Walter Bond - Swim!

Copyright 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.

Published simultaneously in Canada.

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ISBN 9781119573562 (Hardcover)

ISBN 9781119573630 (ePDF)

ISBN 9781119573555 (ePub)

Cover design & Illustration: Paul McCarthy

I want to dedicate this book to the shark I am married to, Antoinette Mayo Bond. You have been with me and have stood by my side from day one in this business. The journey has had its ups and downs, but you have always been my shark and I love being your suckerfish. Thanks for believing in me and knowing which of my ideas are good and which of them suck. This book somehow squeezed past you, so either you weren't looking or it's going to be a bestseller. LOL!

Wesley Bond, thank you, son, for your frank feedback and getting into the book in the first place. Your feedback made us go back to the drawing board on a lot. This book is a part of you, too.

Kendall and Cori Bond, thanks for letting your dad share his ideas and thanks for being excited about every one of them. It must take real true love to sit through all my ramblings. I believe we did it this time.

Scotty was elbow-deep in a frozen air conditioner when his phone began to vibrate. He wiped his hands on his jeans and dug into his pocket for his phone. He didnt recognize the number, so he shoved the phone into his back pocket and leaned back into the icy air conditioner. A short, loud beep indicated he had a voicemail. Perplexed, Scotty lifted the phone to his ear to listen to the message.

Scotty! Scotty, my manhey, listen, this is Paul Gray! Im here for the long weekend with my son, Zach. We came to pick up a little present I bought for myself at the marina near you and wanted to see if youd like to head out for a little test drive on the water? Maybe do some fishing? Let me know, would love to catch up with ya!

Pauls tone was the same as it had always been: upbeat, high-energy, confident. Scotty was a little confused as to why Paul Gray would be calling him to hang out. They hadnt spoken since high school more than 25 years ago, and even back then they werent the best of friends, like they had been in middle school. A little present I bought for myself? Scotty replayed the message in his mind. Down at the marina? It was all a bit weird and very out of the blue, but Scotty was intrigued. He remembered seeing something online about Paul having a son right around the time Scotty and his high-school-sweetheart-turned-wife, CiCi, found out they were pregnant with Brittany, but that was almost 20 years ago.

Scotty was busy, so he tried to dismiss the idea and get back to work, but he was distracted by the phone call. What was good ol Paul up to, and had he changed at all since high school? If we did go out, Scotty thought, would we have anything in common? What would we talk about? He worked and fumbled inside the frozen AC until it was up and running, and went to tell the kind old woman that he was done.

Thank you, Scotty! the old lady exclaimed as he explained that the AC was fixed and her house would be cooling off shortly.

My pleasure. Call me if you need anything else! Scotty said with a smile. As he walked out of the front door, he pulled her overflowing trashcans to the curb to be picked up by the garbage truck later that day. She was a widow, and he loved doing little household things for her that she couldnt do on her own. He started his truck and headed home for the day, Pauls message still replaying in his mind.

When he got home with a bag of CiCis favorite takeout food, CiCi met him at the door with a big smile, just as she always had. He dropped the bag and wrapped her in a big bear hug, still in love with the way her hair smelled when she got out of the shower.

Eat by the pool? she asked, taking the bag and heading through the front entranceway of the home.

Sounds good! Ill get the wineglasses and meet you out there, Scotty replied.

They sipped wine and ate orange chicken with chopsticks and looked out at the pool. The waterfall feature was his favorite, as it added a calming vibe to the entire outdoor area and was the perfect respite from the world. They chatted about their days, CiCi sharing stories about her little rhinos, her affectionate name for the wild kindergarteners she was responsible for shaping and molding each day. As he tried not to bore her with tedious details about cooling coils and compressors, he remembered the phone call.

Oh! I almost forgot! he said as he put his wineglass down. Guess who called me today? he asked with a mouth full of lo mein.

CiCi shrugged.

Paul Gray!

Paul? Why? she asked, her eyebrows raised.

Scotty laughed. Beats me. Said he was in town buying something down at the marina, wants to go fishing. Scotty analyzed CiCis face for a reaction.

Thats random. Whens the last time you guys talked?

Years. I may have sent him a congratulations note when his kid was born. Same age as Brittany.

Wow. Are you gonna go? she asked.

I dont know. I wasnt, and then I thought about it and... I dont know.

Think about it. Brittany will be here this weekend, she may be interested in going out on the boatI mean, if hes bringing his kid CiCi suggested.