Breaking Through the Waves (14 page)

“Stacy!”

She looked up and saw his uncle.

“I’m just kidding, Sydney.” He hugged her
too. “Thanks for coming.”

“Thank you, Dr. Goldstein.”

“Call me Gilbert.”

Vivian clapped her hands together. “Dinner is ready. I hope your stomachs are empty.”

“I’m starving,” Sydney blurted.

Coen looked at his mother. “This one can eat more than I can.”

“Good,” she said. “I cooked way too much.”

They walked into the dining area, which had a dark woo
den table with a red table cloth. Most of the food was already sitting on the surface. They had gold silverware and matching napkins. Coen pulled out her chair and helped her sit down. When she glanced up, all the family members smiled at Coen, obviously impressed by his manners. When he sat beside her, he rested his hand on her thigh.

Lori
passed the stuffing to Sydney. “So you are studying marine biology like Coen?” she asked.

“Yes,” Sydney answered. “It’s definitely my passion.”

“She’s one of the smartest undergraduates I’ve ever had,” his uncle said as he scooped the cranberry sauce onto his turkey.

Sydney’s cheeks turned red.

“She gets a perfect score on every test,” Coen said with a smile.

His grandfather laughed. “That must be convenient to cheat off your girlfriend.”

Coen laughed. “It’s definitely a plus.”

“His grade did skyrocket after he started talking to Sydney,” his father said.

“Well, at least you know they were actually studying,” Dr. Goldstein said with a laugh.

Sydney laughed, overcome by the merriment.

His mother looked at her. “What do you want to pursue?”

“I was hoping to get my PhD.”

“Another crazy,” his uncle said as he took a bite.

Sydney laughed. “I know Coen wouldn’t disagree.”

He shrugged. “I’m just with you because of your looks.”

“Do you want to teach at a university?’ his mother asked.

“Yes. And do research,” Sydney said. She ate her vegetables and rolls and loved the taste. No one made a comment about her eating choice. She didn’t reach for the ham or the turkey but no one seemed to notice. Usually, she was berated for being a vegetarian.

His family joked with each other and discussed their lives. His grandparents were retired from the post office. That’s where they met fifty years ago. His father worked in construction and just got a contract for a new hotel on the other side of the island. His mother was a housewife. When she remembered that Coen’s parents almost got divorced, she found that hard to believe. They seemed so happy.
No one mentioned his sister who passed away. She did notice pictures of her everywhere, however. It made her happy to know that they didn’t give into the depression of their past, but decided to be merry while always remembering her.

Sydney ate more than she should. By the time she was done, her stomach started to cramp. Thankfully, her shirt was a little loose to hide her bulging stomach. Coen ate two servings of food because he was a garbage d
isposal like that. When he coughed on his food, he touched his chest. He tried to act like everything was fine but she knew he was in serious pain. The bat broke in half when it collided with this chest. How could he not be in agonizing pain? Every time she thought of it, she realized she wasn’t good enough for him. His family was nothing but respectful toward her. In fact, they treated her like she was already family. She never felt more loved in her life, like she belonged somewhere. It was enough to bring tears to her eyes, but she held them back.

“Now we say what we’re thankful for,” his mother said from the head of the table. Sydney assumed this was a traditio
n because no one questioned her words. “I’m thankful for having such a wonderful and beautiful family.” She turned to Sydney. “And having one more.” Sydney smiled, unsure what to say.

His father wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I’m thankful that I don’t have to do the dishes.”

Everyone laughed and Vivian narrowed her eyes at him playfully.

“What are you thankful for, Jordan?” his mother asked.

“The beautiful beach.” His mother smiled. “There are so many hot chicks down there.”

His grandpa laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. “That’s why I’m there every day.”

Vivian rolled her eyes. “My boys are something else.”

His grandpa nodded. “I’m thankful for the same thing.”

Lori hit him playfully. “Don’t be an old pervert.”

“Too late
.”

“I know where I get it from,” Jordan said with a laugh.

Lori shook her head. “Well, I’m thankful for the beautiful sunrise that I see every morning from my bedroom window.”

Jordan rolled his eyes. “That’s boring,
Grandma.”

Vivian looked at
Gilbert. “And what are you thankful for, Brother?”

He thought for a moment before he spoke.
“For all the living things in this world. There is more beauty in a single shell than all the skyscrapers of this country.”

Sydney nodded, understanding his meaning.

Coen looked at his family. “I’m thankful for the beautiful woman in my life.” He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “For having her love.” His brother rolled his eyes and his grandmother made an awe sound. “And I’m thankful I’m passing my classes this semester.”

His mother laughed. “I’m glad our money isn’t being wasted.” She looked at Sydney. “And what are you thankful for, dear?”

She twisted her hands in her lap, feeling suddenly nervous. “For the best Thanksgiving I’ve ever had.”

Vivian’s eyes softened when she listened to her. Even Jordan seemed touched by her words. Coen looked at her.

“This is my best Thanksgiving too.”

“Really?”

He nodded.

Vivian rose from her seat. “It’s time to get the dishes started.”

All the men flew from their chairs and dashed to the living room.

Sydney laughed even though she knew she shouldn’t. Only Coen remained behind. They both gathered the plates and helped his mother clean the dishes, stuffing them into the dishwasher and covering the leftover food for days to come. When they were finished, they went into the living room and played board games. Everyone was involved and no one refused to sit out. Coen’s family was competitive but not in an aggressive way. When Sydney won every game, they all seemed truly impressed.

“Syd’s a genius,” Coen explained.

His grandpa pointed at her. “Keep her around, boy. She’ll be great to have for bingo at the senior citizen hall.”

He laughed. “Thanks for the advice.”

When they were tired of playing board games, they sat on the couch and ate
cookies and pie, drinking an assortment of wine. The television was on so everyone watched it. Sydney curled up next to Coen and leaned against his body. She wasn’t uncomfortable being affectionate in front of his family. She felt like she was already a member of it.

When it got late, everyone said their goodbyes. His mother hugged Sydney tightly then kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you so much for coming.”

“Thank you for having me. Everything was great.”

“You’re very welcome, dear.”

Jordan hugged her. “Let me know if you have any cute friends that like younger guys.”

She laughed. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Coen waved to everyone then walked Sydney to the car, opening the door for her. When they pulled away from the house, she stared at it until it was no longer in sight. That was the best holiday she ever had, other than the ones she spent alone at the shack. His family was so sweet and amazing, treating her like they loved her. When her family came, they treated Coen like he was garbage on the street. The memory of their visit still hung heavy on her heart. Coen had put up with so much bullshit for her. It was unbelievable. She didn’t feel worthy of him. In fact, she didn’t deserve him at all. She had nothing to offer him except baggage and emotional problems for years to come.

They were silent on the drive home. Sydney felt the tears bubble under her eyes when she realized what she had to do. She wasn’t being fair to Coen. He deserved something more than her. When he parked the car, she didn’t even realize they were home, her mind elsewhere. When they got out and walked back the house, she stopped before they reached the steps.

“Thank you for taking me to your Thanksgiving,” she said quietly.

“Thank you for coming.”

A tear fell down her cheek. “I can’t do this anymore, Coen.”

He stared at her, saying nothing for a long time. His eyes lingered on the tear sticking to her cheek until it dripped from her chin. “What does that mean?”

“I want to break up.”

“What?” he
asked, confused.

She took a deep breath. “You don’t deserve this, Coen, to settle for someone who can’t offer you anything. My family is nothing but an embarrassment. They treated you like you were a dog, giving you no respect whatsoever. Your family was so sweet to me, treating me like I was one of their own. I don’t come from a good place. I come from garbage. You deserve some
one so much better than me. I can’t do this anymore.”

He stepped closer to her. “
Syd, we aren’t breaking up.”

“Yes, we are.”

“I love you because of who you are, not where you come from. Your past doesn’t mean anything to me. So what if your mother is weak and pathetic, your stepfather deserves the electric chair, and your stepbrother is someone I would love to kill with my bare hands? They aren’t you, Syd. I love you for you, not because of your family.”

“But I’m—”

“I don’t love you in spite of your past. I love you because of it. You are strong, Syd. You got out and moved here, making a life for yourself. You chose your own fate when you took defense classes, empowering yourself to never be the victim again. You are truly exceptional, inspiring. You are selfless and loyal, putting other’s happiness before your own. You are insanely brilliant, putting your abilities to good use. You are so much more than I’ll ever be. I don’t deserve you, baby. It’s not the other way around. Don’t ever use your family as an excuse to keep me away. It won’t work.”

She looked down at the ground, still avoiding his gaze. His words meant the world to her, but she was so ashamed of her life experiences. He had taken a bat to the chest, something that could have killed him. How could she let him stay with her after that? She lifted her left hand and grabbed the engagement ring.

He saw her movement. “Don’t.”

“I can keep this.”

“I said don’t.”

She pulled it off and offered it to him. “Find someone who deserves to wear this.”

“You are the only person I would ever give this to.”

She kept her hand held out, waiting for him to take it. He didn’t move.

Coen lowered himself to one knee. “Sydney, I love you for you, no other reason. I would be honored if you spent the rest of your life with me. Please put that back on and marry me.”

She stared at him, unable to process his words. He just proposed to her, something she never expected. “Please don’t do this.”

“Do what?”

“You don’t need to ask me to marry you to convince me you want to be with me. I could never be your wife. You deserve someone so much better. I know you gave this to me as an act. Please don’t feel bad for taking it back. I understand, Coen.”

“I don’t want it,” he said firmly.

“Coen, stop making this hard for me.
We shouldn’t be together. I understand that. Now take it.”

“No. I want you to have it.”

“Please don’t do this to me.”

“What?”

“Try to prove that you want to be with me. Just take it and leave.”

He rose to his feet then looked at her. He glanced at the ring then back to her face. She waited for him to take it but he didn’t reach for it. Instead, he just stared at her. His eyes shined a bright
er shade of blue as he looked at her. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen. She couldn’t imagine her life without him, but she couldn’t let him settle for her either.

“Seahorse, look at the inner band.”

Her hand shook. “What?”

He nodded. “Look.”

She stared at him for a long time before she pulled the ring back. She looked at him one more time but she turned the ring, seeing the engraving inside the metal.

My Seahorse

She gasped, covering her mouth.

“I had that engraved before I gave it to you. I knew when I asked you to put on that ring I wasn’t going to want you to take it off ever. There was nothing you could do or say to change my feelings for you. I wanted you for the rest of my life. I still feel that way.”

She finally looked at him, tears streaming down her face.

“You
r family changed nothing. My feelings are as eternal as that metal. They will never dull or decay. My entire family knows we’re engaged, but I told them you were too upset about your family’s visit to celebrate it or acknowledge it. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that you’ll say yes.”