Chapter 2 - The Second Splash
Time seemed to slow down for a agonizing second as Clara lost her footing. The world tilted sideways on the damp patio stones. Elena lunged forward, her black heels clicking sharply against the concrete, but she was too far away to bridge the gap. With a muffled gasp, Clara pitched forward, her arms instinctively tightening around the white bundle to shield the infant from impact.
Splash.
The heavy, cold water swallowed Clara and the bundle instantly, sending up a violent cascade of white spray that soaked the surrounding patio furniture. Maya didn't hesitate. Despite having just pulled herself out of the water, the young maid kicked off her ruined shoes and plunged back into the deep end without a second thought. Elena froze on the deck, her hands flying to her mouth as she stared at the swirling bubbles beneath the surface. Seconds later, Maya broke the surface, coughing and sputtering, one arm securely locked around Clara’s waist while the other hand held the white bundle high above the waterline.
Elena dropped to her knees at the edge of the coping, reaching down to grab Clara’s outstretched hand. Together, Elena and Maya hauled a coughing, sputtering Clara onto the concrete. Clara collapsed onto her side, frantically unwrapping the white blanket. Beneath the damp folds, the baby let out a healthy, indignant wail, completely unharmed. Clara pulled the infant against her chest, sobbing hysterically now, rocking back and forth on the wet stone.
Maya lay flat on her back a few feet away, staring up at the night sky, completely exhausted. Her lungs burned, and her wet uniform felt like a lead weight.
“You... you saved them again,” Elena whispered, looking down at Maya with a completely altered expression. The skepticism that had defined her posture moments ago had vanished, replaced by a profound, unsettling confusion.
Clara stopped crying for a fraction of a second, her eyes darting between Maya and Elena with a strange, calculating panic. She pulled the baby closer, backing away until her spine hit a cushioned patio lounger.
“Don't listen to her,” Clara rasped, water dripping from her blonde hair into her eyes. “She planned this. Both of you... you're working together.”
Elena stood up slowly, wiping a stray drop of pool water from her green dress. She looked down at Clara with a gaze so piercing it made the older woman flinch.
May you like
“Clara, nobody is working against you,” Elena said softly. “But your story isn't adding up. And neither is the security camera footage on my phone.”
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