Ch 36: Work then Play

I slipped on a blue and gold LA Rams shirt and a pair of shorts with an elastic waistband that were clearly baggy, but not falling around my ankles. As I tied the t-shirt in a knot on the side so it didn’t completely engulf me and folded down the waistband of the shorts, I thought about how I could make Luke feel more at ease. Clearly, something rattled him, and although I didn’t know what it was, I felt confident Luke couldn’t scare me away.
When I returned, Luke sat on the couch, waiting for me. “Not quite up to Lyle’s standards, but it will have to do,” I said indicating my outfit. Luke threw me a strained smile. I sat down next to him and took his hand. “It’s OK. I’m not going anywhere.”
He looked at the far corner of the room, not meeting my eyes. “This is a little hard to talk about.” I nodded. “You know how I told you my sister drowned? Well, there’s more to the story.” I sat back and listened carefully, trying not to make a sound so Luke would continue.
“When I was little, my family lived in a house, not as big as this, but nice, with a pool out back.” I nodded, following the story. “And there was a fence with a gate that protected the pool.”
Luke paused, and I looked at him to let him know I was still listening. “My sister and I were playing in the yard with a beach ball one day, and the ball went over the gate that led to the pool. I couldn’t reach the latch, but being a precocious kid, I got a stool to stand on and opened the gate to retrieve the ball.” He stopped. He looked like he was trying to quell tears before he continued.
“I never closed the gate.” He shook his head. “Later when I was inside playing with my action figures, totally absorbed in my own world, my mom came in frantically looking for my little sister. She had wandered outside and seeing the gate open…” he started to choke up a little. “She drowned.”
I hugged Luke, wrapping my arms around him as best I could and rubbing his back.
“It’s not your fault, you know?” I said.
“What’s not?”
“About the gate. Kids do stupid things all the time.”
Luke looked away, still shaking his head in frustration.
“Still. I haven’t forgotten,” he said. “My mom never knew. She just thought the gate blew open or something.”
I kissed Luke on the cheek and brought his head against my chest, running my hands in the back of his hair.
“We moved pretty soon after that, to a house without a pool. And I was always afraid to go in the water after that, refusing to swim,” he said.
“Oh, Luke. I’m sorry.”
“I thought that if I just didn’t face it, if I never had fun in the water, then my guilt would go away.”
“That’s why it’s so hard for you, and last night in the pool…”
Luke nodded. “There were just so many emotions, first scared there was something wrong then relieved, then when everyone jumped in the pool, it was such a good time.”
“I think what you’re doing with this movie, dedicating it to your sister and donating money for kids to learn how to swim is such a great way to honor Cassidy.”
He looked at me. “I have to thank you, Stella. Not everyone would have stuck by me. I haven’t been the greatest student.”
“Nonsense.” I flicked my hand his way. “I’ve loved training you.” I looked deep into Luke’s eyes. “We all have hang-ups. You’ve helped me with mine, I’m committed to helping you with yours.”
He hugged me and pecked me on the lips.
“Just one question,” I said. “Why did you get a house with a pool, anyway?”
“Have you ever found a house in LA this big without a pool?” We both laughed in agreement.
***
Luke and I hung out for most of the day before I returned home to find Michelle, steeped in her studies.
“When’s the test?” I asked her.
“Next week,” she said. “I’m not ready.”
I let out a big sigh. “Of course you are. I’ve never known anyone more ready to take the LSATs.”
“You haven’t known anyone who’s taken the LSATs.”
“OK, you have a point,” I said, opening the fridge and looking inside but finding nothing. “But I’m sure you’ll do fine.”
“What if this doesn’t work out? What am I going to do then? I can’t go back to just working in that office.” Michelle let out a big sigh and pressed her head against the couch cushion in frustration.
“You always have your singing career,” I said with a smirk, grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl on the counter.
“How wild was that?” she said, sitting up. “I can’t believe that producer gave me his number. I’m sure it’s nothing. He was probably drunk and totally forgot about it.”

“Take the LSATs first so you maintain your focus, then call that record producer. You never know.” I took a bit of the apple.
“How’s it going with you and Luke, anyway? I see your new walk of shame outfit,” she indicated my Rams t-shirt and shorts.
I smirked. “You know I got pushed in a pool. Of course I needed new clothes.”
“Uh-hu,” she said, not buying it. “You’ve been there all day.”
“Yeah, we had some more training to do,” I said between apple bites.
“Well, he sure looked into you when he kissed you in the pool.”
I nodded, thinking about how to respond to her accusation. “He was just relieved I was alright. Anyway, yeah, we spent the night together.”
“Oohhh, details…” said Michelle.
I filled her in on my sexcapades, leaving out the more intimate details. Michelle, interested in my every word, listened for once without interrupting. I also left out my more sobering talk with Luke. I knew he wanted to keep his secret regarding his sister private. Even though I trusted Michelle with my life, it wasn’t my story to tell.
“So after all that, what’s your status with Luke?” she asked me.
“Don’t push it,” I said. “Why do we need to label it?”
Michelle gave me a look like I was crazy. “Did you see all those hot actresses there last night? Gina was just one fish in a sea of many. You want him hopping around, like a bear in stream, catching all the fish he can?”
“A bear? Really?” I gave her the exact same crazy look she gave me. “Luke’s not like that. I don’t know what exactly our relationship is, but I’m not worried.”
Michelle raised her eyebrows up at me. “That’s a first.”
“There’s a first time for everything. The goal’s the same. Get Luke swimming. The rest should fall into place.” I picked up the remote and pointed it at the TV.
I hoped I was right and Luke actually wanted a serious relationship with me. But until we reached his goal, I thought it would be too premature to ask him. He obviously needed to focus on swimming with the movie coming up.
“Work then play,” I said to Michelle. Remembering Luke kissing my thighs and thinking of his hunky body on top of mine, I wasn’t totally sure I could follow my own advice.