When Storm Clouds Hover

31: Izzy - A stolen moment?

The group arrived at the beach just as the late afternoon sun began its steady descent towards the ocean horizon. They were greeted by the sight of a handful of kids, younger by two years at least, perched at varying heights in the boughs of a dead tree, limbs dangling. The sound of music from a portable speaker balanced precariously on a low-hanging branch drifted across the hot tarmac.

Izzy reached to the back seat for Attila's lead and clipped it to his collar as he leaped from her lap to the pavement.

'Race you,' Cole shouted, dropping his towel on the sand, and sprinting down the gangplank towards the water. Dom immediately took up chase, kicking his thongs into the air behind him.

Tal shook her head, laughing. 'Not a chance. I'm still hungover bad.'

Izzy ignored the boys. She wasn't going to be hurried this evening. She adjusted her towel around her shoulders and stepped onto the beach, eyes squinted against the setting sun. The silky grains of sand slipped away from her feet, warm on the soles. The two girls walked towards the water, with Attila choking himself on his lead to get to the ocean.

Izzy slowed her pace deliberately as she approached the shoreline. She leaned over to release Attila, who shot off after the boys into the waves, the wind snatching the sound of his bark from the air. With her hands free, she reached into her beach bag for her sunglasses.

Izzy laid her towel on the sand and watched the boys take turns helping Attila navigate the waves. She didn't feel like swimming. Contrasted against the soaring heat of the early afternoon, the ocean, with its crashing waves and splashing droplets, looked cold. Instead, she ducked her toes into the sand and tuned in to the sound of the waves caressing the shore.

Izzy admired how the grey-blue water gleamed. It stirred a restless desire within her. Tal took her shirt off and shorts off and lay down beside her displaying her tan in the tiniest of bikinis. Izzy was keen to stay dressed but thought it might look odd if she didn't display some skin, so she kept her boardie's on and self-consciously lifted her shirt off her shoulders showing off her new bikini top. Though the sun was going down, she still lathered her arms and legs with sunscreen for the second time that day. It was a habit more than anything. Her mum was always insisting that just because her skin was olive, she should never be complacent. Besides, she loved the smell of the cream.

The sound of a sea eagle calling wafted over the heavy air, and she was reminded of the reason she wasn't here with her family. They had always spent summer holidays together. This was the first year since Izzy could remember that they hadn't. For a moment, she felt a pang of guilt. Maybe she should have stayed home with her Mum? Then she looked up and saw Attila. Immediately she smiled. He was such a happy dog. It looked like he was having the time of his life running from the foam while simultaneously trying his best to get a bite of the frothy droplets. Izzy reached into her beach bag for her phone and called Attilla towards her.

As she tried to take a photo, the little dog kept slipping from the frame. To his delight, Tal grabbed hold of him and lifted him, wiggling into her arms, as Izzy snapped him up on camera. The picture caught Dom in the background soaking wet and grinning from ear to ear. It was a joyful shot. Izzy sent it straight to her family WhatsApp group chat without a caption. Instantly, a purple heart emoji came whizzing back from her Mum.

Izzy added the photo as her wallpaper on her phone and sent the picture to Zara, Kath and Em, captioned 'wish you were here'.

At that moment, Cole walked up beside them and collapsed onto the sand next to Tal, scuffing her perfectly straight beach towel, and spattering it with sand. Then, propping himself on one elbow, he angled his body towards the girls, and in the perkiest of voices, said: 'Did you know that the true horizon can only be seen when it lies on the surface of the sea?'

'No, mate, I didn't know that.' Tal responded wryly. 'Did you know ... you are so random?'

'Yeah, I kinda did,' Cole said, chuckling.

'You just can't underestimate the importance of knowing this kinda shit,' Dom said grinning at Tal, whilst he laid his towel beside Izzy. 'This is just a small sample of the kind of quality bullshit you'd get if you date this fellow.'

'Funnyman,' Cole responded, shaking his head.

Dom kneeled on his towel and then lay down stretched out on his stomach. He rested his head on his forearms and closed his eyes. Izzy tried not watch the little glassy drops of water sliding down his back.

The conversation lapsed in a comfortable silence, interrupted only by the sound of the waves. A refreshing wind blew through the huddle, raising goosebumps on Izzy's arms. She was the only one in the group sitting up facing the ocean, and for some reason, it gave her a sense of sorrow. She busied herself by caking her legs in sand. 'Can't believe we're going home tomorrow,' she said finally, breaking the quiet. 'Time has flown by.'

'Me neither, said Tal. She opened her eyes and glanced at Dom. 'Your Mum's been so good putting up with us. Maybe we should do something for her to say thanks. You know, like make dinner or something....'

'Don't worry about it,' Dom said casually 'she loves having you all to stay. It's her happy space - she's making us a paella tonight.'

'A what?' said Cole.

'Paella, you philistine,' said Tal. 'It's a Spanish seafood dish.'

Dom opened his eyes, turned over and sat up on his knees. 'Actually, we should probably head home, she asked me not to be late.'

There was some general nodding. Izzy dug into her bag and pulled her t-shirt over her shoulders but none of the rest of the group made a move. They all turned and gazed oceanward as if transfixed by the rapidly disappearing red ball on the horizon, which was now throwing the sky into shades of purple and grey. Izzy cuddled Attila, who was covered in sand, and lying in the diminishing shadow behind her back. 'Look at you, I'm gonna have to give you another bath tonight,' she moaned.

To Izzy's surprise, Dom said: 'I'll do it. 'I'm getting kinda attached to the little dude.' He leaned behind her and maneuvered himself to lift Attila onto his lap with some degree of difficulty. Attila ran his tongue across Dom's check and wriggled out of his grasp.

The sky was getting dark.

'Should we get going?' Cole suggested, standing up and dusting his legs. 'That paella is calling.'

'Oh, see look, you learned a new word,' Tal teased, holding her hand up to Cole.

'Watch yourself Tallulah Belle,' Cole responded, heaving Tal to her feet with more vigour than necessary.

Dom stood up and offered Izzy his hand. She had managed to bury her legs entirely in the sand, which was pressed solidly against her thighs. She reluctantly let him pull her to her feet.

Tal and Cole were already heading towards the car hand in hand when Dom dropped to his knees and began dusting the sand from Izzy's legs. It was so surprising and intimate an act, she felt suddenly self-conscious. Without saying a word, she let Dom run his hands up her thighs and down her calves, gently flicking sand off her legs. It was the strangest feeling. Not friendly at all, instead, it felt sensuous.

Tal and Cole had moved on a fair bit down the beach. With such a long stretch of sand between them and the others, the beach felt practically deserted. It seemed to Izzy like Dom had deliberately stolen a moment alone with her. She felt the familiar sense of rising warmth on the skin of her neck.

Quickly Izzy pulled herself together. She was probably reading into something that wasn't there. Dom was just being helpful. She slung her bag over her shoulder, glanced at Attila, and said, 'come on, baby.'

As Izzy walked briskly to catch up with Tal and Cole, she thought she heard Dom say her name. Ignoring him, she picked up the pace and started to run with Atilla down the beach towards the carpark, her heart beating like a gong in her chest.