Alalia

Saturday night, Joe invited a few of us over for a late night gathering. I'd spent the day lolling about the Grist Mill with cool kids, but felt extremely anxious about my loss of words, how I'd forgotten to speak. Being with these people I've known for so long put me completely at ease. It was warmth. It was tipsy friends telling jokes. It was watching smiles. When skinny dipping was suggested, I felt practically family. The moon was so bright it cast solid shadows on deck and lit the pool. I immediately wanted to dive. Looking into the water, I forgot how to dive. It's not something I do often, but something natural. I hesitated, then fell into a dive. I'd never felt more of more perfect form. My whole body extended and swooping through supportive medium. Even air felt custom designed for my body. We swam in the pool for a bit, eventually retreating to the warmth of the modest, bubbly hot tub. We had some conversations I really took to heart, and I fell even more in love with Meg and Joe. A little bit of that was jealousy, but it's more knowing that love can be made to work. Then Joe repeated requests for ladies to start making out, and the moment became something even more real. I remember how to speak.