The Picnic

The Picnic
Flash Fiction

It was the first summer since Arina died, and a few weeks before I was due to start at Coastwynne university. A Saturday and everything was easy and laid back. I was clearing away the breakfast things while watching Gai and Loban talk in the garden. I think Gai was as close to Loban as I had been to Arina.

I was just getting finished when Gai strolled in. “Loban has given me the keys to the wagon, fancy a trip to the beach, just you and me?”

“Just you and me….”

“Yeah.” Gai looked at me and I could see him struggling not to laugh. He lent into my ear and whispered “I won’t bite you… yet, scaredy cat”

“I’m not scared of you”

A couple of hours later we were pulling up in the car park of a shopping mall in Coastwynne. I followed and watched Gai fill a basket with soft drinks, bread, cooked meats, salad, and fruit. We got back to the wagon and as we pulled out of the car park Gai grinned “Let’s find some beach”

He drove past the promenade and the beach crowded with people enjoying the weekend. “Loban has told me of a quiet little bay further up the coast,” he said before I even asked. Half an hour later we had turned off the main road and the wagon was bouncing along what was little more than a dirt track through fields. “I’m saving to get a Loban a new truck, one with suspension, this old girl has seen more bouncing than an old mattress”

I said nothing, I knew better than to say anything when Gai made references to intimacy. My cheeks must have flushed a bit and he’d seen it in the mirror as Gai just burst out laughing.

We reached the end of the track, and Gai parked up. After a stroll down the cliff path, we reached a secluded and empty cove. “Loban was right,” Gai said.

“He normally is,” I replied as if knowing what Gai was on about.

We found a spot that looked over the sea as it rippled over the coastal rocks. It was calm today but in a storm it would be more than a little treacherous. We ate in between Gai questioning me about how I felt about going to university. He had guessed I was getting nervous about it.

After I watched Gai swim, as I waded a little more than knee-deep. “C’mon Kip, the water is wonderful2

“I can’t swim”

“What? C’mon the water is beautifully cold”

“I can’t swim”

“What? I can’t hear you?”

Rashly I waded out towards Gai and the sea bed dropped beneath me. I yelled at Gai for help as I went under. Thankfully he got to me in seconds and dragged me back onto the beach. Wrapped in a towel Gai just looked at me.

“What?”

“Are you ok?”

“I’m good”

“You should have said you can’t swim. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because…”

“Because? Yeah, it the because I want to know”

“Just because…” I said, “Hey that looks like a cave in the cliff shall we go look?”

“Ok, don’t think I am fooled by that”

The cave went a few hundred feet before opening up into a sandy floored cavern. “Loban was right about this too”

“So Loban told you about this place?”

“Yes, it’s where he and Arina came when they were courting”

“Why did he tell you that?”

“Because…” I could see the teasing glint in his eyes

“Oh you are infuriating”

“You tell me your because and I’ll tell you mine”

“My because?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you couldn’t swim?”

“Ahhh. Because I didn’t want you to think I’m an idiot”

“you are an idiot, you nearly drowned yourself” Gai said. “Anyway why do you care what I think?”

“Another because… that’s not fair?”

“Ok, I asked Loban where we could come and have time on our own”

“Why?”

“No it’s your turn Kipster?”

“Ahh, ummm do I have to?

“Not if you don’t want to”

“ I can’t”

For what seemed like ages Gai stared at me. Not in confusion but as if he knew exactly what was going through my mind and he was trying to work out what to do. We sat at the back of the cavern just able to see the sea through the cave tunnel. I loved being this close to him but I wasn’t going to tell him that, I didn’t know how.

“May I guess why” said Gai

“Sure”

I was expecting words instead Gai pushed me slowly back against the wall of the cave, his lips finding mine. I felt his body shift and move on to me. His tongue parted my lips and softly explored my mouth. I was exploding.

Gai lifted himself up on his arms – grinning. “Did I guess right?”

“Yes” was all I could say.

©JezzieGFarmer2022