As we were lost in our conversation, Jamie came running towards me and bumped into me, sending my purse into the water.
The young man, the one I’d noticed earlier, didn’t hesitate. He dove in and retrieved my purse. “Here you go, ma’am,” he said, handing me my wet purse.
“Thank you so much.
I’m Rose,” I replied, still surprised.
“Josh,” he introduced himself, then jokingly asked if he could take me on a date as a thank you.
I laughed, “I’d love to.”
We agreed to meet later at the same spot. As Josh left, Jamie was thrilled about the dive.
“Did you see that, Rose? He jumped right off!” Jamie exclaimed.
Tom and I just smiled, caught up in the unexpected adventure of the afternoon.
From the day I met Josh by the sea, life felt like a new chapter filled with joy.
He was a soldier on leave, and just like me, he was drawn to the sea’s peace. We clicked instantly, and the promenade became our special place…
…He’s leaving tomorrow for service. The moment I’d been dreading all this while.
“What time?” I asked him.
“At 4 a.m., but you shouldn’t wake up,” he said, trying to spare me the pain.
“I want to see you off,” I insisted, needing that last moment.
“We’ll spend this evening together; it’s not a forever goodbye,” Josh comforted me, his hug saying more than words could.
“I’ll write you letters,” I promised, clinging to the hope of staying connected.
