Perfect School

Krissy:

“No, but we can stay as long as we want. Or for as long Michael allows,” I said and looked up at him with a smile. I was happy to sit in the warmth until my body was painfully pruned. Michael had the self-control and the insight to get us out before then.

Kira:

I nodded and on the little shelf I'd found I brought my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. "It's a shame it's not warmer. I'd like to feel like I'm floating. But this is very nice too."

Jonah:

At Kira’s words I nodded to her. “Kira, come here for a second,” I said, motioning her over. There was a chance she would refuse, but more than likely she would come over grudgingly because she was curious.

I stared at him for a moment then carefully moved over to him. He had something planned, that much was certain, but what that might be and what it might entail was something I wasn't sure about. With Jonah you could never be certain.

Jonah:

I asked her if she trusted me and waited for her hesitant nod before moving. I placed a hand on her back and one under her legs. I slowly tilted her back until she was suspended in the water with only her face above it. I situated my hands so they were supporting her in a way that would be least noticeable. I held my body back from hers so she could have the second best thing to floating.

I stiffened when he started to tip me back, my instincts were to fight it. To struggle back upright. But I made myself relax, made myself trust him. When my feet left the ground I understood what he had in mind, but I couldn't help but let out a breath as I floated with his help. Closing my eyes I tried to just enjoy the feeling while a ghost of a smile danced on my lips. It just wasn't the same however and I eventually wiggled my way free after remaining still for a couple minutes. "Thank you." I murmured softly to him as I settled back on my feet.

Jonah:

I watched her face as I held her afloat. It wasn’t the same as floating for her I knew, but she did relax a bit. I let her go when she moved to her feet. “My pleasure,” I said softly with a smile. I found a seat close to her and leaned my head back to look at the stars. The sky was clear and bright. It was a different sky from the one back home. It was interesting noting the differences.

"Maybe next time you can visit us when it's warmer. We would have more to show to you then, and that way you could float freely." I had returned to my spot, but wasn't curled up so much when michael spoke up.

I blinked at him then nodded slowly, "I'll try....I think I can get away for a bit then." Convincing Marie that I was off doing something for the school wasn't going to be easy. But I would have to think of something if I wanted to come here again.

Krissy:

I smiled encouragingly. That she even considered coming back pleased me. But getting to see her twice a year wouldn’t be enough to build a strong relationship. And we would never get more time with her as long as she belonged to my aunt. I looked down at the dark water.

Michael:

I looked at my wife after Kira said she'd try to come back. That she even wanted too was an immense amount of progress. After all our relationship had been rocky at best at our first meeting and we'd already missed so much of her life. But it was baby steps. We made small talk, the four of us as we lingered in the water none of us really wanting to brave the cold and get out of the hot water.

Krissy:

At last when it was painful to stay in the water any longer we dragged ourselves out. The cold bit at us and the robes did nothing to lessen the contrast between hot and cold. We hurried off to change clothes and when we were dressed I handed out the thick blankets I brought. We went back to the car all wrapped like burritos.

Even with the blanket I had to fight the shivers. While I enjoyed the experience, I regretted doing it while it was so frigid out. In the car, with the heater going it was more bearable but only just. My eyes felt heavy during the drive back home and I found myself leaning sideways a bit into Jonah.

Jonah:

I let Kira lean against me without comment. It was progress. She wasn’t guarded. Today had been a good day. The rest of the week would be even better. She had no reason not to give in if I played the cards right.

After we got back to the house I went right for the bathroom, taking a warm shower to remove the last edges of chill against my body as well as to rinse the water from the hot springs away. Dressed in my pajamas I went out to join Michael in the living room where he supplied me with some hot chocolate.

We were alone except for two of the dogs, and neither of us spoke as we gazed into the fire together on the couch. But eventually I broke the silence with a soft question, "Where's Krissy?"

"She's rinsing off herself and getting ready for bed."

"Mmm." I murmured around the mug. I glanced up at him then asked something that had been in my mind since seeing Krissy get out of the water. "Why does she have all those scars?"

"Your mother...well there are two reasons for it. The first is that she is full of love for those close to her." His blue eyes turned to meet mine and he smiled faintly. "If anyone she cares about is ever threatened or in danger I doubt even the thickest wall would stop her. She doesn't care what happens to her along the way so long as she gets to bring them to safety and happiness."

"And the other?"

"The other...is not my place to say Kira. You will have to ask her."

Krissy:

I came out dressed in plaid pajamas. There was an old orange envelope in my hand. I took hold of Michael’s arm and smiled at Kira. There were nerves sparking in my stomach again. “I have something I wanted to show you,” I said to her and held out the envelope. “It’s the only picture we ever got of you…” the picture inside was from the ultrasound that had made me fully decide to keep her.

I looked up at Krissy, then down at the envelope. It looked worn, like it had been passed around by a few hands. But had been well taken care of. Slowly I opened the envelope, confused as to just what I might find inside. I drew out the ultrasound and blinked. If she hadn't told me it was a picture of me I wouldn't have known exactly what I was looking at. But apparently the ugly little blob amidst the black and white fuzz was me.

Krissy:

I shifted over Michael so I was sitting between my husband and my daughter. “This is your head, and that’s your body. I’m not sure what that is…” I pointed at the picture then pursed my lips. “I thought you looked like a turtle when I saw it,” I admitted then hurried to correct my misspoken words, “but a cute turtle.”

"I look like a blob....turtle is already the nicer way to put it." My tone was flat and unfeeling. But my face expressed my slight confusion but also a gentleness to it. That she had saved this was touching, but to share it with me as if it was a treasure? That made it all the more special.

Krissy:

I studied her face instead of the picture. My chest tightened. “You’re more than a turtle now,” I said softly. I wanted to touch her face or wind my arms around her. “You’re beautiful.” Instead of touching her, I grabbed Michael’s hand and squeezed it.

Gently I replaced the photograph into the envelope then clasped my fingers together for a moment. "I might have something to show you in return. Hold on a moment." I stood up without looking at them and went right for my room. I dug out my phone from my bag and sent a message off to Zero with a request. A minute or two later I returned to the living room where I fidgeted with my phone.

Eventually I offered it out to Krissy. "Here. A friend thinks this is the best photo of me." Over the years Marie had forced me into numerous photo shoots. I was her trophy, her prize, and she wasn't shy about showing me off. The picture was from one of the photoshoots, taken when I was twelve. I was wearing a sundress gazing up at the sky. I looked very young in the photo. Younger than I actually was when it was taken.

Krissy:

“Oh,” I said softly.  I took the phone and stared at the picture then moved so Michael could see as well.  “Could you…  could you send this to me?” I asked her, looking up to my daughter.  My heart ached.  I wanted so badly to have her.  To keep her.  To have always had her and protected her.

"Of course." I moved to reclaim my seat on the other end of the couch. My gaze was focused on the floor. I wanted to talk to Zero again. I had a gift in mind for Krissy. Something to help her fill in the missing blanks of my life. She wasn't going to like what she saw, not all of it. But I didn't think she would mind too much...hopefully...

Krissy:

I continued to stare and only looked up when I felt eyes watching us. I caught Jonah watching us and leaning against the hallway entrance. I didn’t like it. It reminded me of someone else… It reminded me of Eric, the way he looked at us. There was hidden jealousy in his eyes.

Jonah:

When they saw me I moved over to the couch and took a peak at the photo on the phone. “Ah, that was around when we met, wasn’t it?” I asked, looking to Kira. She looked about twelve in the photo.

"Three months before. Marie wanted a photoshoot as a celebration of sorts. I spent an entire day in front of the camera in whatever outfits her stylists wanted me in." I shrugged and gazed from one side of me to the other. I had Jonah on one side of me, my parents on the other. It was strange. Would this have been like a normal life for me? A close friend come to visit. My parents beside me. I brushed those thoughts away. It wasn't possible for us.

Krissy:

I stiffened at the mention of Marie and gripped Michael’s hand tighter. She treated her like a doll. A prize. A pet. Our daughter. It made my blood boil. I wanted her dead yet I was too scared to send anyone I loved to do it. And there was no hope of me ever being able to accomplish such a task. Michael had not even been able to do it when he was young.