Page 181 of Affair
Oh, and a fool because his heart would be broken before he knew it.
As for trusting Gamble…
What did he have to lose?
It wasn’t like the man wasn’t right there.
“Okay,” he said, doing what he asked.
“Hold your breath,” he said, and Poe did.
He could feel his arms under him, supporting his body in the water.
“Now, just breathe naturally, and focus on keeping your face above water. Use your hands if you start to sink,” Gamble suggested.
The man did.
“What am I doing?” he asked.
Gamble told him.
“You’re staying afloat,” he said, swimming away from him.
Poe stared at the rock ceiling.
Holy shit!
He was staying afloat.
“You’re bloody kidding me. Floating is possible?” he asked.
Gamble swam around him proudly.
Now, Poe could save himself when Gamble wasn’t around.
That made his heart hurt.
Gamble wanted to be around, but…
God.
He wished he could erase so much from his past.
“Yep. You’re doing it,” he said. “Now, in case you fall in, you can get to the surface, and float to the top. You can stay afloat until help arrives or until you get to shallow water.”
Poe stared at the ceiling, and he was proud of himself.
“Are you the help that is going to come save me?” he asked.
The second he asked it, Poe knew.
“You’re teaching me for when you’re gone, aren’t you?” he asked.
It got quiet.
And Poe stopped floating.
As he began sinking, struggling to get back to the surface, he felt the arms around his waist, and being brought back up.
