"Cam, how do you like it?"
The salty smell of the ocean wrapped around me as I pulled a hand through my matted hair. The humidity was already taking it's toll, what had been curls had turned into limp waves, and I frowned. Despite that I felt a sense of relief staring out at the churning navy water, crested with hints of white as it crashed onto the shore.
"I'd be lying if I said I hadn't missed it," I replied. Glancing to my side I found my frown impossible to maintain. He smiled, and I just smiled back. I stepped over, hugging my Uncle for the first time since my arrival. He smelled of Old Spice, and just being near him was nostalgic and comforting. His skin was a deep olive, I knew I looked pallid and out of place next to him. My arms almost fully circled him; he'd lost weight since the last time I'd seen him. The Buddah belly I recalled so well as a child was gone, but his hair was longer, grayer, and swept into a low pony tail. A black and silver goatee hid the smile lines that had taken up residence on his browned face. If I had missed anything, it was my Uncle.
"It's good to have you back, girl. It hasn't been the same since you left." He pulled away, kissing the top of my head before he turned back to the ocean. "So are you staying for a while or leaving again soon?"
I sighed, gathering my ruined hair in a bunch before pulling it into a ponytail. "If you're okay with it, I'm here for the summer."
"You remember what I told you and your sister don't you?"
"Anytime we wanted to stay, we were more than welcome," I smiled. I reached over, hugging him again. "Thanks. You're awesome."
He laughed, pulling out a cigarette, and a old lighter. I stopped him, taking it from hands before he could get it near his cigarette. "You still have this?"
"Damn straight I do. Now give it back. I need a smoke."
I examined the small silver lighter for a moment; DG engraved on it's side. Dalia and I had gotten him that years back as a birthday present. Slowly I handed it over, cringing slightly at the cigarette between his lips. "Dalia picked up that habit. I'm so tempted to blame you for it."
"Yeah, I saw when she came home for Christmas. I was pretty surprised, and disappointed if I must say so myself. When did she start?" He inhaled, and I watched the smoke trail from his nostrils. I shrugged, sitting down on the hard, damp sand.
"When she was seventeen."
The salty smell of the ocean wrapped around me as I pulled a hand through my matted hair. The humidity was already taking it's toll, what had been curls had turned into limp waves, and I frowned. Despite that I felt a sense of relief staring out at the churning navy water, crested with hints of white as it crashed onto the shore.
"I'd be lying if I said I hadn't missed it," I replied. Glancing to my side I found my frown impossible to maintain. He smiled, and I just smiled back. I stepped over, hugging my Uncle for the first time since my arrival. He smelled of Old Spice, and just being near him was nostalgic and comforting. His skin was a deep olive, I knew I looked pallid and out of place next to him. My arms almost fully circled him; he'd lost weight since the last time I'd seen him. The Buddah belly I recalled so well as a child was gone, but his hair was longer, grayer, and swept into a low pony tail. A black and silver goatee hid the smile lines that had taken up residence on his browned face. If I had missed anything, it was my Uncle.
"It's good to have you back, girl. It hasn't been the same since you left." He pulled away, kissing the top of my head before he turned back to the ocean. "So are you staying for a while or leaving again soon?"
I sighed, gathering my ruined hair in a bunch before pulling it into a ponytail. "If you're okay with it, I'm here for the summer."
"You remember what I told you and your sister don't you?"
"Anytime we wanted to stay, we were more than welcome," I smiled. I reached over, hugging him again. "Thanks. You're awesome."
He laughed, pulling out a cigarette, and a old lighter. I stopped him, taking it from hands before he could get it near his cigarette. "You still have this?"
"Damn straight I do. Now give it back. I need a smoke."
I examined the small silver lighter for a moment; DG engraved on it's side. Dalia and I had gotten him that years back as a birthday present. Slowly I handed it over, cringing slightly at the cigarette between his lips. "Dalia picked up that habit. I'm so tempted to blame you for it."
"Yeah, I saw when she came home for Christmas. I was pretty surprised, and disappointed if I must say so myself. When did she start?" He inhaled, and I watched the smoke trail from his nostrils. I shrugged, sitting down on the hard, damp sand.
"When she was seventeen."
