Homeward Bound Liberty (Complete)

Chapter Nineteen

For the next few days, I was painting, sleeping, eating, trying to find something to do. My new place didn't have a training room as yet, so I spent my evenings after dinner working out with the marine guards in their bunkhouse training room. The treadmill may become the death of me and I can't even last half an hour before I have to get off it and rest. I seem to be doing much better when I'm out walking in my forest or along the lake front.

It was on one of these walks on the beach that I bumped into Ortiz giving Kayton swimming lessons, one afternoon. I sat down on the warm golden sand and watched as Ortiz showed my friend how to slide his hands in front of him through the water in a breaststroke to propel him forward as he swam. Kay looked much more comfortable in the water that he did the first time on Horizon 441, and I could see he'd gained much more confidence while swimming. They transitioned from breaststroke to a basic paddle and back again as the sun sparkled off the water.

"He's been out here every day since you moved in, trying to learn how to swim without freaking out in the water." I turned to Marcy as she parked her butt down next to mine on the sand. "He's determined to never be in a situation where his friends would need his help in water and he doesn't know what to do."

"I really freaked him out that day on Horizon, didn't I?" I asked as I scrunched a handful of sand in my palm.

"You did, but he's better for it. Living here, without knowing how to swim, not a safe plan. Do you know he's never seen so much water up close and personal before? His home sector does not have lakes or large seas like this. Their main planet has a hardened crust of vegetation over a water world. All their water comes up in industrial parks and is delivered to households and the palace where he lived."

"He doesn't talk to me much at all about his life before joining us. Those marks on his back..." I leave my sentence hanging there, hoping Marcy will fill me in.

"His story to tell, not mine." She bumped my shoulder with hers and waited until I turned my gaze from the men in the water and looked at her. "It wouldn't help you to just talk with him, you know."

"I can't." I dug my fingers down into the sand either side of me and pretended that what I'm doing is more interesting than what she wants to tell me.

"You can, you just won't let yourself."

"I'm seventeen, Marcy. My life is crazy insane. I am not ready for what it is he's offering."

"What do you think he's offering, Libby?" She asked quietly and I looked back at a determined man in white and red with deep scars on his back. I could see he'd finally found the balance of momentum and buoyancy and the smile on his face was contagious. Ortiz slapped him on his shoulder then they turned around and slowly swam along the beach the other way.

"Ayms is addicted to his body scent, loves being around him, loves hearing him speak, his words, his accent, the cadence of his speaking. Meanwhile, I'm slowly freaking out about what it could mean for me and any future relationships. I'm not ready for anything serious right now and I think Kayton knows this." I turned to look at Marcy and watched her watching the lake.

"Could we please just leave it be, for now?" I asked quietly. She nodded and I let out my breath slowly. The afternoon grew chilly as we sat at the water front. A couple of Mossie spores glided on by, sharing their enthusiasm and delight with Ayms and I, and apart from the bird life high above the lake, there were no more interruptions. Peaceful. Tranquil. Slightly boring...

"So." I curled up onto my knees and brushed sand off my hands as the guys climbed out of the lake water and dried themselves off. I'm not watching, not too much anyway.

"What's next?" I asked. It was a general question really, to put out there in the universe. Not that I expected the universe to answer back, but you know, stranger things have happened lately.