“You are an interesting dude,” Stephen said as Jeffrey arrived.
“In a good way or a bad way?”Micah inquired.
“I dunno, you seem cool talking to me, not bothered that I am flamboyantly gay,” Stephen said.“I kind of expected you to avoid me, I mean, coming from such a macho culture.”
Micah didn't like the insinuation.“Stephen, if I didn't stereotype you, can you offer me the same courtesy?”
“Oh, again, sorry.You are just, you know, so cool about everything,” Stephen said, looking at Jeffrey.
“Can't help it.I was born cool,” Micah said, trying to offer a smile that looked more like he was ready to slowly peel the skin off an enemy's facial cheeks.
Jeffrey, also a ward of Bad Apple, laughed.Alita, spotting Micah getting uncomfortable, appeared at his side.“Boss, you should show them how you can make the art swim.”
“No one wants to see that, Alita,” he replied as Ayana, Bria, and Collette, the cute blonde with blue eyes, arrived at his guard's flanks.
“Yeah, we do,” Bria said, smiling.
“Fine,” Micah said, walking to the deep end of the pool.
Ayana looked at Alita as Micah walked down the side of the pool as if he were wielding the most powerful tool to birth a nation.“Girl, I don't know how you work beside that fine ass man and not drink his bathwater.”
Alita turned to face the girl.“He is my boss.My job is to protect his life.There is no other way for me to look at that man.Please refrain from such commentary in my presence and in his.This is unusual for him to interact with other teens, and he should be allowed to have fun.I ask each of you to afford him the grace to just hang out.We never get to do this.”
They watched as Micah dove into the pool, his body slicing through the water with ease.He swam the length of the pool, coming up at the shallow end, then flipped to his back.His body undulated in the water making the tattooed body art appear as if a very large snake were swimming in the pool.He popped up on the deep end as Cherry entered the pool area with little Naomi, who spotted Micah.
Alita moved with swiftness, grabbing a shirt for her boss to cover the tattoo.She'd watched his father, The Fer de Lance, keep his body art covered in the presence of small children to prevent scaring them.As she moved down the pool to hand him the shirt, she blocked the view from Cherry and the child.
“Please give him a moment to don his shirt so it does not frighten your daughter,” Alita said softly.“We do not wish to kill her love for the Bushmaster since he promised to keep a spot in his heart for her.”
Cherry looked at the young woman.“And who are you, his personal assistant or something?”
“No, I am his personal guard and a fully trained assassin,” Alita said, staring the woman directly into her eyes, but Cherry didn't balk or flinch.“The Fer de Lance covers his tattoo in front of small children so as not to give them nightmares.I would not want your beautiful angel waking up fearful at seeing such an imposing image.”
“Thank you,” Cherry said as the young man came out of the water, wearing a shirt which clearly hid the art on his chest.The scales of the body of serpent were still evident on his leg and foot.
“Hola, Naomi, are you coming for a swim?”Micah asked the child.
“Yes, but I'm scared of the water,” Naomi said.“My Daddy had me in there yesterday, but I was afraid.”
Micah tried to offer a soft smile.“I have a sister your age, and she loves to swim.I taught her a trick.Can I ask your Mommy if I can show it to you?”
His eyes went to Cherry, who reluctantly agreed.He walked to the four-foot side of the pool and entered the water, his body bent, his back visible.Micah instructed Cherry to lay Naomi on her back so she would be back-to-back with Micah.Alita was also in the pool next to him as he floated to the other side of the pool and back.Naomi's confidence grew in the water as he slowly removed his body from under hers, allowing the child to float.
“Naomi, you're floating,” he said, softly.
“I am!Mommy, I'm floating,” she yelled.Micah showed her how to move her arms and legs while Alita braced her small form, allowing the child to swim across the pool twice, the second time on her own.“Mommy, I can swim!”
“Yes, you can,” Cherry said, watching the young man, who asked Alita to lift the child from the side of the pool and removed himself as well.Cherry noticed he never physically touched Naomi but allowed his guard to manage the child.
Micah spoke to his guard and left the pool.Alita remained behind to be with Ayana and Bria, enjoying having some girl time with young women her age.
Bria asked, “You don't need to go with him?”
“He's going to shower and change,” Alita said.
“Do I need to go with him?”Ayana asked, laughing.“I used to say women were dumb for being baby mamas, but I can see being his.”
Bria spoke up, “yeah, each time he would come for a visit, me and his little dark-haired children would share what we’d learned in his language.”
