Who Names The Colors

Convergence

Sept. 2014

Some things weren't deliberate, nor were they random. They seemed, perhaps, Jo thought the word was providential. But providence sounds like the events are working to converge towards the best possible outcome, so Jo was avoiding that word.

She and Harry seemed to be converging in so many arenas of her life that he had become unavoidable, like, death or traffic lights or taxes, only much more pleasant to think of, and look at.

It had started with that Thursday morning swim lesson. The green eyed boy was there in all of his wet shoulder length hair glory and he was surrounded by toddlers who clearly adored him. Including her own. Jo's eyes scanned over him, sitting in the water on the white concrete steps, smiling encouragingly at a cherubic boy of perhaps two who was doggy paddling his heart out. The water thrown from the small boys flapping hands had left droplets on Harry's shoulders and they created rivulets where his skin looked paler, like the wet drops of a second coat of paint. His hair was soaked and pushed back like a 50's greaser, the tattoos complimenting his Cry Baby vibe. He looked like a bad boy, until she got to the pearls of his teeth, like piano keys playing the sounds of his laugh. His laugh was ridiculous, the real one, that he couldn't contain. It always had been, it went along with her own son's ridiculous snort, a cackle and cough of amusement, not snot. Harry's eyes glowed and his smile plumped cheeks looked highlighted, but they were just glistening wet. He glistened, he glowed.

Fuck, she was over this, except in her better dreams. Jo needed to get out of there, but she had made a promise to herself and her daughter to come to swim lessons as soon as she could. Zoe was so young she may not have remembered that, but it's an oath she keeps to herself and her kids. After her workaholic dad had missed art show after art show despite his  vows of, "I'll be there", she made a point to show up for her kids as much as she could. And if she said she was coming, she went. If she said, "I promise!," nothing short of hospitalization would stop her, even if she was late.

Jo stayed at the pool.

Her hand smoothed over her hair, and she cast her eyes over her attire. It was cute at least, the mom uniform she had thrown on. An oversized grey sweater, sunglasses, usually useless in England except as a headband, and leggings.

She was being ridiculous. Harry did not care. She was sure of that. He had been drunk that night, and she had been the closest female shaped thing. And he was only 20. Well, 21, she realized. If she remembered correctly, boys around that age, about  when she got knocked up and bore a baby, got boners frequently and with little provocation. Though it was loads better than when they were pubescent. Her mind wandered to when Ethan tried to fake sick in sixth form because his teacher looked fit to him and his body reacted humiliatingly. They'd talked it out and strategized ways to avoid going up to the board or leaving class with awkward boners.

Looking at Harry now, Jo is happy to be a woman. No amount of attraction was blatantly apparent. Even the strong force she was feeling now.

She took that back a second later, when Harry caught the little boy, helped him up the steps and scanned the poolside. He located the boy's parent and smiled as his charge ran to his mum's outstretched arms. He ran his eyes over the collected individuals, she assumed that he was looking for Zoe, as its their appointed time. His gaze passed her, then stopped to rewind and paused on her. They lingered over her and gooseflesh rose on her arms, even though they were covered and the poolside air was muggy. His eyes didn't fall below her shoulders, but she felt naked nonetheless, and breathless. They stared at each other, across a distance, like they had when separated by the bathroom door, and he was more bare than he was then, in terms of clothes at least.

Jo used to watch Star Trek, in her teenaged bedroom, and she had loved it. Harry's gaze was a tractor beam, pulling her in and under like her favorite trope on that show. She would dive into the water if would get her closer to him right now. If she could move.