Flat-Out Love

Julie ran harder, faster, yelling as she hit the ocean, but didn’t stop. The water stung her legs, then her waist, making her gasp and struggle for air. The cold was so jarring that she couldn’t make a sound. She thought about Fi

She got it now. As she bent her legs and threw her whole body under water, she got what he meant. Her feet found the ground, and she pushed up, soaring back into the frigid air. She could swear she heard Fi

Julie! Julie!

The sky was even darker now. Too dark to be only ten in the morning. The sleet continued to fall. It must be hurting her skin. Her body felt weightless and infallible, and that unfamiliar feeling was riveting. The allure of the deadening ocean was calling her again. She let her legs bend and watched transfixed as the skyline in front of her changed.

Julie!

Someone grabbed her arm. “Girl, you gotta get out. Come on.” A burly man took hold of her arm and pulled her up, stopping her from sinking. “Now. That’s it. Come on. Make yourself run.” Julie noticed he had long gray hair that he wore in a ponytail the same way her grandfather did. And a full beard. Her legs were moving, but she sensed that she was not going fast enough. Like her steps were in slow motion. She watched fascinated as the man put his arm around her and effortlessly scooped her up. Why was he doing that?

Julie!

The man carried her from the water, then across the sand. “You’ll be OK. You just froze up. First time, huh?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

The man set her down on her feet, and she leaned forward into a thick blanket. She knew this blanket. The smell and the texture felt like home. As someone swaddled her up in the softness, her body began to shake violently.

“Oh my God, Julie! What were you doing?” She also knew that voice.

“Matt? Did you see me?” she asked, without looking up. Her voice sounded far off.

“Yeah. I saw you,” Matt said. He did not sound happy.

“Did you see Santa Claus, too?”

“That wasn’t Santa Claus. That was one of the L Street Brownies who rescued you from certain death. It was considerate of him, after you crashed their event.” Matt tightened the blanket around her and started furiously rubbing her back and her arms. “We have to get you warmed up. Dummy. Hey, can you get her sweatpants, and socks and boots on? Hurry.”

Julie felt someone lift up her foot. “I saw you, too, and I thought you were brilliant! Really stupendous!”

“Celeste?” Julie tried to turn her head. Matt had covered her so thoroughly with the blanket that she couldn’t see a thing.

“I’m here!” Celeste said excitedly. “I’m attending to your blue feet!”

Julie’s skin felt like it was burning. “Why are you here? How?” she asked Matt. Her teeth were chattering wildly.

She stood there shivering helplessly, fully aware that she was practically naked. Damn Dana’s bikini. At least she was too cold to blush. Matt didn’t say anything as he dropped the blanket for a quick moment, pulling a long-sleeved shirt and then a thick sweatshirt over her head. Wow. He looked exceedingly pissed off. She let him swaddle her in the blanket again and wrap his arms around her as he tried to get her body temperature back to normal.

“Fi

Julie dropped her head forward and leaned into him. Her toes throbbed. She couldn’t control the way her body was trembling. “Because he’s a jerk, and I’m a liar.” She felt herself choke on a sob. And then she couldn’t stop.

Matt didn’t say anything, but he kept rubbing her back. Celeste moved behind her, and pressed her body against Julie’s, hugging her tightly, so that she was pi

“Please don’t cry, Julie. You were simply wonderful out there,” Celeste said.

“She was not wonderful, Celeste. She was a dope,” Matt said. “But we’re glad you’re OK. You are OK, aren’t you? I mean… physically?”

Julie nodded. Fine, he obviously thought that mentally she was whacked. She knew her crying was making Matt uncomfortable. At least her hangover was significantly less prominent now. The upside to near-death. She turned her head to the side and saw the girl in the Princess Leia getup again. Something flashed through her mind. A fuzzy blip…

Uh-oh.

She closed her eyes. Thank God she still had her face hidden. “Matt?”

“Yeah?”

“Did we talk on the phone last night?”

He paused. “We did.”

Oh, no. Julie was starting to remember.

This was unbelievable. Maybe she was making this up. “Did I ask you…?” She swallowed hard. “Did I ask you if you were a skilled lover?”

Matt cleared his throat and paused again. “You did.”

Celeste burst out laughing.

Julie tucked her head down lower. “Sorry.”

“Let’s get you into the car. It should still be warm.”

“Celeste, can you grab my bag?” Julie pointed from under the blanket to the benches on the other side of the beach.

“Absolutely. Hey, Julie?”

“Yeah, kiddo?”

“I’m glad that you’re here.” Celeste beamed. “Home.”

“Me too.”

“Meet us at the car, OK?” Matt stepped away from Julie and turned her in the direction of the street.

Her feet were regaining some feeling. She pulled the blanket more tightly around her shoulders and let Matt guide her across the beach. “So, Matt,” she started and looked up at him smiling. “Last night? What was your answer?”

“I’m not going to tell you. Now maybe you won’t drink so much again.”

Julie sighed. “Believe me. Lesson learned.”

Matt got her into the front seat and cranked up the heat. Celeste bounded into the car with Julie’s bag, and they started the drive home. Periodically, Julie shuddered as sharp chills ran through her, and she held her hands in front of the lukewarm vents and rubbed them together.

Matt frowned and fiddled with the controls, finally hitting the dashboard. “Come on! Come on, you piece of crap!” He slammed his hand down again.

“It’s all right. Calm down. I’m warming up,” Julie insisted.

“No, you’re not fine.” Matt sounded angry again. “That was a stupid thing to do. It was reckless. Seriously, what would possess you?”

Julie leaned back. “I don’t care. I’m glad I did it.”

“It’s called a plunge. It’s not a stand-in-the-dangerously-cold-water-and-stare-fixedly-at-nothing event.A plunge means exactly that. You plunge in and get the hell out. Not that you should have even been doing that.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’m not fooling around, Julie. That was stupid. Stupid.” He hit the gas and passed a few cars.

“Slow down, Matt!” Julie said hoarsely. “You’re going to get a ticket.”

“I’ll drive as fast as I want. The quicker we get you home, the quicker you can warm up.”

“Why don’t you just take me back to Dana’s? Turn left up here.”

“Is that where you’ve been staying?” He shook his head, looking exasperated with her. “No. I am not taking you back to Dana’s. Who knows what other trouble you’ll get yourself into?”