2019-08-18 - There's a Storm Moving In

It's hot out, the storm is threatening, moving in over the ocean, approaching at its own pace. The lightning does flash and the thunder booms, creating a sort of static in the air. A sense of anticipation. For now, the sand is only damp though, from the water that laps up to the shore line to level the sands that had been transformed to castles and other creations earlier in the day by kids and families visiting the beach. Erin is seated on a beach towel that's folded up on a rock and she seems to be enjoying the show nature is putting on.

Dressed in a bikini that's covered in a lacy cover up and a sarong style skirt that wraps and ties around her slender waist, her feet are bare. The only jewelry she is wearing is a shell anklet. She looks to be lost in her own thoughts.

The trouble with letting wounds heal is the whole needing to rest part. At least that's how it is for Rick. So now that he's able to do a bit more exercise, he's picked today for a bit of jogging. Or at least that's what he did before he got back to the beach. Dressed in shorts and an old, worn but comfortable, t-shirt, he's making his way along the beach, at a walk now, because of the people at the beach. He pauses every now and then to offer a smile and a nod to various people as he passes them, his steps taking him over in Erin's general direction for now.

The trouble with losing family members violently, it makes one aware to the sounds of approaching footsteps. You know, in case you've got to flee. When she hears those approaching her, Erin gives a wary look in the direction of the man approaching, but then deems him not extraordinarily dangerous, judging from his friendliness with the other beach goers, and she offers a nod in greeting. Better to have friends than enemies.

Since she's alone, she opts to go for starting a conversation, just to prolong her evening and keep the lonely out of it. "Looks like the storm is headed this way." Attempting to engage.

At least he's paying attention to where he's walking. There has been some periods these last few years when Rick was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't do that. There's a nod offered in return as he glances out towards that storm, then back to the woman. "It sure looks like it," he replies. "Hopefully it will take its time, though. I've always preferred storms to pass by when it gets to the point of the evening when I don't have any things left to do." A brief smile, before he adds, "And even though a storm may have the potential for destruction, it's always so fresh and nice once it has passed through."

Erin looks out at the approaching storm when the guy does only to offer another nod and a considering look. "I like a slow moving storm. Sometimes just watching it from the balcony is incredible. The sounds, the wild, uncontrollable.. I don't know how to explain it but it strikes a chord in me. Unruly and wild." Drawing her feet closer to the rock where she sits, she motions to the rock beside her. "You are more than welcome to watch it come in with me. Unless you have other things to do."

Rick nods as he listens. "While I don't have a balcony to watch it from myself, it's quite lovely to watch it come in, then head back inside when it has arrived." There's a brief pause, before he raises an eyebrow a little. "I suppose we all have that unruly and wild buried witin us. People just let it surface differently, if they let it surface at all." Moving to take a seat on the rock, he smiles. "The things I had planned to do once I got home from work have been done, so I have time now." A brief pause, before he adds, "I'm Rick, by the way."

Taking that cue from him, Erin muses over it before asking. "You have a wild and unruly side that you keep buried? Never allowing it the free reign to surface and give it a little leeway?" A smile is returned and she offers her name in return. "I'm Erin. What sort of work is it that you do? Have you lived in Gray Harbor very long?"

"Well, that side was the one people saw of me for a few years as I was just aimlessly drifting through the country," Rick admits, after a few brief moments of pause. "Then I ended up here late last year, and ended up staying. It sort of felt right to get back to working as a police officer again, like I did back home before..." He trails off, shrugging a little. "Before things happened."

"It sounds exhilarating, actually. Just driving around free of cares and concerns. Just letting loose and being yourself. I wonder what it would like to be anonymous. It's not something I have ever been. Not living in this town with the family I have. I really have no regrets though. Not really." But Erin takes that very brief offer of more conversation that is almost looked over. "Before?" The question is asked not so subtly, but she does have one of her rarer, softer looks on her features. "You are welcome to talk about it. Sometimes unloading to a stranger helps."

Rick smiles. "It can be good. Doing some simple work from time to time when needing money." The mention of the family makes him pause momentarily. "Family can be good too, though. Unless it's a family with lots of trouble, I guess. Been a while since I had much of a family." He pauses momentarily, considering those words about talking about before. "My father died, and then someone else I cared about ended up in a wheelchair because of what I did. Both of those together make me get rid of things back home, and get out on the road," he offers a bit quietly, looking out to the sea for now. "I guess I was just trying to run away."

For a long moment, Erin remains silent, watching the flashes in the distance as they get closer and the thunder booms out over the water. The moon is hidden behind the clouds now but the lighting illuminates them and the others at the beach as night falls. The beach begins to clear out with the approaching storm, but Erin's car is close, so she makes no moves towards it. "Did you cry when your father passed away? Or when that someone else you cared about ended up in the wheel chair?" An invasive question, of that there's no doubt, but she looks truly interested in his response. "And how were you to blame?"

Looking out there for a while longer, Rick lets out a bit of a breath. The question about if he cried makes him pause, and he turns his attention back to Erin. "I cried when he passed, yes. Not as much as when I lost my mother, but then again, I was only ten back when she died. I think losing her then made me and my father growing even closer than most others." A brief pause, before he adds, "In that other situation, I think I cried when I found out she would have to use the wheel chair. Back when she got wounded, I was mostly trying to keep things together so it wouldn't end up worse for us both." A brief pause, before he adds, "Let's just say that if someone tells you to wait for reinforcements to arrive, you should do that, not try to tackle the situation before they arrive."

"Ten. I can't even imagine." Or maybe Erin could as she thinks about it. "It sounds like so many painful events in your life. I'm sorry you had to go through all of that. Was losing your mother or father unexpected? Or was it illness and you knew it was coming?" For a moment she stews on what he says about his partner, not delving too deep on that one yet, just holding it in her thoughts as she questions about his parents first.

Rick shakes his head as he hears that. "Both were unexpected. One getting shot in the line of duty, and the other in a car accident." He goes quiet again for a few moments, before he lets out a breath. "It was my mother that made me chose to become a police officer, like she was."

Erin winces, "That sounds terribly difficult to have gone through." As the storm rages on, even as it nears, the wind picks up, whipping her hair around some. "Oh I would have guessed it was your father, but that's impressive. It sounds like she was really strong." Now, though, she gets back to the asking. "Your partner, I'm sorry to hear that, but I guess everyone knows going in it's a risk they take for taking the oath of an officer, isn't it? You can't really blame yourself, can you?"

Rick smiles momentarily. "She was quite strong, yes." He grimaces momentarily as he hears the part about his partner, before he sighs. "I know that now. But back then, it felt that even though everyone told me I hadn't done anything wrong, it still felt like I had. Perhaps it was that it happened not too long after father's accident. The combination of things breaking me, or something."

A few cool rain drops splat down on or around them announcing the soon to be deluge of rain as a thunder booms particularly close. Erin makes no moves to leave, just breathes in deep and closes her eyes briefly, letting the wind do what it wants to her hair for the moment. "Maybe sometimes some people need to be broken to be able to repair themselves, or reset or something. Now you can heal the right way?" The drops increase in number and she thinks about the interior of her car before getting to her feet and collecting her beach bag and towel. "Can I give you a ride anywhere? We should at least get out of the weather and inside the car or something to watch it." It's only sensible.

"That's probably right. Sometimes, you have to be broken to be able to heal." It's said a bit thoughtfully, before he nods a bit, getting to his feet a bit slowly as well. "Getting out of the weather sounds like a good idea," he replies, before he offers a smile. Mentioning where he should be going to.