the house dimmed.
There remained only four by the pool: Derek, Adam, Tyler,
and Shelby. Derek and Tyler fell into conversation about a project in Atlantic
City that MEL Holdings was in the middle of developing. That left Adam to
announce he was going to walk down to the beach. Shelby offered to join him.
In silence, they flipped off their shoes, Adam rolled up his
pants and they headed for the moonlit water. In all the world Adam was sure he
hadn’t visited a more peaceful stretch of sand than that which lay under his
feet. The property stretched for half a mile on either side of the house and the
privacy was welcomed and appreciated.
The water lapped at their feet, occasionally covering them
up to their ankles. The water was warm and soothing as the sand gradually
collapsed under their toes. It was almost a full moon and even though it was
now close to midnight, the beach was light and magical.
“That was a wonderful way to pay tribute to Ray. I’m sure he
approves,” smiled Shelby.
“Approves?”
“Yes. I’m sure he does.”
“You think he’s aware of our party?” Adam was skeptical.
“Of course I do. He’s somewhere with his brother and his mom
having a party right along with us.”
“So you believe in heaven?”
“I believe in something,” she replied. “I don’t want to
think that when we die that’s it. That would be a terrible way to live.”
Adam didn’t respond. He just kept walking, gazing off into
the horizon.
“Don’t you believe in God?” she asked, breaking the silence.
Shrugging his shoulders, Adam considered her question. “I
don’t know,” he answered truthfully.
“What about when your dad died?”
“It was a nightmare…those months before he died. I prayed
every single day that he’d get better and he didn’t.”
“I’m sorry,” she said as she placed her hand on his arm.
Adam smiled and placed his hand over hers, holding it to his
skin. “He just gradually got worse and worse until he died. If there is a God,
he ignored me.”
“You don’t think that maybe God let him die so that he
wasn’t in pain anymore? So that your family could begin healing?”
“I guess I’ve never thought of it that way.”
Shelby grinned. “The great and mighty Dr. Anderson doesn’t
know it all?” she teased lightly.
“Hardly,” he chuckled. “The older I get the more I realize
how little I really do know. I’m learning things from my patients and their
families every day.”
“Kids are amazing, aren’t they? They teach us so much. I was
playing with Amanda this evening and she was telling my why her daddy paints
pictures. You know what she said?”
Adam shook his head.
“She told me that her daddy painted her mommy’s face so that
other people could see the happiness in her eyes and that would make them
happy. That’s coming from a four year old. I realize it isn’t some unheard of
revelation or anything, but to have that kind of wisdom…insight is…is…”
“Out of the mouths of babes,” Adam nodded. “They just tell
the truth. No pretenses, no hidden agendas, just life as they see it. It’s
refreshing.”
“It is,” Shelby agreed.
“Do you want kids?”
The change in Shelby was physical. She pulled her hand from
Adam’s and folded her arms across her chest. Her pace quickened and her lips pursed.
Without thinking, Adam grabbed her arm and swung her around to face him,
stepping within inches of her face.
“It’s just a question.”
“It’s a loaded question.”
“Tell me.”
Her eyes dropped and Adam lifted her chin with his hand and
held her gaze.
“I’d love children,” she whispered. “But I can’t see myself
having any.”
“Why?”
She stepped out of his hold and Adam let her go. They began
walking back the way they’d come.
“I’m not sure I’d be a good mother and I don’t want to fail.
If you kill a plant, well…it’s not the same as ruining another human being.”
“You’d make an excellent
There remained only four by the pool: Derek, Adam, Tyler,
and Shelby. Derek and Tyler fell into conversation about a project in Atlantic
City that MEL Holdings was in the middle of developing. That left Adam to
announce he was going to walk down to the beach. Shelby offered to join him.
In silence, they flipped off their shoes, Adam rolled up his
pants and they headed for the moonlit water. In all the world Adam was sure he
hadn’t visited a more peaceful stretch of sand than that which lay under his
feet. The property stretched for half a mile on either side of the house and the
privacy was welcomed and appreciated.
The water lapped at their feet, occasionally covering them
up to their ankles. The water was warm and soothing as the sand gradually
collapsed under their toes. It was almost a full moon and even though it was
now close to midnight, the beach was light and magical.
“That was a wonderful way to pay tribute to Ray. I’m sure he
approves,” smiled Shelby.
“Approves?”
“Yes. I’m sure he does.”
“You think he’s aware of our party?” Adam was skeptical.
“Of course I do. He’s somewhere with his brother and his mom
having a party right along with us.”
“So you believe in heaven?”
“I believe in something,” she replied. “I don’t want to
think that when we die that’s it. That would be a terrible way to live.”
Adam didn’t respond. He just kept walking, gazing off into
the horizon.
“Don’t you believe in God?” she asked, breaking the silence.
Shrugging his shoulders, Adam considered her question. “I
don’t know,” he answered truthfully.
“What about when your dad died?”
“It was a nightmare…those months before he died. I prayed
every single day that he’d get better and he didn’t.”
“I’m sorry,” she said as she placed her hand on his arm.
Adam smiled and placed his hand over hers, holding it to his
skin. “He just gradually got worse and worse until he died. If there is a God,
he ignored me.”
“You don’t think that maybe God let him die so that he
wasn’t in pain anymore? So that your family could begin healing?”
“I guess I’ve never thought of it that way.”
Shelby grinned. “The great and mighty Dr. Anderson doesn’t
know it all?” she teased lightly.
“Hardly,” he chuckled. “The older I get the more I realize
how little I really do know. I’m learning things from my patients and their
families every day.”
“Kids are amazing, aren’t they? They teach us so much. I was
playing with Amanda this evening and she was telling my why her daddy paints
pictures. You know what she said?”
Adam shook his head.
“She told me that her daddy painted her mommy’s face so that
other people could see the happiness in her eyes and that would make them
happy. That’s coming from a four year old. I realize it isn’t some unheard of
revelation or anything, but to have that kind of wisdom…insight is…is…”
“Out of the mouths of babes,” Adam nodded. “They just tell
the truth. No pretenses, no hidden agendas, just life as they see it. It’s
refreshing.”
“It is,” Shelby agreed.
“Do you want kids?”
The change in Shelby was physical. She pulled her hand from
Adam’s and folded her arms across her chest. Her pace quickened and her lips pursed.
Without thinking, Adam grabbed her arm and swung her around to face him,
stepping within inches of her face.
“It’s just a question.”
“It’s a loaded question.”
“Tell me.”
Her eyes dropped and Adam lifted her chin with his hand and
held her gaze.
“I’d love children,” she whispered. “But I can’t see myself
having any.”
“Why?”
She stepped out of his hold and Adam let her go. They began
walking back the way they’d come.
“I’m not sure I’d be a good mother and I don’t want to fail.
If you kill a plant, well…it’s not the same as ruining another human being.”
“You’d make an excellent
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