We talk and we play. Even through meals. Our lunch would be the half melted butterfinger I have in my pocket.
The sun’s been kind as well. Maybe it’s because I gave God a wink. Or maybe it’s because Alexi’s been smiling the whole time.
Have you ever looked up in the sky and notice that the sun seems like it’s dancing around? That’s what the sun does when Alexi smiles. It’s as if the sun is dodging the clouds, wanting what everyone else sees, or at least what everyone else needs to see… peek at the most beautiful smile in the world.
“Why is it,” I reply.
“Because this is as close to the beach as I’ll ever get.” Alexi looks at the sand as if it’s grains of gold.
“You’ve never been to the beach?” I ask with a shock.
“Not even a pool,” she tells me. “My mom thinks it’s dirty there.”
“No offense, Alexi, but you’re playing in a public sandbox,” I tell her sarcastically.
“Tell that to the judge, aka, mother,” Alexi sighs out. “Now I can never be what I want to be when I grow up.”
“A lifeguard,” I ask.
“No. A mermaid,” she answers.
I smile. It’s only because I’m trying to hold in my laughter. But Alexi starts giggling, and I burst into giggles as well.
“You don’t have to be a grown up to be a mermaid,” I tell Alexi. “Here, Alexi, lie down on this hygienic sandbox.” She continues giggling.
“Alexi, close your eyes. Don’t open them until I say so.”
“No way, Jacob!”
“Why not? Alexi, do you still consider me as a stranger?”
Alexi pauses for a moment staring at me. She looks into my eyes as if it’s a mystery. I try to give the purest of stares right back.
Slowly, Alexi covers her eyes with her hands. “You better still be there when I uncover my eyes, Jacob.”
I hold her hand. “I’ll never leave your side, Alexi. You can keep me for as long as you wish.”
“Maybe I will, Jacob. How long can I keep wishing?”
I smile. The biggest smile in the world. I dance a little too. She can’t see me. Her eyes are covered.
“What in the world are you doing, Jacob.”
I stop suddenly. As if I’ve woken up from a dream. Except it wasn’t.
“Ok. Here we go, Alexi,” I begin to cover her with sand from the waist down. When it begins to get heavy on her, I stop. I look for a small stick. I start drawing curves on the sand above her.
“Ok. You can look now.”
Alexi looks down at the sand covering her. The curves I drew on the sand were scales. Her waist and legs were covered with it. Her feet had turned into fins.
“Wow! I’m a mermaid now! Cool!” Alexi starts giggling again.
“Let’s make it more realistic, Alexi. I don’t want you to look like you were washed up to shore.”
I pick up her pail and fill it with water from the drinking fountain. I rush back to Alexi. “Let’s pour some water on you.”
“Hold on, Jacob. DON’T!”
“Come on,” I tell her, “It’ll be so much fun!”
Quickly, Alexi kicks away the sand covering her and stands up. “Don’t you dare!”
“I thought you liked this, Alexi? I thought this was the one thing you always wanted to do?”
“Yes, Jacob. But I just can’t. Please! I trusted you! I covered my eyes for you!”
Her giggles from a while ago, turned into a raised voice, turned into a frustrated voice.
I begin to be a little unsettled as well. I didn’t mean to. I just wanted her to have lots of fun. But she doesn’t.
“Alexi, do you want to grow up remembering that when you were a child you stopped yourself from having fun. That you held yourself back from being happy?”
“Jacob…”
“Alexi! Don’t you want to do everything you can to make your dreams come true?”
She looks down at me with her frown starting to grow. “Jacob, that’s a ridiculous question. Who doesn’t want their dreams to come true? You play in the sandbox everyday. What are you doing to make your dreams come true?”
I lower my head so my eyes catch level with hers. “My dreams ARE coming true, Alexi... right here in the sandbox.”
This time, as I look into her eyes, I see a hundred million emotions from her staring back at me.
All of a sudden, the sandbox seems darker than it has been for the past few days. I look up. The sun has disappeared. It makes sense. Alexi’s smile has disappeared as well…
End Chapter 5.
Photo by Sheila Asuncion
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