August (The Year of The Change Book 2) (24 page)

When my stomach was stuffed and happy, I headed back to the water. The wind came off the lake and I put on my t-shirt. This would also help keep my skin from burning while I played around the shallow area. When the others could move, they joined me and we played a revised version of Marco/Polo. We broke out in a splash fight and ended up tossing the kids around, to their glee. I wasn’t as good as Richard, but the twins and even Eddy, begged me when Richard was busy. After the third time I tossed Tam, Richard appeared out of nowhere and tossed me up and over his head. I wanted to beg him to do it again, but I could feel how tired he was getting, so I didn’t say anything.

I added ‘able to toss me’ to my mental wish list for my boyfriend. I doubted I would get someone as strong as Richard, though.

After half an hour, he threw his hands up. “Enough! I hafta rest for a little bit.”

The kids groaned, but didn’t argue.

He waded out to his knees before sitting down. Destiny and I followed and we lulled around the shallows while we rested. The kids became fidgety and headed for the trees to see what was over there.

When they were out of sight, a gleam entered Richard’s eye. “Now’s our chance to swim out to the island, by ourselves. Maybe the eagle will come back.”

I was ready. “Let’s go.”

Even Destiny was game. Of course, who wouldn’t want to see an eagle up close? One last glance told us the kids were still occupied, so we slipped into deeper water and swam for the place where we were all amazed this morning. Richard and I chatted about the eagle as we lazily swam, not wanting to leave Destiny in our wake.

Another ten yards and Richard would be able to feel ground if he stretched. A few more minutes and I would easily touch the bottom. Unfortunately, we weren’t close enough.

He came out of nowhere. I didn’t see or hear him before he grabbed my out stretched leg. I screamed. He pulled me to him, hand over hand until his arms wrapped around me. I took a deep breath to scream. He pulled my head to him, intent on a kiss. I struggled to get away. His lips landed on my cheek as we went under. He wouldn’t let go. I kept up the struggle. We sank lower. Panic exploded in me. Desperately, I tried to kick for the surface. I wasn’t sure which direction was up. If I couldn’t get away from him, I wasn’t going to find it. He had to have a death wish the way he held me and didn’t try to surface. My air was running out. I couldn’t keep up the struggle much longer. I pinched him and tried to get my knee to his groin. He had me so close, I couldn’t do anything.

Consciousness was slipping away. Suddenly, he was ripped from me. A hot band of metal clamped around my waist. The sensation of skimming through the water lingered on the edge of my dwindling awareness. Did lakes have rip tides? I’d heard of them in the ocean, but never in a lake. The surfaced broke around me. I gasped for air swallowing more water and choking. The hot band dragged me onto land. I fell sprawled on the ground, like a rag doll, face down. Gagging, more of the water I’d swallowed splashed to the sand. My eyes clamped shut. I coughed and gagged as heat pulsed on my back. The water was compressed from my lungs with so much force I thought it might break my bones.

When the tide of water subsided, I groaned. Two strong hands rolled me over and I stared into the Adonis-like face of my savior. The soft, light brown eyes of a Native American man in his late thirties anxiously stared down at me. His wet black hair lay flat against his head as the water ran down his chin and dripped on my neck. The sensation of being very small next to him spread over me. Oh, how I wished I needed mouth to mouth.

Convulsively, I coughed and water erupted. How embarrassing. There’d be no mouth to mouth after that. He sat me up and I continued to cough the last of the water up. He held me tight. All I could do was enjoy his strong arms. Shivering, I curled up against his warm chest. That’s all it took for him to hold me tighter.

The coughing stopped. “What happened?” I rasped.

“We pulled the idiot off you and brought you to the island.” His deep base voice vibrated my bones.

My head lolled back as I looked at him. He caught it and held it as I spoke.

“Thank you.” My voice was but a whisper, and croaked. “I thought for sure I was going to drown.”

“You’re safe now, don’t worry, I won’t let him near you.”

“Thank you.” I closed my eyes and curled back into him.

My friends’ voices were nearby, but I didn’t bother to look for them. I was content to just enjoy the hallucination I was having. There was no way I was laying on an island with this large man holding me protectively in his arms. I was not that lucky.

Somewhere there was splashing and struggling in the water. Two men argued.

“Take him to the main land.” My rescuer’s strong voice demanded.

I didn’t care who he was talking about as long as he continued to hold me.

Someone protest loudly.  “I’ve found the love of my life and you want me to leave? Are you out of your mind? I’m not leaving without her!”

But he did leave or at least his voice got further away in my hallucination until I didn’t hear him at all. Maybe this was what drowning was like. Maybe death held you securely in his arms until your body gave up. Somehow I thought it would be colder.

Richard whispered nearby. “Is she alright?”

The deep voice rumbled close to my ear as he too whispered. “She seems okay, but she’s not opening her eyes.”

Maybe I didn’t drown. Maybe my mind conjured this to protect me. But … protect me from what? I didn’t want to open my eyes. I wanted to stay forever in this most wonderful dream of my knight in wet armor. I sighed, contented.

Destiny shook me. “Sylv, you okay?”

I wanted to tell her to go away. But, like all good things this had to end. It was time to wake up. My eyes fluttered and to my delight, I was still having the same hallucination. His beautiful eyes stared down at me. I smiled and sighed and hoped this wonderful dream would continue. He wiped sand from my cheek and forehead before he shifted and sat me up. Wiping more sand from my chin he smiled back. That’s when a thought jabbed me in the ribs. I wasn’t supposed to look bad in a hallucination. I blinked and he didn’t disappear. Shaking my head made it swim enough to make my stomach queasy. I closed my eyes and groaned. He laid me back and stroked the hair from my face. A deep rumble vibrated in my ear when I tried to hide my hideous sand speckled face from him. Of all people I had to look hideous for why did it have to be him and in my own fantasy?

My brain clicked on. It decreed I wasn’t dreaming or having a hallucination. The warmth of his body should’ve told me that. I couldn’t pry my eyes open, but then again, I didn’t want to meet his eyes again, just yet.

I wasn’t sure how safe it was for me to be there, like that. Still, being cold was a good enough excuse to stay right where I was.

No, it wasn’t.

I opened my eyes.

Richard sat down in front of me. “Here, I’ll take her now.” He frowned at my rescuer.

My hero declined. “That’s okay. She’s almost ready to get up, anyway.”

Richard huffed. “Where’d you two come from, anyway?”

“We’re from that boat out there. We were having a race to the island when we heard the scream.”

Could that be the same boat Destiny had tried to bait earlier today?

Destiny smoothed my hair from my forehead. “I’m sure glad you came along because we couldn’t find them anywhere.”

“It was a lucky shot. It was a good thing they were so close to shore.”

I’d been close to shore? I must’ve been all turned around. I took a deep breath and croaked. “I guess my sense of direction hasn’t improved any.”

They chuckled.

“Ah, she speaks. Sylv, how’re you doing?” Richard tried again to take me, but I didn’t budge.

“Doing very well, thanks to this nice man.” I looked him in the eyes. “What's your name?”

He sat me up and leaned away. “My name is Toglak, but call me Tog.”

A cold shiver convulsed through me as his heat quickly left. I wanted him back and not just for the heat. I pulled my knees up and wrapped my arms around them to keep warm. Another man, younger, walked up out of the lake. His black hair glistened in the sunlight as the water rushed down his muscular, brown body. He, too, had to be a hallucination. Sigh.

He glanced at Tog and back at me. “It’s good to see your eyes open.”

Tog motioned to the young man. “This is my friend, David.”

“Thank you, David. I’m Sylvia and these two are Richard and Destiny.”

They all said hi.

Tog frowned. “Did you take care of him?”

“Yeah, I got him back to his church group at the other end of the beach.” He looked at me. "He was swimming when, according to him, he had an inspiration from God and found the love of his life."

Ugh! If David says he’s a preacher, I will have to cry.

The Circle Widens

“He’s the assistant lay minister and his congregation was a little shocked.” He chuckled deep in his throat.

I groaned. Just as bad. I caused a man of the assisted cloth to go against his beliefs. I was going to be struck by lightning and I deserved it. What would be next, the Pope? I rocked.

Destiny put her cold hand on my back and I shivered. “Richard, I think we need to get Sylv back to her family.”

“Yeah, we’d better. Thanks again, Tog and David, for saving Sylv.” He placed his hand on my head forcing me to stop rocking. “Sylv, are you up for a swim?” I nodded. “I’m going to stand you up now, okay?”

Another sigh. “Okay.”

Richard and Tog helped me to my feet. When I teetered, Tog stabilized me against his chest. That made my head even lighter. I held still until the dizziness passed. When I couldn’t fake being dizzy any longer, I stood up straight and blushed at the big man. That’s when I realized how tall he was. He had to be at least seven feet tall, or, at least, he seemed that way.

I found my tongue and tried to sound casual. “It's uncanny how you showed up at just the right moment. Thank you.” That was all I could come up with as I tipped my head way back to look up at him.

“No problem, Sylvia. I’m just glad we were here to help. Are you sure you can make it to the main land?”

I straightened up and stretched to test my muscles, tottering a little. Richard and Tog both took an arm. Richard frowned at Tog who ignored him as he stared at me, still worried.

Destiny eyed David with one of her dazzling smiles. He didn’t look in her direction. He wasn’t taking his eyes off me. My stomach twisted. Destiny was going to get tired of this real soon.

They were both muscular like Richard. Tog was the strongest looking.

I needed to get off this island. “I think I’ll be fine. I’m a good swimmer.”

Tog didn’t like the idea. “You probably are a good swimmer, but you don’t have your color back, yet.”

My lips curled up. “That’s because I didn’t have any color to begin with.” I grinned bigger.

His soft brown eyes crinkled at the edges and he looked down with a lopsided smile. I wasn’t being careful and didn’t want to. He was too old for me, but there was something about him that drew me in.

“I'll feel better if I accompany you back to your family.”

Richard cleared his throat. “That’s not necessary. Like she said, she’s a strong swimmer and we have it covered.” Richard was referring to himself and Destiny. Neither had the experience needed if I went under.

Tog barely glanced at him. “Still the same, I don’t want all my hard work to go for naught.” He turned to David. “Go back to the boat and tell the others I’ll be a while longer. If they get tired of waiting I’ll meet you back at camp.”

"Are you sure you don't want some help?" David kept his deep brown eyes on me.

Tog frowned. "No, I have this covered." He deepened his voice. "Go back to the boat." Even though his voice was inflectionless, it was an order. Who was he that he could order the other man around?

David’s smile dropped into a frown. Nonetheless, he did as told. With a quick, wistful smile at me, David loped off to the far side of the island and dove in. He was a very good swimmer and it surprised me how fast he was.

Richard huffed. “I told you, it’s not necessary.”

Tog turned a stony eye on Richard and his voice took on the same tone as he used with David, with a hint of irate parent. “And I told you, I will make sure she gets safely to her family.”

There was a stare down. Richard looked away first. Tog easily won, since he was the mature adult, no question about it.

This wasn’t going well. “How about if we just go?”

I didn’t like what Tog did to my big brother, but for some reason I couldn’t be mad at him. Was it because he saved my life? I wasn’t sure that was the full reason.

Tog smiled. “Good idea.” He scanned the water around us as though he were looking for anyone else who might try to jump me. Satisfied, he smiled and motioned towards the lake.

Richard made Destiny go first while he took my other side. He wanted to be close in case anything did happen. Since something usually did, it was smart for him to stick to me. I doubted there’d be anything he could’ve done if Tog were to become affected.

That was odd.

That was what was missing. Although Tog seemed
friendly,
he didn’t seem
affected
. As I know all too well, that could change in a heartbeat.

Nevertheless, if he were to become affected I wanted to be on dry land before it happened. I kicked harder, taking stronger strokes. I passed Destiny and knew I would have to apologize later. Tog easily stayed beside me. Richard had to work hard to keep up.

Poor Destiny yelled for us to slow down, but I had to keep going. I didn’t want to be caught in the water with another, much stronger, affected guy. I kept a watchful eye on Tog waiting for a sign that he was no longer himself.

He watched me. “You’re a very good swimmer.”

It took some effort to smile. I wanted to tell him this was nothing compared to what I could do when I was well practiced, but couldn’t waste my energy on talking. I would have just enough to pull myself to shore. I’d never been so tired before while swimming. I should’ve rested longer. Gram was right. I’m too impatient for my own good.

An idea Richard suggested the last time I swam this lake tired, distracted me. I wished I could go to football practice with him and run drills with them like he suggested. It's odd what I think about in stressful situations. It didn't matter. I wouldn’t get to do anything near boys this year. Next year, supposedly, I wouldn’t need it.

I should do something to keep myself in shape, but exercise made me hungrier. Exercise and eat … exercise and eat. I hated the idea.

My knees touched ground and I put my feet under me to stand. My strength was gone and I crawled toward land, instead. Tog stood, scooped me into his arms and carried me the rest of the way.

Before thinking, I spoke my automatic response. “You don’t need to carry me, I can walk.” It made sense to me under the circumstances.

He snorted. “You can barely crawl.” His laughter shook us both.

“Aren’t you tired from the swim?” I was exhausted.

“No.” He glanced back at Richard, who helped Destiny up. “Is he your boyfriend?” Tog kept his eyes straight ahead.

It could be construed that way, just as Caleb had. I wasn’t lucky enough to have someone like Richard and there was no attraction for either of us.

“No, he’s more like my big brother. He’s very protective of Destiny and me.”

He glanced at me. “Every girl needs a big brother.”

“Yes, and Richard’s the best.” That was an understatement.

He stopped walking and looked up and down the beach. “So which picnic area is yours?”

I pointed to the right to the far area where my dad rushed towards us.

“Um …”

“Your father?”

“Yes.” Sigh. “One of these times he’s going to have a heart attack and it’ll be my fault.”

Tog continued his long stride undisturbed by my father’s advance.

When Dad reached us he put out his arms for me. “Are you hurt, Sylvia?”

Tog walked past, ignoring my father’s concern. “She’s fine, just tired.”

“What happened?” My dad matched Tog’s long steps like a child trying to keep up with an adult. Dad took my hand.

“She almost drowned, but she’s okay now.”

“
Sylvia
almost drowned?!” Dad looked incredulous.

Sigh. “This guy came out of nowhere—”

Dad closed his eyes for a very brief moment. “Ah.” He more than understood what happened. He’d lived it with me too long not to understand.

“But Tog came along and saved me.” I looked at my hero with awe.

He looked away quickly when our eyes met. He still didn’t act affected. This was kind of cool, too bad he was so much older than me.

As we approached the picnic area, Sue stood at the grill, spatula raised as she frowned at me. Cara looked worried as she smoothed her hair. Emma had her eyes closed, but then opened them with a smile. She didn't look concerned at all.

I introduced my hero as he placed me on a lawn chair. “Everyone, this is Tog. He saved me from drowning.” It irked me to admit I needed saving.

Emma stepped up and offered her hand. “It is so good to meet you, Toglak. Thank you so much for saving our Sylvia. How will we ever be able to repay you?”

Tog knelt beside me. “No need, and please call me Tog.” He looked into my eyes. “I’m just glad she’s safe now.” His eyes went wide for a moment. Was he going to go crazy now? He looked over his shoulder at Emma. He raised a brow before looking back at me. His eyes were clear.

Crazy or not, every inch of me turned to jelly.

He was still friendly, but not affected, hmmm.

Emma carried a lawn chair over. “Please have a seat and stay awhile.”

Surprise flicked me in the head and I looked at Emma. I thought she understood my problem better than that. Maybe she assumed since he was so much older he wouldn't act crazy. Little did she know age made no difference, at all. I cringed at the memory of the fifty-something executive at dad's work in Oklahoma that almost got fired over me.

Tog took the chair that Emma offered, to my dad’s chagrin. “Thank you. I wouldn’t mind resting a little before I have to go back to the others.”

Dad probably remembered, all too well, about the executive. He hovered close by with a frown. He looked as though he were working on a tough equation where the answer evaded him. He was, no doubt, working on the answer of how to get rid of this really big, strong guy, and Emma wasn't helping.

It wouldn’t help anything for me to worry about Tog since there was nothing I could do. Instead, I wished he were my age. If he were my age and didn’t get affected, I could have a boyfriend, maybe. Actually, I did promise Gram I wouldn’t. Promises, promises, I’d made too many promises. It didn’t matter, he was too old and his being affected was inevitable. Inside I sighed. The tiredness won out and I leaned my head on the back of the chair.

He looked into my eyes, concern flitting across his rugged face, but answered my smile with one of his own.

My dad wanted details, so Richard and Destiny told the story. Tog and I filled in the gaps as well as we could. Dad glanced down the beach, probably wondering which group harbored my attacker.

Richard fidgeted nearby. His eyes never left Tog. Emma tried to keep Richard busy, but my usually easygoing adopted big brother was tense. It was safer having two bodyguards and I was glad he was there. I doubted Richard would ever realize how important he was to me.

Emma surprised me again. “Tog, you will stay for dinner, will you not?”

He shook his head as he opened his mouth, but Emma cut him off.

“If you do not stay, I am afraid my feelings will be very hurt.” She faked sadness.

He grinned. “I certainly wouldn’t want to hurt your feelings, Emma. Thank you.”

Sue brought a dry t-shirt and my jeans that I gladly put on as Tog pretended to be interested in something in the other direction. I’d been cold sitting in the shade and appreciated her kindness. Lying in Tog's arms would’ve been more comfortable, but I didn't dare. First, being in Tog's arms would’ve given my father that heart attack I feared was so close, and second, I couldn't allow myself to put Tog and me at such risk. The temptation to crawl into his lap and have him put his overly warm arms around me was almost over powering, but I held strong. A part of me pouted.

I shifted in my seat, as the others chatted, and wished I could lie flat. I closed my eyes and tried to doze.

The kids returned from gathering driftwood for the bonfire we were going to have. When they saw Tog, they dropped the wood in a small pile they’d started and hurried over. They skidded to a stop and didn't wait for me to introduce them. They bombarded him with all kinds of questions. It seemed that the three of them were braver when they were together. I would have to keep an eye on them as they might become a force to be reckoned with.

With my eyes only partly open, I tried to sound enthusiastic. “Tog, this is Eddy, Richard and Destiny’s brother, Emma's grandson.” Tog shook his hand. “They are Tim and Tam, my brother and sister.” My energy was spent and I leaned my head back.

He shook their hands, then reached up and lifted a lock of Tam’s strawberry blonde hair. “That is the most beautiful color of hair I’ve ever seen.” Tam blushed with a big smile. “Well, it’s only fitting that a beautiful girl should have beautiful hair.”

She lapped up every last drop of his compliment. Her happiness won him a place in my heart. Oh, how I wished he were younger. Or I could be older and past this stupid Change. Older would be good. I closed my eyes and wanted to dream of just that.

Tog’s lawn chair creaked. “So what are you three up to?”

Tim was never at a loss for words around strangers, something that had gotten him in trouble in the past, spoke first. “We’re finding dry wood so we can build a bonfire.”