Every New Beginning... (Chris Evans AU)

.119.

   "Ope!" Pops calls out to her as she takes her first step out onto the sandy beach. 

  "Come on Old Man!" she teases as she takes a few more steps, distancing herself from the beach house. 

  Opal hears the sliding glass door close behind her, knowing that Pops has finally made his way out to join her. "Ya know what little girl?" he starts to tease her.

  "Little girl? Pops, I'm 22 years old. Long gone are the days of being a little girl," she says, turning to face him, digging her toes into the soft sand. 

  He chuckles, "Don't I know it."  Once close enough Opal takes his hand in hers, starting the trek down to the water once more. Their hands swing loosely between them, reminding them both of the similar moments when Opal was younger. 

  "You holding up okay?" she asks him, glancing between the sunset and his tired face. 

  "Doing the best I can, sweet girl."

  "It's only been two months, Pops. It's okay to still be upset. I'd be upset if I lost the love of my life," she admits. "Still wondering if I ever will find that love."

  "As you said, you're only 22. You've got plenty of time, Ope." He smiles softly. "I can only hope you find a love like mine and your Granny's."

  Opal stops walking, moving to sit in the sand. She guides Pops down to rest next to her. "How do I do it?"

  "Do what, Ope?"

  "Find that kind of love. Some how I don't think it's as easy as it was for you and Granny," she sighs, wistfully thinking about the deep and passionate love her grandparents had for one another. 

  Pops digs at the wet sand next to him, releasing a sharks tooth that's hidden, packed in deep. "You and love, my sweet girl, is a lot like finding this shark's tooth."    

  Opal, completely curious as to where he's going with this analogy, gives him her full attention. "Okay, crazy man. Explain please," her hand motioning for him to continue.

  "You see, I didn't just find this without doing a bit of searching. I didn't have to move too much around before seeing the darkened edge. A little more uncovering and there it was."

  Opal's brow furrows. "I don't think I'm catching on to this one. You want me to just start digging, looking for love?"

  He sighs, gives a light chuckle. "No, love. That's what the man is going to have to do to see the real you. You'll keep yourself distanced so that he has to start the process because I know you enough to know that you're not gonna make it easy for him." She smiles and nods along with his explanation. "But, then he'll manage to see a small part of your heart, at least what you'll let him see. If he's worth anything though he'll keep digging and pulling back all those bricks you have built up around your heart. And eventually you'll let him see you the way I see you. He'll hold your heart in the palm of his hand. My only prayer is that you let him love you with all he has."

  A lone tear escapes her eyes, Pops leaning over to brush it away with the pad of his thumb. "I love you, my Ope." 

  She leans over onto his shoulder, wrapping her arm through his own. They sit a bit longer, watching the sun sink behind the blue ocean waters. "It's you and me, Pops."

  

  

Opal POV