Author's Note: I'm sorry about the wait. I became inspired to write a couple of chapters in my other multi-chapter story and a couple of one-shots, both which are still works in progress, so this chapter was placed on the back burner.
For everyone's curiosity, Lucas practically tackles poor Henry at the end of the last chapter.
This will be the final chapter. I hope that you will enjoy it.
Chapter 5
Jo couldn't believe that she was doing this. She was attending a pool party.
She parked her car near the front of the brownstone house that Mike and Karen had chosen. As she looked at it, she smiled and shook her head. The house was built to resemble the ones in the East Side, but several small details screamed the building's true age.
She double-checked the knot on her sarong. Once satisfied, she climbed out of the car, walked around to the trunk, and took out her duffle bag, a porcelain vase, a bag containing a book and candy, and a case of beer. She then slung the duffle bag over her shoulder, placed the bag on her forearm, and set the beer and the vase on the ground.
At the same time that she closed the trunk, she heard a pair of car doors close. Her smile grew wider as she picked up the items on the ground and arranged the housewarming gifts in her arms. Henry and Abe were here.
"Good afternoon, Detective."
She turned to Henry and saw him standing at his door. She juggled the objects in her arms around to keep the vase from falling. "Hi, Henry!"
He stepped over to her, his bag over his shoulder and a smile on his face. "Allow me to take something for you."
The vase suddenly slipped out of her arms. Before she could react, he skillfully caught it in mid-air and cradled it in his arm.
"Thanks." She started to ask him where his housewarming gift was, but the sight of Abe carrying a basket toward the house stopped her.
"Yeah, sure." Abe seemed mockingly annoyed at his father. "Make your kid do all the hard work." He then smiled at Jo. "Hey, there."
"Hi, Abe."
She looked back at Henry. Her eyes widened in surprise as she noticed his NYPD t-shirt and sweat pants. She had never seen him dressed this casually—voluntarily—before. She started to think that he had gone for an unexpected swim a few hours before, but she then saw his dry, combed hair and his dress shoes. Apparently, he had worn his "uniform" to prevent another arrest while Abe was driving him to the party.
Henry looked at her. "Shall we?"
She nervously glanced at the door and bit her lower lip. It had been almost two years since she had last seen Karen. During their last conversation, something that Karen had said reminded Jo of Sean. She quickly excused herself and never returned. Karen had called her a few times afterward, but Jo had always let them go to voicemail. Now, Jo didn't know what Karen would say or think.
Jo turned to Henry. He had done practically the same thing after Abigail had left him. In his case, though, he now was starting over with people who never knew him, his wife, the circumstances of their separation, or her death. The lack of shared history with everyone made conversations uncomfortable for him.
She suddenly remembered their pact and inhaled. "Okay. Let's do this."
They walked up the stairs and stood on the top step. With his free hand, Henry reached around her and knocked on the door.
Jo heard footsteps running through the house and an exasperated feminine voice yell, "Coming!"
Jo rolled her eyes. Donnie and Matt must have caused some type of trouble before the party had even started.
The door flew open, and Jo found herself face-to-face with a shocked Karen. The two women stood still for a moment before Karen threw her arms around Jo and pulled her into an embrace.
"Jo!" Karen pulled back. "I can't believe that you've decided to come." She inhaled. "Not seeing you for the past couple of years had hurt, but, after the Aaron Brown case, I think I understand now."
Tears began to form in Jo's eyes, and she nodded to keep her composure. "Well, I guess it's time." She then smiled. "A very good friend talked me into coming."
Karen narrowed her eyes in confusion as she stepped back into the house to let in her guests. Jo quickly realized that this was the first time in two years that she's mentioned one.
Once inside, the Morgan men join Jo inside the foyer. She set the beer down on the nearby table, slipped the bag off her arm, and held it by the handles. Henry placed the vase next to the beer before taking the basket from Abe.
Curious as to what Henry had brought, Jo peeked into the basket as he moved it into the arm closest to her. She wrinkled her eyebrows when she saw that the basket was filled with bread, honey, rice, olive oil, a bottle of wine, salt, candles, some old-looking coins, what looked like chocolate, and a plant in a wooden vase.
She looked back up at Henry and opened her mouth to ask him why he had brought food. Before she could even start her question, the sight of him extending his free hand to Karen stopped her.
"Dr. Hanson, it's a pleasure to meet you again, this time under more agreeable circumstances. Thank you for inviting us to your party."
Jo cocked her head. How did Henry know Karen's occupation? Then, it hit her. During the Aaron Brown case, Henry had met Karen after he had left Mike's hospital room, and he had deduced that she was a college professor from the nonverbal cues that he had seen.
Karen shook Henry's hand. "It's nice to see you again, Henry. And, please, it's Karen."
Henry changed his position so that Abe could step forward. "Allow me to introduce you to my roommate, Abe."
Abe shook Karen's hand. "It's nice to meet you."
"My pleasure. Mike's been mentioning both of your contributions to his and Jo's cases, and I've been wanting to meet his new colleagues."
Jo looked over at the two men. Abe's eyes lit up with surprise and joy when he heard Karen's reference to him. On the other hand, Henry, in spite of his well-schooled expression, looked slightly confused for a moment.
Henry then handed his gift to her. "You likely have most of these in your pantry, but they're also traditional housewarming gifts. Ordinarily, each gift would be given in the various rooms of the house. As the practice has fallen out of custom over the years, I felt that putting them in a basket would be more appropriate for the occasion. Abe baked the bread earlier this morning, and I've included some chocolate candy for your sons."
Karen took the basket and examined the items before setting Henry and Abe's gift on the table with Jo's other presents. "Thank you."
Jo rolled her eyes up. Of course! I should have known that he would go with a traditional gift!
She glanced down at her bag and handed it to Karen. "I brought you guys a few things that I thought that you would like." She nodded to the other items. "I tried, but there was no way that I could fit them into the bag."
"Mike would appreciate the beer, and I definitely love the vase."
Karen pulled the book out of the bag and inhaled. "How did you know that I've wanted this book? Did Mike tell you?"
Jo opened her mouth in surprise several times. "No, he didn't. When I was at the bookstore this week, I remembered what you've had on your bookshelf, and this one just looked like something that you would be interested in."
Karen threw her arms around Jo again. "Thank you so much."
"You're welcome."
Karen turned to her guests and began to study Henry's appearance. She finally looked at him with a confused expression on her face. "I thought Mike had said that you worked for the OCME. Why are you wearing clothes from the NYPD?"
Before Henry could answer, Mike entered the room, threw his arm around Karen's neck, and lowered his voice. "Doc has a penchant for skinny dipping."
Jo glanced over at Henry. He looked somewhat embarrassed by Mike's comment. Then again, for Henry, humiliation was better than exposure.
Mike looked at the trio. "Thanks for coming. Lieu said that she can't make it; it's against policy. So, I guess that we're still waiting for Lucas."
Jo looked at her official partner. "His train's running late?"
"I don't know. Maybe."
He released Karen and walked over to the table. He studied each item with interest. Soon, he jerked the bottle of wine out of the basket, examined it, and whistled.
He turned to Henry. "Wow! Doc, this is quite a generous gift. I'm sure Karen and I will enjoy it."
Henry shifted his weight. "You're quite welcome."
Mike smirked, turned back to the table, and gently inserted the bottle back into the basket.
Jo studied the expensive bottle of wine. After Henry had revealed his true age, she recalled their conversation about his expensive tastes, and, out of curiosity, she made a quick calculation. Her jaw dropped open when she had seen his estimated net worth. At that moment, his ability to enjoy the finer things in life on a medical examiner's salary made perfect sense. All of his luxuries were purchased with his significant savings.
Suddenly, a crash filled the air, startling Jo out of her memories. Mike looked toward the back of the house and marched in the direction of the sound. "Boys! Don't make me—."
Karen looked over at the trio. "I need to move the table and finish setting the snacks out."
Henry stepped a little closer to her. "Let me help you with your preparations."
"You don't have to—."
"I insist. Your husband will be busy with your sons, and you still need assistance."
Karen sighed with relief. "Thank you." She took the basket and the beer. "Let me put these in the kitchen first."
As they walked toward the back of the house, Jo heard Abe mutter, "Great! He decides to turn up his immortal charm today."
Jo stifled a giggle. "You'll have more time to talk to her later."
Abe turned to her. "I know."
Jo studied the older man. "I'm a little surprised that you came." She lowered her voice. "You know, since we're your dad's colleagues."
"And miss this?!" Abe grinned. "I've been looking forward to this since he mentioned it earlier in the week. I haven't been to a pool party in years."
He suddenly grew somber and lowered his voice. "I haven't seen Pops like this since we had lived in Hawaii. In some ways, I had begun to believe that this part of him had died forever after Mom had left us. It's good to see him wanting to spend a day with others outside of work again."
Jo looked down at the ground before nodding. For Henry, death meant the inability to have friends, to have a hometown, to trust others, and to see his life as a gift—to be denied everything that everyone else took for granted.
Yet, Henry was changing—and for the better. When she had first met him, he had called the train engineer on his autopsy table "lucky". Henry's subsequent involvement in the investigation breathed life into him, and, over the past year, she watched him wake up and start to live again.
She opened her mouth to ask Abe what he believed was the cause of the changes in Henry. As she began to form the first word, she heard the door slam behind her.
"Hey, guys!"
She and Abe turned around and saw Lucas standing in the doorway. Like the other men, he wore a t-shirt. Somehow, though, he was able to ride the subway in his swim trunks.
Lucas moved his shoulder to keep his bag from slipping. "Sorry I'm late. I had to wait for traffic while walking to the station. Then, I had to wait for my train. I thought that I would never make it. Where is everyone? I'm looking forward to this party."
Jo and Abe looked at each other. It was about time for the party to start.
They followed Karen outside and toward the area. Mike wasn't kidding when he had said that the community pool was in their backyard. All they had to do was cross their patch of grass to get to it.
Jo looked around. Tables, benches, and a couple of restrooms were on the other side of the pool. Henry and Karen had set the snack table in a corner of Mike and Karen's yard, and a couple of ice coolers sat near it. Nearby, Henry's bag laid under a second table with plates and cups on it.
Jo surveyed the area and quickly found Henry. He had removed his outer clothes, leaving only his red swim trunks.
The trunks drew her eyes upward, and she suddenly felt breathless. What on Earth did he do in his first 35 years to get into that shape?! She had seen his physique once before, but this was the first time that she really studied it. It must have come from walking, swimming, climbing trees, lifting patients, and possibly horseback riding.
Feeling a little dizzy, she took a deep breath. The late summer air woke her out of her reverie. Henry had just buried Abigail. Even if he had had time to grieve, Jo shouldn't think of her friend in that way; they weren't like that.
His scar caught her eye. She took another deep breath, this time to calm her nerves. Hopefully, no one else would notice it today.
Mike then walked into the yard with both boys in front of him. The exasperated look on his face told her that they still had a few more minutes left before the party's start.
She hurried back into the house. She dropped her bag, untied her sarong, and stuffed it into her bag. As she placed the handle on her shoulder, she checked the suit's fit. Satisfied, she walked out the door and to the tables.
Once there, she squatted down and set her bag next to Henry's. She listened for his watch, but she heard nothing. Apparently, he had left it at home today.
As she straightened, she felt a set of eyes on her. Hoping that Lucas wasn't watching her, she turned around. To her pleasant surprise, it was Henry.
He gave her a half smile. "I'm sorry, Detective. I was distracted."
She stepped over to him. "May I remind you that I'm usually armed?"
He softly chuckled, and she could see a bit of a twinkle in his eyes. His expression caused her smile to grow.
"Everybody?!" Mike's voice silenced the small group and prompted them to face him.
"First of all, thank you so much for coming. This is our first house, and you don't know how much it means to Karen and me to have you all here.
"Next, sodas and water are in the ice coolers for everyone. Hamburgers and hot dogs will be served later, so no complaints from any of you with fancy tastes."
Henry chuckled and leaned over. "If done right, they're not bad." He paused. "Baseball park fare."
Jo nodded. He and Abe had eaten some while watching the games at Yankee Stadium when Abe was a boy.
"Lastly," Mike's voice stopped her comment to Henry. "I'm glad that I asked if everyone could swim. There are some games planned—"
Jo swallowed. Games were added because of Donnie and Matt. Would Henry join in?
She inhaled. Likely, he would. It was a part of the experience.
"Okay! Let's get this party started!" Mike looked down at his t-shirt and pants. "Nuts! I need to change."
The group walked over to the pool, climbed down the stairs, and slipped into the water. Jo pushed away from everyone and let the water relax her as she floated toward the middle of the pool.
She looked at Henry to see if he was coming. He stood frozen in place, and he stared at something past her.
"Abraham! NO!"
She lowered her legs. What caused Henry to suddenly forget himself and slip into parent mode?
She turned in time to see Abe sit down at the deep end, stick his feet into the water, and slide into the pool. She held her breath the moment that he disappeared under the surface. A few seconds later, she exhaled as she watched Abe bob back up with a huge grin on his face.
"Still got it!"
Behind her, Henry breathed a sigh of relief. Jo sensed that Abe would hear a lecture when he and Henry would return to the car that evening.
As she let the younger Morgan pass her, she smiled. She was quite comfortable with the unusual circumstances. It didn't matter whether Henry was immortal. He was just like everyone else. Over the past year, it was his humanity that had caused the "weirdest, creepiest, most unusual person" she's ever met to become one of her good friends.
Suddenly, she felt something shove her, and she lost her balance. Her legs floated out from under her, and they started to carry her body with them. Within the next second, she felt a pair of strong hands enclose themselves around her upper arms. Surprised by the motion, she lifted her head up to see who caught her and found herself looking into Henry's face.
Her eyes drifted to his. The second that their eyes locked, her mind went blank, and she felt herself floating on the surface. She was so focused on Henry's caring eyes that she barely heard Donnie and Matt yell, "Sorry, Aunt Jo!"
Her heart started racing, and she felt the desire to avert her gaze. Yet, she didn't want to move, and the urge to look away quickly passed. She couldn't think of anything other than her enjoyment of the view.
"Okay! I got a rope for tug of war! Who's up for it?"
Jo startled at the sound of Mike's' voice and blinked. For a moment, she felt like that she was under a magic spell again. This time, she didn't want it to be broken—ever.
She lowered her legs, and Henry helped her to stand. They looked over toward Mike, who carried a rope in his hands.
Mike looked at his wife. "How are we going to do this?"
"We could count off."
Donnie swam up to Jo. "Can I join you, Aunt Jo?"
She turned to him. "Only if your mom and dad will allow it."
Behind her, Jo could hear Henry and Abe strategizing and Abe teasingly calling his father "Methuselah". Depending on how competitive they were, they might want to be on the same side.
She looked at Karen. "Are we picking sides?"
Karen looked at Matt and Lucas talking to each other and then back at Jo. "It looks like it." Karen swam over. "I definitely want to spend time with you today, but do you mind if I teamed up with Mike?"
Jo smiled. Karen had never wanted to compete against her husband; the boys' competitiveness caused enough trouble in their family. "Not a bit."
Karen breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks!"
Before either of them could say another word, Jo heard splashing behind her and Donnie asking, "Dr. Morgan, can I join you?"
Karen chuckled as Henry said yes. "It looks like we have our first team." She turned to her husband and back to Jo. "I'll get between Mike and Lucas. That should keep the peace between them."
"Hey!" Mike's voice rang out over the conversations. "Do we have our teams yet?"
Karen swam toward him. "I think so!"
Jo turned to Henry. "So, who's going where?"
He studied the group. "Donnie should be in the middle, and you and I should take the ends." He reached his hand behind his head and sheepishly grinned. "Your tackle leads me to say that it's your choice of where you want to be."
Abe leaned in. "I'll get in front of whoever is in the back."
She nodded. With Henry's act of chivalry, that meant that Abe should be in front of his father.
Before Jo could tease Henry, Mike cleared his throat. "Everybody ready?"
The four looked at each other as they took their positions. Jo spoke up as she walked toward Mike. "Yeah!"
Mike tossed the rope to her. She took the end and passed it back to the rest of the group.
She looked over at the other team. Mike had gone to the front, and Karen stood behind him. Lucas anchored the group.
Mike looked her in the eye. "Ready?"
"As I'll ever be."
They both yelled, "Go!"
The second that she started pulling, she felt the rope move toward the other team. She rooted her feet to the bottom of the pool and pulled hard. Behind her, she could feel everyone else on her team following her lead.
She wrinkled her brows. It was almost as if they were pulling in a rhythm. She pushed the thought out of her mind. It was probably something that Henry had picked up on a ship, possibly even aboard The Empress of Africa, a long time ago. She could ask him about it later.
She picked up their rhythm, but she sensed that it might be too late. She felt herself being dragged toward the middle of the pool. She adjusted her stance to give herself more leverage.
As she finished, a hard tug jerked her toward Mike. For the second time that day, she lost her balance, and her legs floated out from under her. She hoped that she didn't accidently kicked Donnie.
As she noticed that Donnie wasn't behind her, the rope went slack in her hands. Apparently, Mike's pull had caused the guys behind her to lose their balance too.
She lowered her legs and pushed her hair out of her eyes. She stared at a grinning Mike. "You did that on purpose!"
His eyes met hers. "All's fair."
Waves splashed on her. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Henry approach her partner. "Since bragging rights are on the line, how about making it best two out of three?"
Mike raised one eyebrow and then thought about it for a moment. "You're on!"
She looked at Henry. "If this is your idea of chivalry—."
He leaned over. "I'm not interested in losing to Lucas."
She stared at him as he walked back to his original location. He had never shown any competitiveness before.
She then smiled. Lucas would drive him crazy with his gloating if the assistant ME won.
They resumed their positions, and Jo's team picked up the rope. This time, with Jo learning Henry and Abe's rhythm, they pulled Mike, Karen, Matt, and Lucas over the pool's middle. The third time, both sides tugged until Jo, Henry, Abe, and Donnie yanked the others across the middle.
As Mike put the rope onto the ledge, Abe asked, "Now what?"
Lucas raised his hand. "What about water polo?"
Mike scowled. "We don't have enough players for it."
Henry's eyes got a faraway look in them. "The first—and last—time that I had played it, it was a free-for-all. Everyone pushed and wrestled each other for the possession of the ball. If you were tackled, you quickly found yourself with a suffocating fear of drowning as your opponent held you underwater. Even if you were able to score, the goalie could tackle you in an instant."
Jo stared at him. That was before the rules were established.
She chuckled at the image of Henry playing the sport. "Let me guess. You got tackled a lot?"
He lowered his head and sheepishly grinned. He then looked back up at her. "Unfortunately, yes."
Before she could ask him whether he scored any points, Donnie piped up. "What about Water Hoops?"
Henry looked at her, his eyes narrowed in confusion. "What?"
"It's basketball in the swimming pool."
"Basketball?"
Jo nodded. "You've never played basketball on land before."
She then heard splashing nearby. Matt shouted, "How about Marco Polo?!"
Donnie and Lucas both yelled, "Yeah!"
Henry gave her another confused look. "How is the explorer whose route took him over land connected to an aquatic activity?"
Good question. "I don't know. I've never played it myself."
"What?!" Karen's voice caused her to turn around. A look of recognition crossed Karen's face. "It's like tag. The person who's 'it' yells 'Marco' to let everyone know that they're coming. Since the person is blindfolded or has their eyes closed, everyone else shouts 'Polo' as they try to get away."
Henry's eyes widened, and he started to get a faraway look in his eyes again.
Jo nudged him and he quickly returned to the present. "I haven't played that variant of tag since I was a child. It'll be interesting to play it in a pool."
"Great!" Karen started to swim toward an edge.
Jo looked at Henry. "Well?"
"I think that we need to find our initial positions."
After a few rounds of Marco Polo and a game of water Frisbee, Jo tiredly swam to the stairs and sat down on a step. She was enjoying herself, but she had forgotten how much stamina Donnie and Matt had.
"You too?"
She turned around and smiled at Karen as her friend joined her. "Yeah. I haven't been that active in ages."
"Me neither." She leaned over and lowered her voice. "I hid all the candy that everyone brought. That way, the boys won't get a sugar rush." She straightened up. "Mike went back inside for a clear bottle so that we can play invisi-bottle later."
"Something tells me that Henry will win that one hands-down. That is, if he doesn't help Donnie and Matt find it."
Karen nodded. She then smirked, almost as though she knew something that Jo didn't. "He's the one who talked you into coming. I can tell by watching you two that he's good for you. What's his story?"
"Quite the long one." Jo glanced down for a moment to carefully choose her next words. "Basically, he's had a bit of a rough start, but things might be starting to turn around for him."
Karen smiled. "I obviously don't know anyone like that before now, but sometimes, guys with those type of stories turn out to be the best ones."
Jo nodded and looked toward the other end of the pool. Henry, Abe, and Karen's sons sat beside each other on the edge of the pool, their feet dangling into the water. Matt sat beside Abe while Donnie was on the other side of Henry.
She smiled. Karen had an excellent point. Henry was the kindest, most compassionate, least judgmental person that she's ever met—even if he could drive her crazy at times. His traits were forged over the course of his life, and, honestly, it made him a good man.
Matt's voice suddenly drifted toward them. "How did you get your tattoo?"
Abe startled but turned to him. "Some mean men gave it to me when I was a baby. I'll let your mom and dad tell you about them later. Anyway, Mom and Pops found me and adopted me."
Karen and Jo looked at each other. Jo whispered, "Holocaust survivor. Auschwitz."
Karen's eyes widened in horror and then amazement. She mouthed, "Wow!"
"How did you get your scar?"
Donnie's question to Henry sent a cold chill through Jo and forced her to refocus her attention onto the group. Henry looked slightly panicked.
He sighed. "The story is not intended for young ears, and, honestly, I prefer not to talk about it."
A splash at the deep end of the pool attracted Jo's attention. She jumped at the sight of Lucas. He apparently had remained there while everyone else got out to rest.
Lucas studied Henry as the assistant ME righted himself. Then, he placed his hand on the area in the same location as Henry's scar. He looked down, and his mouth dropped open. Within the next second, he started to grow excited.
Nuts! Lucas didn't have as much information as she had when she had first learn Henry's secret. Yet, the assistant ME's interests in horror films and science fiction were allowing him to draw the natural conclusion.
Her heart started pounding. Lucas was almost completely unable to keep a secret. If his excitement overwhelmed him, Henry's immortality would be out to the entire group.
Fear for Henry re-energized Jo and propelled her into the water. With each stroke, she hoped that she would reach Lucas before he said something that Henry would regret.
A few strokes later, and her fingertips brushed the edge of the pool. She reached up, grabbed the ledge, and pulled herself into a standing position. She turned to Lucas. Gratefully, his posture in the water allowed her to see him eye-to-eye.
He jumped the second that he saw her and froze. Lucas turned white, and his mouth dropped open. Fear showed in his eyes, and his forehead became moist—and not from the water.
She lowered her voice and hissed, "If you utter one word, you had better hope that whatever you are thinking applies to you as well."
His surprised look lingered for a moment. Then, a look of recognition and excitement replaced it. He looked over her shoulder, and his eyes grew wide.
She then felt another pair of eyes on her. She slowly turned around and saw Henry. He looked terrified at the scene before him.
A cold chill surged through her, and she felt the need to flee the scene. The thought of Henry Morgan suddenly leaving New York and never returning in her lifetime entered her mind and wouldn't let go.
Jo sat on the steps near the handrail and looked into the swimming pool. The delicious smell of hamburgers and hot dogs filled the air, but her stomach churned. She should have never swum over to Lucas and warned him. If she hadn't, Henry might have had a chance to come up with a plausible explanation for his scar.
"May I join you?"
She looked up and saw Henry with a clear plastic cup in his hand. Unable to speak at that moment for fear of losing control of her emotions, she nodded.
He stepped down into the pool and sat beside her. He clutched the cup with both hands.
She looked at the cup's contents and finally found her voice. "Water?"
"I appreciate what Hanson is doing in providing the sodas, but—." One of his hands loosened its grip on the cup. He narrowed his eyes and gestured toward the offensive beverage. "That stuff tastes awful! Even the worst tasting beer is better than that junk! To make matters worse, Caleb Bradshaw and John Pembleton marketed it as a cure-all when it is nothing but a placebo!"
She stifled a chuckle. She hadn't seen him this curmudgeonly before.
She quickly sobered. I will never see him again after today, and it's all my fault. To keep her dismal thoughts from overwhelming her, she looked back into the water.
She swallowed, turned back toward him, and lowered her voice. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to reveal your secret."
He looked into her eyes. Surprisingly, he wasn't angry with her. "I feel that I share some of the blame."
She stared at him. Come on, Henry. This isn't the time for your chivalry.
He inhaled. "When Adam hand-delivered the photograph of Abigail and myself and the headlines from the subway crash, Lucas saw Adam's note saying 'Henry Morgan, QED'. In my terror and panic, I might have indicated that I was killed in the crash as well. It was only a matter of time before Lucas determined the truth."
Jo stared at him and then nodded. It didn't occur to her that Henry could have slipped around others too.
She looked back into the water. "Are you going to move now?"
The waves created by his shifting weight drew her attention back to him. Once again, he cradled his cup with both hands, and he solemnly and silently studied the water.
Finally, he broke his silence. "The difficult times will come, but a move motivated by fear is not worth the dissolution of a priceless friendship." He turned to her and smiled. "I'm staying."
Her eyes widened, and joy started springing up in her. "That's great! I mean—."
His smile grew into a grin. He nodded. "I like my life here, and I don't want to lose what I have. That includes my friendship with you." He paused. "I'm glad that Abe had talked me out of moving to Belgium a year ago this month."
She couldn't believe her ears. She knew that he wasn't kidding when he had said that she was someone he deeply cared about. She just didn't realize exactly how much she meant to him.
She studied him. He turned back toward the water, stared into it, and held the cup between his hands. For someone who had just made a major life decision, he didn't seem as happy as he should. In fact, he appeared nervous about something. She hoped that he wasn't reconsidering his decision.
A few moments later, he turned back to her. "Since our time in the pool a few days ago, I've been thinking about taking up recreational swimming again. I believe that you had initially gone to the pool to relax. Others consider swimming to be a solitary sport, but…"
"Henry, you're lecturing."
He shut up and then inhaled. "If you decide to go to the pool in the future, would you mind if I join you when I'm there also? You can come over to our place for breakfast afterward. I'm sure that Abe wouldn't mind."
She stared at him. That was what he was nervous about?
She thought for a moment. She had gone back to the pool a couple of days ago, but her time then wasn't as much fun as it was when Henry was there with her.
She smiled. "Of course, you can join me! It was kind of lonely without you a couple of days ago."
He first looked surprised and then grinned.
Lucas' voice caught Henry's attention. He turned to look at his assistant. Henry then drank his water like it was a shot of liquor. "Great! I might need to go to the pool Monday morning."
He didn't even need to tell her why. Henry would invite Lucas to his place tomorrow and spend their day off talking about his long life. Lucas' questions, theories, and pop culture references would drive Henry crazy, and Abe's own input wouldn't help matters. She reviewed her work schedule and planned to join him early Monday morning so that he could have someone to talk to.
Still, Henry looked rather agitated by the thought of what he had to do tomorrow. He needed to relax.
"Why wait?"
She slipped into the pool and stepped in front of him. He gave her a curious look, and, then, their eyes locked. In the next second, he set his cup onto the deck and stood up.
She moved back to let him in. As he stepped into the pool, she gently took his hands and pushed herself back. He slipped into the water and eagerly let her pull him toward the deep end.
She cocked her head. He had acted this way around her only once before—in the moments just before Mike had invited them to the party. What was going on? Both times, it was almost as if Henry was under a spell.
Still, she smiled as she watched his worry fade from his face and a sense of relaxation overtake him. There was no such thing as spells. Yet, there was such a thing as friendship. And that produced a special power of its own.
Author's Note: In the last few paragraphs, friendship? Try more like **cough, cough** falling in love **cough, cough**. In my head canon, the last time that Henry acted that way around a woman was with Abigail. We see one instance of Abigail influencing him like that in "The Art of Murder".
In case you're wondering, Donnie and Matt's apology was their own. Neither Mike nor Karen prompted them.
I found the information about water polo on Wikipedia. As for Caleb Bradshaw and John Pembleton, they are the inventors of Pepsi and Coca-Cola, respectively.