This time it was Nick who waded in the water as Kevin stood walking along the shore following Nick. He was just about to head into the water when he realized that his ankle was mildly swollen. Turns out while the drama queen thought he had broken himself; Kevin actually was the one who sprained his ankle. So he decided to stay away from the rocks for a few minutes and help Nick look from the grass.
“You know, you have to be careful now Kevin, when you get older your bones become fragile.”
“Nick shut up; I’m not even 35 yet! I have a long way to go before my bones start breaking for no reason.”
“Okay if you insist because I would hate if you started to fall apart on our tour.”
“Are you looking while you make fun of me at least?”
“I also hear that people shrink when they get older. I have noticed that I seem to be getting taller than you.”
“Nick…are you looking for the damn rod?”
“No, I just thought I’d take a walk in the water for fun.”
“I’m not shrinking.” Nick smiled, pleased with the fact that he was able to get under his friend’s skin.
“Okay if you insist.”
“ I’m not, besides I’m fine. My ankle is just a little sore; unlike you I don’t over exaggerate things.”
“HA! That’s the biggest joke I have ever heard in my short life.”
“Yeah keep it up it’ll be even shorter.” Kevin said under his breath.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing, I said…you are an idiot… I think I see it!” Kevin said picking up his pace as he walked around the bend of the river. He smiled wide when there he saw floating downstream, his fishing pole.
“It’s over there Nick! Go get it!! Do you see it?”
Nick started walking towards where Kevin was pointing. The water was getting deeper making it harder to walk. The current was also getting faster.
“I see it.” He said making his way over towards the pole. It seemed like the closer he got, the further it got, like it was playing a game with him or something.
“Nick get it before it floats away would you?” Kevin said growing impatient unsure of what was holding Nick up.
“I’m going as fast as I can man, this current is rough.”
“Well go faster, you’re losing it!”
“Way to be sympathetic.”
“Aw I’m sorry I’ll pat your head when you get out of the water…Ah it’s moving again.”
“Okay okay…I’m getting there.” Nick decided maybe it was best to swim for it so he took a deep breath, knowing how cold the water was going to be and dived down into the water going into a swim.
“Good idea Nick.”
“Yeah…” Was all he got out between gasps for air.
“This water is so cold my nipples are going to fall right off. I hope you’re happy.”
“As a clam.”
Nick finally reached the rod, grabbing it and holding it up for Kevin to see. When he saw his friend reach the fishing pole he let out a breath. He really thought he’d never see the thing again. Maybe his father was guiding Nick to the pole. He looked up at the sky imagining his father there looking down at him with his finger pointed saying ‘good thing I’m still here watching over you kid!’
When he looked back out to the water he only saw the rod floating once again with no sign of Nick. “You let go? It’s floating again!” He yelled in frustration.
His frustration turned to worry when Nick still didn’t resurface, “Nick?” He yelled, looking at the rod as it once again disappeared from view. He walked closer to the water, peering over to see if maybe Nick was just being retarded and hiding or something. Even though he knew that wasn’t going to be the case and just as the thought crossed his mind he saw Nick’s arm come out of the water. Just his arm and nothing else.
Panicked, Kevin forgot about the pain in his ankle and dived in. The cold making him almost want to hyperventilate. He swam over to where Nick was, took a deep breath and dived down into the water. He saw his friend struggling to break free of a log that had one of the chains on his pants caught under it. Quickly Kevin went to work, trying to free Nick as he looked on panic stricken.
Kevin came back up for air taking another deep breath and going down. He tugged at the pants but to no avail, they weren’t budging. He looked at Nick and began to panic when he saw his friends eyes close. Once more he went up for a breath not liking what he was about to do.
He took a huge breath and once again went underneath, unzipping Nick’s pants and pulling him out of them, finally free. Nick’s eyes were still closed but he was coughing which was a good sign as Kevin held him and swam him to the shore.
Once there, he pulled Nick up and led him back to the tree and quickly covered him with the two towels he had brought from the car earlier. Squatting down beside him and taking his head in his hands he said mildly panicked, “Are you okay? Talk to me Nick.”
Nick continued to cough and opened his eyes briefly before shutting them again. Kevin’s pulse raced, “Nick come on… open your eyes and say something.” He shook his friend’s shoulders.
Finally Nick opened his eyes and stared at Kevin, “Where are my pants?” He asked in barely a whisper, coughing as soon as he finished.
“They’re in the water, are you okay? Look at me?”
“You took off my pants?”
“Nick forget about your stupid pants and look at me, are you okay?”
Nick nodded, but was shivering. “Stay here I’m going to the car to grab you some blankets.”
Kevin ran to the car, the pain in his ankle all but gone, “Maybe I was exaggerating after all,” He said grabbing the three blankets from his trunk and running back to Nick, finally calming himself down. Nick was lying down in a fetal position letting the towels cover his body.
“Here ya go, some blankets. Give me the towels.” Nick let go of the towels and wrapped himself in the blankets.
“Do you need to go to the hospital? I should call 911 you think?”
“I’m fine Kevin…just a bit cold and disturbed by the fact that you took off my pants.”
“I could have just let you drown if you would have preferred. What kind of an idiot wears pants with chains on them to go fishing? Seriously!”
“Those were my favorite pants.”
“I can’t believe you are going on and on about your stupid pants! Nick you almost died for God’s sake!”
Nick sat up and leaned against the tree, “I had it covered, I was almost free.”
“You were pinned kiddo.”
“Did we get your rod?”
“No…but that’s okay. You’re more important I guess.”
“You guess?” Kevin sat down beside Nick and nodded.
“I’m glad you didn’t put those boots back on or otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to pull you out of those pants quite so easily.”
Nick laughed, and then quickly started coughing again which made Kevin turn his head in confusion, “What?”
“Just thinking about how happy all this taking my pants off talk would make those people who love thinking we’re gay.”
“Can’t you be serious for even a minute Nick?”
“What do you want me to do Kevin?”
“I don’t know…just realize that you almost drowned out there.”
“I do realize it and thank you for saving me…again.” Kevin grabbed his friend in a hug.
Maybe his father wasn’t watching him after all. It was probably silly to think that he was. He knew there was a heaven and he knew that his father was there, wherever there was, but to think he was actually watching over them.
Nick suddenly started to cry, which threw Kevin off for a minute. He looked over at his friend who had his knees drawn up and was hugging them as he laid his head on top of them, tears flowing freely.
“Hey, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
“No…I’m never mind…sorry.” He said wiping his tears away from his face and turning to face the other direction.
“What Nick? Please talk to me.”
“I can’t believe that happened that’s all. I mean I’m such a good swimmer and I managed to fuck things up again. I lost your freaking rod and now you’re going to always resent me for that. Just like everyone else always resents me for something.”
“Nick, I don’t blame you for the rod okay? And I know you’re a great swimmer. Being a good swimmer had nothing to do with what happened. It was those chains. I don’t resent you, why you would even think that is beyond me”
“Okay.” He said not sounding the least but convinced.
“Seriously, are you talking about my, ‘I guess’ remark because you know I didn’t mean that.” That made Nick laugh.
“No, sorry I guess everything is just catching up to me that’s all. I’m really exhausted and tired. I didn’t mean to lose it just now.”
“Why are you so afraid of losing it? You used to cry in front of me all the time, why now are you suddenly apologizing for it? You did the same thing at that club, you stopped yourself and apologized.”
“I’m not a kid anymore, when I was younger it was okay. Now I should be able to handle things better don’t you think?”
“Nick, your age doesn’t make a difference. You’ve had a crappy year kid, it’s totally fine to feel blue and cry about it. Plus now you almost drowned.”
“Stop saying that jeez! You have said that as many times as I’ve said I have never been fishing.”
“You owe me another dollar!”
“Come on! That’s not even fair; I was just proving a point.”
“Hey you said it again, that’s another dollar.”
“I can’t believe after all I have just been through you’re going to make me pay you another dollar! Hello? I almost died over here!”
“Okay well I guess you owe me another dollar now.”
Nick turned to his friend and shook his head, “Now wait a minute, you owe ME when YOU talk about me almost dying. When I do its okay.”
Kevin smiled, “Okay maybe I’ll be nice just this once.”
“So what do you think is going to happen next? We got the flat, I hurt my head, we got lost, we lost your fishing pole and I almost died. Think the car will explode?”
Kevin laughed, “Let’s not tempt fate by saying that out loud again okay?”
“Good idea.”
Kevin looked out at the water, trying not to make it obvious that he was looking for the fishing rod. He didn’t want Nick to feel any worse than he was at the moment. It was long gone by now. Too much time had gone by since they had been looking for it.
“Kevin?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m really sorry I ruined this trip for you. Next time bring Brian.” He turned back towards Nick and hugged him close.
“Nick, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Besides, you’re talking like this trip is over. We still have one fishing rod and the rest of the day.”
“I am lacking pants Kevin.”
“I have a pair in the car.”
“No way…okay Kev that’s just insane!”
“What? I bet you’re happy I had blankets and towels in there too right?”
“Yes thank God for your anal ness.”
“So I’m going back to the car yet again to get that pair of pants.”
“What if they don’t fit?”
“Then we’ll figure that it is fates way of saying better go home before the earth implodes.”
“So then I go home in my boxers?”
“Or I can try going to get your pants.”
“No that’s okay they’re only pants. I don’t want you to injure that old body of yours.” Kevin was happy to see his friend joking once again. He hated seeing Nick sad, it killed him really. There were so many layers to that sadness and just trying to pick them apart was mentally draining.
“Kevin…” Kevin looked down and the way Nick was sitting still snuggled in his blankets, he looked all of about 15.
“Yeah buddy?”
“Thanks again.” Kevin ruffled Nick’s hair as he walked back to the car to get the pants.
Thanks for reading everyone! I'll try to be back with another update on this one next Wednesday. There will be a new chapter of Protect and Serve on Friday. Thanks for the reviews on both stories!
