#Chapter 15 – Water Playing

“Bed?!” I call out to the boys, surprised by their request. “It’s only…7 o’clock. You haven’t even had dinner!”

“Bed, bed!” the two boys shout, leaping to their feet and running around the pool. “Let’s go to bed!”

“Okay,” I say, shrugging. “Sorry Victor,” I say, turning to him. “Looks like the boys want to go home.”

“NO!” Ian shouts. “We can go to bed here! Dad has a BIG bed – we saw it upstairs! You said we could have a sleepover!”

“Yes, they should sleep here,” says Victor, eager to keep control.

“Bed! Bed! Bed!” The boys begin to chant, climbing on the ping pong table and hopping around.

“Boys, get down from there,” I say, anxious. I walk over and reach out my arms to lift them down.

“No!,” Ian shouts, an impish expression on his face. “You have to catch me first! And then we’ll go to BED!” Shrieking with laughter, he and Alvin leap from the table and fly by me, running around the pool.

“NO running!” Victor shouts, authoritative, expecting them to obey. The boys ignore him, laughing harder, jumping over lounge chairs and pushing floats into the pool.

“Boys!” I shout, using my best mom voice. It has no effect. I move towards the edge of the pool as they come around it, making a full circle. They’ll have to run right past me.

“Catch us! Catch us!” They shriek, dodging me and zipping by. I reach out as fast as I can, snatching at the tail of Ian’s shirt – missing – reaching for Alvin’s arm –

Suddenly, I feel my left leg go out from beneath me. I stumble sideways and gasp, seeing nothing but blue pool before me when – bam! I feel a strong arm around my waist, pulling me back and steadying me.

“Are you all right, Evelyn?” I gasp as Victor pulls me to him, holding me steady until I find my feet.

and looking around for the boys, avoiding eye contact

say not,” Victor murmurs, finally

the blue, from behind Victor I hear Ian shout: “LET’S PLAY MARCO POLO!” and I spy a flash of him standing right behind Victor, hands up, ready

we both topple, suddenly, helplessly, into the pool. I surface frantically, gasping for air, just in time to see the boys cannon ball into

shout, full of rage. I

boys swim around, shrieking “Marco!” and “Polo!,” completely lost in the excitement of their game. I struggle to the side of the pool and support myself against

end about ten feet away, teeth

boys, silent, paddle towards him until they each stand at his side, up to

still with absolute strength. “You boys,” he growls, “will learn to respect

my eyebrows, never having

and still. Then he pulls his sopping dress shirt off over his head, tossing it in a soggy pile on the ground, and moves to take the boys’ shirts off too so that

shape than he was five years ago, his supposed prime. His muscles move powerfully under the skin on his shoulders,

me and I blink, realizing suddenly

the pool and swimming over to the

all three. “That was

as Victor hands me a towel from a bin. “While we discuss it, why don’t you two go wash off all this chlorine in the shower,” I say, nodding

shower. “Walk!” I shout after them,

myself off as best I can, grimacing at my ruined silk

“They just have a lot of energy and need a firm

I have trouble

eyes wander down my body and

for it. “Come on, Evelyn, let’s get you some dry clothes

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255