now.”
    Nate looked around him at the peaceful serenity of
the ocean.
    “Your dad sounds like a smart man.”
    “He is… He was.” Nate could feel the tears in his
eyes remembering all those moments with his dad, the moments he could never
relive.
    “It’s okay to miss him,” Claire said, placing her
hand on his shoulder.
    But Nate didn’t want to miss him, he wanted his Dad to be here with him, right now.
    Nate cleared his throat as he spotted the next set
coming through. “Okay, here it comes. Are you ready?”
    Claire’s expression changed, her nervous face
giving her away. “Yep. I’m ready.”
    “Ok,” he said, pulling her board around so it
faced the shore. “When I say, give it all you got. Don’t lean too far forward
or you’ll nose dive. Lean back, bend your legs, balance and take control. Turn
your body against the break so you can ride the wave.”
    He watched the set come closer and just as they
floated on the wave he pushed the board forward hard. “Go!” he screamed.
    Nate watched as Claire fiercely paddled and kicked
as hard and fast as she could. The lip of the wave curled and Claire jumped up.
Her body was a little unsteady but she stayed strong.
    Nate watched as Claire continued riding the wave.
It closed off behind her and she came out standing. Claire jumped of her board
into the water. She’d done it.
    Nate started swimming towards her, out of the
break. She emerged from the water, splashing in excitement.
    “I did it!” she yelled.
    Claire jumped on her board and paddled to Nate.
When they were close enough, he smiled at her. “You did it, Claire. I’m so
proud of you!”
    Claire beamed at Nate as she jumped of her board
and wrapped her arms and legs around Nate. “I can’t believe I just did that! Oh my god!”
    Nate held her tight. “I told you that you could do
it!”
    “It was unreal,” Claire panted into his ear.
    She pulled her face back and looked at him. “Thank
you.”
    “You’re welcome,” he smiled.
    They looked into each other’s eyes for only a
moment, Nate very aware of her legs wrapped around him, the feeling of her body
pressed against him before Claire quickly pulled away and jumped back onto the
board.
    “Come on,” Nate said pulling the board again.
“Let’s see if you can do it a second time.”
    Claire’s face changed to excitement at his words.
“I guarantee I can do it again.”
    “Oh, really? Wanna bet?”
    “Name your price,” Claire said arrogantly. 
    Whatever Nate was going to suggest, he was sure
Claire would follow through with it, win or lose. Her ridiculous tattoo was
evidence of that.
    “Oh I think I could think of something…” He winked
at her. Claire just shook her head.
    Yes, he could think of something alright .
The only problem was he was sure he was going to lose. Once Claire set her
sights on winning something, she’d do everything to make sure she did.
     
    ***
     
    “Hey babe,” Dave