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Chapter 58 : Down at the lake

Chapter 58

Ross POV 

I got Riker to walk down to the lake with me. Dad was down there waiting for us.

"Ok, I want you in the water. You're learning how to swim today. I don't care if you don't want to. It's for your own safety, so that if you fall off a boat again, you don't almost drown," dad said, looking at Riker.

Riker was looking at the ground, not at dad. And I could tell it was really pissing dad off. And I think he's honestly just mad that Riker won't trust him or call him dad. He thinks this aggressive approach is going to work, but I can already tell that it won't. Riker is just shutting down more and more.

I'm taking this as my opportunity to try to get Riker to trust me.

"In the water. Now," dad said.

Riker didn't move. Dad walked over and went to push Riker, but Riker dodged him and stayed a few feet away from him.

"Riker, get in the water."

He started to go after Riker again.

"Don't touch his arms!" I yelled.

I grabbed dad's hand, stopping him.

"Seriously. Don't touch his arms," I said.

"What's wrong with his arms?"

"I don't know! But if you're hurting him by touching them, then you shouldn't do it. And you shouldn't be forcing him into the water like this."

"Ross, you can't avoid something you're afraid of forever."

Dad started going after Riker again. Riker started to run, but dad caught him and grabbed him around his waist. He started dragging Riker towards the lake.

"Please stop! Please let me go! I'm going to drown!" Riker said, starting to cry again.

"You're not going to drown."

Riker wasn't strong enough to break out of dad's grip. Dad dragged him into the water up to his waist. I stood on the beach, watching. I don't know how he thinks he's going to teach Riker to swim.

Riker was struggling to get away from him. But it wasn't just struggling, it was panicking. Dad grabbed his arms again.

"Stop grabbing his arms!" I yelled.

Riker was practically thrashing around, trying to break free from dad. And he finally managed to get free, but dad grabbed the bottom of his rash guard and Riker fell and went underwater for a second. Dad pulled him back up, holding onto the back of his rash guard tight so Riker couldn't get away.

"Please just let me go!" Riker cried, covering his face with his hands.

I could see him shaking all the way from the beach. I decided to go in the water and go over to him. As soon as I was close enough, Riker reached for me. Dad kept a strong grip on Riker while Riker wrapped his arms around me tight.

"You're ok. You're not drowning," I said, hugging him.

I could feel him trembling. And his breathing was so shaky too.

"Let go of him," I said, pulling dad's hand off of Riker's rash guard.

We all stood there for a few minutes. Riker's shaking became weaker and his breathing slowed down too.

"Are you ok now?" I asked, softly.

"My arms hurt," he said, sounding mad.

"Dad, can you give us a few minutes?" I asked.