Yael | Ongoing

Chapter 24: Where's Tinu?

Charlie
12:02 AM

I beat my legs against the depth to keep my neck and shoulders above water as I watched the night unfold even further. Only a good number of people knew I had a pool in my backyard and zero knew just how big or deep.

Seeing the astonishment on their faces only helped to deepen the joy that I already felt. I looked at the edge of the pool facing North towards the house and saw Steven and Grace playing about and splashing water on each other like kindergartners. I had made sure to have floaters around, swimsuits for those who hadn't brought any, balls for those who wanted to play, and, of course, more food and more drinks. I had also installed a different sound system outside to provide music for this exact purpose.

"Seems no one is going to forget your name after tonight," Sam said. He was swimming toward me. Sharon wasn't far behind although she was taking her time and enjoying the water as she swam forward.

"They had better not," I replied. "This cost a lot."

"Well, your mouth says it but your face doesn't show it," Sharon said. She had caught up to Sam.

"I see you took the pains to try on one of the swimsuits," I said, casting my glance over to Sam. I smiled mischievously. "Looks good on you."

"Thank you. That's really sweet," Sharon said, smiling wide. "You hear that Sam? I look like the most beautiful thing he has ever set his eyes on-"

"Uh, that's not what I said though. . ." I said, trying to interject.

"-so what is it? Oh, I look like an ogre to you, is that it?" Sharon said, fighting back a smile and failing.

"What did I do now?" Sam asked as he looked around. He was so easy to tease that it seemed almost wrong not to do it. "I told you that you looked great."

"I heard no such thing," Sharon said and turned away from him with her eyes closed and her lips in a pout. I laughed, urging Sharon on. I looked around the pool again and noticed that the numbers had increased. Maybe others had heard the sounds of laughter and water and came to a reasonable conclusion as to where the party had migrated to.

Then I looked at the door to the backyard and my heart fell into my stomach. For three whole seconds, I forgot to breathe. I was worried before but what I had started feeling couldn't be described as worry. It was fear. I slowly swam to the edge of the pool, keeping my eyes fixed on the door. I stepped out and stood, oblivious to the pitter-patter of water hitting the dry ground. Sam asked me a question but I didn't have the presence of mind to hear what he had asked or answer him.

What concerned me stood just a few feet from where I stood. He had to know where she was. He just had to. And if he claimed he didn't, I would make him remember. I walked toward him. My mind raced and I couldn't concentrate.

"Where is she?" I asked immediately I was within earshot.

"I'm sorry. Where's who?" He asked as he turned towards me and smiled. Maxwell.

"You know exactly who I'm talking about," I replied without trying to hide the frustration that had built up in my voice.

"Hey, no need to be hostile," he said and raised both arms beside his head in surrender. The look on his face indicated confusion and seemed sincere. I didn't know what to think. "I don't know what you mean."

"I mean Tinu. I haven't seen her since. And last I saw her, she was with you." I said.

"She left me to see someone else. I've also been searching for her. Came out here thinking I would see her," he said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. His voice was calm and subtle, like smooth silk. It was frightening and soothing all at the same time. I couldn't tell if he was being truthful or not. But, I had no reason to distrust him. He smiled a crooked smile. "Honest to God."

"Okay," was my only reply. Even if I had decided to believe him, it didn't make me like him any more than I already did. I turned to walk away, offering him one glance before I walked away completely.

"Hey, what was that all about?" Sam asked, swimming to the edge with Sharon in tow. I bent over and sat on the coping of the pool, allowing my legs to fall into the warm water.

"Something isn't right," I said. I rested my elbows on my thighs and stared at my reflection in the water. A ripple moved and distorted the image.

"Tinu?" Sharon asked.

"Yeah," I replied. I held my head in my hands and couldn't fight back the waves of fear that I felt. But I couldn't peg why. I had nothing to fear. Because of who I was.

"Is something wrong with Tinu?" Sam asked with wide eyes. He was beginning to worry. "Did something happen?"

I straightened out. "Not exactly," I said. "We just haven't seen her in a while."

"Have you tried her number? Did she pick up?" Sam inquired.

"Damn! Why didn't I think of that?" I exclaimed as stood up, ran over to my trousers, pulled my mobile phone from the left front pocket, and made my way back to Sam and Sharon. "Of course, she would have her phone with her."

I opened my phonebook and scrolled until u found her name, opened it, and hit dial. It rang once and then twice and three times before the call ended. I tried again but it was the same result. I damn near threw my phone into the water out of frustration.

"Don't worry, we'll go look for her. Right now." She said as she set her hands on the coping and pulled herself out of the water. Then she looked at Sam incredulously. "Come on."

Sam also emerged from the water and the three of us stood in a circle, unsure of what to do next. We were wet from head to toe and it had started to get windy. The cool morning breeze whipped at Sharon's hair. For a moment she almost looked different. Like she was more. I swept the thought away. Sam's swim trunks were plastered to his thighs and continued to drip water.

"There are two storeys. Which means we have the ground floor, first floor, and second floor to check," I said sticking out my fingers one by one. "Sharon, you go high and I'll go low. Sam, we'll sandwich you right in the middle. We should all be done at about the same time. If we haven't found her by then..."

"We will," Sharon said. She placed a gentle hand on my shoulder and smiled. Relief washed over me like a warm bath.

"Thank you. I needed that," I said.

"Now, let's go find Tinu," Sharon voiced. "We breathe a word of this to no one. We don't know what has happened and the last thing we need is for people to start asking questions or get afraid and do something stupid. That would only exacerbate our problems."

"Agreed," Sam and I chorused together.

"Charlie, who were you speaking with at the door?" Sharon asked, looking at me.

"It was Max. Her date," I said.

"A hell of a date he is," Sam said, giving me a look that said Screw him.

"Okay, we don't speak to him either," Sharon continued. "He kinda makes my skin crawl. We go in and we search. Anyone find anything suspicious, Tinu or not, you call one of us. If the person doesn't answer, assume the person is down and that the situation may have just gotten a lot worse."

Looking at her standing there and taking charge of the issue was really something to see. Almost like she was never scared of anything. Maybe she wasn't.

"Okay," Sam and I replied in chorus again. There was really nothing else to say that she hadn't covered already. We talk to no one, especially Max and we search for Tinu.

"Let's go," Sharon said in conclusion and we moved. I pulled a towel from a rack that stood beside the backyard door. I dried my body and my hair and quickly pulled my clothes on.  When I was done and ready, Sam and Sharon were already waiting. I walked through the door, jogged over to the stairs, and swerved right toward the kitchen. Just beyond the sink and fridge were two doors where we kept more supplies. I decided to start there. Sam and Sharon bounded up the stairs to go to their designated floors.

I didn't know what to do. I couldn't tear the house down by its pillars though I wish I was allowed to. I had to control my breathing and calm down. I held the first door by the handle.

"Yahweh," I breathed. "Please, come to my aid."