Bora Bora, French Polynesia
~Edward~
Her finger actually did land right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, so I moved the map while she was pointing and slid her towards Bora Bora.
Where we spent the first three days completely naked.
Having never seen an ocean before, Bella couldn't stop looking at the jaw-dropping beauty of the jewel-toned water. It was so clear she wasn't afraid to get in and swim around right off the deck of our private bungalow even though she really didn't know how. This resort was a splurge, sure, but after the months we'd had, I figured if anyone needed a vacation, it was us.
Watching her experience her first plane ride to leave everything she knew was as exciting to me as when I'd done it myself for the first time. The wonderment and awe in her eyes when she looked out the window to see her familiar grasslands and open fields dropping away almost brought a tear to my own. She squeezed my hand so tight, thanking me and making my heart full to bursting that I was able to bring someone so much joy.
As much as she'd brought me.
There was no doubt in my mind we'd done the right thing by leaving the U.S. behind when Bella picked up her adopted camera and blew through four rolls of film that first week. A roll devoted to the blue-green sea and the turtles that swam under our hut. Another in the outdoor shower trained on my laughing face, while my hands pushed her away from exposing too much of me, scolding her to not get the camera wet. A third and fourth were used to study how macro photography works—her tongue slipping out of her mouth slightly as she meticulously focused on the fragrant vanilla plants and the rubbery, bumpy surfaces of the noni fruit found throughout Taha'a.
Her face was relaxed, tinting bronze. Her laugh was free of ghosts, her walk easy, with a bit of sway I bet she'd never allowed herself. Her whole body seemed to unfurl itself from its misery to where I swore she was a full two inches taller as she wrapped herself around me while we watched the sunset.
Her house and life had fallen to ashes on the ground, but she was its stunning, unstoppable phoenix.
On the seventh day locked around each other, we decided it was time for an adventure, so we chartered a catamaran to take us to the base of Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu, the two peaks of a dormant volcano that lived on the island. The trails were twisty and uneven, and I worried about Bella's stamina and athletic ability. I was used to rough terrain, covering dicey rock paths in heavy boots, so for me traversing them was no big deal in a pair of sneakers. I should've known not to worry about her, my girl who was blooming in front of my eyes. She took to hiking like she took to photography. Easy and without fear.
Taking a break after about a thirty minute climb when we had to hold onto a rope to gain ground, our tour guide wandered off to let us experience the jaw-dropping beauty in front of us on our own.
"This is what heaven must look like," Bella said as she stood slack-jawed with eyes wide. Orange hibiscus, red and yellow dahlias, and white water lilies surrounded us, and eventually Bella remembered to pull the cap off the camera that swung around her neck. She hesitated before fiddling with the instrument, a small smile playing across her face. "I hope my mother is there."
It was the first mention of her since the fire. "She is."
Just like Emmett.
Perched on the lush green foliage, the aqua blue water below us swirling and lapping lazily, I felt a sense of peace come over me as I thought of my brother. Standing still with my eyes closed, I imagined the last final fragment of a shattered soul being wiped away within me. I breathed deeply, thanking God and all those watching over me, that I was given a second chance to wonder at the beauty of life, and more importantly, the ability to recognize it.
The click and whir of the shutter sprung to life, and I watched as she crouched and moved, getting her shots of this heaven on earth. The nature before me might've been breathtaking and otherworldly, but the vision of Bella in front of me capturing moments that spoke to her was the most breathtaking of all.
So much so, I pulled out my phone and took a picture of her taking a picture of life, without a thought about what I was doing.
Mad love to LayAtHomeMom, Hadley Hemingway, and CarrieZM for making us pretty.
Enjoy, and leave us your thoughts!
HB&PB