Mommy had a broken Accelerometer!
CH 1
It was Friday, last school day of the week. Twelve year old Joan Connor with her medium brown hair pulled back into a fluffy ponytail accept for a few strands bracketing her face. She wore her white shirt under her frill trimmed purple vest, light purple pleated knee length skirt, white socks and purple and pink sneakers. Beside her, Thirteen year old Allison Young wore the same style, her light brown hair in a pony tail with strands bracketing her face, only her vest was light blue, as was her skirt.
Like all the other kids, they were going to their lockers to flee the school. Allison veered off to her locker first. A few lockers down, Joan got to her locker. She spun the combination, threw her locker open and packed her back pack for the ride home.
"Hey, Joan," a thin, taller boy asked as he came up behind her, "You didn't ride the bus today? Your mom bring you or something?"
Joan beamed him a smile as she shrugged on her back pack. "Allie and I got our new bikes! We rode those."
"But, you live nine miles away," he said with a frown.
Joan closed her locker. "So?" she asked.
"So, it's a long ride? It must have taken your forever to get here."
"Not us, Bob," she said with a grin.
"Joan, you set?" Allison asked as she walked up.
"Set, let's go."
"Bet I'll get home before you two do," Bob challenged as he followed them.
"Yeah? What do you wanna bet?" Allison asked.
"Come on!" Bob groaned. "You're telling me you can beat the bus? Half the trip is down the three lane with no stops. That's 55 miles an hour. There's no way you can beat the bus!"
Joan grinned at Allison, then said, "How's this. I'll be we do! The loser has to wear rabbit ears in school Monday, all day."
Allison giggled.
"Yeah, OK," Bob agreed, "Will you wear the fuzzy little rabbit tails too?"
Joan sang, "You're gonna look silly."
"We'll even let the bus go first," Allison chimed.
"You two are screwing with me, you're getting a ride, aren't you?" Bob asked.
"Nope, we're riding our bikes," Joan stated.
"And you're going to beat the bus, that's what you're telling me?" Bob asked.
"We will," Allison stated.
"Yeah, OK, I gotta see this!" Bob announced.
Joan held up a finger. "Don't forget your rabbit ears, tall pink ones! We'll even bring you a pair!"
Allison giggled.
"You're gonna need two pairs," Bob replied.
"We'll see."
.
Outside the buses were lined up. Bob got on and went to the back so he could see Joan and Allison huffing away while he smiled and waved at them when the bus passed them. Charlie plopped into the seat beside him.
"Sitting way back here?" Charlie asked.
Bob grinned, "Yeah, I want to see if Joan and Allison even catch up with us. They're riding bikes. Joan insists she's going to get home before we do riding those bikes. We made a bet."
Charlie grinned expectantly. "What's the bet, something good?"
"After they fail, Monday, they have to wear rabbit ears to class."
Charlie frowned. "That's a stupid bet! Why not bet something like they have to carry your books, or serve you lunch? Maybe let you get a peek?"
Bob shrugged. "I kinda like the rabbit ears, I bet they will look real cute in them."
The bus started out. They passed the bicycle rack. Both Joan and Allison were just getting on their bikes.
"They aren't going to do the bet," Charlie said. "They are already behind."
"It's still a bet, I'm going to hold them to it," Bob stated.
"I bet they won't do it," Charlie said. He looked behind them. "Ahh Bob, there they are, behind the second bus."
Bob turned. "Where?" he asked, not seeing them.
"They're behind the bus behind us."
Their bus came to a stop at the corner. The one behind them stopped, Joan and Allison pedaled around it on the right. Stopping behind their bus, they waved. Charlie waved back.
"But, they hadn't even started when we left," Bob said, eyeing the girls.
Joan winked at him and raised a first to her head, lifted two fingers and wiggled them as she grinned.
Their bus pulled around the corner. Both girls followed, pedaling.
"We'll lose them. They can't keep up," Bob stated.
As the bus picked up speed, so did Joan and Allison, pedaling so fast, their legs were almost a blur.
"Damn, look at'em go," Charlie said. He then clapped bob on the shoulder. "Hey, look at Joan's shirt, the wind's blowing it open, you can see her bra!"
It was a single lane on this side at the moment, and the girls were keeping up.
"They can't keep this up," Bob said. He then watched the double yellow move away to form two lanes. Joan and Allison rose their butts up, their bikes wiggled side to side slightly, then they pulled out and passed the bus.
"Damn!" Charlie whispered. He and Bob stood up to watched them go past.
"No way!" Bob cried. He watched them pull ahead of the bus and race on, getting farther ahead. "They have to tire out soon!" he insisted. He was sure, but they moved on and passed a car before the double lane dropped back into a single lane.
Charlie began chuckling. Bob eyed him. "What's so funny?"
"You're going to look really stupid wearing those rabbit ears."
Bob frowned. The two girls were so far ahead, they were all but out of sight. "Think I'm gonna be sick Monday," he grumbled.
.
Joan and Allison were having a great time. They had to slow down to make the corner back into town, then the caught a stoplight. Here, there was a thin 'bike trail' on the side of the street, so they used that cruise along with traffic.
Tonight was a 'sleepover' night so they could do homework together and have some fun. Getting to Allison's house, they took their bikes into the garage.
"Allie, you got the ears from last Easter?" Joan asked.
"I do!"
They raced in the house to get them, Allison burst in with, "MOM! We're HOOOME!"
Joan stopped in the kitchen to beam, "Hi Gramma! We gotta get bunny ears for Bob!"
Claire asked, "For Bob?"
"Yes! He bet us we couldn't beat the bus home, so now he has to wear bunny ears in school on Monday," Joan explained with a wide grin. She then headed for the front door.
"I got'em!" Allison cried and ran for the door.
"No running in the house!" Claire called to deaf ears.
Joan and Allison went out from to wait for the bus to drive by. Allison then said, "Wait! What if Bob meant his house?"
They looked at each other. "Quick, he only lives a block down the street!" Joan cried.
They ran down to Bob's house. They no more than got to his bus stop when the bus pulled around the corner. Both grinned broadly as the bus put on it's flashers and stopped. Allison thrust the bunny ears in the air at arm's length.
Bob walked slow up to the doors. Kids on the bus were laughing and cheering him on. Apparently, he'd told them about the bet. Bob paused at the steps. Behind him, Alice, the girl who lived next door, put a hand on his back. "Come on Bob, move it! They brought you a present!" She then laughed.
Bob got off the bus to calls of, "Put'em on! Put'em on!"
Bob didn't look happy. With a sigh, he asked, "Can we just forget about the bet?"
Allison skipped up to him and gently put the band on his head, then wiggled the ears. Cheering arose from the bus that was leaving.
Bob blushed. "No fair," he grumbled. "You got like, turbo powered bikes or something."
"A bet's a bet," Joan said with a grin. "Don't worry, you look cute like that."
"I look like a dork."
"No! You look cute, really!" Allison beamed.
Holding up a finger, Joan added, "Just remember, by doing this, you are proving you're a rabbit man with honor."
Bob stared at her. "I have to wear these all day?"
"If we lost, we would," Joan said.
"You're girls."
"Glad you noticed."
Waving a finger at Joan, he said, "I will find a way to get you back for this."
"Try your best!" Joan beamed.
Bob let out a grumble and walked to the house. From inside, Bob's father cried, "Bob, what the hell are you wearing?"
Joan and Allison giggled the whole way back home.
.
Joan and Allison had a good night. Finding out that they were going to have a Canyon Park day this weekend, Allison called Bob.
When his mother picked up the phone, Allison said, "It's Allison Young, can I speak to Mr. Bunny man?"
"Hold on … BOB, phone!"
A glum Bob asked, "Hello?"
"Hi Bob, It's Allison! Sunday, we're going up to Canyon Falls Park. Want to come? We have all sorts of fun up there, and a picnic. Your whole family can come," Allison told him.
"Isn't that where those weird people hang out?" Bob asked.
"They do get all kinds up there, but it's fun! Come on Bob." She then coaxed, "You won't even have to wear your ears!"
"Gee, thanks. I'll ask Dad."
"Good, let him know the barbecue is usually ready around One. Bring you swim suit too."
"OK … hang on a minute."
His mother came back on. "Allison, can I talk to your mother?"
"Mom!" Allison called. She gave her mother the phone. Claire verified they would be there an the lunch was at one. She got a confirmation they were coming.
Great!
.
Saturday morning, Joan wanted to ride her bike home, but ran into trouble. The tread was worn off the tires and the pedals were grinding. Allison had the same trouble on her bike. Apparently, they weren't made to last. Daniel had them put their bikes on his truck. He left early so they could stop at the bike store to get new bearings and tires.
Up at the 'mansion', Joan and Allison took their bikes in the garage, then Joan ran in to get her father to show them how to fix their bikes.
John came out with her. Upon seeing the bikes, he frowned at the girls. "What did you two do to these?" he asked.
"We raced the bus home, and we won," Joan said proudly.
"We did!" Allison agreed, "Now Bob has to wear pink bunny ears to school Monday."
John snorted out a chuckle. "Just don't terrorize him too badly. Bring them over here by the tool box, stand them upside down."
The girls had fun learning how to fixing their bikes. Besides the bearings and the tires, John showed them they has stretched their chains out, so soon, they would need new chains also. The bearings in their pedals were also questionable too.
Bikes weren't made to race school buses. An important lesson. John should have bought them mountain bikes, they were made a little tougher.
Greasy from working in their bikes, Joan and Allison went in and washed up, then after proving to Cameron they had their homework done, they got their bikes and made a few round on the circular driveway to be sure they worked. Then, it was swim time.
Coming back down in their swim suits and their tails over their shoulders, the pair heard a desperate cry of, "Sonja, where are you?"
They both looked at the front door. George, the bearded drummed raced in, "Sonya?" he cried, looking around frantically.
"Hi George, she's out back," Joan said, pointing the way.
Huffing and panting, George ran out the back. Curious, Joan and Allison ran after him.
Getting out on the patio, George saw Sonya, Cameron and Delilah sitting at a table, doing something with papers. "Sonya!" he cried and ran over to her.
"What it is?" she had time to ask before George plowed into her and wrapped her head in his arms, holding her to his chest protectively. Glaring at Delilah, he announced, "You can't kill Sonya! I won't let you!"
Sonya loosened his hold so she could look at him. "George, no one is going to kill me."
"But they are!" George cried. "I saw it on the last episode! Delilah has a big ax and she is going to chop your head off!" he cried. Holding her tight, he sobbed and said, "I won't let them!"
John face palmed with a groan. "George, this is why you can't come to watch the show being made."
"It's all pretend, George," Sonya told him.
"George, you should know we really will not hurt Sonya," Delilah stated.
"You better not," George stated. "She's my Goddess and … I won't let you!"
Sonya patted George on the back. "George, there's beer in the cooler over there, you should get one."
George looked at the cooler, then at Sonya. "You're safe?"
"I am George, go get a beer and sit down," she coaxed.
Joan and Allison burst out laughing.
From the other side, Jackie, the blonde ten year old giggled. "George! Don't you know the ax would bounce?"
George hurried over to grab a beer then came back to sit beside Sonya. "It would still hurt," he told her with a frown.
Sonya suppressed a grin and put an arm around George. "We are going over the first episode for this next season," she explained. "See, I manage to fling myself to the side, Delilah hits the stump, I kick the ax handle and break it, then get up and run. After a chase, I run far enough where a few of my warriors and Cameron's find me and Delilah has to retreat."
"Wheew, I was worried," George said in a breath.
"It's OK, George," Sonya said and gently patted his back.
Jackie then noticed Joan and Allison with their mermaid tails. "Can I swim with my tail too?" she asked.
"Go get your suit on and remember, be careful with your tail," Delilah told her.
Jackie was off and running.
George watched her run by and noted her shirt was poking out. "She's only eleven? She's already got chest puppies."
"And she's eleven," John said firmly, casting George an evil eye.
"George," Sonya said firmly, "Don't watch Jackie's chest puppies, it's rude."
"Yeah, Ok, I was just surprised."
"Be surprised quietly."
"OK," he said meekly.
"Back to the script," Cameron said pointedly.
.
Joan got in her tail and waited until Jackie got to the pool, then helped her wiggle in and zip up. They rolled into the pool and swan around a bit, then decided to play tag, the poolside being off limits. Racing around the pool in their game, there was the occasional jump, squeal and big splash.
Getting chased by Jackie, Allison swam fast deep then turned and shot up to try and grab the diving board to flip onto it. She rocketed up out of the water and found she was directly beneath it.
WHACK
The board bent up then threw Allison back in the water. Allison surfaced holding her head. "Owwwie!" she cried.
Jackie surfaced beside her and slapped her shoulder. "You're it!" she then dove under and swam away.
"Hey!" Allison called after her wearing a frown, then dove under and gave chase.
Watching them, Cameron commented, "She can't be hurt too bad, she's still playing."
The next one to erupt out of the water was Joan, with Allison right beside her. Joan twisted her torso to keep from being touched as she let out a yelp. Reaching out, Allison stretched. Joan bent back and landed on the edge of the pool to roll onto the side. Allison came back up and happily called, "Automatic IT!"
"It was I saw it!" Jackie agreed from the other end.
Joan frowned at them. "Now I'M the shark!" she announced and thrust herself back in the water at Allison. Allison and Jackie let out squeaks and dove under.
.
The movie Saving Atlas had been a big hit, and gravitated into a cult classic. So much so that a TV production company bought four seasons of the Saving Atlas TV show. Today, John and his wives got the first fourth season's episode done. This time a spy was going into Atlas to open the gate at night and let a few more spies in to find out where the royal chamber was so they could kidnap the King. Cameron, being a 'seer' knew of the plot, so they would be ready to foul it. They worked at it until the episode was 25 minutes as the station required. Then Cameron had to go get dinner started.
"I'll get the girls," John said. With them speeding around under water, they would never hear a yell, so he grabbed a Tiki torch and went over to the ladder to dip the end in and bang on the ladder a few times.
Three forms rose up to the surface.
"Dinner time, up and out," he told them, then asked, "Jackie what's that on your head?"
Jackie touched the knot on the side of her forehead. "Oh, I wasn't watching where I was and ran into the wall."
"Be more careful," he admonished. "Come on, let's go."
The girls got out with a jump and turn to sit. Delilah brought them large towels to dry off with. She inspected Jackie's bump, then Allison's head lump. No bleeding, they were fine.
.
At dinner, Joan asked, "Dad? Moms? Is there something I can do to be in the TV show too?"
"Yeah! Me too?" Allison piped up.
"And me?" Jackie asked eagerly.
"And me?" John Junior asked hopefully.
John grinned at his kids. "I don't know, we'll have to work at an episode for you."
"It will require planning," Cameron agreed.
Delilah frowned slightly. "You know, we haven't done a mermaid episode yet."
"YES!" the girls cried happily.
"We can swim around and play tag and do jumps!" Allison said.
"Just don't whack your head on the diving board again," Joan cautioned her.
Jackie giggled.
"Or run into a wall," Allison said, looking at Jackie.
"Or, maybe we can sword fight," Joan suggested.
"No!" all the adults chorused.
"There's much planning involved," John reminded them. "It won't be right away."
"And you can't tell anyone before we do the scene." Sonya told them.
She was met with frowns.
"Only after the scenes are done, can you tell anyone about them," Cameron added.
"So, we can do some?" Joan asked.
"We'll see," John replied.
That night in the girl party in Joan and Jackie's room, they plotted out how they were gong to 'act' with the adults. Besides swimming, all three were sure they would be good spies, sneaking around to get vital information.
.
Bob had heard of Canyon falls park, but this was the first time he and his family had been here. On the way in was the typical large wooden sign stating they were entering a state park. The paved two lane road passed by a cliff and spread out into a large parking lot. Signs pointed to areas and trails, and large sign showed a map of the park at the beginning of a walkway. Many cars were in the lot, as were a couple vans backed into their spots. There was also a huge black SUV there with the back doors open. Bob saw a woman in a bikini in back of it, which drew his eye.
The first thing Bob noted was her long legs , perfect figure and her long, blazing red hair. While he was taking in her form, he also noted she was tall. Very tall. His father parked in the next row, pulling Bob's sight away.
"Dad! Did you see that woman by the black truck? She was HUGE!" Bob said, trying to look back. The black SUV was in the way now, blocking his view of her, except for her head.
"I seen her," Jake said with a grin. "Looks like that TV Amazon. Forget her real name, she stars on that HBO show, Saving Atlas. Want her autograph?"
Bob's mother rolled her eyes. "Stop drooling, hon. She'd probably twist you into a knot."
"Hon, I was only saying she's a TV star," Jake said with a sigh.
They got out. Bob saw the SUV back doors were still open. They headed for the walkway into the park. The doors shut and the Amazon walked towards them carrying what looked like a large fish over her shoulder. Like half a small whale sized fish. Bob slowed and watched her approach.
Coming closer the giant woman smiled at him. "Hello, I'm Sonya," she said pleasantly.
"Bob," he replied, staring up at her. "You're really big. Pretty, but real big," he said absently.
Sonya laughed.
"I'm Carol Tanner, this is my husband, Jake, and our son, Robert," his mother offered.
Close now, Bob saw it wasn't a real fish she was carrying. "Is that a mermaid tail?" he asked.
"It is," Sonya said. She pointed the way she was going and added, "I'm going to swim with the others. Have you ever swam as a mermaid?" she asked.
"Ahh, I don't swim," Bob said, now feeling sad he didn't.
"It's fun and good exercise," Sonya assured him. "Come see, maybe it's something you might like to do."
Jake realized he was staring at Sonya. He blinked and said, "I had always thought that you being so big was just camera angles and special effects."
"We use as little of special effects as possible," Sonya told him. "Yes, I am really seven feet, four inches tall."
"Is all your family very tall?" Susan asked.
"No, only me. My DNA is … different. Everyone else is normal sized."
"So are you like super-strong?" Bob asked.
Sonya eyed him with a crooked grin. "Why, did you want to ride on my shoulders?"
Bob blushed. His father chuckled.
Sonya put her long mermaid tail down, turned Bob to face away from her, then picked him up under his arms and lifted him up and over her head to sit on her shoulders. "Hang on," she coaxed and picked her mermaid tail back up.
Bob felt a little dizzy. Holding the sides of Sonya's head, Bob noted he had an outstanding view of the area. "Wow."
Carol laughed. Jake grinned and said, "Lucky you, Bob. She picked you up pretty quick."
For some reason, Bob felt like he was five years old again. It wasn't a real comfortable feeling, people were watching. Then again, he convinced himself he was up here until Sonya let him down. Looking down, he noted the size of her cleavage and decided he liked being up here. "I do have a good view," he said with a grin. He then looked off at the small lake. A form jumped up and splashed down in the water. "That looked like a mermaid," he said absently.
"What color was her hair?" Sonya asked.
"Ahh, light brown? She has a light brown tail too, kinda speckled."
"That would be Allison."
"Allison? Allison Young?" Bob asked.
"Yes, you know her?"
Bob saw another mermaid jump high out of the water flip upside down and dive back in. "Wow! Was that Joan Connor?"
Sonya chuckled. "Probably. Maybe you should go see?"
"Yeah!"
Sonya lifted him up and off. Bob beamed her a smile. "Thanks, Sonya!" he offered and ran off down the path.
Jake chuckled. "Amazing, Bob's excited and it's not even a video game."
"I take it Bob likes indoor games?" Sonya asked.
"Too much!" Carol said. "It's hard to get him to go outside. I'm afraid he's turning into a chair-potato."
.
Bob hurried up the path that went right up to the water before it turned and followed a stream. There was no railing on an eight foot section of path that was right at the water's edge. A blonde surfaced for a gulp of air and dove under again like a whale, but the blonde was much prettier.
Stopped at the edge of the walkway, Bob saw the long, streamline shapes underwater. He'd seen videos of women in mermaid suits slowly swimming along, but these three weren't slow. Who he was sure was Joan, sped along near the bottom. Allison was chasing her, the blonde passed at an angle above them. The loops, twists and turns they did were amazing. How were they holding their breaths that long?
Mesmerized, Bob stood and watched their underwater antics. Out in the middle, Joan erupted out of the water again, facing this way. She flew at least her full height out of the water as she arced over, then came down to hit the water like a torpedo, and sped this way. She went deep enough that Bob lost sight of her when Allison jumped again, with the blonde right behind her.
Joan then rocketed up right beside him, turned in the air and sat on the walkway, her legs dangling in the water. "Bob! Glad you could make it!" she beamed.
"Joan! that was incredible!" Bob beamed back. "I mean, wow, you move so fast under water, and stayed down a long time, and you look really really cute like that!"
Joan eyed him and asked, "Where's your swim suit?"
"I, ahhh, don't have one."
"Oh Bob! You were supposed to bring one," she admonished. "Well, you at least have shorts on," she said in a musing tone.
A blonde head surfaced and came over to the side. "Joan, who's this?"
Joan waved an arm at Bob and said, "This is Bob, who forgot his swimsuit. Forgetful Bob, this is my sister, Jackie."
"Hi Jackie." Bob offered. Did every girl here look awesome, he wondered. Maybe it was the long, sleek look of the fish tails they were wearing.
Jackie scanned Bob up and down then pointed at him and said, "Get your shoes and socks and shirt off."
"Huh?"
"Yes, so you can swim with us!" Jackie stated.
"Yeah, Bob, shorts will be fine to swim in," Joan agreed.
"I can't swim," Bob said reluctantly.
"Don't worry, we won't let you drown!" Joan assured him.
A large hand clapped down on Bob's shoulder. He turned to see Sonya smiling at him. "Bob, I think the girls want you to learn how to swim."
Joan got up on her knees and grabbed Bob's hand. "Come on, we can teach you."
Allison came up to the walkway. "Bob! Come on in!"
Sonya whispered in his ear. "I'm going to get my tail on, then throw you in. So be ready."
"What?" Bob asked weakly.
Joan giggled and clasped his hand tighter, "You better get ready," she sang.
Behind him, Sonya was lying her tail out. To his side, Joan was holding his hand firmly and casting him a devilish look. "But, I can't swim! I never learned how!" he complained.
"Don't worry, I'll be right with you," Joan insisted.
Allison swam out a short ways and raised a hand in the air. "I'll catch him!"
"Catch? No! Joan, I. Can't. Swim!" he said desperately.
"Let's play 'crane," Sonya said.
Bob was about to ask what that was, then he was picked up by the back of his waist band and lifted. He fell to hang horizontal. Joan leaped off the walkway, grinning.
Stepping out, Sonya held onto a sturdy post and stretched, holding Bob over the water. Joan and Allison swam underneath Bob. Allison untied his shoes and yanked them off, then his socks. Joan rose up to pull his shirt off.
"Wait!" Bob cried. They weren't.
"Is this like feeding the alligators?" Jackie asked with a giggle.
Joan raised her arms up and waved for Sonya to lower Bob. "I got him."
Bob was lowered to the water, wide eyed. He could see Joan treading water with her tail that was deeper then he was tall. "Oh god," he whispered in fear.
"Bob! hold onto my hands, deep breath and relax," Joan coaxed.
Bob gripped her hands as he was lowered down into the water. Then Sonya let go. Bob stiffened up, expecting to sink to the bottom. Joan held him up, their heads above water. "Relax," she told him again.
Bob tried, but not feeling anything under his feet, all he felt was like was about to drop down over his head and drown. He kept looking at Joan, hoping she would keep holding him up.
Joan moved slowly to the side as she spoke, pulling him along. "Bob, listen to me. Focus on me. Most people are neutrally buoyant. That means if you do nothing, you won't sink very far, if at all. Your hands are paddles, simply paddling along will keep you up. OK?"
"But, if it's deep..."
"After you're in over your head, it doesn't matter if it's 8 feet, or eight thousand feet to the bottom," Joan said firmly. "You will still float near the top, and simple paddling will keep you up."
To the side, Allison waver her arms in the water as she said, "Like this! Try it!"
Bob looked at his and Joan's hands. Joan quickly let his hands go and grabbed his sides under his arms. "Go ahead, do it," she coaxed.
Bob flailed briefly. He wasn't sinking. He moved his arms like Allison was doing.
"Think Helicopter!" Allison coaxed. "Your hands are the rotors, push down when you move them."
Bob did that. Joan's grip got lighter, then she pulled her hands back. With a smile, she said, "You're doing it!"
He was! "But can I do it away from the walkway?" he asked.
Allison laughed. Joan only grinned and looked to the side.
Bob looked. They weren't by the walkway, they were out in the middle. "What? Take me back!" he cried.
"Nope! You take you back," Joan said. She turned away from the shore and said, "Push back with your hands, lift yourself up, like this."
Bob flailed a bit but pushed himself back, his body raised up.
"Swimming is easy, once you trust yourself," Joan coaxed as she swam next to him.
"I can't see where I'm going."
"Then turn over," Joan replied, and rolled over to dog paddle.
Bob watched and copied her, even kicking his legs together.
"See, you got it," Joan cheered. She then dove down and with a splash of her tail, she was under and ahead of him.
She left him! Bob tried to hurry. He did stay up as he swam/flailed for the walkway.
Bob realized something. Joan and Allison were part fish. That was the only reason they could move so effortlessly through the water. He was swimming and staying with his head above water, but they were flying around underwater like they belonged there. He got to the walkway and pulled himself up to have Joan jumped up to sit beside him and helped him crawl up onto the walkway.
"Bob, when did you learn how to swim?" his mother asked, beaming down on him with pride.
Bob cast his mother a weak smile. "Ahh, Joan here just taught me."
"I bet she's a good teacher, she swims like a fish!" his mother beamed, which made Joan beam her a smile in return.
All Bob could think of was he given only two choices, swim or drown.
"Can Bob get a bike too so we can teach him how to ride?" Joan asked eagerly.
Bob gaped at her.
"That would be great to get him out of the house," his mother agreed. "He needs more fresh air out with his friends."
"Riding to and from school is fun too," Joan chimed. "But first! We swim up to the waterfall, that looks cool when you're looking straight up at it from the water."
Ready to plead for Joan to stop 'helping him', Bob was saved by a call of, "Lunch is ready, come and get it!"
...
Thinking for a while on Joan , Allison, and the other possible kids, I thought they needed a story of their own.
Please me know what you think.