CHAPTER 12
Natural Talent
To say that Ben was nervous about surfing would have been an understatement. Of course, he knew that Steve wouldn't be handing him over to someone who couldn't handle him, after all, he couldn't swim. He knew the basics though, and Steve said that would at the very least be enough. The man, Malmo, had apparently taught Steve to surf when he was younger, and knowing how good a surfer he was, Ben had a feeling he might stand a chance. When Ben questioned why he had said no to Kono's offer, Steve had pretty much told him that it felt right to have "his kid" taught by the man who taught him.
Ben simply stared outside the window quietly, watching the scenery move by. Steve had been basically told flat out to take a few days off to relieve him of his stress which was the only reason they were even doing this. But Ben still felt a bit bad that he was spending the two days he got off for basically working without sleep on the case with the person who started his stress. Of course, Steve apparently loved him, but that didn't mean he couldn't and wouldn't feel quite bad about it. The surf shop came into his line of vision slowly, and so did the man that came out to greet him.
The man was a rather large man, tall, Hawaiian, with a friendly smile and demeanor. Ben could only guess that the man was Malmo, as Steve pulled to a stop in front of the shop. Ben slowly climbed out, a little nervous, but still letting Steve lead him over with his hands on his shoulder. "Malmo, thanks for meeting us." Steve smiled a bit, removing his hands from Ben's shoulders to give Malmo a man hug "I'd like you to meet my Foster Son, Ben." Steve nodded.
Ben shyly waved at Malmo, who smiled widely, and held out a hand. Ben slowly reached forward and shook it slowly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ben." Malmo stated, very friendly in the way he said it "Steve tells me you don't know how to swim?" He asked, Ben nodded his head "Don't worry about it. That's why we have tether. We won't go out TOO far, all you'll need to do is paddle." He added "Steve went over the basics of that, I'm sure." He added.
"Yeah, but only on land." Ben replied.
"That's the best way to do it, little brotha." Malmo nodded his head a bit, putting a hand on his shoulder "Don't be scared, either, alright? I'll be out there with you, you won't drown, you won't get hurt." He turned to Steve at that, and then added "You gonna ride out with us too, Steve? I noticed you had your board over there." He nodded.
"I figured it might make Ben more comfortable if I did." Steve explained "Hope you don't mind." He added.
Ben visibly relaxed after Steve had said that, his shy nature had gotten the better of him. He didn't know Molmo, he didn't know how he worked, but he did know Steve and trusted he'd be safe out there with him. "No problem at all, I see how it is. Shy, are you?" He asked Ben, who looked at Molmo, and nodded "Don't worry, we'll break you of that. Steve was the same way when he first came to me." He added.
Steve? Nervous? Shy? Ben tried to even begin to fit that all into one sentence, but quickly failed. Steve didn't even begin to strike him as the shy type, he was so comfortable in his own skin. "Suit up, Ben." Steve tossed him a wet suit calmly "I'm heading out now, but I'll be right out there with you. Don't even worry, alright? You've got a great teacher here." He added.
Ben almost didn't want Steve to leave, not yet anyway. But he watched him leave anyway as he carefully put on the wetsuit. Malmo was out with a surfboard seconds later. Ben had never seen something as big as it was in his entire life. It was bigger than him, at the very least, much bigger. "Well then." Molmo planted the surfboard into the sand "Are you ready to get started?" He asked.
Ben wasn't sure he had a coherent answer.
...
At first, Steve had thought the screaming had been out of fear. He sighed a bit, sitting up on his board, he turned it slowly. Only to receive the surprise of his life. There was Ben alright, screaming at the top of his lungs, HAPPILY. The wave he was riding wasn't huge, but it was decent, and to Steve's shock he was really riding it. His jaw dropped slightly as he paddled towards Molmo, he stared after Ben, then back at his old friend. "What try was that?" Steve asked as he applauded as he reached the shore "Third? Fourth?" He asked.
"First." Molmo said, he seemed stunned himself "That kid's a natural, all I told him was to paddle and stand. He did it like it was nothing." Steve blinked, completely stunned into silence "That's somethin' else, I've only seen a few stand up and ride it in on their first go-around." He looked Steve in the eyes "He must have the DNA of a surfer in him to be that natural." He added.
"Maybe, never thought to ask what his parents did." Steve admitted.
Molmo nodded his head a bit as Steve racked his brain for any pro surfer's with the last name Davenport. In the end, no one came to mind, and he could only wonder if that meant the kid was just that good. "Then again, some kids are born with a natural talent. For some it's baseball or basketball... Maybe his is surfing." Molmo shrugged a bit as Ben began to paddle back "What a great ride! You sure you don't have surfing in your blood?" He asked.
Ben came to a stop near them, he paused a bit. "My Dad used to surf, but just for fun. Nothing professional if that's what you mean." Ben shrugged his shoulders "That's why he took us down here a lot. Where we lived, there wasn't much room to surf." He admitted, Molmo nodded his head in understanding "Why, was I that good?" He asked.
"Ben, I'm not just saying this as your parental figure. But you were really good." Steve smiled widely, he reached forward, and stroked Ben's hair fondly "Think you can do that one more time so I can watch the whole thing?" He asked.
Ben grinned a little, and looked at Molmo for a minute. The man nodded his head, in encouragement, as it was pretty clear Ben was uncertain of himself in this case. Ben grinned a bit, and nodded at Steve. Steve watched quietly as Molmo worked to set Ben up for his next wave. This one was bigger, and for a moment, it looked as though Ben was going to fall off. But the moment he caught his balance, he was once again easily riding it, it was still a little rough, there was no denying that, but Ben was definitely quite good.
Ben didn't make it all the way there this time, but still had a long ride. After coming up for air, Ben was coughing a bit, Steve grinned. Ben simply stared back at them, glaring a bit at their chuckles. "What is so funny, dude, that really hurt!" Ben groaned.
"You'll get used to it, Ben." Molmo encouraged "Come back out, let's try again, shall we?"
Ben smirked a bit, even if that had hurt, he wanted to go again. Slowly, he pulled himself onto the board, and yet again started to paddle back. He definitely wanted to do that again, even if it menat that he would wipe out yet again.
...
By the end of the day, Ben and Steve were both surprisingly wiped. Ben moreso than Steve, he fiddled with the ice cream cone of Lappret's Ice Cream in one hand, eating it. His head, on the other hand was gently rested against Steve's shoulder. Steve smiled a bit, looking out towards the sunset. "I have to say kid, you're quite good." Steve grinned a bit as Ben finished off the cone "You sure your Dad only did it for fun?" He asked.
Ben shrugged his shoulders, looking at Steve slowly. "If he did it professionally, he never told me." Ben admitted quietly, a soft yawn escaping his lips "Then again, you kinda have to be exaggerating to spare my feelings, right?" He asked, curiously "I mean I wasn't-" He began.
"Kid, you wiped out twice all day. You were REALLY good." Steve put an arm around Ben "You really had me impressed, like honestly. I wasn't even that good when I first tried." Ben felt himself blush slightly "What did I tell you about selling yourself so short?" He asked.
Ben shook his head a little, knowing that Steve would lecture him otherwise. He took a deep breath, and leaned further against him. "I shouldn't. I know, and I'm going to try, but it isn't easy." Ben shrugged his shoulders "You have no idea how hard it is to do that. After you get all those stares out on the streets, it's not easy." He explained.
Steve nodded his head, he could definitely understand that one. He heard the phone ringing slowly, and sighed, one night, just one night. He slowly reached into his pocket and answered. "Danno, what is it?" Steve asked quietly.
"We got an attempted homicide here. This one got away." Steve's eyes widened as Danny's words rang through his ears "I don't know if you want to come in. But Steve, he may be able to help us." He explained.
Steve nodded his head slightly, standing up, Ben getting up as well. He stared off a bit. "I'll be right there." Steve hung up his phone, and turned to Ben "We have a lead, a MAJOR one." Ben's eyes widened in surprise as Steve nodded to him "Come on, let's go. Sorry to cut this short, but it's important." He added.
Ben nodded his head and followed after Steve in a hurry. Neither noticed a figure nearby, hidden by the shadows, and watching them. The figure slowly backed up into the shadows, disappearing as quickly as they had appeared. But not before shooting one more dark glance their way.
