Chapter 58: Indoor Pool
*Real difficulties can be overcome; it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable. – Theodore Newton Vail*
JD needed to burn off some energy. It would be so easy to take Dean into an empty room and use her body. He could easily convince her to give up her virginity.
That would make him no better than the man who put his sister in the hospital.
It would make him no better than his father.
He was better than both men.
After changing into their school swim team uniforms, they went to the indoor pool at the hotel.
Back and forth. Back and forth. JD swum lap after lap after lap. He pushed his body as far as it would go.
With rubber arms and legs, he pushed himself out of the pool. A few long strides took him to the hot tub that Dean sat in. He sat next to her, and she snuggled into his side.
He pulled her in close and took comfort from her. “Tell me about your parents.”
“Well, my dad, Dennis Coppell, was a doctor with Doctors Without Borders. That’s where they met. It was mom’s first time working with them. She was about two months into her rotation when dad arrived. He was the new doctor in charge.”
Dean chuckled. “Mom always says he was the D.I.C. and was a total dick. She said he did have some redeeming qualities. His accent, even when he was yelling at her, had her turning into putty. I have his smile, and every so often I have his attitude.”
“Mom didn’t know that she was pregnant until she got home. Dad was supposed to be going home so she flew to London to surprise him.”
“Turns out, dad wasn’t the great guy he portrayed. His wife was the one that told mom that he died. She never told the woman that I was her husband’s kid.”
“Uncle O was stationed at RAF Molesworth at the time and she went there. Only reason I know is because it’s a fun name to say. O came home when I was born and bought the houses. She didn’t go back to Doctors Without Borders until he came home. She went to safe locations. Until this time. She’s in Syria again.”
“What about you?” she asked, playing with his short hair.
“Even before the divorce, dad was hardly ever around. Mom always said he was working. I think he was with his girlfriend and other families. I think mom knew. She just tried to make everything good for us.”
“I think your mom is great.” Dean whispered.
“Me too.” JD agreed.
He cupped her cheek and leaned down to kiss her. Dean met him and moved to straddle him. She was not stupid; she knew that this had nothing to do with her. And everything to do with him.
But she also knew her personal limits. And knew that he would respect them. If for no other reason, his fear of her uncle.
JD’s hand slid down her neck to her shoulder. Tracing her swimsuit edge with his fingertips, he cupped her breast through the wet material. She shifted slightly but did not end the kiss.
He pulled the slick material down and Dean grabbed his wrist and pushed it up. She pulled back from him and met his eyes.
“No.”
Anger flashed in his eyes before he closed them. Leaning forward, he buried his face in her neck and wrapped his arms around her. She ran her fingers into his hair and held his head to her. Her other hand ran up and down his back.
The moisture on her neck was warm. The sob that shook his body was silent. Dean held him and let him cry.
They sat like that for several minutes. Neither was certain how long they were there.
“I’m sorry.” JD eventually whispered.
He pulled back and swiped at his nose with his arm. Dean smiled at him as she brushed hair from his face.
“It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not.” He shook his head slightly. “Hank nearly killed my sister. Bob nearly destroyed my mom. And I was almost just like them.” He drew in a ragged breath and whispered his fears. "I nearly lost my sister. And then I ... I nearly..."
Dean cupped his face and made him look at her. “Listen to me. You are nothing like them. I said no, and you stopped. Do you think either of them would have?”
He looked away from her in shame and she turned his head back to look at her.
“You made the conscious decision, not to be like them. You like Harry Potter?”
“Yeah.” He mumbled.
“You just told the sorting hat, not Slytherin.”
“Does that make me a Ravenclaw or a Hufflepuff?”
“Gryffindor.” Dean smiled at him. “They are courageous, chivalrous and determined. Plus, holy shit, the special effects.”
JD laughed and hugged her to him. “I didn’t think that Harry was your type of movie. But I guess the special effects make it your type.”
“Yeah. Especially the parts that aren’t done completely CGI. I mean even then; you have your place holders. And of course, there’s a forest named after me.”
“Pretty sure, if it’s real, it had the name first.”
“Whatever. You ever see the extended directors cut version of the *Lord of the Rings* movies?”
“No. But I have a funny feeling I'm going to.”
“Oh, yeah. It’s in my digital library. Come on. Let’s go get dry and go back to see how your mom is.”
“Shit. I left mom.”
“You think uncle O didn’t take care of her?”
“Still, I should have told her-.”
“I texted O.”
“Thank you.” He gave her another light kiss and then helped her out of the hot tub.
“What are girlfriends for if not taking care of your ass?” she asked as he followed her to the stack of towels.
Dean said it teasingly but instantly regretted it.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn't've assu-.”
JD put his hand over her mouth. “I assumed you were my girlfriend when I got to give you your first kiss.”
She smiled up at him.
“Come on, girlfriend. You know as well as I do that, we need to get the chlorine off our skin and out of our hair.”
“Yeah. Itchy scalp sucks.”
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