Running with Secrets

Untitled Part 45

"I'm going to the store while you swim, because if I know my grandma, after her confession that she goes to water aerobics, she's on a health kick and she won't have anything to munch on  that's worth it." Heath told Kristin as he dropped her off at the pool. "I'll be back at about 7, if that's okay." After he looked at his watch, he reached for Kristin's hand and kissed her knuckles as they looked at each other with heightened awareness. "I'll be back," he said as she slid out of the car to go inside the to the pool.

*****

Glorious. Free. She hadn't felt those things for the better part of a month and being in the water now was the best thing for her soul, as she fell into the rhythms she had once known before. The rhythm of the water lapping around her and the sounds of other people enjoying the water made her heart soar. Or was it the memory of the kiss she shared with Heath?

It was a good thing she was in the water and physically exerting her energy, to cover any blush that might have risen to her face. It coupled with the awareness she felt that someone was watching her. As much as she wanted to stop and see who it was, she needed to finish the set she was in the middle of.

When she was done, she stopped and looked at the clock as she mentally made note of her speed in her head. All things considered, and her lack of a pool in the last weeks, Kristin decided she had made very good time.

"Not bad at all," She heard Clark say as she turned toward the direction of his voice. "If you want the job, come back tomorrow at eleven o'clock. The kids won't know you're coming, of course, but we can give you a tryout with them, if you like."

Kristin smiled back at him. "You really think so?" She rested her arms on the edge of the pool as she looked up at him, barely moving her goggles from her eyes. Though she couldn't have been absolutely certain, she knew he was flirting. Something she wasn't quite ready to participate in. Besides, she had just shared an Earth-moving kiss with Heath.

"I think so." Clark repeated.

"Just a warning, I haven't ever taught competitive before."

"You'll do great though. I think the kids will like you."

Kristin didn't miss the look in his eyes that told her he liked her too, then she looked around the pool. "This is a good pool. It's nice."

"Yeah." Clark replied. "We have a lot of good races here."  He couldn't help notice the wide smile on her face, then also as she instantly looked right around him. Clark tried not to throw his shoulders down, but he knew then that the burly man she was with earlier today was with her. And he had just arrived. He pasted a smile on his face as he turned just as Heath  came up to the edge of the pool.

Kristin got out of the pool as Heath handed her the towel and after she removed her goggles she stated. "I thought you were going to be gone at 5?"

"Yeah. I was supposed to, but the fitness center director had me do some extra things today. " He held up a ream of paper. "Extra classes. I have to fit in some extra classes for next semester."

"Ah." Kristin said. "The academic shuffle." She wrapped the towel around her shoulders and looked at Heath, who was trying very hard not to look annoyed. It made her giggle on the inside as she adjusted her goggles again on her forehead. She reached out her hand again to shake with Clark and said, "It was nice meeting you and I can't wait to meet the kids tomorrow."

They shook hands and Clark returned the niceties to Kristin, then looked again at the silent partner and nodded. "It was good to meet you again, Kristin." He said as he made his exit.

They were silent as Kristin finished drying off, until Kristin spoke first. "Lemme get my things and I'll shower at your grandmother's house."

*****

Back at Heath's grandmother's house, they gathered groceries and wet swimwear then headed inside. "Gramma goes to bed early enough that she won't be up right now. Do you want to watch a movie?"

They had talked so much over the past several days that a movie sounded really nice to Kristin. "Sure, what does she have?"

"Cable. Satellite. Streaming. All of it." Heath thought out loud. "She has everything."

"Does she have The Wizard Of OZ?"

He opened the door to the kitchen for her and they put the bags down on the kitchen counter. "I think she might, but we can find it streaming somewhere if she doesn't have the dvd." He took a few things out of a bag and put them in the fridge. "Why don't you take a quick shower and I'll figure things out from here then?"

Kristin stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek, "Okay. I won't take too long." As she walked down the hallway to her bedroom, she couldn't help thinking her own behavior was way too comfortable for how long she had known Heath. She felt herself falling in a way she wasn't familiar with. One that was very different than how she fell for Matther. Then she felt absurd for comparing the two men, mainly since one of them was dead now. She let the water wash over her symbolically as a renewal of life as it washed her tears away.

Kristin dressed in fresh pajamas and met Heath in the living room. He was dressed comfortably also and had the movie set up and had a bag of popcorn at the ready. "I'm glad we don't have to go anywhere tomorrow. Truthfully, I'm tired of traveling." Kristin revealed as they settled onto the couch next to each other.

"Me too." Heath said, putting his arm around her shoulders. "Me too."

As they started the movie, Kristin got comfortable sitting closer and closer to Heath, and ate most of the popcorn before the twister started.

"Are you okay?"

"Huh?" She asked back, "yeah. This part always gets me worked up." Kristin adjusted her posture so she was resting her head on Heath's leg and felt warm and tingly by the time the movie changed from black-and-white to color.

As the munchkins directed Dorothy down the Yellow-brick-road, Kristin felt her eyes get heavier and heavier until she could only hear the movie.

"Do you want to go to bed? You're dozing off." Heath spoke up.

"No, I can still hear."

"Okay." He said, as she shifted again, this time curling up with her head in his arm and his other arm around her. "As you wish."

"That's another good movie." Kristin said before she drifted off and never heard Heath's reply.