Language of Love

Chapter 49

Abi let herself be led to Corey's car. Troy opened the back door and she slipped inside silently. He slipped in quietly beside her, buckling her in when she made no move to do so herself. She leant her head heavily against his arm.
"Sorry I yelled Abs. I was worried for ya."
"I can look after myself Troy."
"He could have drowned ya."
"I was well aware of that." She snapped at him.
Corey cleared his throat as he pulled out of the parking bay. The 2 in the back settled into silence.

Back in Bronte, Corey opened the back door for Abi. He gave the exhausted young woman a quick hug.
"You did good." He reminded her before getting back in the car and driving off.

Troy stood awkwardly on the other side of where the car had been.
"I don't want to fight about this. I just want to take a shower and go to sleep." Abi told him, her voice so quiet he could barely hear her. He followed her up the stairs and unlocked the door. Abi went immediately to the bathroom and locked the door behind her.

Troy sat heavily on the sofa and put his head in his hands.
"Fuck." He muttered to himself.

It felt like forever before Abi emerged, wrapped in a towel. She didn't even look his way as she headed for the bedroom. Warily, Troy followed her. She was slipping on her pyjamas. Now he was calmer and knew she was safe he could see her shivering slightly from the exhaustion and shock. He pulled back the covers and kicked off his jeans as she crawled into the bed. Then he slipped in next to her and pulled her close.
"Love you Abs. Couldn't bare to lose you."
She nodded sleepily against his chest before drifting off to sleep. Sleep took a long time to come for Troy as he held her in his arms.

When he woke the next morning, the bed beside him was empty. He stumbled out into the main living area to find Abi curled up on the sofa, hugging her morning cup of coffee.
"Hey." He said, his voice edged with concern.
"Hey." She replied, almost absently, as she hugged her coffee mug tighter.
"Abs. I'm real sorry I yelled at ya last night. I was scared for ya. That kinda rescues dangerous even for an experienced lifeguard. I overreacted."
Abi didn't reply immediately. She reached forward and placed her coffee mug carefully on the little coffee table, then drew her knees under herself on the sofa.
"I knew the risks Troy. I was terrified but I couldn't do nothing. We were the closest, and Jaz and I were the only ones with any surf knowledge at all."
Troy sat softly beside her. She leant into his side.
"I fucked up when you needed me, ay?" He murmured as he wrapped an arm around her.
"Yeah. A bit." She nudged his arm. "I do get that it's because you care Troy."
He nudged her back.
"Join me for training this morning?" He asked.
"Sure. Just hide me from Hoppo. That's a lecture I don't need."
Troy rumbled a laugh as he placed a kiss to her head.

An hour later they were jogging along the sand at Bondi, towards the Lifeguard Tower. Avoiding the tower they headed underneath, grabbing a rescue board and Troy's paddle board.

The surf wasn't too big today. Abi easily followed Troy through the small shorebreak then used backpackers rip to help speed her away from the beach. Troy was already way ahead of her, powering forwards. Eventually, about 200 metres out, he stopped and waited for her.

Pulling herself up to sit on the paddle board, floating beside Troy's rescue board, Abi looked out at the endless Ocean.
"Corey was right last night." Troy broke the silence beside her. "You did good." Abi turned to look at him but Troy was staring out at the Ocean, avoiding her gaze.
"You'd do it again if someone else got inta trouble wouldn't ya?" He asked, finally turning to look at her, his expression a mix of concern and pride.
"I couldn't do nothing." Abi repeated her words from earlier. Troy nodded resignedly.
"After hours rescues like that happen way too often. Live here long enough you'll see or help with plenty. You're a helper Abs. But I want ya to be as safe as ya can be. Would ya do some lifesaver training? We can sign you up with Bronte surfclub."
"Okay." Abi replied. "Perhaps you and the guys could train me a bit too?"
"Sweet."

Corey leant on the railing outside the tower, watching the 2 figures floating on boards out in the bay. Hoppo stood beside him.
"They sort it out then?" Hoppo asked.
"Looks like it." Corey replied.
"Reckon I'll ever convince her to be a lifeguard?"
"Not a chance, mate. She'd be bloody good at it, though. Handled herself well last night."
"Wasn't heaps stoked when Whippet rang to tell me she'd gone in after a drunk." Hoppo mused.
"Pretty sure Gonz ragged her out for all of us. Best leave it aye boss."
Hoppo watched in silence as the 2 in the bay began to paddle back in. He clapped Corey on the shoulder and headed back to his office.

Troy and Abi were racing back to shore. Abi caught a wave and from the corner of her eye saw Troy catch it as well. She gripped tightly to the board, determined not to get dumped and prove to him that he needed to stop worrying. She rode it most of the way in, only losing her grip as the wave eased off and rolling sideways into the water, keeping hold of the board with one hand as she staggered to her feet in the chest high water. Troy glided past her before tipping himself off in shallower water and waiting for her to catch up.

They dragged the boards back up the beach and into the tunnel. Then Troy set a punishing pace for a soft sand run to North Bondi and back.
On her knees and bent almost double as she tried to catch her breath back at the base of the tower Jake called down to them.
"Ocean swim? Bish and I are going in."
Abi groaned. Troy dragged her to her feet.
"You can tap out." He said with a smug smirk.
Abi couldn't muster the energy to speak but shook her head stubbornly. Jake was suddenly dashing past her, grabbing her hand and towing her down the sand towards the water.
"Come on, Bambi. Gotta get practising for next year's Bronte to Bondi swim."
Abi glanced back at Troy and Bisho, who were making their way down at a slower pace. She spotted the camera crew on the balcony and let out another groan.
Glancing back, Jake saw what she had noticed and laughed.
"Do they realise they might be about to film me getting rescued again." She groaned.
"Nah, Bambi. You're sweet. I'll swim at your pace, yeah." Jake began to drag her into the water.
"It's going to be your slowest training swim ever." Abi replied resignedly and dove under the breaking waves.