“Where are we going?” Joshua asked, trailing after him. “Which excursion is this? I forget.”
Colin handed Joshua a pair of waterproof gloves. “We’re going whale watching, my love.”
“On aboat?”
“Well,” Colin told him, hanging a waterproof phone case around his neck. “Oddly enough, convincing the whales to come up on shore wasn’t an easy sell. They’re stubborn as hell about it. Insist on staying in the water, the big babies!”
“Not funny! Is it a big boat?”
“Big enough. Why?”
Joshua stared at him in silence, then dashed into the bathroom. “Hang on a second,” he called.
“C’mon,” Colin said, tugging on his arm. “There’s a tender out there waiting for us. And what were you doing?”
“Taking motion sickness meds.”
“Smart move.”
Joshua opened his mouth to speak, but Colin drew him out the door and walked behind him, hands on his shoulders, until they caught up with David and Nate, who were waiting to take the tender into port. Within a half hour, they had been ferried to the whale-watching dock and shepherded on board a mid-sized craft with lots of open deck space and a comfortable interior cabin that featured warm drinks and snacks.
The water was somewhat rough, and Joshua gripped the back of the seat in front of him with both hands as the boat rocketed forward over the choppy seas. Eventually, the craft moved further into open water, and the ocean around them grew calmer. He could hear the tour guide on the open deck where Nate, David, and Colin were standing, pointing out various sights, and he bowed his head in sadness and embarrassment.
“Goddammit,” he breathed out. He ached to be with them, to be beside his husband, to enjoy this adventure rather than be frozen in anxiety from their craft’s every bounce and wobble. He felt a presence at his side and lifted his head to see Colin kneeling at his feet.
“They’ve spotted a pod of humpbacks,” Colin told him, then held out his hand. “Please come and look at them with me.”
Joshua gazed into his eyes for a long moment.“My god,” he thought. “He’s the most wonderful man alive. So sweet. So damned good to me. I can’t let him down. Iwon’tlet him down.” He took Colin’s hand and followed him to the open deck, then to the side of the boat, where they could see the huge beasts skimming just under the water’s surface. The sheer enormity of the humpbacks left all on board speechless, their hearts filled with wonder at the sight of these beautiful beings at home in their natural surroundings.
Joshua trembled with both amazement and fear. The sheer size of the animals was overwhelming and added to the anxiety roiling in his stomach. Their closeness as the boat drew nearer to the pod expanded his unease, and he held tight to Colin’s hand.
The boat slowed to a stop, allowing the agile swimmers to approach, and Colin led Joshua to the side of the craft nearest the incredible creatures. The rhythmic sounds of their breaths filled the air, resonating through the hearts of all who heard. The whales seemed to sense the group’s presence and swam in graceful circles around the craft as if inviting them to witness the beauty of these gentle giants. One even swam under their vessel, drawing gasps from everyone on board.
While Joshua and Colin watched the whales swimming near their boat, one curious humpback surfaced right beside them. Joshua gasped in fear and cringed away. But Colin’s arms encircled him from behind and moved him to the edge of the craft close to where the giant creature lingered. Joshua leaned back against him and swallowed hard, clutching Colin’s hand in his.
The whale seemed completely unfazed by the human visitors, and as Joshua watched in amazement, it swam close enough to touch, drawing astonished exclamations from the passengers. Moved by their nearness to this breathtaking animal, Colin drew in a deep breath. “Trust me,” he murmured. Holding Joshua close, he covered Joshua’s hand with his own and leaned them both over the side, moving their hands to the great humpback’s skin.
The cold, smooth touch seemed to go on forever as the whale swam slowly past them, sending shivers down Joshua's spine. At that moment, he felt his nervousness melt away, replaced by a heart-stopping rush of joy. It was a moment of profound unity both with the giant humpback and with the good, decent man he had married.
Tears stung his eyes, and his breath caught in a sob. And as the huge swimmer moved away he wheeled to face his husband. “Oh my God, Colin,” he breathed out, barely able to speak. He lifted his hand and stared at it as if expecting it to be forever changed by his encounter with the magnificent sea creature.
Colin stared at him, feeling his own eyes burn with sudden tears. The face he loved was radiant, illuminated by an innocent, childlike wonder that perfectly mirrored the enchantment of the experience they had just shared. Joshua threw both arms around his neck, clutching him close and covering his face with kisses. “Thank you!” he choked out, his voice wrung with tears. “Thank you, my beloved. I love you so much!”
“Just as I love you,” Colin told him, holding him crushed against his chest. “And thank you,grá mo chroí. Thank you for trusting me.”
“You touched the whale!” Nate cried, racing to their side. He pounded on Joshua’s back, his voice high-pitched with excitement. “We tried, but we couldn’t get close enough! How did itfeel?”
“It was… ” Joshua began, his voice still thick with emotion.
“Cold and slippery,” Colin said with a quick grin.
“It wasmiraculous,” Joshua told his friend, then turned and kissed Colin again. “But it wouldn’t have happened without my husband.” He cradled Colin’s cheek in his palm. “He took my hand,” Joshua said, his voice shaking. “He put it on the whale. He touched itwithme!” He kissed Colin again with all the love and tenderness in his heart. “Thank you, myYedid.”
David nodded toward the water. “They’re still there,” he told his friends, his voice low.
Joshua turned and stared as the boat moved away, touched by a bittersweet mix of emotions. The giant humpbacks, their tails disappearing beneath the surface, seemed to wave farewell to the onlookers, filling all who watched with awe.
He felt Colin move to stand behind him, embracing him and drawing him close to his body. Their fingers intertwined as they watched the giant mammals swim away, warmed by the memory of the whale’s smooth skin. The sight of the wondrous creatures disappearing into the limitless expanse of the ocean stirred something deep within them. It was a moment of pure magic, a reminder of nature’s immeasurable beauty and the infinite bounty of life itself.
