After hours of playing and practicing Summer called for a break. She returned to the mat panting and breathing hard. There were others on the beach since a lot of people were holidaying. Not too many but a couple of couples here and there, teenagers and kids.
Jean joined her half sister, drank some water and then lay down.
"This season is going to be pretty tough"
"Why?"
"Ivanka transferred and there's no better server than her.
"Well Ivanka is just one of your girls who make up the team, I'm sure you guys can handle that, there's others who can serve. Summer said. Jean was quiet for a while and then she sat up.
"You really don't want to go on with the wedding do you" Jean said to her surprise.
"Really Summer, what is wrong, this is the fifth guy"
Summer sighed.
"You wouldn’t understand Jean"
"Try me, I've had a couple boyfriends you know" Jean said and Summer laughed.
"And so you think you know what relationships entail?"
"At least I do know love needs to come from both ends"
"You think you actually loved them?" Summer said.
"Why else would I date them"
"Nuh uh, the question is, why then did you break up with them?"
"Love is a choice we make, we choose who we want to be with, its not this whole crazy stupid idea of the heart deciding for you, once you’ve got your mind on someone, it just has to be them"
"What if they don't feel the same way'
"Then that is when the closure occurs, it becomes one sided, and a one sided love does not qualify for a life long relationship now does it" Summer said to her sister.
"I guess not" Jean said. Then they both turned to the ocean.
"What is that?" Jean said. Summer saw it too.
"It looked like a body floating towards the shore"
Summer stood and run to it.
"Summer wait, we should call a life guard"
"It might be too late"
She was already taling off her shoes and her jacket.
She ran as fast as she could into the sea and dived in, then she began to swim towars what was floating.
It kept getting closer and drifting.
"Please…..please….."
The water must have listened to her plea because she began to get closer with little effort. She grabbed the collar of the boy who was floating face down wards and began to swim back to shore.
Jean had gotten the attention of a life guard who dived in to help, Together they pulled the boy to shore, and it was only when she turned him to give him CPR that her hand shot up to her mouth and time froze, literally, her heart cramped and then fluttered.
"Oh my God Kuzo…." She shook him instead of giving him CPR and that revived him, he began to cough vehemently, the water that filled his lungs poured out of his mouth.
"He's gonna be okay"
Jean arrived with a blanket and spread it over his shoulders. He was shivering.
"Summer?" He said weakly.
"Oh Kuzo" Salie appeared and licked his face.
"Why the hell did you take so long?" Tears streamed down her face but she was laughing.
She hugged him and wiped her tears but they kept streaming down.
"Is this real?" She asked.
"Water" He said weakly.
"Jean, get some water"
Jean obeyed and ran off again, Salie ran after her.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you in the caves" He said. She laughed amidst tears. Jean returned with a bottle and Summer helped him with it.
"Jean, come on, we need to get him in dry clothes, grab the bag, we're going home" Summer said. Jean obeyed and ran off again.
Summer helped him stand. Despite the fact that she was older now, he was still taller than she was and heavier. She put his arm around her neck and he struggled to stand.
"Come on Kuzo you have to help me" She said.
He was so weak, he could hardly manage his weight, she tried so hard and so did he, she got him to stand and slowly, they walked towards Summer's car.
Salie barked at him.
"Oh my God, your parents" Summer said, she was excited for them, she couldn’t wait to call them.
They got to the car, Jean put the bag in the trunk and helped Summer get him strapped in the front seat while Jean and Salie got in the back.
"Maybe we need to have him checked" Jean said.
"He'll be fine" Summer started the car and drove off as fast as she could. She dialed Luis' number and he answered.
"Hey, don't tell me you cant make it"
"Luis, he's back" She almost screamed, she was so excited, she wiped a tear and laughed.
"He's back Luis, Kuzo is back"