CHAPTER 41: HEALING TIME

Warm water washed away the remnants of fatigue from his body, carrying with it the scent of fresh soap and a subtle, comforting sensation.

After showering, Alaric slipped into a plain dark brown t-shirt and gray jogger pants. Simple, as he never dressed up unless it was for something formal. His favorite slide sandals were already waiting by the door, ready to be dragged onto his feet.

His phone buzzed on the table. An incoming call from Donny.

Alaric answered, pressing the green button.

"Hey, what’s up, Don? Still on?"

"Ric, I’m already here."

"Oh, right. Okay," Alaric replied shortly, grabbing his car keys hanging on the wall. He didn’t exactly know where they were headed today, but if Donny was the one inviting him, it was probably last-minute.

And most of the time, whatever they did turned out to be random and spontaneous. Alaric just knew that his friend never failed to make his day less monotonous, even if it meant stepping a little out of his usual routine.

He stepped outside, unlocked his car, and started the engine. The soft purr of the engine filled the quiet neighborhood. Alaric took a turn through the city park, the place where Donny said he was waiting.

He glanced out the window as he drove. The sky was clear with streaks of wispy clouds in the distance. Before long, he arrived.

From afar, Alaric saw Donny sitting on one of the park benches. But what made him frown wasn’t just Donny—it was the small figure beside him.

A little girl, maybe five years old, clutching a Barbie doll tightly. Her tiny legs dangled from the edge of the bench.

Alaric rolled down the car window, squinting. "What’s he up to..."

He stepped out and walked over.

"Hey bro," Donny greeted casually, raising his hand for a high five.

Alaric returned the gesture briefly, still eyeing the little girl. "Who’s this, bro?" he asked, nodding gently toward her.

The girl glanced at Alaric for a moment, then looked down again, adjusting her doll’s position.

"Your niece?" Alaric guessed.

"Nope," Donny answered with a straight face, then looked at the girl. "My daughter."

Alaric stared at him, eyes wide. "Are you serious, Don..."

Donny burst out laughing, slapping his thigh. "Just kidding, Ric. Come on, you know me."

Alaric rolled his eyes with a smirk. "Man, sometimes you give me a heart attack."

"Don’t be so uptight, bro. Loosen up. You act like you’ve never socialized," Donny teased.

"Excuse me? I socialize just fine. It’s just that hanging out with you has made me a little crazy too," Alaric shot back playfully.

Donny swallowed hard, pretending to be wounded by the jab.

Then he shifted the conversation, pointing at the girl’s knee. "Look at that."

Alaric noticed the light blue band-aid on her small knee. There were traces of dirt just below it.

"She was riding her bike and fell. I saw her and helped her out. Poor thing was crying," Donny explained.

"So I figured I’d sit here with her for a while. Wait for her dad or whoever shows up. Didn’t want her to fall again. That wouldn’t be funny."

"Oh..." Alaric nodded. There was still a trace of confusion, but the explanation made sense.

"Alright, let’s head out," he said, glancing toward his car.

"What about the kid?" Alaric asked, oddly becoming the responsible one when it wasn’t even his situation.

Donny looked across the park and raised his voice. "Sir! Security!"

From the guard post a bit farther away, a middle-aged man in uniform looked up quickly. His eyes widened when he saw his daughter sitting with two unfamiliar young men.

The guard rushed over, slightly breathless, either worried she was causing trouble or simply afraid something had happened.

"Sorry, sir... My daughter wandered off a little. I was just—"

"It’s fine, sir," Donny cut in with a relaxed tone. "She took a little spill, I helped her out. Just be more careful next time."

"Oh yes, thank you so much... I just stepped away to get some water. Didn’t realize she came over here."

"No worries, sir," Alaric added.

Donny gave a small smile. "Alright then, we’ll be on our way."

"Of course, thank you again..."

The two of them walked away, leaving the now-quiet park behind. The security guard gently held his daughter’s hand, leading her back to the post.

"Don’t wander off too far next time, okay?" he said softly. "You made Dad worried... Good thing it was someone kind who found you."

The girl gave a small nod, still hugging her Barbie tightly. Their small steps traced the path back to safety, leaving behind an empty bench.

Meanwhile, Alaric and Donny hit the road again. And even though they didn’t know exactly where they were headed, the day already felt a little more relaxed.

—

Alaric and Donny drove down a narrow road leading to a southern coastal beach. The path was lined with tall grass and the occasional call of seagulls, stirring up memories from their middle school days.

Back when they were a little reckless and felt totally free. Unbothered by time or obligations. The only thing on their minds was having fun.

This beach had once been their hideaway. A place of laughter, arguments, and silly promises they never kept.

"Remember this, Ric?" Donny gave Alaric’s shoulder a light slap, smiling. "That time we raced swimming here, and you almost drowned ’cause you held your breath too long?"

Alaric smiled faintly, leaning his arm on Donny’s shoulder. "That’s because you gave the start signal before I was ready."

Donny laughed loudly, shaking his head. "Excuses!"

They stepped down a set of old wooden stairs and were greeted by warm sand beneath their feet. The waves rolled gently in the distance, and the sound of the surf seemed to welcome them back. But they weren’t alone after all.

"Hey Ric, turns out some friends of mine are here too," Donny said, waving toward three girls approaching from the parking area.

"The one on the left’s Meira, in the middle is Savira, and the one on the right’s Jasmine, my girlfriend."

Meira wore a loose white t-shirt and denim shorts, looking laid-back and friendly. Savira was more reserved, in a light blue dress with her long hair tied back. Jasmine, however, was the most outspoken. She shot Donny a sharp look the moment she heard his introduction.

"Trying to start a fight with Derrick, huh?" she said, folding her arms.

Donny grinned sheepishly and raised both hands. "Just joking, relax babe... By the way, where’s Derrick anyway?"

"He’s busy. Working out of town."

Donny turned to Alaric and smirked. "Alright Ric, let’s head over there," he said, pointing to a small motor-powered speedboat docked at a wooden pier.

"Come on, let’s go," he added.

Alaric gave a simple nod and followed. They boarded the boat, and the engine purred as it slowly glided into the open sea. Wind whipped across their faces and salty spray brought the scene to life. Alaric closed his eyes briefly, soaking in the sea air and the sound of waves he had missed.

When they finally returned to shore, Donny called out, "That was awesome! You guys sure you don’t want to try?"

Meira and Savira exchanged looks, then giggled. "Definitely!" said Savira, holding down her dress as the wind picked up.

Donny pointed at Savira. "You ride with me, let’s make it fun. Meira, you go with Alaric."

Alaric paused briefly, then nodded. Meira climbed on behind him and said with a warm smile, "Don’t worry, I don’t bite."

Jasmine stayed behind, sunbathing with her sunglasses on.

They set off again. Donny’s boat was already buzzing with jokes. "Wanna go farther out? It’s getting fun!"

Savira laughed. "Sure! Just don’t tip us over!"

Meanwhile, Meira tried to start a conversation with Alaric. "So... you like the ocean?"

Alaric turned slightly. "Used to. I still do, but I don’t come here often anymore."

Meira smiled awkwardly and looked back out at the water. Even though Alaric wasn’t much of a talker, there was something calm and quietly intriguing about him. And somehow, she didn’t mind that at all.

After a few laps, they returned to shore. As everyone stepped off and removed their life jackets, Alaric suddenly stopped. His eyes locked onto a girl walking along the beach, holding two cups of orange juice. Her hair flowed in the breeze, and her face looked unmistakably familiar.

"Kayla?" he whispered under his breath.

Alaric started walking, drawn forward.

"Hey, where are you going, Ric?" Meira asked, squinting against the sun.

"Got something to take care of," he answered shortly. "You guys go on ahead."

Donny turned quickly. "Seriously, Ric? We’re supposed to be relaxing."

Savira chimed in, "Come on, it’s more fun when we’re all together. Now I’ll be the only one left."

Even though there were still three of them, Savira clearly hated not being part of a full crowd.

Meira simply sighed and watched Alaric’s back as he walked away, her gaze full of quiet curiosity and a hint of disappointment.

From a distance, Kayla finally noticed the figure who had been staring at her all along.