Marina's 'pull the other one' face needed no translating.
"No really! I Tried sneaking out of the apartment through a back window and down the fire escape when I was nearly sixteen." Atlanta said chuckled. And reminiscing continued,
"We're living on the World security base in San Fran at the time. San Francisco, I mean. We'd moved around a lot, living in family accommodation blocks. And in the officers' mess there was a job open in the canteen bar, playing the piano and collecting glasses for an hour or so in the evening. Only I wasn't old enough really? And dad didn't want me putting my grades at risk so he told me I couldn't go. But I wanted to do it. I wanted to have my own money and boost my allowance. So, I had to work in secret. I put a different date of birth on my form and forged my mom's signature on my emergency contact, and got the job."
"It was a long time before my father's accident so we were living on the fourth floor. He was a captain then actually. Like Troy is now but with a few more years of service. And these family blocks, they had these fire escapes on the outside like you see in movies. Real old buildings, two hundred years old or so. I don't think they'd even been serviced since the twenty tens. So anyway, this one night I snuck out our apartment like I had been doing the whole month? I thought I was always so clever climbing down them but one night I failed miserably. I was late so I rushed down the fire escape and then I Fell."
Marina suddenly looked alarmed at that-!
" oh, not from that height!" Atlanta assured her. " No, just as I was on the last ladder before the sidewalk. I stood on it wrong and the whole rusty thing went out from under me. I fell what, five feet if that? But I landed sideways, hard with the ladder trapping me. I Busted my shoulder, my knee and broke my arm in three places. Got a bolt here, and a plate here." She explained and Pointed it out. Marina made a face at her. Then at the bolt not even an inch from her own hand. Atlanta shouldn't laugh but it was a picture. Did aquatic folks put metal in themselves to realign bones and straighten teeth, Atlanta wondered. Or did they think us mad for it?
Then Marina's face clouded over again.
"Hurt?" She asked. (Hurt, question?)
"Yeah. It hurt like a sea witch at the time. And I had quite a nasty concussion. I Was in a cast for ages too. That was the worst thing. I Couldn't play piano or draw AND I was grounded for a month." Atlanta complained. "Both my parents gave me such a telling off in front of the ambulance crew. Then My mom wrote to every officer on site and Called the housing officer every name under the sun... It was so embarrassing." Atlanta sighed.
"She kept the cast though. Father Brought me a Meccano set as a joke for every Birthday and Christmas for three years or so, refusing to let me live it down."
Had it not been for Barry Byrne's Christmas visit with all his new toys last year Marina might not have got the joke. She grinned Amused nodding at the commander's old prank. Then that frown cringed her pretty face again. She had to let Atlanta go to use both her hands for some words.
"But Pain? Hurts? Hurts now?" she Asked again, turning Atlanta's own question on her. "Is it healed? Fully? It doesn't hurt you anymore?"
She returned her hands to Atlanta's arm, framing the scar. Atlanta shook her head.
"No. Not now. Although It still twinges sometimes. That's Not a pain as such, though. It's more Like a stiffness? Especially in the winter. Or if I'm in very cold water. What I'm saying is… "
Marina exhaled and let go of Atlanta's arm, Distraction over.
"We've all got scars. Some are just nastier than others." Atlanta said Fixing her uniform. "Some still hurt. And some can bring up bad memories. And you can end up reliving them…Like I think you have been."
Marina caught her drift. She nodded slowly, eyes drifting off to the floor.
"But I'm guessing the way you hid it," Atlanta nodded her head to Marina's feet. Well foot. "And the way you've been so worked up is that it wasn't an accident. You didn't just get your foot in a clam shell for a dare or a kid's game. Or got bit by a turtle while swimming…"
Atlanta Trailed off her voice catching. Marina sighed. Then made a long hiss sound, an unpleasant kiss of teeth. Then she didn't say anything else. No gesture, no card. No sign or sign of emotion.
Atlanta almost broke the silence. Almost. But didn't.
The tension was unbearable but It'd set her off Thinking about grafts and marks that wrapped up about her father's legs and waist. She might not be his full-time career anymore (although much of the routine still suited them). But he still needed help here and there. And He still had nightmares. Less about the crash itself now since Troy had put to rest the 'Ghost of the sea.' but Phantom pains sometimes caught him unawares, or sometimes something would trigger the painful memories of staring at hospital ceilings.
Atlanta hated the thought of any one going through that. Least of all any of her friends. Hated the idea of anyone else hurting.
Then Marina Slowly stretched her hand out to the coffee table, palm up. Lifted it. Hesitated. Then Marina rapped her knuckles on its top. twice like she had earlier. Two taps for:
"No."
Atlanta swallowed. Marina continued, signing at her but not looking at her.
"No, not a game. Not an accident."
Oh no. Oh Atlanta knew she shouldn't press but:
"Something hurt you." Atlanta repeated. Her voice trembled a little as she continued, but continue she did.
"More than once in the same place for that band to be torn up so much…Something was hurting you repeatedly for a long amount of time Marina." Atlanta said. Then added "...Or someone…? "
Marina let out A laugh of all things. But not a nice one. A scoff, hollow.
"Someone. Yes. I Was Hurt." She said the bitterness open in her hands.
Marina paused then added slowly.
"Still Hurt."
"Yeah. I just. I want you to know I'm here for you." Atlanta said. "Always here. If you ever want that help. Or to talk?"
Marina had closed her eyes but gave a little nod.
"No one else." She said.
"I won't tell-" Atlanta started but Marina shook her head.
"not that, Atlanta. That too but 'that's not what I mean'." Marina said; that last bit with one of her flashcards.
"No one else," she said again. "I Want No one hurt like this. Hate it. Hated it. Hurt."
"Yeah…I bet. '' Atlanta nodded. She got up from her chair and moved to sit next to her friend on the sofa. Despite her promise not to worry, she was concerned. Marina was tense and forced herself to take slow deep breathing. Atlanta second guessed herself. But the fact Marina hadn't just walked out made up Atlanta's mind to (rightly or wrongly) To chance it
"Honey that scar? It's on your ankle. It looked like you'd been-" Atlanta started. Marina Looked up at her, slow breaths and Slowly blinking as if knowing where Atlanta was going with this and stealing herself. For her life, Atlanta couldn't tell if Her own heart was bidding her to go on or shut up. Her own voice shook but Atlanta Took a deep breath and finally said what had been on her mind.
"Marina…it looked like a shackle."
