Chapter 11: Poolside

Down on the ground floor, I was surprised. The hotel pool was much bigger than I expected, and the area was full of guests. In the shallow end were a group of youngsters, maybe between 11 to 15 years old. They had a floating basketball hoop and a matching foam ball, for a spirited—but disorganized—competition. At one point their ball escaped towards me. I snatched it and fired over their heads for a goal!

One of the older boys approached me. “Birthmark, right?” he said without preamble.

“Yeah.”

“I thought so. My cousin has a PW stain like yours, but it’s on her eyelid and nose. It seriously messed up her eyesight, and she feels ugly. Whenever I can, I try to help reassure her and to be happier. She would be jealous of you, being so pretty.”

“Wait, what?” I shook my head, not believing my ears. “Tell me your name.”

“I’m Jared.”

“Jared, I’m Nora. If you were a little older, I would go out with you. Instead, will you be my brother? I never had a brother; you would be great. I want to meet your cousin, too. Oh, sorry, I’m babbling.”

“Nora, wow, take a breath. Hasn’t anybody told you before you were pretty?”

“Well, yeah, I guess; but no one of your sex, uh, I mean, gender, oh, sorry, babbling again.”

“OK, listen. We’re leaving town in the morning. I’ll never see you again, sorry. But before I go —”

Jared put his hand behind my neck and kissed me full on the lips. Followed by a huge smile as he turned away, climbed out, and left with his family.

Stunned, I just tipped and swanned backwards, pushing a wave of water with my back with my arms spread. Then I regained my footing in the deeper water.

The rest of the basketball group was staring at me, open mouthed. Not because of my face. Because of Jared. I offered them a goofy smile and moved off to where I could have some time to think.

Starting with Halloween, every story I had believed about myself, and told to myself, was getting hammered.

With Tara and Carson, and then at the ball and with Ramses, I could behave normally in social situations, and even flirt. Because my horrid stain was invisible there under my mask. I was socially competent, even if I had no good interactions at school.

With Ariel, luscious tasty Ariel, I could be out in public, romantic, and even sexual, even when my deformed face was clearly visible. Again, what happened to me in school didn’t align with adult public life.

Even my brief times in the hospital, the hotel, and the pool, had (so far) drawn no particular attention to me.

And Jared, sweet Jared, just blew my brains out. Are there other men out there like him, but just a little older? Men who could see past my stained face?

Still confused, I paddled towards the nearest exit ladder.

At the time, I didn’t notice (as I climbed out of the pool) how much my undersized suit panties had sagged. I was exposing most of my Ariel-certified perfect ass.

To be sure, the men and boys around me noticed, I learned later.

Tara explained to me, hours later, that she too had noticed how the men ogled me. This was new! On those infrequent occasions when both of us sisters were at the beach, or the pool, Tara always had a monopoly on the male gaze, while I had nervously sheltered herself behind a towel or cover-up and a broad-brimmed hat.

Further on, Mom told me she had seen everything, too. First that young guy, and the kiss. Then the men’s reaction as I climbed out on the side ladder. “Besides a new bikini that fits your ass and titties, you need some new casual clothes. After all, I have two super-sexy daughters.”

Back after the time I had left the pool, I reached Mom and her lounging chair. “Here, take my place and towel yourself off. I need to get in a little swimming myself. Try not to pick up any more guys while I’m gone.”

“Mother!”

I discovered those poolside lounging chairs were unreasonably comfortable. I was drying and dozing off (while daydreaming about a taller, older Jared) when a young man (early 20’s?) came up next to me.