Footprints - 8. Chapter 8

You open your eyes and adjust to the light in the room. An IV drip sends liquids into your body. Machines monitor your progress.

“Hi buddy.” Will leans forward and kisses you lightly on the forehead. “Welcome to the land of the living.”

Your voice is dry, like sandpaper. “Hi.” You try to lift your amputated arm, but all you feel is a pinch. It feels as the entire arm is there. You try again, the pinch becomes an unbearable sharp pain.

“Don’t try to move, Baz. Just be still.”

‘My hand…?" You stare at the bandaged stump. "Where’s my hand?”

Will's eyes droop. Unable to face you, he turns away.

You open your mouth and release a loud groan. “My hand?”

Will’s silence is affirmation that your arm is gone.

"Your hand was mauled up to the elbow, Baz."

“I can’t paint with one hand,” you say.

Will places a finger on your lips.

“You can. You will. It’ll be difficult at first, but you’ll do it. I’ll be there to help you.”

“I don’t want your help.”

“Why not?”

“Because I want you to go. I don’t want you to see me like this.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Baz. If you’re chasing me out of your life because of this, forget it. I’m here to stay.”

“I don’t want you to stay. I don’t want you doing things for me. Just go.”

“No. I can’t. I won’t. I won’t allow anyone to take my place.”

“What? No one’s going to take your place. I mean, let’s face it, you never really had a place.”

“That’s just anger and hurt talking right now.” Will says with a lump in his throat.

“I should be dead. Who got me out of the water?”

“I did.”

“The shark didn’t see you?”

“I guess not.”

“Lucky bastard.”

“I know. It should have been me. And you would have been unable to save me because you’d be on the beach checking my time, right?”

You stare at the overhead light. “The light’s too bright. Can you turn it down?”

Will turns the light down and stands at the edge of the bed. "I think I'd best be going."

"No! Wait. Thank you.”

“What for?”

“Like you said, you saved me. I owe you my life.”

“You owe me nothing. All I want is for you to get out of here and for us to be together.”

“Can we? Do you think it’ll be easy living with someone who has lost an arm?”

“It won’t be easy, but I’m willing to give it a shot.”

“You can’t be there all the time. You live with your mom. Your swimming career. Then there’s Ruwan.”

“Let’s take one thing at a time. My mom knows how I feel about you. She likes you. My swimming career, well, I can always fit that around you. And Ruwan, he’s my best friend. Besides, he’s met someone else, so he says There is no threat.”

You reach out with your healthy arm and grip Will’s hand. “Why would you want to be with someone who'll be a bind? Hold you back from your dream.”

“I…fuck, I’ve never met anyone like you, Baz. I’m just going to say it flat out. I love you. I fell in love with you the moment we met if you can believe that.”

“You...you love me?”

Will nods. His eyes remain glued to your reaction.

You're careful. You want so much to say the same thing, but your heart won't allow you.

"He was here.”

You lose the smile. “Who?”

“Corneles.”

For a moment there are no words. Will glares at the machines whilst you compute the consequences of Cornele’s visit.“He wants something.”

“He said he’s glad you’re in good hands.”

“He wants something.”

“What could that be?”

“Something he left behind.”

"Yes. I did leave something behind..."

Will spins around to face the one man he never expected to see again. He stands in the doorway, hunched. Hands deep in his front trouser pockets. Your face is pale, as though you've just seen a ghost.

"I thought you had left." Will says.

"Evidently I'm still here. I'd like a moment with Basil alone, if you don't mind," he says, stepping forward.

Will glances at you but gets no response. "I don't know if that's a good idea," he says.

"A few minutes is all I ask." Corneles is standing at the end of the bed.

You don't know what he wants from you. He left without a word. His belongings, clothing, personal items all boxed up and stored away. He's finally come back to claim them.

"It's okay, Will. Come back in five minutes."

Will hesitantly leaves the room and closes the door softly behind him.

"Hi Basil." Corneles says, reaching out for your hand.

You move your hand away. You don't want him to touch.

"You're still angry. I though time would have softened you by now."

"What do you want? Why are you here?"

"You said earlier that I want something...maybe I do."

"Your belongings are in storage.You probably want the key to the storage company."

"Yes, and no. I've come back, Basil. That something I want..., is you."

You stare at him. Disbelief reflecting off your face. "You're four years too late, Corneles. You went to work one day and didn't come back. What do you expect me to do, welcome you with open arms. You see that young man there? I love him. I want to start a new life with him. There is no room for three of us."

"Jail."

"What?"

"Jail. I was arrested. They sentenced me to 8 years. I"m out on parole."

For a moment you are unable to speak. How could you not know that? What led up to his incarceration?

"I committed fraud. Stole from the company. They arrested me at work. I told Lorna to phone you and to say nothing except I won't be coming back. I didn't want to embarass you. I loved you then, and I love you now. I hoped we'd have a chance."

"Fraud? For God's sake, Corneles, why?"

"I thought I needed the money. You were making more money than me by selling your artwork. I wanted to be on the same level."

"So you exagerrated your salary?"

"Yes."

"Why on earth didn't you tell me? I never once threw it in your face that I made more money. Not ever."

"I felt I had to be on the same level as you. Stupid me. My bad. Anyway, I was released two weeks ago. I wanted to come see you then but I was doubtful. Actually I was fucking scared. I guess my timing sucks. You are in love with WIll. I respect that. Maybe we can be friends?"

"I don't know, Corneles. Friendship takes time."

"That's okay, I have time."

"You're going to have to convince Will. Think you can do that?"

"I'm going to have to try."

"If Will's okay with you, then I'll be okay with you."

"Fair enough. I'll stay in contact. I'd best be going. Our five minutes are up." Corneles says, hearing the door open.

"Cool. Thanks for the visit."

Corneles heads straight for WIll standing at the open door. As he passes, he stops and turns. "You're one hell of a lucky guy, Will. Maybe we can have dinner or lunch sometime. I'll stay in contact."

***

The water is agitated. Waves rush against the rocks and the sound is like air escaping from a tyre as the water rushes into the rocky tidal pool below the house. Ruwan watches as the foamy waves lap the shore. Hundreds of small round holes form as the water recedes.

“It’s always amazed me, those bubbles and the holes they leave in the sand. I used to think it was some kind of sea creature. Tiny, microscopic crabs, but I never see them.”

Will laughs out loud. “You’re funny. Let me put you out of your misery. Those holes are caused by…better still, here, look.” Will digs his hand into the wet sand and shows Ruwan the crumbling mud.

“There’s nothing,” Ruwan says, inspecting the mud closely.

“Exactly.”

“So what forms those holes?”

“Air.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Nope. The air between the grains of sand is forced upward. Hence the holes.”

“That’s just fantastic. I really thought it was some kind of tiny critter. You surprise me, Will.”

“I surprise myself most of the time.”

The tidal pool is filling. Seated beside each other, Will takes Ruwan’s hand. “Thank you.”

Ruwan concentrates on the sibilant sound as water jets through cracks in the rocks. He is silent for a moment.

“Why thank me?”

“For being here, with me, for showing Basil support. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

“No, Will. You saved Basil’s life. And you showed me what it means to conquer fear. I need to thank you.”

“I don’t see it like that. I did what I had to do. Stop saying I saved him.”

Ruwan put up the palm of his hand. “Okay. So you spoke to him when he came off the anaesthetic?”

“Yes.”

“How is he?”

“Still traumatised. He wants out of the hospital as soon as possible.”

Will falls silent and watches the gulls pecking at the sand on the beach. The conversation with Basil was more than wanting to get out of the hospital. Will’s mind rewinds to that moment when Basil came to.

“You going to tell me?”

Will throws a pebble into the pool and watches as it sinks. “I think we ought to get inside the house. The tide’s coming in fast. Soon this whole pool will be underwater.”