Into the depths

Joaquin and I met in Puerto Rico both on vacation with some friends. I just graduated law school and he was an Aussie in town for some free range surf.

When we met, we talked casually about our bucket lists and past spontaneous destinations over a casual cup of pocillo in the coffee shop below our hotel.

Joaquin asked if he could call me when I returned back to the states. He was on his way back to Australia. With that, you can just imagine what a dreamboat he is. Fast forward, dreamboat was what I got!

Joaquin and I are now married on our fantasy honeymoon. Crossing off one of our bucket list items sailing off the coast of Mexico. Mainly because being from Australia Joaquin was a professional surfer. He has surfed all over from Cali to Costa Rica. But this time, we are not in Mexico for the surf.

On our first date, Joaquin and I both shared a bucket list item that no one would dare to dream, and it was ours- Sharks!

One of the things that brought Joaquin and I in harmony when we first met were great white sharks. In fact, when we first met, we literally had nothing in common. He likes corduroy and I like silk, if you get the gist. But somehow talking about Australia we stumbled upon the topic.

“ The only thing I know about Australia is the great white sharks off the coast of ….”

“No way, I already want to marry you”- he interrupted in his Aussie accent when I revealed the little girl shark fascination inside of me.

Not many people like sharks. But that was one thing Joaquin and I did understand.

When you meet someone in general who understands and loves sharks as much as you, it’s an automatic click, like finding a ring in sand.

So here we are. Off the coast of Guadeloupe Mexico. An Aussie and his Latin bride.

Nervous, ecstatic all at the same time thinking about what we are about to do first thing in the morning, I can barely keep the champagne down.

Joaquin is taking me on the shark adventure of a lifetime. By this time tomorrow, we will be underwater in a cage surrounded by the majestic beasts of the ocean.

Great white sharks are unseen. It’s their mystical anonymous existence that makes them so easy to crave. Im sure you can capture a black fin or even a hammerhead off the pier of roaring body of water but witnessing a great white shark is like a wild lion uncaged in its element in South Africa. Or a gorilla in the untamed jungle.

They truly are mystical. And I can’t believe I will be sharing their water tomorrow. May they welcome me in peace, for this will be the risk and chance I’m willing to take.

A soft kiss brushed against my forehead. The fragrance of blueberry waffles, and a whiff of an Aussie’s patchuloui.

I peak through my eyelashes and I’m feeling like this is already the best day of my life and I have barley opened my eyes.

I kiss him back giving my creator gratitude; of love, of life, of this moment. All undeserved.

I am here with the love of my life.

Thinking back to the beginning of our relationship there was a time where we argued about everything. I mean if it was which way the sun rotated or whether the earth was flat or round, we argued about it. I broke off the relationship back in 2019. We both went our separate ways. We were too early in the relationship for us to know or say it, so we never even thought about love until we, I, broke it off. And that was when I realized I was in-love with him, when he was gone.

I realized without having Joaquin, the chaos and the work, I was deeply empty. With all of our differences; from the way we talked, our English was different, our style of music was different, heck, even picking food was different. He was so heartbroken over our breakup I didn’t understand why when we had only known each other a couple of months. He loved all the unusual things about me and I couldn’t understand why I didn’t love him back. He was always one step ahead of me in everything, emotionally, and I was afraid I’d never get there, until now. We were just different, except the one weird oddity that we shared, but I knew then Joaquin was the one I wanted to be with for the rest of my life and with all my dreams and our one shared bucket list item, I couldn’t do it with anyone besides him. I wouldn’t do it. I won’t do it.

So we set sail, in our now passionate union and our honeymoon dreamboat.

It’s just the top of the morning when we aboard our shared love excursion.

“I hope you are feeling just as great as these sharks are” -exclaimed the captain.

“Sofia Wilson?”

Wilson? That’s me! Hearing my new last name I couldn’t be more in my feels.

“ That’s me!’ -I shouted.

The Latina with the white last name.

“Ah, Welcome!” as he handed me my specially fitted wetsuit.

Captain Sousa went over all the instructions and final details, precautions, etc.

Beside us, there was another couple who you could tell have done this before.

The fear set in. The woman gearing up beside me could tell I was scared out of my freaking whit’s.

“Once you get in, everything else goes out the window” - she gestured with a confident wink.

It was comforting, it was genuine, and it was about to go down.

Literally! Down into the depths.

After we got familiar with the couples and the captain, we toasted to our extravaganza and embarked on the journey.

Grabbing my husbands hand and staring him in the face I flashed back to our life together. And this isn’t necessarily the kind of flash back of death or fear, but gratitude. I was so grateful for the second chance, I didn’t deserve.

His blue crystal clear eyes, matching the sea.

His blonde curly mats, reflecting the sun.

His rosey toasted cheeks that I’m gonna need to put aloe on when we wake tomorrow.

And then, me. A girl, so madly inlove.

“I love you so much babe”- Joaquin whispered.

“I’ll see ya on the other side!”

I quickly smacked his shoulder and let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding.

He cracked his Aussie smile and we were lowered down.

Hugging each other close we start our focus on the depths.

First nothing, but the deep. Focusing on my breathing and then suddenly, our first shark in the distance slowly passes by.

Gentle, unbothered. My heart is going a thousand beats per minute. But I can’t look away. I can’t close my eyes, I will not do it. I won’t waste all this money we paid to lock me in a cage for a few minutes and miss the experience.

Then hovering above I see the belly of a great white gliding like dove. Now I’m getting a little more comfortable. Struck by its beauty, my eyes couldn’t even blink.

I can tell the sharks are used to this!

They were inviting!

After realizing I was surrounded by multiple sharks I glanced up at Joaquins eyes to see his reaction and he was already staring at me, to see mine.

I knew that was the big moment for him, seeing my face, and not the sharks.

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Author notes

Thank you for reading. This was a story written to enter the deep dive fiction challenge.