What? My heart stopped. “They did not.”
Lexi yawned. “Yes, they did. Jeff Sassano had you for the class right before lunch. Sometimes he’d stop at my table in the lunchroom to give me the reading. Those hot pink slacks you wore sometimes? They made you a ten, or so Jeff said.” Lexi chortled while I thought back. Those slacks still fit and I’d brought them.
Grabbing an extra pillow, I covered my face. The thought of the boys checking me out made me uncomfortable. Still, I’d liked Jeff. He at least spoke up in class and became part of the discussion.
Whipping the pillow from my face, Lexi tossed it to the floor. “Come on, Mom. Gregorio showed me where the pool is. No one ever uses it and he’s gone off to town today on some sort of mission for his dad.”
“His Majesty,” I reminded her softly.
By this time, Lexi had slid off the bed, the brocade coverlet releasing her slim body with a soft sigh. “Well, if you won’t come, I’m out of here.”
“No, Lexi. Wait.” That did it. No way was I letting her spend time in a pool without me.
I followed her to her room where she dug through a drawer and tossed out a blue bikini. “Here. This should be fine.”
“Give me a minute.” Heart pounding, I balled the suit into one fist and hurried back to my room. Ten minutes later we were hoofing down the hall toward the family wing. Over the blue bikini, I wore a long white t-shirt emblazoned with the Pittsburgh Steelers logo. Our flip flops flapped noisily. I’d crammed a hat on my head and wore a pair of sunglasses. Over my arm was a tote packed with books.
“We’re not going to the beach, Mom,” Lexi said with a smile. “You don’t have to worry about the students seeing you.”
That had been a constant concern back home. In our suburb there was very little I could do without bumping into a student or two who would wave and call out, “Hey, Mrs. Newhart!”
But today I wouldn’t see anyone I knew, which was a great relief. I followed Lexi down a winding staircase to an undiscovered patio on the other side of the castle. The pool was hidden from sight by a tall ridge of alder trees.
“Oh, my.” Before us stretched a pool with water the color of the sky. “An infinity pool.” The expansive pool had a hot tub at one end and was surrounded by comfortable lounge chairs, with patio umbrellas. The slide must mark the deep end.
“No diving on the shallow side, Lexi.”
She turned to give me an aggravated sigh. “Mom, I’m not a child.”
“Yes, I know that.” Burning, choking, drowning––didn’t all mothers seek out possible dangers? I shivered in the hot sun.
Meanwhile, Lexi went to a glassed-in cabinet to one side and grabbed two towels. She seemed very familiar with everything.
We both spread the towels on our chairs. I lay back, reaching for my books. I was skimming throughAnimal Farm. The book was short but chock full of concepts that brought animated classroom discussions, some of them disturbing. Did I dare open that can of worms for my royal student? The idea of equality was central to that book. This island might be a place where some people were “more equal” than others. Leaving that book in the tote, I picked up a romance. Today I wanted to relax.
Tossing her sunglasses onto her towel, Lexi kicked off her flip flops and went to the edge of the pool. Was this tall, confident girl really my daughter? My heart clutched with pride and wonder at how she’d grown. But her growth wasn’t merely physical. No, she’d matured. Twirling her hair into a long braid, she hesitated for only a second before diving. The entire time she was under water, I held my breath.
The silence stretched. Lexi didn’t emerge. Leaving my book, I jumped up, my heart in my throat. When I caught my foot on the chair, I didn’t even feel the pain. “Lexi? Lexi!” I was at the edge in seconds.
The water erupted. Water splashed everywhere. Bobbing in the water, she laughed up at me. “I could hardly touch the bottom. This pool is so deep.”
I pressed a hand to my galloping heart. “Darn you, Lexi! Don’t try to touch the bottom, okay?”
Smiling up at me, she treaded water in her aqua sun guard and bottom. “Not to worry. Come on in.” Giving a wave, she began to do laps with long, assured strokes.
Oh, this heat. It took my breath away. Looking around, I saw no one. Relief released something inside me. The day was beautiful and we had access to this gorgeous pool. I was being foolish. Flinging aside my hat and sunglasses, I dove in, joining my daughter. We did laps together until my legs felt jiggly and my arms, like lead. Then I flipped into a back float while Lexi continued to perfect her dives. The privacy cocooned us.
Finding the ladder, I eventually pulled myself out. The sun that had felt so punishing earlier now felt welcome on my wet skin. Back on the lounge chair, I waited ten minutes or so until I dried off. Then I slathered myself with sunblock that I’d bought in town. Well, I hadn’t actually purchased it and that was a problem. I wanted to pay my own way here but how could I manage that?
Ramon, one of the dining room staff, appeared. “May I bring you something, Signora Newhart?”
“Oh, water, I guess. Lexi!” I called out. “Do you want anything.”
“Sure.” And she named her favorite pop. “With lemon, please. Thank you, Ramon.”
Hmm. Something she must have learned from Gregorio and very European. Here they had lemon with everything. Ramon retreated into a secret door I hadn’t noticed earlier. Cramming my hat back on my head, I grabbed my sunglasses and my book. And I was being paid for this? Not bad.
Closing my eyes, I felt any tension dissipate. Once I’d taken a yoga class with Reena at the rec center. We’d learned deep breathing. Now I filled my lungs with air and slowly released it through my parted lips. Never in my life would I have imagined myself in a setting like this.
