Just Another Trip

ONE

Waking up beside him feels like the beach at sunset. I stare at the lines of his face, so peaceful as he slumbers. His chest rises up and down like the waves climbing the beach and then receding. My heart double beats as my eyes find his parted lips and I kiss him softly.

"Good morning Fish Bait," I whisper when I feel him kiss me back.

"Hey, that fish would have scared anyone," He says, feigning offense.

"It was a mackerel," I giggle.

"It was a school of those things," He says climbing on top of me, "And they caught me off guard."

I jut out my bottom lip, "Awe poor baby," I say in mocking jest before he kisses me again.

"You want breakfast?" He asks.

"Ooo, I would kill for an omelet."

He smirks, "I'll start the motor."

With that he climbs out of bed and puts on his pants before heading out of the bedroom, through the small living room and then into the salty air. He loves this boat, and so do I. The Constellation is her name, and it is the last place I will ever see.

TWO

The short swim from the back of the boat to the swim up cafe is surprisingly refreshing. There is something to a morning swim after an especially good night on your boyfriend's personal yacht, and now that I am sitting beside him, I am sure. Sure that it is going to happen.

How could it not? After that sunset last night. After the wine and steaks. After staying up til four in the morning. And now on this bar stole, with this tropical view, wearing the new bikini he asked me to buy, he has to ask me the question. Right? This can't be just another trip...

"You were right." He says, pulling me from my trance.

"What?"

"Omelets were the way to go." He smiles as he lifts a piece of cheesy egg up with his fork. I hesitate for a moment, and he notices it, and just for a beat, something feels off. Before the silence goes on for too much longer, I bite the egg off of his fork.

"Hey." He says as he squints.

"Yes?" I say hopeful.

He takes a drink of his mimosa then looks deep into my eyes, as if he is trying to decide. Decide what? Is he wrestling with asking me the big question? If he is, it's weighing on him heavily.

"What's wrong?" I ask him as I put my hand on his well toned arm, maybe we could just go back to the boat. Maybe spend some more time in bed.

"It's... It's nothing," He says shaking his head, "Ready to head back to the boat?"

"Oh," I say, "Sure."

THREE

"Where are we going?" I shout over the wind. After we left the cafe, he threw the throttle wide open.

"Just a little further." He shouts back.

I had asked him this question two other times before, he answered the same way then too. What is going on? I head back into the living space and sit down on the couch, confused and a little irritated. That is where I stayed and tried not to cry until the cop showed up.

I burst through the door to the outside to find a female cop pulling up to the now stopped Constellation. She quickly climbs aboard and draws her gun. Her gun that she now points at him.

"ON THE GROUND! NOW!" The officer shouts, "DO IT!!!"

He complies.

"Oh my god! What is going on!" This time I can't keep the tears away.

"This man," The officer says as she pulls handcuffs off of her utility belt, "Has been embezzling millions from his father's company for years."

"What?" I say, mind reeling, "This can't be right, his father's company?"

"If you want a full report, you'll have to watch it on the news tomorrow," She says as she hauls him to his feet, "I have a feeling it will be the in the headlines for months."

With that comment, he smirks. A strange smirk. He knows something...

"What is going on here?" I say to myself.

"I am arresting your boyfriend." She says walking him to the police boat.

"Why didn't I hear any sirens?"

"What?" The cop responds.

"Sirens. I didn't hear any sirens," I say with a furrowed brow, "And why is it just you? Shouldn't you at least have a partner?"

The cop stops and looks at him, only for a second, but that second is enough.

"You two know each other." I say.

FOUR

"I can explain," He says.

"You can explain this?" I say with a huff and my hands out.

He laughs a deep and genuine laugh, "Okay, I guess I can't explain it in a way that makes it better. At this point though, it's hardly worth keeping a secret. Do you mind?" He says to the "cop" and motions to his handcuffs.

"You see," He continues after she takes the handcuffs off, "The charges are true, or at least there will be charges brought soon. I guess my brother has more of a conscious than I do, either way, you my dear, you were supposed to help me."

"Help you with what?" My voice full of rage.

"You were supposed to be my witness."

"Your what?"

"You were supposed to see me get arrested and hauled off. It would have sent the police looking for me in just the wrong places for just enough time for me to get out of the country."

"You bastard."

"Ah," He says, then kisses the cop deeply, "I am a cheating bastard."

I lunge at him with fists clenched and some how connect a punch to his jaw. Then I try and scratch at her face, but I only catch her arm. She recoils back before shoving me back to the ground.

"That's enough!!" He shouts as he grabs her gun out of it's holster.

"That's not even real, is it?" I say as I get to my feet using the guard rail.

Wordlessly, he aims the gun at the sky and pulls the trigger. The sound is deafening, and now I know he means business. There it is, that distant look in his eyes, he is deciding something. Then he brings the gun down and aims it at me.

"You know something," He says as my heart rate explodes, "Maybe finding a body in the water next to my boat will keep the cops occupied longer than some flimsy arrest story."

"No! Wait! Please," I say, crying, "I thought..."

"You thought what?" He asks with genuine interest.

"I thought you were going to purpose to me," I say breaking down.

Both him and the cop laugh, "I am sorry babe, I really am."

And with that, the world goes quiet and I am falling towards the water. It doesn't hurt for some reason. Maybe I am too angry? He is probably going to get away. Then my hand comes into view and I smile, maybe what is under my nails will help the real cops find them... For my last moments though...

I just fall... and the ocean waits to meet me...