Streamline (44 page)

“The menu for noon meal is roast beef and turkey sandwiches, coleslaw, crackers, bread, milk, and apple and rhubarb pie. The Officer of the Watch is Midshipman First Class Viva Nevington, Second Company Commander. The Midshipman Officer of the Watch is Midshipman First Class Tom Sour, Honor Officer.” The second class midshipmen, responsible for training plebes once the school year started, flitted around Leo like wasps over nec-tar. He eyed them warily as he spouted the meticulously rehearsed details. He was determined not to forget one word or pause one second. “The professional topic of the week is aircraft carriers,” Leo continued. “The key events of the Yard today are: sixteen hundred men’s soccer versus Maryland, nineteen hundred mass in the chapel, and twenty-one hundred glee club concert in Alumni Hall. You now have five minutes, sir!”

He began his fourth repetition, each time less intimidated by the predatory midshipmen, who had nothing on his father. CS had made him rehearse chow call on the track until he was hoarse. The number of midshipmen mulling about dwindled as the time ticked down. “Sir, you now have three minutes until Noon Meal Formation!” As Leo continued, the last remaining youngsters turned away, looking dejected. Leo hadn’t made one error. Ms. Nevington smiled at him before she departed.

“Sir, you now have two minutes until Noon Meal Formation!” Leo executed an about face and double-timed it to the stairs. When he came across an upperclassman, he yelled, “Go, Navy, sir!” as he navigated the labyrinth of Mother B.

Sliding into formation just as the music began playing, Leo sighed with relief.

“That was close,
estúpido
,” Benito whispered. The roommates had mastered the art of speaking while barely moving their lips, so they often carried on entire conversations in formation.

Leo glanced at his roommate’s neat black uniform. Benito had slimmed down considerably once he was able to resume physical training, and his muscular chest and shoulders now cut a strong yet trim profile. And their superiors had stopped picking on him.

“What, no Arabic?” Leo jabbed.

“You can’t keep up with me,
hombre
.” Benito’s gift for languages had led him to major in Arabic, and he’d taught Leo a few words and phrases. “Wanna walk to practice together?”

“Can’t,” Leo whispered. “Got therapy today.”

“Sucks.”

“Yeah.” Leo put on a big show of disliking the mandated counseling, but secretly he looked forward to meetings with Dr. Ina. It was kind of cool to talk about his life at the Yard, and for the most part he’d successfully staved off her attempts to delve into his family.

“Hey, what’s for dinner tonight? I forgot.” Benito ran down the menu while they marched, and Leo committed each item to memory. He couldn’t imagine Audrey fil ing her mind with this meaningless drivel every day, though she surely faced her own set of challenges as a student-athlete at FSU. Though Leo loved the Academy, he did miss his girlfriend.

The tour bus pulled away from the curb and began the four-hour trip to the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Audrey clasped her hands in her lap. This would be her first college swim meet.

In the seat across the row from Audrey was her roommate, Tatiana Goreva, a delicate freshman butterflier from Belarus. Tatiana put on a tough act, but Audrey knew she was miserably homesick. She’d cried practically every night in their room for the first few weeks, but she seemed determined to stick it out. Thankfully their coach had insisted Tatiana meet with the athletic department’s psychologist. After just a few sessions, Tatiana already appeared to feel better.

“What are you swimming?” Audrey asked.

“The two hundred butterfly and the one hundred freestyle.” Tatiana enunciated each word with care. “You swim the individual medley and breaststroke, yes?”

“Yep. Alabama’s got a really good breaststroker, from what I hear.”

“Do not worry,” Tatiana assured her. “You will kick her ass.” Audrey grinned, amused by Tatiana’s expanding vocabulary. As she reached for her Psychology 101 textbook, she saw one of the team captains whisper to her coach, then approach the front of the bus, grasping the seats for balance.

Morgan turned on the microphone and tossed her thick black hair to the side. “Okay, Lady ’Noles, time for some entertainment.

Tatiana Goreva, come on down!”

Tatiana shot Audrey a worried look. But Audrey could only shrug. Tatiana made her way down the center aisle amidst claps and cheers. When she arrived at the front of the bus, Morgan slung her arm around her shoulders.

“We have a little tradition on this team called Seminole Idol. Each freshman sings for the whole team.”

Audrey’s eyes widened, and Tatiana’s cheeks immediately matched her maroon team sweats.

“You’ll listen to my iPod while you sing into the microphone,” Morgan explained.

Audrey gripped the seat. This sounded awful.

Tatiana squirmed, and Morgan messed around with the dial on her iPod. Then she whispered in Tatiana’s ear.

“But I don’t know Katy Perry song!” Tatiana protested.

“That’s okay.” Morgan smiled as she unfolded a piece of paper.

“Here are the lyrics.” Morgan waited while Tatiana put on the headphones and adjusted the volume.

The team was already laughing by the time Morgan handed Tatiana the microphone and sat, surrendering the spotlight. Not only did Tatiana miss about half the first verse, she was horribly off-key.

Some of the swimmers laughed so hard they snorted.

Though initially horrified, Audrey couldn’t help but giggle at Tatiana’s musical stylings.

Aware of her teammates’ laughter, Tatiana cast aside her nervousness. She swayed her hips, licked her lips, and reached down to caress Morgan’s hair. The swimmers howled.

Morgan yanked back the microphone. “Tatiana Goreva, everybody!”

Tatiana returned to the rear of the bus after thunderous applause.

Audrey rolled her eyes at the captain’s next words: “Audrey Rose, come on down!”

Morgan had the song al cued up by the time Audrey arrived.

When she heard the title she knew it instantly: a ballad about separated lovers. Audrey narrowed her eyes. “But that’s a
slow
song!”

“You’ll be fine — I overheard you in the locker room,” Morgan said. “We want to hear those pipes, girl.” Audrey felt sick. She put on the headphones and was engulfed by violin, guitar, and drums. She stealthily decreased the volume so she could hear her own voice. Closing her eyes, she pictured Leo: his piercing blue eyes, smooth skin, long and fluid muscles, closely cropped black hair.

Audrey swayed to the music as she sang, aching for Leo. Her arm wrapped around her middle, pressing against the pain of his absence.

She could almost smell him next to her.

When the song ended, Audrey opened her eyes, expecting to see her teammates laughing. Instead a few swimmers wiped their eyes.

When she removed the headphones, the bus was silent.

“That was beautiful, Audrey,” said Morgan, reclaiming the microphone. She winked. “I hope you get to see him soon.” Audrey nodded and returned to her seat.

“Okay, so showing up to the meet with all of us crying just won’t do,” Morgan announced. “The next song’s a hyper dance number — just for you, Jacki! Get your butt up here.” Sinking into her seat, Audrey felt Tatiana’s hand on hers for a reassuring tap. Her warm smile brought tears to Audrey’s eyes. Tatiana was homesick, but Audrey was lovesick, and they comforted each other as best they could.

Once the five first-year swimmers had endured their hazing, the team settled into their seats to watch
Pride
, the true story of a swim coach who rebuilt a dilapidated swimming pool in inner-city Philadelphia and started the first all-Black swim team.

The moment the coach appeared onscreen, Audrey was riveted.

Terrence Howard’s beautiful hazel eyes reminded her of Leo’s father, and thoughts of Leo and CS plagued her for the rest of the trip.

She pictured Leo at the Academy.
Are you where you want to be?

Are you doing this for yourself, or for your father? Will you ever be free?

Audrey sighed. She wished she knew the answers, but Leo himself probably didn’t know.

Leo snuck a glance at the pamphlets on the waiting room bookshelf:
Are You Depressed?
…
When It’s Not Fun Anymore: Alcohol
Poisoning
…
Dysfunctional Families 101
.

He quickly turned, worried the plebe in the chair across the room could read his mind as he looked at the pamphlets. He felt exposed — like his past problems, his secrets, were easy for others to see and judge. He was damaged goods.

He sighed with relief when Dr. Ina turned the corner. He returned her smile until he took in her crutches. Now she reminded him even more of his mother.

Rising and saluting, Leo pointed. “What happened, ma’am?”

“It’s a long story.” She shook her head.

He was supposed to tell her everything, but she barely shared any personal details. He followed her slow crutching down the hallway, and once they reached her office he tried to help her to her chair, but she shooed him away. He settled into her soft microfiber sofa and waited for the questions to begin.

“How was your weekend?”

“Good, ma’am. We had an intrasquad meet — plebes and second-class midshipmen against firsties and third-class midshipmen.”

“How’d you swim?”

“Not great. I’m pretty tired.” He grinned. “We won, though.”

“Good for you. Is your roommate back swimming after his shoulder surgery?”

“Benito? Yeah, he’s back in the water, but it’ll take him a long time to get up to speed.” Leo squirmed, glancing at her bandaged knee and the crutches resting on the arm of her chair. “Crutches suck, huh?”

“They do.” Ina watched him closely. “You ever been on crutches?” Thinking back to his hellish wheelchair experience, Leo refused to meet her eyes. “No, ma’am.”

“Leo, when you mentioned Benito, you seemed to know what you were talking about — how long it takes to get back up to speed in swimming. Have you ever been injured?”

“Yes, ma’am.” His eyes remained glued to the floor. Why couldn’t they just discuss plebe life?

“What happened?”

Leo reached for a stress ball on her end table and squeezed it.

His eyes darted around the room.

“That scar, for example.” She pointed to his forehead. “How’d that happen?”

He decided to redirect the conversation. “My brother emailed me. He just got engaged.”

“I see. He’s your older brother, right?” Leo nodded.

“You said your brother’s girlfriend — now his fiancée — is the daughter of a man who was murdered?”

“Yeah, Cameron’s dad was murdered about a year ago.”

“And your girlfriend’s father…” Ina squinted, appearing to concentrate. “He’s in prison after he was convicted of that murder?”

“Yes, ma’am. Audrey’s dad is in the brig.” Ina tilted her head to one side. “The brig? Audrey’s father is in the military?”

Leo realized he’d revealed more than intended.

“That sounds potentially awkward, if I understand this correctly…

Your girlfriend’s father murdered your future sister-in-law’s father?”

“It’s
not
awkward. Cameron’s fine with Audrey. They both were, um…They have something in common. And, uh, Cam doesn’t think Audrey’s dad is guilty.”

Her brows knitted together. “Why does Cameron think that?” Leo ran his hands over his stubbly hair. “Does this information go anywhere?”

“I can’t see how this might relate to your fitness for duty, so probably not.”

He bit his fingernail. “Audrey’s dad helped Cam get an abortion.

Both lieutenant commanders, both fathers, well, they were friends.

Cam doesn’t believe Audrey’s dad could’ve ever killed her dad.”

“Whoa. Cam thinks Audrey’s father is wrongfully imprisoned?

Do you think that too?”

“I don’t know.” Leo shrugged. “I can’t believe Audrey’s dad would be capable of murder.”

“What do your parents think about you dating a girl whose father’s in prison?”

He shrugged again.

Ina stroked her chin. “You said Audrey and Cameron have something in common?”

They were both pregnant and lost the baby
. Leo looked down. He really liked Dr. Ina, and he didn’t want her to know about his screw-ups. Maybe she’d hate him as much as his father seemed to. It was bad enough she knew about him punching two people. She’d want nothing to do with him if she knew he was a drug addict who got his girlfriend pregnant — if she knew his father had to beat him to rein him in.

“I fell,” she said suddenly.

Leo looked up and met her eyes for the first time that session. “I was hiking with my family, and I fell. I slipped.” She blushed. “My sons basically had to carry me down the mountain.
That
was quite an adventure. I’m waiting for the MRI results, but the ER doc thinks I tore my ACL.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am.”

“Thank you. It’s a good thing I have a desk job.” They were quiet a few moments. “What do Audrey and Cameron have in common?” Leo sighed and looked at his hands, images swirling in his head: his father barging into his bedroom with fury flaring in his violet eyes…lying on the floor howling as he gripped his twisted ankle…the sting of his father’s shoe ripping into his side…fading in and out, seeing a deep coppery stain on the carpet.