She nods. I glance at Chessie, who’s swimming on her back, watching us. Then I look back at Thea. “Go on, then!”
She looks at the water, aims her hands, then tips forward. It’s a perfect sitting dive, and I don’t have to help as she kicks to the surface, her eyes shining. “I did it!” she declares triumphantly.
“That was terrific!” I cheer, and Chessie joins in.
“Again,” Thea says, climbing out. She does it a couple more times, and then I suggest she squats and tips forward, and then finally she does it with straight legs. Once she gets used to the sensation of falling and the shock of hitting the cold water, there’s no stopping her.
After that, the three of us have great fun, swimming around and doing tricks in the pool. Thea jumps off my knees, and Ibomb them both from the side and make them squeal. Chessie shows her how to do a handstand, and then I do one, and splash Thea when she declares Chessie’s was better.
We spend a good hour in the pool. Thea doesn’t want to get out, but eventually Chessie declares she’s getting cold, and the offer of a snack is enough to prompt Thea to scramble to the side.
“What are you going to do about a towel?” Chessie asks me. Her lips curve up as I blink. “You didn’t think about that, did you?”
“Er, no. I’ll have to drip dry.”
“Are you going to walk back to Midnight in your boxers?”
I scratch my cheek, and she rolls her eyes. “You can borrow my towel when I’m done. Just give me five minutes.”
“Okay, thanks.”
She helps Thea get out, then hesitates and looks back at me. The last time we spoke, she walked out on me, but I’m relieved to see no resentment in her eyes. “Thank you,” she says. “We both needed that today.” Without enlarging on that mysterious statement, she gets out, takes Thea’s hand, and picks up her bag, and the two of them head over to the changing rooms.
I swim around, pondering what she could have meant, until eventually they emerge, dried and dressed. I get out of the pool and go over to them, and Chessie holds out her slightly damp towel.
“Thanks.” I put it around my shoulders and rub my hair as I watch her lift her bag onto the bench and rifle around in it. She brings out a bottle of water and a box of cereal bars, and Thea claps her hands and starts opening the box.
Chessie glances to the right at the ground, sees my feet, and obviously realizes I’m still there. I haven’t dried my legs yet, so I imagine she’s looking at the water droplets clinging to my hairsas her gaze slowly slides up, gets to my wet boxer-briefs, which are clinging to me, and hitches before her eyes snap up to mine.
Her cheeks stain a light red. “Go and get dressed,” she snaps.
My lips twitch. “Yes, Mum.”
She rolls her eyes and returns to making sure Thea’s feet are dry before she puts on her socks and shoes.
Grinning, I go into the changing rooms, dry myself and put my clothes back on, and do my best to run my fingers through my hair. It’s tangled, though, and in the end I give up. I should really get it cut, and my beard too. There’s long and then there’slong.
I go back out and cross the short distance to them, and throw myself on the ground in front of the bench. Chessie holds out a cereal bar, and I take it and demolish it in two bites.
“Wow,” she says, as Thea’s eyes widen. “Did that even touch the sides?”
“I missed breakfast.”
“Some supermodel keeping you up all night?” Chessie asks tartly.
“No… if you must know, I was down the gym this morning.”
“At Midnight? Don’t you have a house of your own?”
“I do. A very nice one. But I have an early meeting at Midnight tomorrow with some executives staying at the resort, and I was in yesterday, and sometimes I can’t be bothered to make the journey home. I need to learn to fly a helicopter, like Orson.”
Thea’s eyes nearly fall out of her head, and I suddenly remember who I’m talking to. I look at Chessie, wondering if she’s angry at me again for reminding her of the difference in our lifestyles, but she’s smiling, so I’m guessing not.
“Can I explore?” Thea asks. “I saw a rabbit on the grass.”
“Of course. Just don’t go too far.”
Thea hands her the wrapper from her cereal bar, jumps off the bench, and heads into the trees. Chessie turns so she’s astride the bench and can keep an eye on her, then looks down at me and smiles. “You were very good with her,” she says. “I can see why they want you at the Foundation.”