THE TIDE BETWEEN US

WATCHING HER

The rain had finally stopped.

Morning sunlight stretched across the shoreline, turning the restless waves into ribbons of silver. From the balcony of his penthouse, Gabriel Solomon watched the resort slowly come to life. Housekeeping carts rolled along stone pathways, gardeners trimmed flowering shrubs, and guests wandered toward the beach with cameras hanging around their necks.

Everything appeared normal, but yet nothing felt normal.

His sister's phone call had haunted him throughout these following two nights.

If Ismael had never reported to his maritime training in Manila, then where had he gone?

Gabriel had known his nephew since the day he was born. Ismael was stubborn and impulsive, but he was not irresponsible. He would never disappear without telling his family.

Unless...something had happened.

Gabriel pushed the thought away before it could grow into fear. Inside his office, he dialed several numbers. The maritime academy confirmed the same information.

Ismael Solomon had never arrived for enrollment.

His application remained active, but his attendance record was empty.

Gabriel thanked them politely before ending the call.

The silence in his office felt heavier than before. He opened an old wooden drawer and took out a framed family photograph. It had been taken years ago during his High School graduation day in Manila.

His older sister stood proudly beside her son, who was only fifteen at the time. Ismael's smile was bright and carefree, long before adulthood demanded sacrifices from him.

Gabriel sighed.

"I'll find you," he whispered.

--- -----

Down at the resort, Sheena was helping prepare for a wedding reception.

Fresh white flowers decorated the beachfront pavilion while chefs hurried between the kitchen and banquet hall.

Despite the cheerful atmosphere, her thoughts drifted elsewhere. Every unfamiliar face made her wonder if Ismael had finally returned.

Every ringing telephone made her heart race.

Every disappointment reminded her that hope could be exhausting.

Her supervisor approached.

"Sheena, could you assist Villa Six?"

"Of course."

She smiled professionally before making her way across the property.

As she walked, she noticed Gabriel speaking with the security manager near the entrance.

His expression was unusually serious. She had never seen him like that.

That afternoon, Gabriel gathered the resort's security staff.

"I need a favor."

The guards listened carefully.

"If anyone asks about Ismael Solomon..."

He placed a recent photograph on the table.

"...inform me immediately." he continued

One guard frowned. "Is he missing, Sir?"

Gabriel hesitated. "I hope not. But I can't ignore the possibility."

The room fell silent.

Everyone in the resort respected Gabriel. He treated every employee fairly and never asked for unnecessary favors.

If he looked worried...then the situation was serious.

As the evening comes in Solomon resort, the wedding celebration filled the beach with music and laughter. Fairy lights shimmered beneath the coconut trees while waves rolled gently onto the shore.

Sheena stood near the reception desk organizing guest requests.

One of the bridesmaids walked to her and smiled warmly

"You work too hard."

Sheena laughed softly. "Someone has to."

"When do you rest?"

Sheena smiled weakly before she said. I'll rest when everyone else is happy."

The woman smiled before returning to the celebration.

Gabriel happened to overhear the conversation. He was standing in the distance as if watching her and the event.

He noticed something about Sheena that reminded him of the sea. No matter how many storms she endured, she always returned to work with quiet determination.

Gabriel had it all when she was at Ismael's age. It wasn't strength born from pride. It was strength born from necessity.

Late that night, after the last guests had retired to their rooms, Sheena walked alone along the quiet shoreline.

The cool breeze carried the scent of salt and rain. She removed her shoes and let the waves wash over her feet.

For the first time in weeks, she allowed herself to cry. Not loudly, not dramatically but it was just the water that could hear her. Just enough to release the weight she had been carrying.

She missed her family so much, but to think that they need financial needs with his twin brothers education she has to do this job while waiting for Ismael. Waiting for her boyfriend that didn't care to talk to her and asked if she's okay.

But soon she realized that Ismael might be angry with her, because she returned to this island and grabbed this job without his permission.

"I never wanted us to end like this," she whispered into the darkness.

The sea offered no reply, only the endless rhythm of the tide.

Unknown to her, Gabriel had stepped onto the balcony above. He noticed her standing alone in the water, but chose not to interrupt.

Some grief required silence more than words. And he quietly returned inside.

"Are you okay?!"

Gabriel suddenly shows up from the dim area. It was the corner path leading to the employees' apartment.

"Could you give me a shot?" Sheena's impulsive voice cut through, declaring her anger over her situation. She felt broken about her relationship with Ismael now.

"Sure."

Sheena went with Gabriel to his penthouse. But before she drank any alcohol, Gabriel told her that she should only have one or two drinks. He wanted to make sure what happened last night wouldn't happen again.Sheena agreed. So, she drank the first liquor, which had a high alcohol content..

Sheena accepted the drink. As the liquid warmed her chest, the silence of the penthouse felt heavier than usual.

Gabriel watched her closely, his glass untouched, noting the way she stared into the amber depths of her drink as if looking for answers. The atmosphere in the room shifted as the alcohol began to lower her defenses. The strict self-control she usually maintained started to waver, and the weight of her unspoken thoughts became too much to bear. Her eyes grew misty, and the first tear finally spilled over.

"He promised me, Gabriel," Sheena said, her voice trembling as she set her glass down. The vulnerability she had been hiding finally surfaced.

"He promised we would figure things out. But your nephew... Ismael just gave up on us!"

Gabriel sat quietly, listening as Sheena began to share the depth of her heartache.

"I gave everything to Ismael," she choked out, her voice breaking. "I changed my whole life for him. But now, I feel so empty. It hurts so much to know that the person who made you feel so safe is the exact same person who breaks you into pieces."

The alcohol finally took over completely. Sheena’s vision blurred, and the heavy weight in her chest turned into a dizzying spin. She stumbled slightly, her knees giving out under the weight of her sadness and the strong liquor.

Gabriel moved instantly, catching her before she could fall. He held her closely against his chest, his strong arms wrapping around her waist to steady her.

Sheena rested her hands on his shoulders, breathing heavily, completely lost in her drunken state.

For a long moment, neither of them moved. The room fell dead silent, except for the sound of their breathing.

Gabriel looked down at her chest, as if looking for something that can make him turn on, his eyes dark and feel intense with pleasure. A pleasure that he wanted to experience with Sheena. He really likes her so much, the same as their first meet.

Sheena looked up, her vision hazy, seeing Gabriel's sharp features right in front of her. Their faces were so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin. The proximity was intoxicating, blurring the lines between her heartbreak over Ismael and the comfort of the man holding her right now.

Instead of pulling away, Sheena leaned in, giving in to the magnetic pull between them. She closed her eyes and let her lips touch Gabriel's, sealing her very first kiss with him in a moment of pure, and reckless vulnerability.