SIXTY-EIGHT – Water Games

Arous had been to the stables at least twice a week for the past few months with Simon.  Jude was there every time to call her “Princess” then systematically ignore her. She went to find him there.

            And there he was.

            She stood there watching him groom a horse. He hadn’t noticed her. Octavius sat at her heels swishing his tail.

            “Why do you do this?”

            He jumped.

            “Arous.”

            “Why do you work in a stable? You are so much more clever than Simon. I don’t get it.”

            “I like it.”

            “You like it, yes,” she said. “You don’t love it.”

            “Well,” he said and smiled at her as if he couldn’t help it. “It’s nice to see you too, Princess.”

            “I came to see you,” she said.

            “Not to go riding?” he joked.

            “No,” Arous sighed. “It all boils down to . . . I don’t know who I can trust.  You seem different that Siobhan and Simon. I mean I like them but I don’t know them.”

            “And you don’t know me,” Jude said and continued to groom the horse.

            “But I want to,” said Arous. “Can’t I trust you?”

            Jude stopped and looked up at her before answering.

            “It’s probably best if you didn’t.”

            “Why not?” Arous was insistent.

            “You’ve always gotten everything you want, I suspect.”  He was still brushing down the horse.

            “That’s not fair,” Arous mumbled. “You don’t even know me.”

            He stopped.

            “You’re right,” he said. “I’m sorry. Look, let me finish this horse here and you and Octavius and I will take a walk to the park.”

            Arous took Octavius and went outside to wait on Jude.  He didn’t take very long to appear with a bag and a smile.

            They walked to the park.

            He spread out a blanket and had a couple of canteens of water.  He had glasses for them and a bowl for Octavius.

            “If you’d given me some warning, I’d prepared a proper picnic for you.  As it is, you’ll have to do with water.”

            “That fine,” said Arous.

            Jude was the easiest person in the world to talk to he was as familiar to her as one thousand lazy summer days.  They reclined on the blanket while he told her ridiculous stories of his childhood, about him and Simon getting into all sorts of trouble.

            “All sorts,” he said.  “I’m surprised my Uncle didn’t ship me off the orphanage.”

            Arous laughed.  “You mean your father, Simon’s uncle.”

            “Simon always seemed like his favorite son and me just the tag-a-long nephew.”

            They were quiet a moment, leaning back, watching people rowing on the lake.

            “Have you ever been rowing?” he asked.

            Before she could even answer he had pulled her up by the hand and was running down toward the peer.  He stopped short of a canoe and pulled it close to the peer.

            “Hop in,” he said.

            “You’re not going to try to drown me are you?”

            “That’s a thought.”

            “That’s one wicked grin,” she said.

            “You’re the one who wants to trust me,” he said. “So, are you going to find out or not?”

            He paddled them out to the center of the lake and stopped.  It was quiet, as quiet as she had ever experienced it in the City.  It was late in the afternoon and most people had made their way back to the dock.

            “I wonder what Octavius is doing?” said Arous.

            “Napping.”

            Arous laughed, “Probably.” She was staring at the shore and away from Jude. It was more uncomfortable to look into those intense grey eyes. Him and her, all alone, bobbing peacefully on the water.

            He lifted a paddle and brought it slamming down on the water splashing Arous.

            “Hey!” she turned around. He was doubled over laughing.

            “I told you that you couldn’t trust me!”

            She jerked the paddle away from him. As he realized what was happening, he made a scramble for the paddle. Arous jerked away losing her grip on the paddle and dropping it into the water. She made a quick lean for it.

            “No, don’t!” yelled Jude but it was too late. The canoe capsized and they were both in the water.

            He grabbed her.

            “Can you swim?”

            “Of course I can,” she said. “I’ll beat you back.”

            Arous was had found her rhythm when Jude jerked her ankle pulling her out of her stride and back to him.

            “No you don’t,” he said laughing.

            “We’re only halfway there.”

            “So, breathe a minute,” he said. “Where’d you learn to swim like that?”

            “Home. I love to swim.  I’ve always been good at it.  The water is my element.”

            “Me, too,” he said.

            They treaded water together.  Jude stopped.

            “Hey,” he said. He was very still. “Stand up.”

            She did.  The water came to Arous chin and to Jude’s chest.

            “Climb on,” he said.  Arous climbed onto his back and they made their way shore.  Jude carried her to the blanket and sat her by Octavius who was still napping.  His arm was around her waist and his hand under her head.

            “That was fun,” she said.

            “For you maybe.  But do you realize how heavy you are?”

            She slapped him hard on the arm.

            “Ouch.”

            He leaned down to her.

            “I haven’t had this much fun since I’ve been here,” she whispered.

            Octavius stretched out. His paw reached up and stroked Jude’s cheek and he pulled away from Arous.

            “Even on your picnic last week with Simon?”

            “I like Simon. Octavius likes Simon.  But nothing beats swimming when it’s hot out.”

            “Even in all your clothes?” asked Jude with a smile. “I think maybe it’s the company.”

            “Maybe,” Arous returned his smile.

            “Speaking of company, Octavius sure does like Simon.  When Simon dropped me off last week Octavius insisted on going out with him.”

            “So, I heard.”

            “Simon told you that he went to Rose House with him?”

            “Yes,” said Jude. “Just like he told me that you are going to the Ambassador’s Ball with him as his date.”

            “I am.  Is there anything wrong with that?”

            “Why are you here with me? What are you playing at?”

            “You didn’t ask me to the Ball,” Arous was now defensive. “I’m not playing at anything.”

            There was a moment of silence.

            “Right,” he said, “I better get you home and dried up before you catch cold. Simon might never forgive me if I let you get sick.”

            He pulled her up by the hand and began walking her and Octavius home.