Love Makes Blind

[Paul's Point of View]

“Paulie, can we go swimming now?” Vicky asked me for the twentieth time. We were still in the kitchen, but my grandmother and uncle had left to drive up to Port Townsend to do some shopping.
I searched through my head for a answer to the little five year old. I glanced over at my granddad and gave him a pleading look; he was reading the news paper and only glanced over the top of it.
He noticed my despair though and folded the paper together. “Do you want to come with me and feed the horses Vicky?”
Vicky’s face lit up as she jumped of her chair. “Can we go right now?”
My grandfather stood up and took her hand before walking out the backdoor.

“Why didn’t you want her to come with us?” Elia wondered when the door closed again.
I sighed and stood up; Elia did the same. “I’m going to teach you how to swim, and I can’t do that with her around.”
Elia laughed. “You’re going to teach me how to swim?”
I smiled smugly and led her outside. “Yes. I can’t believe no one have ever taught you how to do it.”
Elia shook her head and grabbed my hand. I intertwined our fingers and smiled down at our hands.

“We used to fight when we first met.” I smiled, thinking back to those first days.
Elia grinned. “That was because you were a cocky bastard.”
I gasped in fake shock. “I was not! You sat on my lap none the less.”
“Yeah, ‘cause I didn’t want to ruin my jeans.” She defended.
“No, you just wanted to come close to this hot bod’” I gestured to my body.
“Hah, I think it was you that wanted close to my body.” Elia said.
I laughed. “Hell yes I did. And you couldn’t resist me.”
“You are so cocky Paul!” she hit my arm playfully.
“Yeah, but you love me.” I grinned and picked her up. She squealed when I threw her over my shoulder.

“Put me down Paulie!” She screamed.
“Not if you’re calling me Paulie. I prefer wolfie.”
“Okay wolfie.” We had reached the beach so I put her down at the sand. “Paulie!” She said and started running away from me.
I laughed and ran after her. I stopped her when I wrapped my arms around her waist. “Lose the shorts monster.” I commanded.
Elia laughed, but undid her shorts and let it fall to the sand, then she lifted her arms and I pulled her sweater over her head.
I did the same to my clothes and was left in the swim trunks I had put on this morning.

“You ready?” I asked and started walking towards the water line.
She shrugged.
“It’s nothing to be scared of, I won’t let you drown.”
Still she didn’t say anything; she just nodded.
We walked into the water hand in hand. I stopped when it reached my waist; I stood behind Elia with my hands on her tense shoulders.
“You have to relax.” I said softly and bent down to kiss her beneath her ear, which always helped.
“Okay…” she whispered and leaned against my chest. She was really scared.

“Lay down.” She did as I told her and I had my hands under her lower back and head. “Calm down.” I told her when she started breathing rapidly.
“I am calm!” she said with eyes wide open.
“No you’re not.” I said sternly.
Elia tried to get up. “This is just stupid.”
“No, you have to trust me Elia.”
“Fine.” She tried to relax.

“Now turn around – I’ll hold you – and start moving your hands.” She obeyed.
It seemed like someone had tried to teach her, because she knew how to move both her arms and legs.
“Is this good?” she asked in a strained voice as she tried to hold her head over the water.
“Very.” I smiled. “I’ll let go very carefully now, and you’ll just keep doing what you’re doing.”
I let her go, and she was actually swimming; she looked funny though. “You are doing great.” I smiled and walked over to where she had stopped.

“Thank you.” She said and hugged me.
“What do you want to do for the rest of the day?” I wondered and put my arms around her.
Elia was silent for a second before she reached up and put her arms around my neck. She pulled herself up and wrapped her legs around my waist.
A moan escaped my lips when she kissed down my neck.
“I think we’ll go back to the motel.” She mumbled against my skin.
“I think your right.” I said and walked back to the beach.