Passenger

My lips were already chapped.
My headphones were tucked carefully into my ears, Lisa Hannigan playing loudly, as I drowned out the sound of the arriving tourist ferries, the squawking of the seagulls... Rats of the sky, was how Annie referred to them.

I pulled the hand break of my baby green bike just as I reached the curb of the water front promenade, and placed my jean tucked in ankle boot to the cement, and turned with a smile as I spotted Annie making her way towards me.

“You’re cheating.”

My ten year old sister frowned at me, her back pack in her lap, and her swimming goggles atop her head.

“I’m not cheating, you’re just slow.” I smiled at her ruffling up her soft and dangerously straight blonde-brown hair, and kissed her delicate cheek, “C’mon you’re going to be late.”

I let her speed past me, a mischievous grin on her face, I pedaled slowly, the cold, Fall winds of Baltimore hitting my face; my lips burned, but I endured it, just as I did every other day of the week to take my Sister to her swim lessons.

Annie was diagnosed with Kidney Failure, three years ago. She had to spend seven hours at the doctor every week, usually all in one day. She’ has a motorized chair, she get’s tired from the simplest things- walking and standing are the most common. She hate’s feeling weak, that’s why her Doctor, encouraged my Mother and I to enroll her in Swimming Lessons.

“Hurry up slow poke!”

I pulled my gaze from the water front, and at Annie who was now parked in front of the aquatics center, waiting for me to park my bike, and open the door for her.

Annie, knew she was sick. But it didn’t let her stop her from being too much like a ten year old girl. She was starting to grow out of dolls, and more into older girl things, such as make up.

Today was Sunday, which meant she enjoyed watching me putting on my make up for the bar in the center.

She would stare at me from the bathroom door way, a smile on her face as she watched me put eye shadow on my lids, mascara, and a hint of lightly tinted gloss. She would wait until I was finished, and wheel her self in, and snatch my gloss and apply it on delicately, and neatly- she would smile at me and then say we matched.

“Ah, you beat me.” I sighed, feigning to be out of breath as she rolled her eyes gently.

I walked in front of her, pushing open the large and heavy glass doors, pretending that I was too weak, and letting the door fall on me, causing Annie to let out an agitated groan.

“I’m late Kaz!”

The urgence in her voice made me smile, at her enthusiasm to reach her lesson, and I pushed the door open completely, and walked slightly faster to catch up to her speeding chair.

We walked side by side for a moment until we reached the lobby and the few signs that were on the walls, pointing to the pools, the shops, and the cafe. She held by hand and tugged me down to her level.

“When you’re done working, come and see me. Donna’s teaching me to dive today, and I want you to see.”

I smiled and kissed the top of her head, and held out my hand as she did the same grinning, and exposed my pinky delicately, watching as she did so too, her own half the size of mine, but slowly growing to catch up.

“I’ll be there.” I smiled as she leaned up and pecked me on the lips.

“Don’t be a bird.” she called out, not turning her head to look at me, as she wheeled off down the opposite hall way.

“I’m not a bird.” I smiled, calling out the words Mom said.

“No,” Annie said turning her chair around as she reached the doors to the pool, “You’re grounded.”

“I’m stuck!” I called as she pushed through the doors and towards the pool, leaving me alone on the first floor of the Center.

❊

“Donna told me what happened.”

I stood up straighter on my stool, behind the counter of the and leaned back, enjoying the sound of my spine cracking.

I winced as a pair of deep blue eyes stared at me intently, and I leaned forward, my hair tickling my arms, as I pushed my friend out of the way and to the side of my station. Ignoring her pleading stares, as she stood next to the customer who was giving her strange looks.

“Go away Lisa.” I smiled, before turning my full and undivided attention to the father of one of the girls in Annie’s swim group.

“How are you Karren?” he asked with an exhausted look on his face.

“I’m doing well Will, thanks.” I smiled tapping my pen and waiting for him to start his order.

“We missed you and your Mother at the Hospital meeting last week.”

I scrunched up my face, and ignored the intense stare Lisa was giving me, and turned back towards the familiar face.

“My Mother isn’t helping my Sister and I anymore, it’s just the two of us and Gran.” I answered honestly, “Annie doesn’t know yet, so...”

His eyes widened, and he immediately understood what I was talking about, “Of course, I wouldn’t dream of breaking the news to your sister like that...I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine Will.” I nodded pulling back my hair, that was identical to my sisters, “Everything happens for a reason. So, what can I get you?”

Lisa stayed behind, as the few parents for today’s swim group came and ordered coffee, questioned about my Mother, and I gave them all the same honest answer. Not feeling ashamed as most kids would be at their only parents leaving them.

Lisa’s giggle caught my attention as I smiled at Annie and handed her a bottle of water, PB&J, and a fruit roll-up. I winked at my sister as she motioned for me to come with her, and I quickly hopped over the counter, nearly toppling over, and pushing Annie out of her chair, had she not moved away. Safely landed on my feet, I ruffled Annie’s wet hair, just as a laugh coming from Lisa caught my attention.

Annie was talking rapidly, but like me, was distracted by Lisa’s giggle.
We both turned, starring at my friend, who had her flirt face on as she leaned against the counter, chewing on the straw coming from her iced coffee.

She was talking to a tall man, probably around the same age as Lisa and myself, twenty six, possibly twenty seven. He towered over her, long arms crossed and an amused, and awkward look on his face, as Lisa continued to flirt with him. He was dressed in long swimming trunks and a collared shirt, a towel was over his shoulder and swimming goggles in one of his hands.

“That’s Michael Phelps.”

I pulled my gaze away, just as Lisa and the guy turned their gaze towards me, and Annie tugged at my hand.

She was out of her chair, and with her small amount of strength was pushing me into her chair, and I plopped down and held her waist tightly as she used the small device on my left to drive us towards the pools.

“He’s won twenty-two medals at the Olympics.” Annie announced enthusiastically.

I feigned confusion, “At one game?”

Annie gave me her dullest stare as she rolled her eyes and got up, and I stood from the chair and pushed open the pool doors, with a laugh as she climbed back into her chair.

“No dummy.”

I flicked her nose as she rode passed me and towards a few benches where I spotted her pack and towel, “I was kidding Annie.”

“Mhmm.” she hummed in doubt, “I don’t think you really know, you never watch TV or go on the computer, you’re technology isolated.”

“That made so much sense,” I said with a laugh as we approached Donna Bowman, who held out her hand for a shake.

“How’s the guppy doing?” I asked her with a smile as Annie glared and parked her chair right at the pools edge and jumped in as I shook my head, and pulled her chair away from the water.

“She’s doing great. She’s really excited to show you her dive.” Donna smiled, “She asked about your Mother, are you going to tell her soon?”

I scratched my head exasperated, “I don’t know how to, I don’t think she’ll feel that much for it, because she’s used to it. But the idea of our Mother actually vanishing, might affect her.”

“It will affect her the longer you keep it from her.” Donna said honestly.

I remained silent, and uncomfortable as Donna patted my arm gently.

“I’m going to get her to do the dive.” she said gingerly, “We’ll talk more soon.”

I walked towards the bleachers as Donna stripped from her gym pants and jumped into the pool, causing Annie and a few of the other kids to start screaming gleefully.
I parked the chair in front of the first row of medal seats with a smile as I watched Annie float on her back, for the first time, I’d seen, without anyone else’s help.
Donna helped the other kids get into each lane, before telling them the order in which they were going to dive.

I was tying my hair back into a long braid, just as I felt a body come and take a seat beside me, I smiled expecting it to be Lisa, but I blinked back startled, as I came face to face with a lightly stubbled one with kind brown eyes and dark eyebrows and a shy smile.

I opened my mouth to speak, but Lisa who was on the other side of the guy, gave me a kind smile as she introduced us.

I was blushing, as I kept glancing to and from the pool, just as Annie called out to me, “Birdy! Look at me!”

I tuned Lisa out, and watched my thin sister, with her skinny legs, thin arms, and thin body grin from ear to ear, as she held her arms above her head and bent her knees, diving into the pool.

I clapped as she swam to Donna, watching as my younger sister beamed.

“Kazz.”

Lisa’s voice finally caught my attention, as Annie was occupied, listening to Donna.

“I was just talking to my new friend about you.”

I glanced away from the blonde beauty who had a gleam in her eye, as she motioned to the guy sitting between us.

He had a kind face, a dorky, crooked and awkward smile. His hair was messy, but in a cute way, showing he had just gotten out of the pool.

“Hi.” I said unsure, having not completely payed attention to the previous introductions, “I’m Karren.”

He chuckled, exposing white teeth, and an awkward smile, “Hi, Karren. I’m Michael.”