A DAY TO REMEMBER
You walk towards the steps that lead directly into the blue lagoon outside of your room. The water is clear and beautiful and with the sun shining into it you have a feeling it’s as warm as it looks. You look around taking in the jungle across the lagoon and the other bungalows alongside yours that are a healthy distance away, and you close your eyes and jut breathe. An overwhelming sense of peace and calm fills you and when you open your eyes you laugh at the grateful tears that run down your face. “What’s so funny?” Your partner asks as they walk up behind you wrapping their arms around your waist. Your smile grows bigger as you feel their love mix in with the peace and calm. “Life is funny.” You watch as birds chase each other in the sky, shielding your eyes from the sun with your hand even as you marvel in its glow. You wrap an arm around your partners and close your eyes as you both bask in the warmth of that sunshine. Listening to the wind as it sings through the trees and the insects and birds that join its soothing melody; your eyes open lazily and get lost in the blue of the lagoon once again. You feel drawn to the water. An energy rises up through your spirit beckoning, calling out. Only until you see something move close to the bottom of the water is the trance broken and you realize you are sitting on the stairs with your legs already submerged, face close to resting on the surface of the blue lagoon. You jerk back but it’s not fear you feel. “Did you see that?” You say to your partner who has joined you, watching you in that way that only they do. “See what?” They ask, with a sheepish smile. Your hands hit the deck behind you as you throw your head back with laughter. Momentarily you close your eyes and smile as the sunshine warms your face before jumping up, the call of the water like an itch under your skin. Water ready, there is nothing stopping you from exploring what you saw for yourself, so you jump in. The water envelopes you like your its long-lost child. Warm and weightless, clear and fresh you look around this new blue world. A variety of fish, algae covered stones and water plants greet your eager eyes; you smile as you go up for air. “Did you find it?” Your partner asks before biting into a mango. “No not yet!” You say before diving once again into your new world. You squint through the water slowly circling until you see it. You jerk backwards in shock and quickly swim up to the surface heading towards the stairs. Your partners easy demeanor quickly turns to alertness as they hurry towards you to help you out. “I need a knife!” You gasp barely giving yourself enough time to collect air. Your partner opens their mouth to ask but then quickly turns to get you what you need. You turn and stare at the place you saw it already mapping out the fastest way to get back. Your partner hands you the knife and you give them a quick reassuring smile before diving back to free what looks like a dolphin. It sees you approaching and opens its mouth sending you a wave of encouraging energy through its muffled chirps. You get started right away on the net caught around the jagged rocks on the lagoon floor. The net is wrapped tightly around its middle as if it had rolled itself in it while trying to escape. It looked different from your typical dolphin it had more of a whale’s face and it had white intricate shapes speckled along its dark grey body. After struggling for a minute, dropping the knife once and having to resurface twice you finally cut it free from the rock and you both rise to the surface of the lagoon. It slowly follows you on your way back to the stairs, it’s movements stiff from the net wrapped around its torso. Your partner stands on the lowest step in the water watching both of you with clear shock on their face. They quickly help you up as they stare at your rescued dolphin before turning to look at you. “What do you need me to do?” This is why you love them. You smile your kilowatt smile reserved only for them, and small children and animals. “Try to gently hold it still while I cut it free, please.” They do just that and you start on the net trying your best to keep the knife far from its beautiful skin. The dolphin waits patiently for you to free it letting out little chirps here and there. You work through the net that is at least a foot and a half across and then, it’s free! You and your partner pull the net onto the deck and fully out of the water as the dolphin speeds off. You stand together holding hands watching as it dips in and out of that beautiful blue water. Your partner turns to you with pride in their eyes, “You’re amazing.” they say matter-of-factly. You give them a shy smile and kiss them as thanks. The dolphin pops up onto the steps giving a string of loud chirps filled with happy energy. You take it up on its offer and don’t hesitate to jump in for a celebratory swim. You play until your tired and pruned and hungry, face aching from all the smiling. You say goodbye to your new friend hugging them gently before making your way back to the stairs. Your partner is there with an open towel waiting for you. They wrap you up, kiss your pruned lips and half carry you inside where a feast of gooey fried plantain, roast breadfruit, akee and salt-fish with callaloo on the side awaits you. You sigh deeply before you dig into the end of a magical day. One to remember.
