Extra sugar. Cream. Her eyes and nose still burned today from the saltwater, but she felt curiously energized, otherwise. "You almost drowned last night and you make it sound like something out a fairy tale." Francine's voice was disapproving even through the long-distance connection. "This is reality, Helena. You could've died last night, if what you're telling me is true and not some dream." Helena blew on the tea. "It wasn't a dream." "You really want me to believe some gorgeous lifeguard pulled you out of the water--" "Threw me out." "Threw you out of the water, then just disappeared?" Helena sipped the hot drink and sighed with pleasure at the taste of real cream. "That's what happened." Silence. Francine sighed. "Are you really all right?" "I'm really all right!" Helena turned and looked out the kitchen window to the glimpse of beach beyond. "Fran, it was really amazing. He was amazing." "A guy who can breathe underwater and is strong enough to throw you to shore would count as amazing." "When you put it that way," Helena said, "it does sound nuts.
