know, because heâs not as good a swimmer as I am. I told her that you probably couldnât afford it, but that Iâd ask you anyways.â
I twisted the details of my story as though I was tying a back hitch knot. I knew Mom was proud and didnât like others to think she couldnât afford to give me all the same advantages in life that kids with two parents got. So in a way I was doing her a favour.
âI wish you wouldnât tell people that I canât afford things. It gives a wrong impression.â Then she gazed up to the ceiling like she was calculating something in her mind. After a few minutes of silence she looked at me. âHow important is this to you, Peggy? It has to be something you want to do for yourself and not just because TB is taking scuba lessons.â I jumped up and down on the sofa excitedly and held out my arms wide.
âI really want to learn to scuba dive, Mom.â Then I settled myself back down on the sofa and put on my pious face again. âBut not if we canât afford it.â Nailed it.
âWell, I have been saving some money for a new computer, but I guess I can get along with the old one for a while longer. I donât mind as long as youâre sure this is something youâd really benefit from.â I leapt off the sofa.
âIt will be the best thing in the world,â I blurted. âThanks, Mom.â
âJust donât forget that you promised youâd do things with your great aunt.â
âYou bet â even if it kills me.â
The next morning I told TB all about my plan and the little lie Iâd told. âSo what about it, why donât you see if you can take diving lessons too?â He stared at me for a few moments with a blank look and then his face suddenly lit up.
âThatâs a brilliant idea. I always imagined myself a Jacques Cousteau kind of guy.â
âYou know about him?â
âWhat, Cousteau? Well, duh. Heâs only like the father of scuba diving and underwater exploration.â
âYup, good old Jack.â
âJacques, you mean.â
âRight. So anyway, are you sure your mom will let you?â
âPeggy, one of the few benefits of having divorced parents is when one says no, you can almost always count on the other saying yes.â
âGreat. Iâm going to sign up after school at the Reef Dive Shop.â
âI thought you were doing something with your Great Aunt Beatrix today.â Shoot, Iâd forgotten about that.
âHey, TB. Help me out here. Phone my house and tell my aunt that you need me to come over so we can get started on that important school project thatâs due next Friday.â
âWhat important school project?â he said with panic in his eyes.
âThere is no project dough-head. I just want you to say that so when I walk in the house and Aunt Beatrix gives me your message she wonât think anything when I tell her I canât spend time with her today.â
âSorry, Peggy. I donât like lying â especially to adults. From my experience I always get caught or end up making matters worse. Youâll have to get out of this one on your own.â If he hadnât been my best friend Iâd have given him a raspberry somewhere embarrassing.
When I got home, there she was â Queen Bee-atrix â in her hat and waiting to go out. âPeggy, youâre slouching, stand up straight, dear.â I did everything to keep myself from groaning out loud. âSo, where shall we wander today, dear? Mr. Grimbal suggested we take a stroll through Heron Park and have a look at the stone carvings â petroglyphs, I think he called them. It sounds delightfully primitive.â I sighed dramatically. âWhat? Doesnât that sound like a good plan to you?â
âOh, itâs not that, Aunt Beatrix. I definitely want to go see the petroglyphs with you. Iâm just trying to figure