Two splashes, one loud and one barely audible, echoed off the rocks on the sides of the pool. Charlie shook his head, though a smile played on his lips. He hadn't grown up near water, so he couldn't swim a lick. But he had to learn on the Island. Water was something he couldn't avoid there.
His children, however, were in the water from the time they were born. Aaron could float on his back by fifteen months. Chasity had just learned the backstroke, and was already perfecting it. Where they had gotten their swimming abilities was a mystery to him.
"Da!" Aaron called, blinking at the water droplets that dripped from his lashes. "Come on it!"
Charlie pulled off his shirt, leaving only a worn, sun bleached pair of swim trunks on. He had no need for slipping off shoes, because he wasn't wearing any. Shoes had become a luxury on the Island with the supply growing low. Hardly anyone covered their feet anymore.
Charlie carefully walked in, avoiding any rocks on the edge. He trudged his way to where Aaron was wading water halfway into the pool. He grabbed his son by the waist, and threw him a few feet in front of him. Aaron resurfaced, sputtering and laughing and demanding for another go. Chasity floated on her back practicing her backstroke around the pool. She didn't much like to be thrown around like her brother.
After a while, Aaron begged to go for a jump off the waterfall. Even after so many times, this frightened Charlie to near panic. Claire, however, was all right with the aspect of their son running off an eight foot waterfall. Charlie blamed it on Sawyer. The Southerner had held Aaron while jumping from the waterfall one afternoon while neither parent wasn't looking. Aaron was shaken from the jump, but had enjoyed it so much, he went with Sawyer three more times before the Southerner called it a day.
"I'll be fine, Da," Aaron reassured. "I've done it loads of times."
"I know," replied Charlie. Aaron waited, eagerly. "All right, go on."
Aaron let out a yelp of excitement, and headed for the rocks on the side of the waterfall.
"Be careful, son!" Charlie shouted then winced. He thought when he had children he would sound like his father, but that was not meant to be, for he was reminding himself of his mother everyday.
He watched fretfully, worrying if Aaron would slip on a wet rock. Two thin arms encased his neck, and a small body pressed against his back. Charlie glanced over his shoulder, smiling. "Hello, darling."
Chasity planted a wet kiss on his cheek. "Don't worry, Da. Aaron will be all right."
"Thanks for the reminder, Chas."
"Da!" Aaron, in his ever-anxious tone, called from atop the waterfall. "Watch this!" He cannonballed over the waterfall, the pool swallowing him as he hit the surface. It took several moments, but the little boy popped his head out and swam over to his Da and sister.
"I think that was your biggest splash yet, Turniphead!" said Charlie, slapping Aaron's hand in one of those 'secret handshakes' only they knew how to do.
"Daaaaaaa," Aaron whined, scrunching his face. Charlie enjoyed teasing his son about the nickname he gave Aaron before he even had a name.
They swam for a while longer until the children grew tired. Charlie and Aaron lay on their backs in the cool grass, Aaron's head resting on Charlie's side. Chasity roamed around the pool, searching for interesting bugs.
"Why is my name the only one that doesn't start with the letter 'C'?"
Charlie blinked at the random question. "How do you know that?"
"Mum's been teaching me how to read and write. My name starts with an 'A'. Why is that?"
"You should ask your Mum that question. I didn't get to help name you save for Turniphead."
Aaron sat bolt upright, a look of curiosity and determination on his face. "Mum says that Chasity has your eyes and her nose. What do I have?"
That question startled Charlie. He sat up, trying to avoid Aaron's eyes. "Full of questions today, aren't we, love? Um…you have your Mum's cheeks and chin. You didn't get anything from me."
Aaron frowned. "But, why not?"
"Because you just didn't."
"Why does Chasity get to look like you but I don't?"
Charlie flinched, inwardly. He had expected something like this to come up one day, but didn't think it would come this soon. Aaron was a bright child, and Charlie guessed he must have inherited his attentiveness to detail from that bastard who walked out on Claire. Charlie grabbed for words. "That's just how it happened."
"You love Chasity more than me!" Aaron spat out, jumping to his feet in anger. The poor boy was already getting a hot head.
"Aaron, how could you say that?" Charlie replied, desperate and surprised.
"Everything is about Chasity!"
Charlie nabbed Aaron's wrist before the boy could run off. "Aaron Fuller Pace, that is enough!"
"Da," Charlie whirled at Chasity's trembling voice. Tears streamed down the little girl's cheeks. She pointed to the jungle beyond.
Before Charlie could even turn, pain exploded on the side of his head. Chasity's scream rang through his mind as the world went black.