The Girl in the Locket

Chapter Sixteen

Present day

I had put Bea back into her crib an hour ago, and crept into Clark's bed so that I could admire her sweet profile as she slept. I decided to sit and read the tourist guide of places for us to visit. Unfortunately my attempt was futile under the poor lighting of Clark's night light. The bunny light changed colors every minute or so cloaking the darkness of the room in pink, green and purple tones. I wanted to kill the bunny after a couple of minutes, when the purple setting made it impossible to read the words on the paper in my hand. I dropped the guide, giving up, and my head sagged to the side of Clark's pillow. Little bubbles were coming from Clarks lips as she breathed in and out. I found myself smiling at the simple motion. "I love you Clark" I whispered, taking leave from her side and returning to our bed in the other room.

James was still fast asleep and snoring away in the darkness. I lay on my stomach beside him with my feet in the air above me, and I was back to ear marking a few pages of interest in the tourist guide for the day ahead. With a sigh, I suddenly felt the need to be doing something outside of the hotel room, and it suddenly felt very small and claustrophobic. Although I was happy to be with my family, I also needed a moment to myself. It felt like the room was closing in on me. I reached for the hotel brochure on the bedside table and read the small print about the hotels spa and pool. The pool was open from eight a.m. I checked my watch on my wrist and it showed seven forty five. I quickly got up, grabbing my bikini from my closet, and rifling through my suitcase until I found our swim towels from home. I put them down on the bed, pulled a grey t shirt over my head, and I put on my black denim shorts with sandals. I was about to write a note for James, but he was beginning to stir.

He turned towards me. "Where are you going?" he questioned. His eyes were sleepy and his voice croaky.

"For a quick swim. I've not long settled Bea down with a bottle so she shouldn't stir for a moment. Clark is still sleeping. I'll be back within the hour don't worry. I've ear marked some pages in your tourist guide that maybe we could visit today. Have a look while I'm gone and decide will you"

"Okay" He replied, before turning back over and falling back into a light sleep.

I left the room and pulled the door shut quietly as to not wake the girls. I had my bag under my arm with my towel and bikini inside. I took the first elevator down to reception and followed the corridor marked 'Spa and pool'. I walked into a large atrium with a full length pool inside, the spa was on the far right with a Jacuzzi and sauna. Nobody seemed to be in here yet apart from a member of staff cleaning the changing rooms and around the pool.

I nodded to the cleaner and took a cubicle, stripping off my T-shirt and my shorts and pulling on my green bikini, it was the smallest bikini I had worn in years, mostly bought for James's viewing pleasure since he had picked it out himself. I took my towel and left it by the side of the pool. I sat down gently on the cool surface, letting my toes feel the warmth of the water first so that I didn't send my body into shock. Last thing I needed was to freeze in the hotel pool, but to my surprise it was warm to the touch.

"Its heated" the little cleaning lady told me with laughter.

"Oh wonderful" I replied, shaking my head at myself.

I thought about bringing the girls down in the afternoon after our busy day of exploring. It would be nice to let them have a little swim. I had taught Clark so early on that now at four she could happily swim strongly on her own. She was fearless of the water. Bea I still had to work on at her young age, but at least she was fond of the water so far. Since the incident all those years ago I had taken swimming up as a hobby, every night I was able to get to the local swim centre in Colorado I would be there perfecting my stroke and building my strength. I knew it was my swimming strength that had saved my life that night in the water, and I was determined my children would be strong swimmers too.

I slowly dipped my body into the water, it was heaven against my skin, and warmed me through to my bones. I began to slowly move through the water in breast stroke just to feel the warm water move against my limbs. The silence and the strength I had pushing my legs through the water, it was divine, and I gradually increased my movements until I was at ten laps with ease.

I came up for breath at the end of the pool, reaching out and leaning my arms against the side. I took deep breaths and wiped the water from my face. On the opposite side of the pool I noticed a girl sat, about to get in, she had long black hair and a beautiful figure in her tiny black bikini. I watched her dive into the water and swim below in smooth motions, she began to rise half way through the pool swimming intently up to the side of me and popping up for air. "Hey" She greeted confidently.

She was a fellow American. I smiled back at her. "Hey, nice accent" I replied with a friendly smile.

She pushed her hair aside and wiped the water from her eyes. "You're American too?" She questioned, looking at me for the first time.

"On vacation?" I asked stupidly, but she didn't answer. She just stared at me with a look of recognition on her face. "Are you okay?" I asked concerned.

"Sorry" She replied, composing herself. "You look like someone I used to know"

"Oh okay, gosh I thought I had something on my face or something"

She reached her wet hand out to mine. "I'm Marie, nice to meet you"

"Nice to meet you Marie. I'm Sam"

"Sam?" She questioned almost disbelievingly.

"Yeah. Why did you say it like that?!" I asked.

"No no it's just you don't look like a Sam" She replied apologetically.

"Oh okay" I ignored her odd observation and smiled before I pushed off the edge of the pool and swam back to the other end.

She swam with me, and I couldn't shake her off. I did three laps and paused to catch my breath.

Marie popped up next to me after a couple of minutes, wiping the water from her face again. "I'm sorry if I freaked you out back there" She apologised.

"No, it's fine, don't worry" I replied, unsure of her intentions.

"I'm here with my girlfriend. It's our first trip away together"

"Oh that's sweet" I replied "have you been together long?"

"Only a year but it's good. She's here with business to do. How about you, are you married?"

"Yes I'm married. I'm here with my husband. It's been ages since we travelled, since we had our youngest daughter we haven't really ventured that far from home."

"Wow you have children too. How lovely"

"Yes two girls. They are my world"

"So, how far have you travelled from?" She asked.

"Colorado. I've lived there for five years now, it's beautiful"

"Wow nice. I'm in Florida" She said, looking at me like she was awaiting a reaction. "So is my girlfriend" She continued.

"Lovely. I hope you both enjoy your trip" I said politely, getting up and out of the pool.

"Bye" She called after me, as I walked away.

I changed quickly and towel dried my hair. I put my grey T-shirt back on and my denim shorts and grabbed my bag. I left the changing room behind and walked back out to the pool. I passed the girl in the pool talking to another young woman with her back to me, her light hair up in a ponytail, dressed casually, and with these beautiful tattoos down her arms. I waved to the girl, Marie, and she half waved before putting her hand down quickly as the other girl turned to see who she was waving at. I carried on walking to the corridor, and a heated discussion and back and forth could be heard before the door swung shut behind me. I smiled, guessing they were just having a lovers tiff or something, and I made my way to the elevator and back up to get ready for our day out.