Jarek pushed away the soft pain that came when he thought of the dreams he had shared with Annabelle. The tide was rising slowly now, just two hours after his return from the buying trip. Out on the finger jetty, a few odd fishermen were making themselves comfortable, settling in for the morning, bait buckets at their sides. Small, familiar fishing boats rode the waves nearby, and the men called friendly taunts to each other. In the distance, boats bobbed, moored to a pier, while another big pier lined with tourist shops thrust into the water.
The wind and water and sand of Amoteh were home, filling Jarek after his two week buying and hauling trip to Missouri and Arkansas.
Jarek held a leftover rolled pancake in one hand and a mug of coffee in the other. He watched the bright sun skim the ocean swells, the seagulls soar against the clear blue sky, and let peace flow over him—as much peace as a man who had lost part of his heart could find.
