Facade (Romola 1)

56: Fool Me Once

"Did you seriously believe that I was drowning? The water isn't even that deep." She giggled.

She stared at him waiting for the corner of his lips to lift in a smile. It didn't.

"That wasn't funny." He detached his hand from her waist and swam towards the sand.

"It was just a joke."

"I don't like such jokes okay. I've told you before, I don't like to be lied to. This was extreme." He got to the shore and she followed. One of his slippers floated past her. She grabbed it.

"I just wanted you to get in the water. How can you come to the beach and not get wet?"

"How can you pretend to drown? Do you know what that did to me. I told you that I don't wan tot be in the water!" He picked his phone from the sand. "Come out, get your things. We are going home."

"Because of a single joke?"

He turned to her, his eyes as hard as when he stared at Yetunde. "I swear, if you don't get out of the water now, I'll leave you."

"You're not serious." She eyed him.

She watched him pick the small cooler that contained their food, his wallet and his sunglasses. He began to walk towards the point where the rocks met the promenade, leading to the car park outside.

"Wait." She waddled towards the sand bar.

She stretched her arms and a tug on her bikini warned her that she was stretching too far. She stretched further.The bikini top strap stretched aainst her skin and snap, it came loose. She felt the support to her breast abadon her skin for the cooler feel of the water. She reached for the top but it slipped throught her hands. She swam in its direction and picked it up again. She opened it up, grateful that Olumide had paid for a secluded portion of the beach. The bikini top was useless without the strap to hold it up and spread it against her breasts.

"Olumide." She called, swimming further out in the water as her face flushed. How in the world would she call his attention to this problem now?

He paused, looking back at her with a hard face. "Are you still trying to be a mermaid?"

"No." She shwantook her head. She couldn't afford to waste her words. She stood a chance of gulping salty water because she had to submerge her body neck deep in the water to keep her body hidden.

"Then come out. Let's go."

"I can't."

"Oh really?" Olumide gave a sarcastic smile. "In that case, I'll be on my way."

"Mide, please. Don't leave me." Her voice wavered as the cold water surrounded her neck. Olumide kept walking. Was he that mad about her method of getting him in the water. "I need your shirt. Please."

He stopped and squinted at her. She didn't know if he could see her from where he stood but she was starting to feel naked under his burning gaze.

"What do you want my shirt for?"

"I want to wear it."

"Why?"

"I can't walk back to the car like this. I'm almost naked."

"Oh oh. So you were not naked when you walked from the car to this place right?"

"I was with my scarf. You left it on the chair." She pointed at the thin cream scarf. "I want to wear your shirt."

"Why?"

"Nothing. I just like it."

There was nothing appealing about his baby blue shirt but it was better than wearing her scarf. Once the scarf touched her wet skin, it would become translucent and only give the illusion of a covering.

"You're not serious. When you are ready to go, you'll come out of the water and pack your things." She watched him take a few steps away.

"Wait. I'm coming now. Just stay there." her voice shook.

He must really be angry. Would he want to help if he knew what was going on?

"I'm waiting."

"I'm coming."

She turned, so that her chest faced the sea, turning her head backwards mid stroke as she swam towards the land, until she swam to a place where she knew she could go any further without revealing her breasts.

She floated in that space, weighing her options. She could still use the scarf. All she had to do was use a little portion to dry the water off her skin, then she could wrap it around her breasts, like a tube, twice and tuck the wet end under her armit so that the rest of her breast remained hidden.

Olumide would not give her his shirt and even if he did, he would probably wait until she wore it. She didn't want him to see her like this. The scarf had to be the a better choice. It would still be translucent but it was better than nothing.

She turned back to him. He had propped his waist against a rock that towered over him slightly. "Don't worry Mide. I will catch up with you."

"You sure?"

"Yep." She forced a smile on her face.

"That's your choice. We're leaving in two minuties." He declared Hurrying away from her to the point where the rock formation began.

She frowned. He left her. Just like that. Hadn't he promised her, this morning, that nothing would get between them? Apparently, the sea wasn't included in his list of promises.