“Money makes the world go ’round, baby. I don’t usually throw my weight around, but when it comes to putting a smile on your pretty face, I’ll do whatever it takes.”
I couldn’t hide my smile if I wanted to. My face was starting to hurt from how happy I was. Once we got to the front of the line, the instructor directed us to where we needed to change first, then told us to meet him in ten minutes. Kyon and I separated into different changing rooms. I always wondered what it was like to wear a wetsuit, and it wasn’t as uncomfortable as I thought it would be. It actually looked really good on me.
“Damn, you look fine as hell. Do you have a man, Ms. Lady?”
I smirked when I heard the voice behind me. I turned to face him and couldn’t help but drool over how fine my man was.
“Actually, I do, and he doesn’t like it when other men talk to me. He is soft with me, but he’s mean as hell to everybody else.”
Kyon wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling my body into his, and I damn near melted in his embrace.
“I’m glad you know what type of time I’m on. I’ve already spared one mothafucka; I won’t do it again. You’d better let them know you’re mine.”
We met back up with a small group along with our instructor. He gave us all of the safety instructions along with the equipment that we needed to go snorkeling. Once they made sure that all of our gear was on correctly, he instructed us on where to go and to properly breathe with our equipment on.
I was nervous at first, but Kyon helped me through the process. We did a couple of test dives first before he let us go off on our own. The experience was one I could not put into accurate words. The underwater life was simply incredible to watch, and I found myself in awe at the beauty underneath the sea. Kyon ventured much further down than I did, because I was too scared to go too close to the bottom.
There was a school of yellow and white fish passing by, and I wished I had my phone to take pictures. We even saw a couple of stingrays, and surprisingly, I wasn’t as afraid as I thought I would be. The water was clear and beautiful, and every creature that I encountered was even more enchanting than the next.
We stayed in the water for about twenty minutes before the instructor signaled for us to come to the surface. When we came back up, I removed my mask and placed it above my head. The instructor thanked us for participating and gave us final words. Kyon ended up buying the package that included a video of us underwater and a few snapshots.
After we changed, our next stop was to swim with the dolphins, and I felt like a little kid in a candy store. We were greeted by a new instructor who was very friendly and bubbly. I could tell that this was a passion for her. She instructed us on how to get in the water, along with all the dos and don’ts.
When I looked to my left, I realized that Kyon was no longer next to me.
“Baby, what are you doing? Aren’t you gonna get in the water?”
As far as I was aware, Kyon wasn’t afraid of anything, but when I saw the look in his eyes, I realized that I was wrong.
“Naw, those mothafuckas are way bigger in person than I thought they were. I think I’m gonna sit out on the dock and let you do your thing.”
I giggled as I walked over to him and grabbed his hand.
“Absolutely not. You brought me here, and we’re gonna do this together. Besides, my man is supposed to be big and strong. How the hell are you gonna be afraid of a cute little dolphin?” I teased him.
“You do know those cute little bastards kill people too?”
“Come on, boy. You are too damn big to be scared of a harmless sea animal.” I damn near dragged the six-foot, six-inch giant down to the water.
We held hands as we got inside. The area we were in was sectioned off, but you could still see people everywhere. We weren’t allowed to bring our phones, but they offered the same packages as the last place. The water was cold but tolerable. The longer we were in it, the more our bodies adjusted. The instructor educated our small group on the dolphins and how to interact with them.
We danced with them and stood watch as they performed tricks for us. When it came time to swim with them, she separated the groups because not everyone wanted to. Kyon stood off with the rest of the spectators, and I couldn’t help but laugh. He wasn’t having it, and there was nothing that would change his mind.
“Okay, you’re going to start swimming and kick your feet out like this. Benny and Lacy will press against the bottom of your feet and push you forward. Keep your arms out and your head up; they will handle the rest,” Lynn, the instructor, informed me.
My heart was damn near racing in my chest, but most of my adrenaline came from pure excitement. I followed herinstructions and braced myself. When I felt their beaks make contact with the bottom of my feet, I held my arms out and squealed with sheer delight as I floated across the water.
“Ahh!”
The experience was exhilarating and one I would never forget. Once they were finished, they snapped a few pictures of me hugging them. They were the sweetest and melted my heart completely.
“Aww, Benny. Are you giving her kisses?” Lynn called out to the male dolphin. I hugged him and giggled when he rubbed his beak across my cheek.
“Aye, little nigga. Don’t get too frisky with my woman. I would hate to have to beat your ass and turn you into sushi!” Kyon yelled out. My jaw dropped in embarrassment, but he wasn’t the least bit concerned. Lynn’s eyes widened, and her face flushed beet red.
“Kyon! Act like you’ve got some sense.” I hissed. I thanked Lynn, then swam toward the rest of the group who were finished. After everyone had a turn, we all headed out of the water. We dried off in the locker room and changed for the last time. My stomach was grumbling, and I was ready for some food.
We grabbed something to eat from one of the food stands on the strip. I scarfed down my food so fast I was tempted to go back for seconds. We got some fried fish and a rice plate from Butter’s Kitchen. I also got some sweet plantains and a strawberry daiquiri. Kyon got an oxtail plate, so of course I had to sample his food too.
