20: Waiting Game

Sine waited to hear or see something on the news, half expecting Mark to start claiming she had been kidnapped. Then again, that would lead to a slew of questions he probably wouldn't want to answer, not to mention that would also mean she could start airing their 'dirty laundry' as the saying went.

Two weeks went by and nothing, which only served to put her and Paul even more on edge. The tension in the house was so thick it was stifling.

"Gavin, no!" She called, chasing after her son as he tottered towards the woods, catching and promptly turning him back towards the house. Towards, Paul and Kalea.

Paul was sitting in an oversized yard chair, bouncing one knee rapidly as if anxious, bare from the waist up. Not that she blamed him, it was far too hot. Summers here were apparently scorching and humid, all at once, how delightful. It was made worse by the fact that the central air inside had gone out and Paul wasn't risking going into town to replace it or calling someone to come repair it.

They were suffering.

The twins were running around in their diapers, slathered in sunblock while Sine sported jeans that had been cut into shorts and a tank top that was clinging to her due to sweating so much. It was too hot to stay inside and almost as hot outside, even in the shade of the trees.

"I know it's hot." He murmured when she dropped down into the grass at his feet, leaning over to kiss the top of her head. Kalea came tottering up to him and he lifted her until she was perched on his knee, gently tapping her nose with his finger. "The pool should be filled by now."

He had found it, still in its box, in the shed, vaguely remembering buying it a few summers ago. He had never gotten around to using it though with as hot as it was, he was glad for it. It had taken the better part of three days to fill the damn thing, what with the water pressure being horrible out here in the 'sticks'.

"I can't swim." Sine said softly. Truth be told, she was terrified of water unless it was in a bathtub or sink.

"Fortunately for you, I think the highest it is is four foot deep."

Groaning, she stood up and peeled off the tank top, making a face, it was soaked. Shrugging, she spread it out to dry, not too concerned with the fact that she was now in her shorts and a sports bra. The bra covered more than what most bikini tops did. "I needed to work on my tan anyway." She joked, stretching her arms over her head. "Gavin, put the stick down."

Paul watched as Kalea shimmied off his knee and went to join her brother, both of them soon waving sticks around and shook his head. "Come on." He pushed himself out of the chair and gestured for Sine to follow him.

"Gavin, Kalea, come here." She sighed, taking their small hands after throwing away the stick and walked slowly, matching her steps to theirs. Four feet of water, she could handle that.

An hour later she was sitting on the small ladder to get in and out of the pool, her gray eyes fastened on the twins, point blank refusing to meet Paul's knowing gaze. Given how tall he was, he had to feel like he was plating in a kiddie pool. With her kiddies.

When Gavin and Kalea both had had enough of the water, and were tired out from being in the sunshine, she carried them inside to towel them off and put them down for their afternoon nap. She took her sweet time, finally returning outside, to the pool, this time not climbing up to sit on the ladder. Screw that.

Paul was enjoying having the pool to himself. He didn't mind playing with the twins, but… he wouldn't lie, it was nice to not have to worry about them drowning. He stopped floating when he seen she wasn't getting back in and sighed, swimming over to the ladder. "Come on, Sine."

"Non."

Frowning, he stood up and held out his arms towards her. "Just come here."

Hesitantly, she stepped towards him. Which turned out to be a mistake because a moment later he was dragging her over the ladder and into the water. "Paul!" She shrieked, clinging to him for dear life, knowing it was stupid but she couldn't help it. It would be highly ironic and entirely plausible that after everything she had been through and survived, she would die in four feet of water.

Ignoring her muttered curses, not that he could understand what she was saying, Paul lay back and pulled her until she was straddling him. He could feel her palms against his chest, her no longer perfectly manicured fingernails digging into heated flesh.

Sine was trying her best not to move, her gray eyes wide as she stared down at him. If not for the fact that they were in the pool, she probably would have tried strangling him for this. When Paul did some move with his feet to change their direction, she panicked, fell off of him and went under.

"Shit, Sine, sorry!"

In seconds, she was scrambling towards the edge of the pool, spitting water out of her mouth; and gasping. She hung her head down, coughing.

He came up behind her, rubbing her back. She was much taller than the water, it was nearly impossible for her to drown, but he got it. She was terrified. "I'm sorry honey." He whispered soothingly in her ear, gently taking her hand when she reluctantly turned around.

Sine was a bit suspicious when he began pulling her back into the center of the water, though when he didn't do the laying back thing again, she relaxed, if only a fraction. Her legs went around his waist, her arms around his neck, pressing her head to his.

"Better?" He murmured.

"Yes, much."