Kiss of life
John, who's working part-time as a writer since he is raising his little boy, Jack, has been helping his son's teacher with activities as a chaperone since he doesn't have to work as much as other parents.
"Mr Bates!"
He heard a voice coming from behind him. It was the end of the afternoon, and John had been chaperoning the school trip of his son's class to the Natural History Museum. Miss Smith was a great teacher full of passion and kindness and often took the opportunity to take her pupils to do activities. But she couldn't manage to watch 20 little boys and girls running around. That's how he got involved in the first place.
His son had come back one day, crestfallen because there would be no more class trip this year since Miss Crawley was on maternity leave and the school couldn't find any replacement.
Seeing his son so sad had broken John's heart. His red little nose from crying and his sad brown and blue eyes looking at him. John was a writer, or at least he tried. His best friend, Robert Crawley, had promised him to publish his novel once he had finished it. But as of right now, John was more of a parent than a writer. He had to be Jack's father and mother as Vera had run for the hills as soon as she had given birth. He was all Jack had. John didn't have money issues, thanks to his well-deserved disability and war pension. That's how he ended up phoning the school and volunteering to chaperone Miss Smith's school trips. What he hadn't expected was how much fun he would get, and how he would fall head over heels in love with his son's teacher.
Anna Smith.
She was a beautiful blonde with magnetic blue eyes, always happy and full of energy and she was very petite, only reaching under his shoulder. He thought she was in her thirties, way too young for an old bloke like him, in his late forties, broken by life's experiences.
She had delicate traits and a sunny smile. Well, she was too beautiful and too good for him, but he couldn't help his feelings.
John told Jack to go and wait for him in the car. When he turned around, he saw her walking towards him, beautiful as ever, wearing a beautiful simple dress. She was wriggling her hands, seeming anxious.
"Mr Bates, I wanted to ask you something."
"Go ahead, Miss Smith," he replied with a reassuring smile.
"First of all, I wanted to thank you for doing this. The kids were so upset when they learned there would be no more school trips. But thanks to you, we've managed to keep up with my schedule."
"There's no need to thank me," he said, shyly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"But I need to ask one more favour from you," she said hesitantly. "This coming Friday, I'm organizing a school trip to the swimming pool before the holidays, and the person usually accompanying us fell ill. I was wondering if you would accept replacing them?"
John shifted uncomfortably on his legs, relieving pressure from his bad knee.
"I don't know if I can…"
"You have other obligations, of course," she said, a bit disappointed.
"No, it's not that. But with my leg, I don't know what much I could bring…" he said, taping his knee with his cane for effect.
"Oh, no, don't worry. You won't have to do anything. It's just watching the kids on the edge of the pool," she reassured him.
John hesitated for a second. But images from the war were coming back to his mind. Of him having to pull William's dead body out of the waters. He closed his eyes, to regain composure and chase these thoughts away.
"I'm sorry…" he said.
"No, of course. I'll try to find someone else. Thank you, all the same," she said, a disappointed smile on her face.
This seemed to do it. It pulled him out of his flashbacks and realized how stupid he was. As she said, he needn't worry. His job would only be to watch the kids from the edge.
"Wait, Miss Smith!" He shouted after her.
She turned around with a surprised look on her face.
"I'm being silly, pardon me. I will be accompanying you to the pool this Friday," he said with a smile.
"Really?" He nodded. "Oh thank you!" She flung her arms around his shoulders and gave him a kiss on his cheek before leaving. "See you Friday then, Mr Bates"
"See ya," he softly said, his accent coming out a bit, completely stunned. She had kissed him on the cheek. What a wonderful feeling, her soft lips grazing his light stubble.
When he saw her disappearing into the school, he realized he'd been staying in the middle of the pavement looking at her. He went in his car, after checking that Jack had correctly put his safety belt on and he started the engine.
Jack was chatting in the back, telling his father all about his day, but John wasn't listening to him this time. His own thoughts were taking him to the pool as he imagined Anna in a swimsuit, water dripping on her body, her long blonde hair wet and pulled up in a ponytail. The muscles working in her slim arms and thighs as she walked towards him… And suddenly it hit him. If she was to be in a swimsuit, he would have to be too! Horror and shame crept up in his chest.
"Shit, shit, shit!" he muttered under his breath.
"What did you say, Dad?" Jack said at the back.
"Nothing, sweet pea. Just that we have to go to the store to buy some new trunks."
"Yay!" Jack said enthusiastically. At least one of them thought that going to the pool was fun.
The bus stopped and Anna left the seat next to John's to help the children to come out. John followed her and gave Jack his bag before taking his.
"Girls, I want you to follow me into the cloakroom. Boys, you will go on the other side with Mr Bates," Anna said to her class. "See you on the other side," she said, smiling.
He watched her go with the girls and turned to his group.
"You heard Miss Smith, lads. Let's get these trunks on."
Once the boys were all ready, he instructed them to go to the showers before taking a seat on the benches near the pool and waiting for Miss Smith's instructions.
He entered a cabin and extracted from his bag a towel he had taken, just in case, followed by his brand-new trunks. It had been difficult enough to find one not too colourful. He didn't want to bring all attention to him, it was the last thing he wanted. After scanning the section in the shop, he had finally found one his size that would do very well. It was a gradation of two shades of deep blue, thighs length. He knew there was no way he could find trunks able to hide his scar. His right knee was very well apparent, crisscrossed with scars.
He had planned to wear a beige linen short-sleeved shirt, but that was before he saw the big red sign of the pool forbidding any piece of clothing except for trunks and swimsuits.
Reluctantly he opened his shirt and took it off. He felt naked, exposed. He tried to suck his belly in but failed to hold it long. Sod it, he thought. It's not like a beautiful creature like Anna would ever be interested in a guy like him. He'd contend himself to watch her from a distance and dream about her.
He wanted to pass the shower as he wouldn't go inside the pool but he thought it wouldn't be a great example for the kids if he didn't.
After the freshwater had cooled him down, he dried himself, thanking his good judgement for having brought that towel. He braced himself and joined the group.
Anna was already briefing the group of kids who seemed very eager to jump into the water. She was sporting a beautiful blue swimsuit with yellow patterns. Her hair was dripping on her back, free and wild. She looked gorgeous, like a mermaid, he thought.
When she turned around to welcome him, he saw her looking at him from toe to head. A shy smile appeared when she saw his face, which made him blush. He immediately avoided her gaze. Thank god his trunks had pockets! Otherwise, he'd be feeling more awkward and more of a fool than he already felt.
Anna finished her talk and the kids went inside the shallow pool, screaming and laughing.
"Crazy kids," John said. "They're a handful. I don't know how you do in class alone with all of them. I have enough of a hard time at home with Jack."
She laughed, letting her beautiful smile appear. His knees went weak.
"It's not a hard job when it's your passion. And Jack is a good kid. You should be proud of him. He just has lots of energy, that's all."
Anna knew about John's situation. During one of their many school trips together, she had asked about his partner and had shared with her his past with Vera.
"Well, I can't blame him, really. I was easily distracted at school… Not really paying attention," he said. "So, what do you need me to do?"
"Can you take the first group that knows how to swim and make them do exercises and begin a game of water polo? I have a file there that will show you what you need to know"
"Sure."
Anna was in the pool teaching the small group of children how to swim. She couldn't help but furtively look at John on the other side of the pool, where laughs and screams were being heard as a ball was thrown above water.
He was sitting on the edge of the pool, his legs in the water. Probably because staying on his feet was too much for his knee, she thought. He had a whistle around his neck and was counting points, very focused on the game.
He was a broad chubby tall man with dark hair and hazel eyes that crinkled when he smiled. How she loved when he shared a joke with her and his boyish grin appeared and his eyes smiled. When she had seen him walking in his trunks towards her with his small limp, his damp hair all tousled and giving proper images to her fantasies about his chest hair, she didn't think he could look any sexier than this.
A piercing cry brought her out of her thoughts when a ball hit with force a little girl coming back from the loo and projecting her into the deep end.
John didn't waste time thinking. He jumped into the deep waters and swam towards the little girl. He managed to grab her and as he was struggling to get her towards the edge, Anna, certainly alerted by the cry, helped him and took over the little girl.
Suddenly, his knee got stuck and a piercing pain went through his whole leg. A panic attack rose in his chest. He felt again as if William's body was weighing him down, dragging him to the bottom of the deep end. Water went into his mouth and he sank into the deep waters, too far away from the edge to help himself. The pain in his leg prevented him from swimming and reaching the surface again.
Anna helped the little girl on the edge. She was coughing, a bit shaken, but nothing too serious. She sighed, relieved. The kids had all exited the pool to gather around them.
"David, go fetch some help, darling."
The little boy nodded and went towards the cloakroom.
"Where is Daddy?" Jack said, anxiously.
Anna assumed that John was just behind her, following them to the edge. She turned around and to her stupor didn't find his reassuring presence by her side. Instead, she saw bubbles on the surface. Fear burnt in her stomach. No, no, no, this couldn't be happening!
"Stay here!" she yelled to the group and she dived into the water.
She saw him, struggling near the bottom, holding his stiff right leg. She reached him and took him under the arms, trying to pull him up. She felt him convulse and saw bubbles passing in front of her. Then his body went still and transformed into a dead weight. He had lost consciousness.
She used the bottom of the pool as support and thrust herself and John towards the surface in a desperate attempt. She breathed heavily as her head emerged and she dragged John's heavy body to the edge. Three little boys including Jack helped to drag him onto the shore. She asked them to make some space around him and she put her head on his hairy chest listening in. He wasn't breathing. She started CPR and mouth-to-mouth. Jack was holding his father's hand, crying softly next to her. She couldn't let this sweet little boy become an orphan. She had to save John. In a last effort, she literally gave him the kiss of life as his body jerked up and he coughed the water inside his lungs. At this instant, the paramedic arrived and took over.
A heavily pregnant Mary had arrived urgently when Anna had called, asking her if she could take care of the kids as she needed to accompany Jack in the ambulance with his father.
Fortunately, the kids were happy to see her again and they were now all focused on her bump and asking her about the baby, the tragedy that occurred moments before forgotten for now. Only Jack was sitting very close to Anna on a bench, worried for his father. She had put her arm around his shoulders and had pushed him further against her to comfort him.
Finally, the stretcher approached with John in his trunks still unconscious attached firmly to it. Anna took Jack's hand and they went to the ambulance.
Once in the hospital, they were sitting in the waiting room.
"Is Daddy gonna leave? Like my mother?" Jack asked suddenly. Anna tensed at the question. It broke her heart that this little boy was thinking he would be abandoned and would end up all alone.
"Of course not, sweety! Your dad is not gonna leave you. He just needs some rest," she said gently. He looked at her with his big blue eyes. He looked every bit like John. "You know," she continued, "your mother left because she thought she wouldn't be able to be a mum. But your dad has always been here for you, hasn't he?" Jack nodded. "He loves you more than anything, you know? He's the best man I know, and he will always be there for you."
This seemed to calm the little boy. He snuggled up against her and stayed quiet for a while.
"Miss Smith?" He asked again.
"Yes, Jack?"
"Do you love my dad?"
Anna wasn't expecting this at all. She opened her mouth and closed it again, at a loss for words. Her cheeks turned crimson pink. But before she could say anything the little boy continued.
"Because Dad loves you. He can't stop talking about you and how beautiful you are."
This was a greater shock to her.
"How — How do you know that, Jack?" She stuttered, recovering her voice.
"Well, he always takes an awful amount of time getting dressed when we have a school trip and he puts on so much cologne that it makes me sneeze and when you asked him to accompany us to the Natural History Museum, he accepted even though there was a football match."
"Well, maybe your father likes to dress and he loves going to the museum," she argued.
"Dad NEVER misses a Manchester United match."
Anna laughed imagining him with Jack watching football on tv, sporting his team jersey. A feeling of warmth engulfed her body. She couldn't believe that this gentle giant was keen on her.
"If you love him too," Jack continued, "will you be my mummy?"
Anna didn't have time to answer thanks to the nurse arriving. Jack completely forgot what he was saying and jumped to his feet.
"Can I see my dad?" He asked.
"Are you here for Mr Bates?" The nurse asked.
"Yes, we are," Anna answered, raising to her feet and putting her hand on Jack's head.
"He is awake and ready to go home. He is still tired but everything's alright. You can go see him."
"Come on," she said to Jack, and the little boy went to the right door and opened it.
Anna followed him and found John finishing buttoning his short-sleeved shirt up. He looked fine and Anna exhaled a sigh of relief she didn't know she had been containing.
"Daddy!" Jack said, throwing himself into his father's embrace. They hugged tenderly for a moment before John let Jack go. "Miss Smith will stay the night with us!"
"Oh no, I couldn't ask you to…" he said but Anna interrupted him.
"I'm happy to, and besides, you need to rest and someone has to watch Jack for you."
John looked at Anna's smile and then at his son's pleading face before giving away.
"Alright," he said, "thank you."
"I'm taking your bag, Dad," Jack said proudly.
Anna and John looked at each other and chuckled softly.
As they began to leave the room, Anna noticed John groaning and limping more pronouncedly than usual.
"Here, let me help you," she said, taking his arm around her shoulder. He looked at her and smiled.
"Thank you."
They drove to his home and Anna insisted on the boys watching tv while she was cooking them dinner. She was happy to see they both had a good appetite after this emotional day and that they loved her bolognese spaghetti. She saw John yawning a couple of times and asked Jack to go play in his room.
She helped John to get to his bedroom. It was a beautiful room with neutral colours. Maybe it lacked a bit of a woman's touch, but Anna smiled seeing all the pictures of Jack and of the two of them hanging everywhere. He got rid of his shoes and climbed into bed. She put the covers over him and before she could go, he grabbed her hand.
"Thank you for taking such good care of my little boy… and of me," he said softly before falling asleep, exhausted.
"Good night, John" she whispered, before leaving him snoring gently.
John was making breakfast when he heard footsteps approaching. Anna arrived in the kitchen, still sleepy.
"I made us breakfast," he said, "I hope I didn't wake you."
She grabbed the cup of coffee he was giving her.
"Not at all. It smells good," she said, taking a sip.
"Not as good as your spaghetti bolognese. I could get used to it!"
Then he realized what he said, blushing, and tried to backpedal.
"I'm sorry, I didn't... I just…"
"I'm not," she said, getting closer. "I could get used to this too."
She put her hands on his chest and closed the gap between their lips. This time she savoured the sensation and his strong body against hers, unlike during the mouth-to-mouth. But it was every bit a kiss of life. He returned her kiss and put his forehead against hers, sighing in relief.
"Told you so!" said Jack who had seen the kiss when entering the kitchen in his pyjamas. They all burst out laughing.