Cresting Time: Day 18
Part 18 of 31
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Ten minutes later, after passing the Convention Center, two amusement piers and about three hundred and seven food options, including at least two cheese steak places, we arrived at The Original Cheese Steak Factory.
“Yes!” said Dad. “This is it!”
“Thank goodness. Because I was about to drop from dehydration.”
We ordered a couple of cheese steaks, fresh cut fries and drinks, a water for me and a Bud Light for Dad, and carried out tray over to a plastic red table looking out over the water.
I was so hungry I started shoving fries into my mouth and bit off a huge piece of my sandwich before I thought about what I was doing. It wasn’t until after I swallowed that I froze.
“What’s wrong?” Dad said, between bites of his own cheese steak.
“Nothing,” I said. I focused on taking keeping breaths and concentrated on the swell of the ocean.
“Anna? Are you okay?”
I nodded. And took a big chug of water. “I think I was just eating too fast. The heat. I’m tired.”
Dad squinted at me. “You’ve had one bite?”
“I know. It just hit me wrong.”
He looked at my questioningly, all the while continuing to eat his sandwich. “It’s delicious,” he said between bites. “You sure you don’t want more.”
I did want more. But I was conditioned to not eat out, to be suspicious of all food.
I was so hungry. I had walked at least six miles today and swam all those laps. And Dad seemed to be okay after devouring his sandwich.
“Are you going to eat those fries?” He asked, reaching across the table.
“Yes,” I said. And I meant it. I popped a few fries in my mouth. What’s different about these?” I asked.
“Other than they are infinitely better than anything we have in Ohio? It’s the vinegar. They put vinegar on the fries. It’s a Jersey thing.”
“That’s weird. But delicious.”
“Are you in a hurry to get back?”
I shook my head. “Nope. Nothing too important to do today.”
“I’m going to grab another beer. Maybe we can keep walking north?”
“Sure,” I said as I finished off my cheese steak. Regret immediately settled in. I should not have eaten it. If something happened to us both Mom would be so mad.
Dad gathered the trash and walked back to the stand. I checked my pulse and covered one eye at a time making sure I could still see okay. I stretched my arms and legs and took a few deep breaths.
Everything seemed normal.
A few minutes later Dad came back with a funny look on his face. “What’s up?” I asked.
“Nothing,” he said, looking over his shoulder.
“Nothing?”
He shot me a weak smile and said, “Just the sunlight playing tricks on me I think. I’m not used to the ocean air. Or sunshine. Or even being outdoors.” He took a sip of his beer. “Ready?”
We continued our walk. But Dad kept turning to look over his shoulder.
“What are you looking for?” I asked.
“No-one. I didn’t see anyone,” he said.
“I didn’t say you did.”
“Okay, I just someone who looked like someone I know. Knew. Know. I don’t know.”
He was clearly flustered.
“Who?”
“Like I said, I don’t know.”
“Okay. Who did you think it was?”
“I’m not even sure, really. I think it was jus one of those doppelgänger things.”
I was pretty sure he was lying. Great, now both my parents were acting paranoid.
“I’m just going to run into the restroom and wash my hands,” I said.
“Okay.”
I entered the restroom, which was cleaner than I expected. There were signs posted all over the mirror “No Bathing” and “Wash Your Hands For At Least 20 Seconds” and “See Something, Say Something”. If I wasn’t creeped out before, I was definitely feeling on edge now.
I’d done a lot today. Been around a lot of people. More than I had seen in months. Maybe it was time for us to head back.
I exited the restroom and didn’t immediately see Dad. My heart started to beat faster and I felt a cool sweat on my chest, even though the day was hot. My eyes scanned the people nearby.
I looked off in the direction of the boardwalk games, it would be just like Dad to try his luck at some crazy challenge he could never win, and I did a double-take. Was that . . .
No. It couldn’t be.
“There you are,” said Dad, coming up behind me.
I jumped.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.”
“No. It’s me. I didn’t see you and I got scared. I think I’m just out of practice being in public.”
Dad smiled and put his arm around my shoulder. “It has been a long time. I think you’re doing great though. I was just over there watching these little kids ride go-karts. They look like they are about five years old. And driving these tiny go-karts. I could have watched the joy on their faces all day long.”
I smiled. It was nice to be somewhere that seemed far away from real life. A place where we could relax and pretend things were normal, at least for a little while.
“You want to get a milkshake?” Dad asked.
I thought about all the food I had just eaten. An entire cheese steak and a big basket of fries. And I thought about the fact that that food hadn’t hurt me.
At least not yet.
“Sounds great,” I said.
We were walking away from the soft-serve shop with our milkshakes, coffee for me and black cherry for dad, when I saw him dart between two building and down a ramp. This time there was no question in my mind.
It was definitely him.
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Lisa Walton is a former lawyer, forever teacher and writer/ghostwriter who writes about education, parenting and personal growth. She is a firm believer in the power of a well-told story. She is passionate about helping kids cultivate the curiosity, creativity and confidence to chase their dreams. “It’s never too late to reinvent yourself and craft the life you want to live.” You can find her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
