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Ryan nodded, so Nicholas gathered up his stuff and headed down into the living room. Moments later, his host wandered in, watering can in hand. “Morning,” she said, clearly surprised to find him in her sitting room.
“Oh hi. Sorry, I know this isn’t part of the guest accommodation, but I have a teenage boy upstairs who’s like a bear with a sore head, and I was worried what he’d do if I didn’t get out of his way.”
Kate laughed. “That bad?”
Nicholas nodded and smiled a sad smile.
“It’s tough being a teenager. I remember it too well,” said Kate, pouring water into the base of a large Aloe Vera.
“Yeah, I’m older than you and don’t remember much about my youth. And I have zero experience of teenagers so I’m really out of my depth here.”
Kate paused her watering and looked at Nicholas with curiosity.
“I’ve not been around for my son. Not through choice, but the truth is I don’t know him at all. I wish we could’ve reconnected when he was a bit younger. Might have been easier then. I’m worried now it’s too late.”
“Well, I lost my dad a long time ago, and I can tell you that I’d give anything to be able to spend more time with him. Ryan may not appreciate the effort your making right now, but give him time.”
“Thanks,” said Nicholas, blushing slightly as his son shuffled into the room.
*
Nicholas took the roads at a snail’s pace, aware that there was precious cargo on board. Ryan meanwhile, tapped his fingers against the passenger side window and sighed each time Nicholas hit the break.
“Sorry, mate, I have to be gentle with the hire car. It will cost a fortune if I take it back scratched.”
“Whatever,” said Ryan, sneering as he turned his face back to the window.
Nicholas had travelled to all corners of the world, but he wasn’t sure he’d ever encountered roads as narrow as those he was now driving on. If he met another vehicle he’d have to reverse miles, as there was no way he was getting too close to the stone-filled Cornish hedges. His hands gripped the wheel so tight he had to keep rubbing their sweat away on his jeans. He could have cried when he finally caught sight of the sea. It must be a glorious view on a warm sunny day. Unfortunately, drizzle had set in shortly after they left Bodmin, and the sea resembled a sheet of steel rather than the cerulean promised in his guide book.
Parking the car proved no problem, as few other souls were tempted by the freezing temperatures, brisk wind and drizzle. Plus, it was a Monday. All the locals would either be at work or school. The car pulled up onto tightly-packed sand and Nicholas fought against the breeze to pay for a ticket.
“It’s a bit blowy out here,” he said, leaning into the car. Ryan was scrolling through Instagram and didn’t even bother to look up.
“This is such a shit plan, Dad.”
Nicholas’ heart squeezed and tears welled in his eyes.Dad. Forty-seven years on the planet and that was the first time anyone had used that word to describe him. He pulled himself together and zipped his raincoat tighter around his chin.
“Come on, Ryan, the surf school’s just over there. Let’s go.”
Ryan got himself out of the vehicle at the speed of a sloth and with the enthusiasm of a pig on its way to the abattoir. His thin, brand name jacket was no protection from the elements and Nicholas could see how uncomfortable he was.
“Do you want to borrow my coat? Might keep you warmer?”
Ryan looked his father up and down with disgust, before slouching off in the direction of the only surf school still open this late in the year. Nicholas jogged to catch up with his son. A tanned young man with long beard and even longer bleach-blond hair sat doing a crossword in a surfboard filled van. He looked up as father and son approached.
“Hi, welcome you nutters.” The man held up a fist and Nicholas and Ryan each gave it a self-conscious bump. “As you can see, we’ve got the beach to ourselves.”
The man laughed, showing a perfect set of pearly whites. In that moment Nicholas hated their instructor. He’d felt his masculinity being torn away shred by shred ever since they’d left the comfort of London. First, he’d been shown up on the bike trails, not just by lack of skill but in Ryan’s clear preference of the random bloke who’d tagged along. Now here he was stood next to a hairy bronzed Adonis, his own few remaining wisps of hair being torn off by the wind. Not only that, he was about to squeeze his middle-aged spread into the surfing equivalent of a condom. Great.
Ryan, on the other hand, seemed completely taken by the surfer dude, laughing at his crappy jokes and listening intently as he ran through a safety briefing. All Nicholas had picked up wastry not to drown, there’s no lifeguards on the beach at this time of year.
Ryan slipped on his wetsuit with the ease of someone who had done it a thousand times before. Nicholas, who had tried surfing in Hawaii, Brazil and Australia, fell over twice, and in the end had to concede defeat and get the instructor to yank the thing on for him. He caught Ryan’s eye and noticed a smirk as Adonis heaved a wetsuit leg over Nicholas’ foot. At least he’d made his son laugh, even if it was at him not with him.
“Hey guys, you got phones, want me to take a photo?”
“Yeah, cool,” said Ryan who looked both handsome and ninja like in head to toe black.
They stood side by side, Nicholas sucking his gut in, feeling like a pregnant penguin while Adonis snapped away. With the photoshoot over, Adonis lay three surfboards out on the sand and gave them a lesson on how to jump up to standing. It was reassuringly straightforward on dry land, but Nicholas knew with a sinking heart it wouldn’t be such an easy feat out on the water.
