Fear of Falling

surfaced from the water. Shit. Was she just joking around? Or maybe she couldn’t swim?
    “Kami! Babe, just stand up. It’s shallow,” I called out, wading towards her. Still nothing.
    “Do you know what the fuck you’ve done?” Dom hollered, shoving CJ as he reached Kami just as she finally floated to the surface.
    Face down and unmoving.
    Alarm bells wailed in my ears, as I struggled to get to her unresponsive body. Fuck! Had she hit her head on a rock at the bottom of the lake? Had she choked? What the fuck was going on?
    Dom scooped her up into his arms, her limbs flailing limply like a ragdoll. I reached out to take her from him, my protective instincts kicking in. Dom angrily shoved me with his shoulder. “Get away from her!” he barked, his hostile glare bringing me up short. What the hell?
    The rest of our group was making their way to shore as Dom laid Kami’s limp body on a beach chair. She was pale and eerily still, and her body looked frail and tiny. The back of my eyes prickled with fear and I took a step back, frozen in panic. This wasn’t happening. Not again. I couldn’t do this shit again.
    Angel wrapped a towel around her wet body while Dom checked her vitals. He opened her mouth with the tips of his fingers and pressed his lips to hers. I understood what he was doing, I knew he was trying to save her life, but I couldn’t help the sudden flash of jealousy that flooded my chest. I pushed my way through the onlookers to her still motionless body.
    “There’s no way she could’ve drowned; she was only under for a few seconds,” I said, kneeling in front of her. But I couldn’t touch her. I was…scared. I was scared that history was repeating itself.
    Dom worked to bring her to consciousness, talking to her, shaking her, opening her eyes for any sign of coherency. “Don’t you think I know that?”
    “We need to call 911,” one of the waitresses said.
    “No!” Angel shot back. “Nobody call. She’ll wake up in just a second. Just get back! Give her some damn room!”
    I helped her push back the crowd before turning to a shame-faced CJ, his frightened eyes rimmed with tears.
    “Dude, I had no idea. I was just being a dick. Oh my God, did I kill her?”
    “No!” Dom answered without looking up, still shaking Kami’s lifeless body. “But you could have, asshole. Don’t ever touch her again. Do you hear me?”
    CJ grimaced as if physically pained, then let his head drop. He really was mortified, but I couldn’t comfort my cousin. I couldn’t do more than worry about the woman lying still before me. The woman that I was losing before I could even possess her.
    In a gut-wrenching gasp for oxygen, Kami awoke, her delicate hands grasping the air like she was fighting for her life.
    “I’m here, Kam. I’m here,” Dom said soothingly, tentatively pulling her into his chest. She continued to fight until she realized who he was. Then, she broke into a heart-stopping sob, clutching his back like she would die if he let go. Dom squeezed tighter and began to rock her, tucking her head under his chin to shield her from onlookers. Angel covered her with more towels before embracing her from behind, wrapping her arms around both Kami and Dom. And I just sat there. Stunned. Silent. And stumped. Had I missed something?
    Kami continued to wail, her body shaking so badly that the tremors vibrated the beach chair.
    “Shhhh, it’s ok, Kam. You’re safe. It’s over. You’re safe now. I’ve got you,” Dom chanted over and over in her ear.
    The trio sat there for long moments, as I observed like some sick spectator. I wasn’t wanted here. I wasn’t what she needed. But I couldn’t turn away from her.
    “Come on, let’s get her to the car,” Angel muttered, once Kami’s cries had decreased to painful whimpers. The two pulled away but kept Kami’s face and body obscured by towels.
    “Kam?” I said reaching out to grasp her trembling hand. Dom smacked it away before I could make contact. What the fuck? I jumped to my feet, fists tight at my sides. “What the fuck is your problem, man?”
    Dom stood, taking the same offensive stance. “My problem is you and your cousin fucking around with someone you don’t even know. You have no idea what you’ve done. No fucking clue what damaged you’ve caused with your little joke. Well, consider playtime over. You’re not playing with her anymore.”
    “Who the fuck said I was playing with her?” I snapped through clenched teeth.