longing. “It looks fun!”
The three royals are being pulled by the wind in all directions. Suddenly, the king flies headfirst into the ocean.
It does not look like fun. It looks terrifying.
“Not a chance,” I snap.
“Enjoy,” the boatman says as we step into the rowboat and sit side by side. He pushes us out into the water, and off we go.
Five minutes later, sweat is dripping down the sides of my face.
The sun is beating on our heads.
“Push! Pull! Push! Pull!” I order.
It turns out that oars are really heavy. Who knew?
The massive yellow life jackets we’re both wearing over ourbathing suits do not help the heat. Between the next push and pull, I catch Jonah trying to take his life jacket off.
“Don’t you dare!” I warn.
“But I know how to swim.”
“I don’t care. You’re my baby brother, and it’s my job to make sure you don’t drown.”
We push-pull for another ten minutes before I call out, “Enough.” The water is somewhat calm and we’re away from the other boats. Might as well stop here. Also, I’m too tired to go on. My arms feel like rubber. I guzzle water from my canteen and motion for Jonah to do the same. I made sure we both filled up before we left. No getting dehydrated on my watch. Still, I feel like there’s something I forgot. But what?
Anyway, it’s time to find the Little Mermaid. “Oh, Little Mermaid!” I call. “Are you there, Little Mermaid?”
I do not see the Little Mermaid. I just see a lot of blue water.
“We’re not going to see her from up here,” Jonah says, putting on one of the pairs of goggles. “Let’s jump in.”
My heart races. “No, Jonah, that is not the plan.”
“That’s my plan,” he says.
“But … but … but…. the water has sharks!”
He stands up and looks like he’s ready to cannonball in. “It also has mermaids. And it’s not like I’m going to drown. I’m wearing a life jacket.”
He swings his arms back and forth.
“Jonah, you’re going to flip the boat!”
“I won’t,” he says. And then he hollers, “Geronimo!” and launches himself over the edge.
Water splashes into my face. “You’re so annoying!” I yell.
He ignores me and waves. “Come on in! It’s so warm!”
What choice do I have now? I can’t let him be in the water by himself. What if he needs me? I hug my life jacket to my chest. At least I can’t drown with this on.
I can’t, right?
Okay. I can do this. My legs shake as I adjust the goggles on my nose. I carefully — very carefully — dip my big toe in. Anything could be hiding underwater. Not just mermaids. But sharks and stingrays and jelly fish and barracudas and crocodiles, and did I mention sharks?
“Just jump!” Jonah yells. “Don’t be such a scaredy-cat!”
My face burns. “I am not a scaredy-cat!”
“You are, too,” he says. “You’re scared of everything. Sharks. Jumping in the water. Flying by yourself.”
“What are you talking about? I’m not afraid of flying by myself.”
“So why don’t you go see Nana on your own this weekend?”
Is he crazy? “I can’t go by myself!”
“Yes you can! My friend Isaac flies by himself once a month. His dad lives in Miami.”
I pause. “They let a seven-year-old fly by himself?”
“Yup. He’s a UM. Unaccompanied Minor. If he can do it, you can do it.”
Flying by myself does sound a little scary. What if I got lost at the airport? What if there was turbulence on the plane? “Mom would never let me,” I say, my heart hammering.
“It doesn’t hurt to ask,” he says. “Scaredy-cat.”
“I’m not a scaredy-cat!” I snap. And then, before I can change my mind, I jump into the ocean.
I did it! I jumped in! Hurray! Who’s a scaredy-cat now, huh? The water is cold. But considering how hot it is outside, it feels good. Really good.
I scream. Something swam by my leg. I take a deep breath. Just a minnow.
I make sure my goggles are on tight, take a deep breath, and peer into the
The three royals are being pulled by the wind in all directions. Suddenly, the king flies headfirst into the ocean.
It does not look like fun. It looks terrifying.
“Not a chance,” I snap.
“Enjoy,” the boatman says as we step into the rowboat and sit side by side. He pushes us out into the water, and off we go.
Five minutes later, sweat is dripping down the sides of my face.
The sun is beating on our heads.
“Push! Pull! Push! Pull!” I order.
It turns out that oars are really heavy. Who knew?
The massive yellow life jackets we’re both wearing over ourbathing suits do not help the heat. Between the next push and pull, I catch Jonah trying to take his life jacket off.
“Don’t you dare!” I warn.
“But I know how to swim.”
“I don’t care. You’re my baby brother, and it’s my job to make sure you don’t drown.”
We push-pull for another ten minutes before I call out, “Enough.” The water is somewhat calm and we’re away from the other boats. Might as well stop here. Also, I’m too tired to go on. My arms feel like rubber. I guzzle water from my canteen and motion for Jonah to do the same. I made sure we both filled up before we left. No getting dehydrated on my watch. Still, I feel like there’s something I forgot. But what?
Anyway, it’s time to find the Little Mermaid. “Oh, Little Mermaid!” I call. “Are you there, Little Mermaid?”
I do not see the Little Mermaid. I just see a lot of blue water.
“We’re not going to see her from up here,” Jonah says, putting on one of the pairs of goggles. “Let’s jump in.”
My heart races. “No, Jonah, that is not the plan.”
“That’s my plan,” he says.
“But … but … but…. the water has sharks!”
He stands up and looks like he’s ready to cannonball in. “It also has mermaids. And it’s not like I’m going to drown. I’m wearing a life jacket.”
He swings his arms back and forth.
“Jonah, you’re going to flip the boat!”
“I won’t,” he says. And then he hollers, “Geronimo!” and launches himself over the edge.
Water splashes into my face. “You’re so annoying!” I yell.
He ignores me and waves. “Come on in! It’s so warm!”
What choice do I have now? I can’t let him be in the water by himself. What if he needs me? I hug my life jacket to my chest. At least I can’t drown with this on.
I can’t, right?
Okay. I can do this. My legs shake as I adjust the goggles on my nose. I carefully — very carefully — dip my big toe in. Anything could be hiding underwater. Not just mermaids. But sharks and stingrays and jelly fish and barracudas and crocodiles, and did I mention sharks?
“Just jump!” Jonah yells. “Don’t be such a scaredy-cat!”
My face burns. “I am not a scaredy-cat!”
“You are, too,” he says. “You’re scared of everything. Sharks. Jumping in the water. Flying by yourself.”
“What are you talking about? I’m not afraid of flying by myself.”
“So why don’t you go see Nana on your own this weekend?”
Is he crazy? “I can’t go by myself!”
“Yes you can! My friend Isaac flies by himself once a month. His dad lives in Miami.”
I pause. “They let a seven-year-old fly by himself?”
“Yup. He’s a UM. Unaccompanied Minor. If he can do it, you can do it.”
Flying by myself does sound a little scary. What if I got lost at the airport? What if there was turbulence on the plane? “Mom would never let me,” I say, my heart hammering.
“It doesn’t hurt to ask,” he says. “Scaredy-cat.”
“I’m not a scaredy-cat!” I snap. And then, before I can change my mind, I jump into the ocean.
I did it! I jumped in! Hurray! Who’s a scaredy-cat now, huh? The water is cold. But considering how hot it is outside, it feels good. Really good.
I scream. Something swam by my leg. I take a deep breath. Just a minnow.
I make sure my goggles are on tight, take a deep breath, and peer into the
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