ILY

ILY and This Moment

“So are we going to swim or not?” Topaz managed to whisper. Jethro came back to his senses.

“Yeah, of course.” He started walking towards the water. The temperature was just right. It was neither cold nor hot. Maybe it was because the sun was up.

When they were in the deeper part of the water, he slowly let go of Topaz’s legs.

Her face suddenly looked panicked. Topaz grabbed Jethro's neck tightly.

He grabbed her legs again, carrying her in the water as if he was teaching her how to swim. “Don’t worry, I won’t let you go.” He assured Topaz.

“Now, do you trust me?” He asked.

Topaz nodded.

“Imagine floating. I will be holding your back so you do not have to worry,” he told Topaz.

She gave him a worried look.

“Come on, you could at least try.” Jethro encouraged her.

She placed one of her hands on Jethro’s arms, trying to balance herself.

Topaz imagined herself floating. Then, when she opened her eyes, she was seeing the blue sky, facing her.

“Huh,” she gave a nervous laugh. “This is beautiful,” she said.

“Yeah, beautiful,” Jethro said, looking at her face while she looked at the sky.

Topaz inhaled the warmth of the sun. This was the first time she was out and was actually enjoying herself since her accident. Somehow she felt alive. She could feel the water splashing on her skin, Jethro's hands gently holding her back. She could feel the sun on her face, her arms, her body.

She could even feel the warmth of the sun on her legs.

She could feel the warmth of the sun on her legs.

Topaz suddenly lost her balance, her body felt like falling. But Jethro was quick to hold her close to his body. She calmed down a bit when she felt that she was floating again.

"Why, what happened?" Jethro was confused. He knew that Topaz was starting to enjoy swimming. He was surprised when she suddenly jolted as if she was lost or something.

"My legs feel warm." She said.

"Yeah, it's close to noon. Do you want to get back inside the car, I'll set up an umbrella." Jethro said. He started to swim back to the shore with Topaz.

"No, listen. My legs felt warm. I can feel my legs. I can feel them warm.

Jethro finally understood. Topaz felt something in her legs. Is this a good sign?

"Do you want us to go to the hospital, call your Mom?" He was a bit panicked but excited at the same time.

"No!" Topaz was quick to answer.

"Why? We need to have you checked." Jethro said.

"No, I don't want to give her false hopes. Let us keep this to ourselves right now." Her voice was suddenly grim. The hope that her eyes had earlier was gone.

"I do not want to give her any false ideas unless we are sure. Maybe I was just imagining it. Maybe it was because of the excitement." Topaz was not unsure of what she had felt in her legs earlier. Maybe she was just imagining things.

Jethro kept silent. As much as he wanted to go further and explore the possibility of Topaz feeling something on her legs, he did not want to risk the trust that she was giving him right now.

She agreed to go out.

She agreed to swim.

Topaz even agreed to attempt to float despite his condition because she trusted him. Jethro wanted to keep that trust intact.

"Fine, but next time you feel something, we are going to the hospital and we are telling your Mom." He had to agree with her for now.

"Fine, if I am more certain," she said, pinching her legs with her nails. She did not feel anything. She was now disappointed.

They sat there looking at the lake. Jethro gave her a towel and used it to cover his back. They stayed silent.

Topaz tried to pinch her legs again. Still, she did not feel anything. Maybe it was just really her imagination earlier.

"Can we try swimming again?" Topaz asked Jethro.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. But can you hold me instead? I want to try stretching my legs for a long time. Maybe I can feel something. Or at least I could try and let the blood flow there." She was just rumbling things. She could not explain what she wanted to do. But she is certain of one thing. She wants to know if her legs feel anything. Maybe if she tried harder, she would.

" OK then." Jethro got up and carried her again to the water.

Slowly, he tried to let go of Topaz, holding her in his arms. She was trying to stand and float at the same time on the deeper part of the lake.

"Thanks for doing this." She said. She still felt unbalanced but she was not falling to her sides anymore.

"Of course, I would do anything for you. Just like I promised. I'll be here if you need me to, I guess even if you don't" He said.

Topaz smiled.

She tried to focus on balancing herself. However, she still felt nothing on her legs. All she could feel was the water starting to get a bit colder from her buttocks up. She did not feel anything on her thighs and her legs.

"How could you stick with someone like me?" She asked Jethro out of frustration.

"What do you mean?" Jethro asked.

"I am a cripple. I might die like this, you know. The chances of me walking again are close to zero, almost impossible. Would you really want to get stuck with someone like me?" She said.

"Hey, that is unfair. You shouldn't be asking me questions like that. I am here and I will stay. You do not have to think like that," Jethro said in defense. He felt that Topaz was suddenly losing faith in him again.

"Sorry, I am really starting to get frustrated here. I still can't feel anything." She said.

Jethro looked at Topaz's eyes. She was really worried, scared. He could feel the frustration and desperation in her.

When he tried to look away, he ended up looking at her lips. It was pinkish, maybe because the lake water was starting to feel cold.

He was hypnotized just by looking at it. It was late when he realized that his mouth moved closer to Topaz's lips. He wanted to taste it, feel it against his.

And then it happened. His lips met hers.