*****033:

It was hot and muggy out, reminiscent of a thunder storm later in the day. Not a breeze stirred the pool water, but plenty of kids did. I followed Rein around, as he toddled in the shallows while Felicity and Virgil graced the other pool, working on different techniques. We were near the end of this session, and they wouldn't be signing up for the next till fall. July and August would simply have to be spent at the beach in front of our house.

I noticed with annoyed reluctance that same nosy creep here again, now over on the lounge chairs, dressed in an open blouse and white golf shorts. He chin jerked as he saw me gazing at him, and I looked away. I hoped he didn't take that as an invitation.

I now wore a maternity bathing suit, skirt and top, rationalizing that it was too hot to stay out of the water. Abbie hovered nearby in her cute skinny girl one piece, and Keeva in shorts and a polo shirt, looking professionally body-guard-ish, circled the perimeter, taking her job seriously. I knew Kodey and another guy were outside too. Rafe and dad had bumped up our security dramatically.

I splashed water on my heated skin, feeling the itch of sweat against my neck, even with my heavy hair up, I felt glisteny. Rein was content to toddle around and around as he hiked the three foot slide and positioned himself to slide down the Froggy's tongue, landing at the bottom, on a stopper mat. Right now he was only one of two circling and circling.

I glanced over at the guy again, and found him engrossed in his phone like so many other parents, and assumed I'd been too critical last time. This guy was typical, and likely harmless. He seemed to be texting or playing a game. I opted to assume it was a game, like most everybody. Either reading a book, or playing a game. It was the trend.

I glanced back just as Rein slipped down the slide, not quite ready, and landed on his face without the presence of mind to get up. I had to grab him, and then kneel and comfort him--- however briefly, he was back on the go in no time.

When I looked back the guy was heading into the family locker rooms, the same place me and the kids had dressed and showered. He was either leaving or going to the bathroom. Typical. Wherever his kid was, it didn't seem to matter.

Felicity was swimming across the pool. Abbie got my attention so I could watch her and congratulate her. She floundered in the middle, and had to be helped, but she looked over at me for approval. I was glad I was actually looking.

The heat was ferocious. I wanted to go in deeper and cool off. "Hey, buddy, want to swim? You can lay on this ducky (it was a flat floating foam piece shaped like a duck), and Momma will push you around." They had a little deeper area not far away, where I could get cooled off. I urged him over to the ducky.

We floated in the lazy river area, cooling off, him floating with his short little legs hanging off the end as I encouraged him to kick, kick, kick! I concentrated on the cool as it crept up my legs and finally my sides, and then I submerged, feeling the crazy relief of red hot skin now embraced in chlorine. Rein still carried two little cars, and raced them across the floating pad.

"Hi there, Aubrey." A male voice brought me out of my reverie, close by, and ending in that creepy male giggle I recalled from our last encounter. Dang, he's cornered me in the kiddie pool.

"Sorry, I didn't realize you knew my name." I said rather frostily, herding Rein on the pad back the way we'd come.

"You are known here, of course, because your husband is the famous Rafe Stryker front man of Axis. Everyone knows you." He snickered slightly, twisting his unfashionable mustache with his stubby fingers. I was really put off, having a hard time not being judgy. You know how you want to be kind to everybody you meet, until you meet somebody that rubs you the wrong way?

"I didn't realize I was that well-known."

"Your official marriage announcements have been entertained in all the main media circles, no? Your picture is plastered all over magazines and YouTube alike. Yes, you are known. I heard someone else talking about you from over there." He jerked his head back to where he'd been sitting playing his game a little while ago.

"Oh." I said, gliding softly out of the river area, pushing Rein back to shallower ground, smoothing out my rumpled skirt self-consciously, now looking around for Keeva.

"Why are you running away from me? I only want to talk to you."

"I don't know why you'd want to talk to me." I said, feeling anxious. I stepped over the blue and white rope that divided the kiddie pool into two halves for really little kids and for bigger ones. "Do you have a child here?"

"I do. He is over in the other pool, his name is Cortez, and he's older than your son and daughter."

I looked over to where Keeva was now stationed watching the two in question. "Well that's nice." I tried to say politely. "But that doesn't explain why you're striking up a conversation with me."

"Because you're a very beautiful woman, and you have a darling little boy, (he chin jerked to indicate Rein at my feet), and I just wanted to strike up a conversation with you." He said with a chilly laugh. I could see there was more to it, I sensed there was more to it. I knew he was coming on to me for a reason.

"Thank you for the compliment....." I searched around my memory for his name and realized we hadn't been introduced. I let it hang and he took the bait.

"Adelardo Lopez."

"Senor Lopez." I nodded. "Well, I'm not really comfortable striking up conversations with strange guys at the pool. Busy watching kids, I'm sure you understand."

"Your children, they look Latino, are they adopted by chance?"

I bit my lips. "Look, I'm not just saying that. I'm not in the habit----."

"I am thinking of adopting myself, my wife and I haven't been able to conceive since Cortez."

I blew out my breath. He'd just given me a reason to stay, to connect, to talk with him, even though something was telling me it wasn't the thing to do. Part of me chided myself for being such a wuss.

"The adoptions were fairly straight forward. About ten grand plus, two were here in Southern California. The agency is called ABCSC, and I'm sure they'll talk to you about it any time you want."

"ABCSC." He repeated, nodding, stroking his chin. I swallowed.

"Is that all you wanted, Senor?"

"You managed to do well with older child adoptions, my wife has been wondering about that, is it easier to adopt an older child? What about over international borders?"

I blew out my breath, Keeva had once again not seen fit to rescue me and Rein was back to doing tours on the froggy. I had no reason not to answer him, and it seemed perfectly normal now that he had spotted me, and my kids and could see for himself they were not my biologicals. Or at least he would have thought that from our looks. I could still be their mother, but it had of course, been media announced, and he'd obviously had access to that as well.

"They can tell you all about that. We did secure a good adoption lawyer."

"I see. Can you reference him? I am indeed looking for someone."

I shook my head, feeling slightly invaded, and slightly stupid for feeling invaded. I had no reason to feel invaded. He was simply asking for references. "Crimmons and Schuster." I said. "Out of New York."

"Oh, no one here in Los Angeles?"

"Sorry."

He stroked his mustache again, and then looked up at me. "Did this lawyer handle all three adoptions? How long did it take?"

"He did handle all three, although the boys are biological brothers, and they were handled through ABCSC." I looked around wishing that Keeva would see my concerns from my unconcerned expressions. She needed to just read my mind.

"Hm... I see. What about the girl? Was it Crimmons or Schuster who handled that one?"

"What?" That felt like a weird question.

"Crimmons or Schuster? Which one do you recommend?"

I felt hesitant. "Either one is good." I said, even though John Crimmons was our only adoption lawyer.

He looked away. "I heard your daughter had a birthday last week, tell her happy birthday for me."

That was so weird. Why would I tell her anything from him? She didn't know him. I would not be telling her anything-- how had he heard she had a birthday?

I nodded. "How did you hear my daughter had a birthday?"

He finally laughed his creepy laugh again. "You are too suspicious, Senora, I will leave you to your bathing. It is obvious you do not wish to be disturbed. Goodbye."

He waded away from me, just as Rein slid down again, going under and sputtering up. I watched him go through the family locker rooms again, this time purposefully, and he did not even once look back to see if his son was finished. I bit my lips. The encounter made me nervous in light of so many weird threats to our personal family safety. I might be being too paranoid, and then again...

*****