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My phone buzzes and blares with a sound I’ve never heard before.

It’s the alarm I set for whenherphone gets immersed in water.

Fuck.

I push out of the elevator, racing to the lobby then follow the signs for the hotel pool.

“Mina?”

I hear a scream, and as my heart jumps into my throat I pick up my pace.

“Help her!Somebody help her!”

It’s Rosaria, Mina’s friend from Chatsbury Prep. At least if it’s Rosaria she went off with, I don’t need to kill anyone.

In an instant, I’m following where she’s pointing, and I see the dark swirl of hair.

Mina. Fuck. Jesus. She’s in the water.

What’s with her and pools all the sudden? I’m going to fill every fucking pool with cement.

Without thinking I’m diving in, memories of the last time swirling like the dark water. Please let her be okay. I’ll tell her the truth. The whole truth. Just please let her be okay.

I get my arm around her and she doesn’t respond. What the hell?

If she…

I couldn’t go on. If anything happened to her, that would be it for me. What’s the point of life without her in it? I’d rather she hated me for what I’ve done. Rather she looked at me with nothing but disgust, but at least I’d know she was okay. At least I could protect her, even if she wouldn’t let me anywhere near her.

I think of the pregnancy test I bought at the store early this morning. I was so fucking excited thinking I may have gotten my wish and rooted my seed inside her already…

“Mina,” I say as I pull her up to the surface, brushing hair back from her face. “Talk to me, baby. Please, open your eyes.”

Nothing. No response. I glare at the surrounding spectators as I pull her to the side of the pool.

“Call a fucking ambulance, assholes!”

I drag her out and onto the side, remembering the first aid training I had to do my first year in college. Clear her airways, get her breathing.

When she splutters, it’s like someone just gave me a miracle.

I hear Rosaria’s voice. “Mina!”

“Baby,” I whisper. “I’m so sorry I did this to you. Please. I can explain everything. I just…”

Her eyes meet mine. And I see such confusion in them, it shames me. Why didn’t I just tell her the truth from the start, about me, about us, about who we are to each other. I could have let her decide, instead I took that away from her.

“Baby, please…” I whisper, taking her hand in mine.

And feel her squeeze my fingers.

“Daddy,” she says, her voice rough and hoarse from the water. “You saved me. I knew you would. But, wait, Jackson…you’re Jackson.”

The pictures are already all over the bar TV sets by the time the paramedics have given her all clear. A bit of water inhalation. Nothing to worry about. If she starts coughing or gets a fever, bring her to the hospital for a check, but she should be fine.

We’re alone. Rosaria retreated as soon as she knew Mina was going to be okay, saying she’d had plenty of excitement for one day and didn’t want to be here when the next bomb went off.

“Long term effects like amnesia, huh?” Mina says, a little smirk on her face. She glances at the TV screen, wherethatphoto is still being shown, and blushes.