TAKE TWO_ Who says you can't ma - Heather M. Orgeron Page 0,55
my goggles to my face and pop the snorkel into my mouth. This is an opportunity I’ll likely never have again, and I’m not letting it pass me by.
“In case you don’t make it,” Nya shouts with her hands cupped around her lips as I drop into the pristine aquamarine waters, “you should know you died looking your best. Those trunks…” She meows, making a circle with her thumb and pointer finger. “Fine as fuck.”
I shake my head and smile before diving beneath the surface. The water is deeper and consequently darker than what surrounds our bungalow, so it isn’t until I’m under that I’m able to see the dozens of sharks swimming around. Most of them are pretty small—two, maybe three feet in length at the most. I recognize them as black fin sharks from the photos online. As I venture a little deeper, the temperature of the water drops noticeably. It’s here I start to see a few big daddy lemon sharks in the mix, and my heart starts to pound at a feverish pace. These guys are as big as me. I mean, I wouldn’t be human if I wasn’t a little afraid, right? But the longer I’m down here, the more at ease I feel, because these giant fish are going on about their business. They aren’t the least bit interested in checking me out, which is a-okay with me.
I pop up to the surface, ripping the snorkel from my mouth so I can talk. “Babe, you have to come in.” I throw my hands into the air and spin in a circle to show her I’m all right. “Still alive… see?”
“Are they big?” Her knees are still hugged to her chest, her face filled with indecision. I can tell she’s really wanting to join me and just needs a little bit of a push.
I guess the answer to her question depends on what you’re measuring them against, right? Size being relative and all. A little white lie never hurt anyone. Okay, that’s probably—most definitely—not true, but I decide it’s the best course of action anyway. “Nah. Teeny tiny. They’re really cute, actually.”
Manu chucks his fists into the air, silently laughing from his position behind Nya.
I’m telling you, me and this guy… we could be great friends.
“Don’t let them eat me,” she warns before finally dropping in beside me.
“I’ll protect you with my life,” I promise, before kissing her forehead.
We tread water near the boat for a minute while I help her adjust her gear for a proper fit, then she links her fingers with mine and nods. My brave girl is ready.
To start, I guide her along the surface, where a school of butterfly fish swarm around us. These little guys are anything but shy. Their bright yellow fins flutter against our skin. It tickles. I can feel the tension start to leave Nya’s body as she gets swept up in the enchantment of our surroundings. The warm blue waters, colorful array of coral and plants, and tropical fish. She’s no longer cutting off the circulation to my fingers with her death grip. Her eyes are shining bright, and she keeps smiling at me behind her mask.
We venture a little further until we find the black tips. She knocks my hip with our joined hands and points with her other. I give her fingers a gentle squeeze.
Nya has become so comfortable in the water by the time we reach the lemon sharks that she barely tenses at their size.
A rush of adrenaline surges through me. This is beyond surreal. Here we are swimming mere feet away from the ocean’s most feared predator. It’s fucking insane—the very definition of an out of body experience.
We’re coasting along, taking in the sights, when a school of shiny silver fish cross our path. Before we realize what’s happening, the giant lemon shark that’s been idly swimming beneath us takes an upward turn. His mouth opens, baring his razor-sharp teeth before clamping down around one of the fish and swallowing it whole.
Although the shark immediately turns away, we haul ass back toward the boat with ice in our veins and maybe even a little shit in our suits.
“Get me out of here, Manu!” Nya shouts when she breaches the surface, gasping. Seeing the fear in her eyes, he doesn’t hesitate.
“I’m so damn proud of you.” I wrap her in my arms when I climb back onto the deck behind her, holding her trembling body close.