There were only a few days of summer break left and Isis invited Roman over to hang out by the pool. When the doorbell rang, Isis ran to get it, but her dad beat her there. She tried to playfully shoo him away, but he swung open the door with a grin.
Roman seemed surprised for only a moment as he extended his hand to shake her dad’s hand. “Thanks for having me over Mr. Madsen.”
“We’re past that. Call me Alec.” Her dad shook Roman’s hand then gave him a hearty pat on the back as he walked inside.
“You kids have fun by the pool and don’t forget protection. Sun protection that is!” Her dad added with a wink.
Isis physically cringed and steered Roman down the hall, saying, “Why do parents have to be so embarrassing?!”
When they were outside and out of sight, Roman pulled her into him and their mouths crashed together. Intense, filled with need, a little rough.
Then he broke the kiss and stripped off his shirt. For a second Isis panicked, it was broad daylight and her dad was home! He tossed it on the lounge chair and dove into the water. Isis laughed out loud realizing where her mind had gone. She took off her shorts and dove in as well.
All the physical fitness Isis’s parents encouraged her to do was paying off. They were swimming laps and Isis was beating him! She was in the middle of teasing him when her mom opened the sliding door, “Isis, I’m back from the store! Got you some snacks!”
They both got out of the pool and wrapped towels around their dripping bodies. Inside, Roman approached Trella putting away groceries and extended his hand saying “Hi Mrs. Madsen! I just wanted to say congratulations on the twins.”
Trella beamed at him “Thank you Roman!” She put down the bananas in her hand and opened her arms saying “Awe get in here! I don’t need a handshake, I’m a hugger.”
Isis smiled happily, watching her pregnant mom hugging her wet boyfriend.
A few minutes later they were back outside, sharing a bowl of black bean hummus and pita bread, when Isis’s phone chimed. It was Jackie texting about the first day of school.
Roman asked “How is Jackie, by the way? She stopped talking to me when we broke up but it looks like her and Austin are good?”
“Yeah, she’s doing good.” Isis answered. “Same ol’ Jackie but I think Austin is good for her.”
Then Isis thought of something.
Before her and Roman had broken up, she was carrying a lot of anxiety from keeping Jackie’s secret. It might not be fair to Jackie if she told Roman. But it also wasn’t fair to Roman when Isis was upset over something he knew nothing about.
Her and Roman had a fresh start and she didn’t want any secrets between them. Even if it wasn’t her own secret.
“Actually Roman,” she started, “I want to tell you something but it’s not really my place to tell you. It’s been weighing on me and I want to get it off my chest, but you have to promise you won’t tell a soul.”
His face looked almost stricken.
She quickly added, “It’s nothing about me! Nothing to do with us!”
“Isis tell me right now, you’re scaring me.”
Isis no longer had an appetite and put down the pita she had in her hand.
After a deep breath, she started telling him everything.
About the inappropriate sexual advances by Jackie’s stepdad, when she saw him groping Jackie against a wall, the subtle bruises she noticed on Jackie over the last year, how Jackie wouldn’t tell her mom, how she begged Isis not to worry, and that Jackie promised she was saving to get out. The only thing she left out was the webcamming because that didn’t seem relevant.
Her heart was heavy by the time she finished, and she looked at Roman’s solemn face.
“My god.” Roman mumbled and looked away as he digested the news.
Isis was glad to have it off her chest but the heaviness of what she told him sat in the air.
After collecting his thoughts, Roman asked all the questions Isis had in the beginning, but his stance was very firm. He insisted she should tell her mom or the school counselor. He said that Jackie’s safety was more important than Jackie’s feelings.
Isis knew he was right, but she was conflicted. She explained that she didn’t want to break Jackie’s trust. She promised she wouldn’t say anything and already felt bad for telling Roman. She was scared for Jackie to be sent to foster care and didn’t want to be responsible for that.
They went back and forth about what to do and came to a mutual agreement. The next time Isis noticed ANYTHING, no matter how small, she would tell Jackie to talk to an adult, or she would do it for her.
They discussed things for a few more minutes, and although there was a somber mood around them, Isis felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
They eventually got back into the water; the pita and hummus still abandoned on the table.
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