“I’m coming, Ax,” she called.
“Hurry! Ran and Ry are waiting for us. CJ is bringing Gunner. Should we invite Reb?”
Meggie walked into her bedroom to find Axel bouncing around. “No, love. She’s still in a cast.” That was the easiest explanation.
“Okay.” Axel ran to her, grabbed her hand, and yanked her forward, racing out of the room and down the back staircase. “Hurry. CJ said you got to cook stuffs so we don’t have long.”
“We can spend more time swimming outside when it warms up.”
If Meggie had her way, she’d never go into the natatorium again. Crossing the sill, she wanted to take a moment. Or run away. The acrid scent of chlorine hit her nostrils; the splashing water washed over her senses; the shouts…it made her dizzy, overwhelmed by memories. She’d avoided this room since the accident.
“Mom, watch us!” Ransom called as her youngest spotted her and wiggled out of CJ’s arms.
“MegAnn,” Gunner cried, toddling to her, adorable in his swim trunks.
Normally, when the boys were swimming and invited Meggie to join them, Rebel accompanied her. They’d play pool volleyball with CJ always the one willing to play on Rebel and Meggie’s team.
“I want to swim, MegAnn,” Gunner said.
Ryder broke the surface of the water. “Mom, did you see?”
“Dive bomb!” Axel screamed and jumped from the board.
Rebel floating in the pool flashed in Meggie’s mind.
CJ touched her arm. “Mom, are you okay?”
Meggie pressed her lips together, picked up Gunner and hugged him a little tighter. Axel laughed, a happy, little boy sound that her trauma would ruin.
Rebel had survived and was healing.Rulewas healing. Since she’d visited him in LA, she talked to him early in the mornings. They’d survived the eye of the storm and made it to the other side, bowed but unbroken.
Drawing in a breath, Meggie set Gunner down.
“Aunt Meggie, if it’s too hard for you to be in here, CJ and me will stay,” Diesel offered, his hand on her shoulder.
Gunner wrapped his arms around her legs and looked up at her. “Swim, MegAnn.”
“Mom, we’ll watch them,” CJ promised.
“MOM!” Axel hollered. “You didn’t get in the pool with me in LA.”
It wasn’t fair of Meggie to pass her negative emotions onto her boys. As it was, Diesel and CJ looked at her with haunted expressions. They were aware of what could have happened, even if Gunner and Axel were not, and Ryder and Ransom chose to ignore it.
“Come on, Gun,” Ransom said. “Jump like we showed you.”
“Jump, MegAnn,” Gunner said on cue.
“Who wants to play volleyball?” Meggie asked, infusing as much normalcy in her voice as she could and scooping Gunner into her arms again.
He squealed as the Triplets screamed in enthusiasm.
At the far end, Meggie held Gunner tightly, aware of CJ and Diesel following her.
She kissed Gunner’s cheek. “Are you ready, love?”
“Weady, Mommie!”
“Remember, hold your breath until we resurface.”
