Drowning

Breathe

I woke up listening to a disgruntled bass voice marching through my apartment. My throat was coarse and it brought me pain to breathe. I slowly lifted my eyes and spotted Mark's back as he was leaning against my bedroom door. He was on the phone and sounded seriously upset about something, and I wasn't sure who he was talking to, but he was clearly familiar with them, enough to avoid putting on a mask. I tried to sit up and grunted aloud, causing Mark to turn my way and his eyes  to go wide. He quickly ended the call and came to my aide, supporting my lower back with his arm.

"How are you feeling? Do you need any water? Does your body ache? What can I do?" He fired all these questions at me so quickly I had to have him repeat them. After I was able to process his words, I replied with one word answers, "Okay. Please. A little. Nothing, I'm fine." I was trying to use my voice as little as possible until I could rehydrate. I didn't even remember how I got in my current state.

Mark brought some water into my room and when I turned onto my side to retrieve it from the bedside table I focused on the bright blue glass and suddenly remembered. I gasped and clutched at my throat. Where was Emmett? What had happened? I was under and everything was so black, I was sure it was the end. I remembered the pain I felt on my arm right before I blacked out, and looked down to see a light bruise forming around my left bicep. Mark saw what I was doing and scrunched his face when he noticed the light purple coloring.

"Where is Emmett? I need to talk to him." I said this while trying to sit up on my own and let out a short breath of air. Mark pushed down on my shoulder, lightly, but assertively, and sat down on the bed. I glared at him and waited impatiently for his answer.

"I don't like him, Grace," he started bluntly. "He almost killed you-" "But that was my fault," I intervened quickly, for some reason feeling the urge to defend Emmett, "I never told him that I couldn't swim." "That doesn't matter Grace. You could have died tonight! You're lucky you don't have pneumonia!" He was raising his voice and I was sure that Maggie could hear him across the apartment, and possibly the neighbors through the walls too. "What was he thinking pushing you over the edge? In the middle of November? Everyone knows the lake is freezing this time of year!" He was breathing rapidly and I was having a hard time controlling myself. Mark was assuming that Emmett meant me harm, but it was entirely my fault. I should have been more careful, knowing that I couldn't swim and surrounded by open waters on a very narrow boat. I shouldn't have been running around.

"Mark, it was my fault I fell overboard. Emmett had nothing to do with that. He saved my life. This bruise," I motioned to my arm, "is from him pulling me back up after I had already lost consciousness." Mark took a long look at me and wrapped me in a hug. "Grace I was so worried. Maggie called me and said you were turning blue and I rushed over here so fast. Then when I heard that you were on a date, I just assumed..." He dropped off, hugging me tighter. "You're so important to me, Grace. I couldn't imagine losing you. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions." I smiled into his shoulder, feeling a few tears gather along the water line. Mark was some of my only family, and he only responded the way he did because he was worried.

"It's fine," I told him reassuringly, "I love you, and I'm alive. It's okay. I'm going to be more careful from now on." He pulled back and handed me the water, since my voice had soon become hoarse, and then stood up. "So, you said this guy's name is Emmett?" He asked, somewhat slowly. Mark never did like the idea of me dating, even if I was a junior in college. "Yes, that's his name." I replied coolly. This was routine. Mark served as the father I never had when it came to these things. "Do you like him?" He was treading carefully, since he was trying to keep me calm, almost as much as himself. "I'm not sure. Is he the one who brought me here?" "He is." "Then yes," I told him, "I do like him."

Knowing that Emmett made sure I was home safely was comforting. That also meant that he was the one that saved me, most likely using CPR. I must have been so out of it when he cleared my lungs that he decided it best to bring me home. For that, I was appreciative; a trip to the hospital would have been too much for the both of us, I'm sure. A knock at the door took me from my thoughts.

Maggie walked in holding a small black clutch on her index finger, letting it sway in the air. "Figured you would need to check your sugar soon," she told me, and tossed the bag onto the bed next to me. She came in and stood next to Mark. "Emmett brought it in last night with you. I don't think he realized what it was. He was kind enough to return your stuff though, instead of being creepy and keeping it." She smirked when she said the last part. I'm sure Emmett wasn't psycho, otherwise he probably wouldn't have brought me back.

"Thanks," was all I replied as I was removing a disinfectant wipe. I had forgotten about my pouch and was truly thankful that Emmett hadn't forgotten it, otherwise I would've had to go to the drugstore today and that does not sound fun. I'm also glad that he didn't look inside, since most don't react very well when they find out I'm a type one diabetic. That's something that I try to avoid mentioning.

My sugar was alright, a bit below the average numbers, but nothing a small breakfast wouldn't fix. Mark looked over my shoulder at the number on the meter and went into the kitchen. "He's always so thoughtful." Maggie looked after him. She turned her attention back to me almost as quickly and immediately dove into her usual post-date interrogations. "So what led to you almost drowning?" Of course she would ask this first. I told her about the canceled dinner and his quick decision to take me sailing instead. I mentioned that he was in the Navy and explained how I ended up tripping on the rope.

Maggie clucked her tongue. "Quite the date." I couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic because I almost died or if she was actually impressed with his incredible planning. "Where is he?" I asked her as soon as I got the chance. I understand why he isn't here now, since, well Mark, but I figured he would've called or texted me by now. "He stuck around until Mark was about three minutes away. He wanted to stay, but I explained that Mark was very...hard headed, especially when you're concerned. So, he waited next to you for about an hour, I guess." She told me this while looking at the spot next to my pillow. The blankets next to me were crumpled, and I had failed to notice the heating pad that was lying next to my face.

"Wow," was all I could manage to respond with. Emmett didn't just leave. I needed to call him and thank him. I also would hate if he felt like any of this was his fault when it was obviously mine. "Where's my phone?" I asked Maggie and she pointed to a huge bag of rice on the table that I had, yet again, failed to notice. I groaned and reached into the bag, pulling out my still damp phone. No way would this work. They probably hadn't thought to put it in the rice until I had returned to a normal color, and who knows when that was. I was already so pale, and it didn't help that my hair was such a bright blonde; it only accented my lack of natural color.

After trying to turn it on four times, I tossed it onto the floor. I needed a new phone anyways, but I didn't exactly have the money. "What am I going to do?" I asked rhetorically, running my fingers through my damp hiar. "Hey," Maggie stroked my arm, "it's fine. I have an upgrade that I haven't used, and my phone is still in perfect condition. You can have it." I looked at her with very thankful eyes and hugged her, Mags was always there. She never failed to make every bad day better, even something as simple as a phone malfunction.

Mark had just walked back in with a plate full of whatever he could find in the kitchen. I saw macaroni, some leftover beef stew, and what appeared to be a few raspberries, my favorite. He had brought another glass of water with him, but this one was cold and fresh. I ate the food gratefully and finished almost all of it. My throat was still sore, but my stomach pains outweighed that of my throat. Maggie left after telling me goodnight, even though I could see the sun rising through my curtains, and went to her own room. Mark was watching me eat and I had noticed his eyes starting to fall.

"You can stop staring and go home you know," I told him sarcastically while putting the last bite of macaroni into my mouth. I put the plate on the bedside table and shivered into the covers. Mark walked to me and put his hand onto my forehead, then, after appearing satisfied with the temperature, told me to stay warm, and went home.

I was up a while longer, planning the next day and knowing that my first stop would be to the AT&T store. Emmett needed to be told that I was fine and he was not at fault, and I needed to show him my absolute thanks. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be wrapped in blankets in my apartment, but instead strangled in a bed of kelp on the lake floor.