My Instructor by Esther Banks

is,” Aaron smiled.
    “ You may change your mind when we start back to the cabin,” Jack smiled.
    “ True. And I’ll certainly take you up on your offer then,” Aaron grinned.
    When they arrived at the spring, the ladies rushed to them. Aaron laid Tiffany down on the ground and propped her head on his knees. She began to stir and groan.
    “Tiffany. Tiffany, wake up,” Aaron encouraged.
    “ Come on Tif. Wake up,” Marisa begged.
    Slowly, she opened her eyes. Everything was in a blur. Finally, things began to clear, and she saw Aaron. He was smiling at her.
    “Aaron,” Tiffany whispered. “What happened?”
    “ Hi, sweetheart. We were hoping you could tell us,” Aaron said. “Do you remember anything?”
    Tiffany tried to remember. Everything was a jumbo. Then she recalled an evil grin and gasped.
    “Felice!” she exclaimed.
    “ I knew she was guilty,” Marisa snapped.
    “ What about Felice?” Aaron asked.
    The memory came flooding back. Tiffany related the details of what happened in the cavern. Aaron looked around in anger.
    “Where is she?” Aaron nearly yelled.
    “ She’s gone. She flew the coop when she knew her gig was up,” Steffi said.
    “ She may run now but the police will find her,” Tucker said. “This is the last time she will get away with her stunts.”
    Tiffany tried to sit up. Aaron helped her.
    “I’m so glad they found you,” Mimi said thankfully.
    “ Thanks to Mimi’s photography we knew to look in the cavern,” Aaron said.
    “ Thank you, Mimi. I owe you my life,” Tiffany said sincerely.
    Mimi chuckled.
    “Not your life. Just a discount on a diamond tennis bracelet would work,” Mimi teased.
    Everyone laughed.
    “You got it,” Tiffany responded.
    “ We should start back to back to the cabin,” Marisa said. “It’s getting late.”
    Aaron put his arms about Tiffany to pick her up.
    “No, Aaron. I can walk,” Tiffany objected.
    “ Tiffany, you have a nasty gash on your head. Somebody hit you good,” Aaron said.
    “ And I found this syringe on the ground next to you,” Tucker said. He held up the syringe. “You were probably drugged to stay asleep until the tide came in. However, they didn’t give you enough.”
    “ Thank God!” Steffi exclaimed. “Felice is a monster! She was trying to kill Tiffany.”
    “ But she didn’t and Felice will get hers,” Tiffany said. “In the meantime, I can walk back to the cabin with a little help.”
    “ Are you sure? I can carry you,” Aaron said. There was concern in his brilliant green eyes.
    “ I’m sure. Just allow me to lean on you for a while,” Tiffany said softly.
    “ You can lean on me all day and every day,” Aaron responded.
    “ Okay, enough of this mush. Let’s go,” Tucker exclaimed.
    Everybody laughed and started walking back. Tiffany was safely on Aaron’s arm, and she couldn’t be happier. They arrived back at the cabin just as the sun was setting. Aaron did carry Tiffany up the stairs despite her complaints. Aaron laid her onto her bed and helped her undress. After getting her into her nightgown and he off to his bedroom. He was back in a few moments dressed in pajama bottoms. He carried a large porcelain bowl of warm water. He set it on the nightstand and began to clean and dress her head wound. When he had finished he emptied the water into the bathroom sink and locked the bedroom door. Then he climbed into bed with her.
    “I told them you were not to be disturbed,” he said gently.
    “ You’re being very good to me. How will I ever thank you?” she asked.
    “ I’ll think of something,” he grinned. “But for now you need to rest.”
    “ I am feeling a lot better. The drug has worn off. I just have a bad headache,” she said.
    He kissed her temple that was covered by the bandage.
    “Is that better?” he asked softly.
    “ Mm. Yes. Much better,” she replied.
    “ You know, I think I went a little crazy when I thought I had lost you,” he murmured. “I know now if I