Note: This story takes place on Earth! (Just for fun).
Disclaimer: I DO NOT own anything related to Treasure Planet!
LadyAmelia2008---Thank YOU for the suggestion---feel free to add more ideas! Read on!
Jacks Ghost Girl---LOL. I'm sooo glad that you like my story!
treasure planet-gurl---Thanks again for reading and reviewing! Hehehe, actually, I think that in real life, Jim would have fried to a crisp if a hair dryer really fell into a bathtub. It wouldn't have been pretty, that's for sure! LOL.
The next morning, Jim shuffled into the cottage's living room. Through sleep-filled eyes, the teen spotted Delbert and Sarah milling around in the tiny kitchen. Amelia was sitting nearby on the sofa, intently typing something on her laptop. Beside the captain were piles of paperwork. Jim shook his head; Amelia was the biggest workaholic her had ever seen.
"Morning," he mumbled.
The captain looked up, her eyes glinting dangerously. "Good morning, James. I take it you failed to find the nudist colony last night."
Jim groaned inwardly. Yesterday, after he had eavesdropped on the Doppler's conversation, the teenager had sprinted to the other side of the cottage. Unfortunately, since Jim was only wrapped in a towel, the situation had quickly become worse. Amelia discovered that the teenager had put the giant coconut bikini in her suitcase. So, when Jim tried to sneak back into the cottage, he ended up bumping into the captain. Let it suffice to say that the towel had managed to slip below Jim's comfort zone---and that Amelia was already peeved at Jim's prank in the first place.
"Look. It was a mistake, ma'am," the teen said between gritted teeth.
Amelia looked up at him, a faint smile beginning to form on her sharp features. "I must admit that I was slightly amused with the …item in my suitcase. However, the flashing you gave me the other day makes one think otherwise."
Jim gazed at the captain, his mouth slightly open. "What the heck! Captain, if you think that---"
Amelia brushed his outburst aside with a flick of her wrist. "I will disregard your insubordinate tone for now, Mr. Hawkins. As for the incident yesterday, we will discuss that later."
The teenager knew that he was dismissed, but he was in no way off the hook. The captain always kept her word, punishments not withstanding.
Jim left the captain, who had returned to finishing up her reports.
"Morning, sweetie. Do you want some cereal?" asked Sarah kindly. Jim relaxed for the first time that morning.
"Sure, Mom."
"Great! I'll whip up some Grape Nuts right now!"
The teen stiffened. Grape Nuts! Didn't it ever occur to his mom that junk food was the norm for vacations?
Sarah plopped a large bowl of the healthy cereal in front of her son.
"Mom, don't we have any…uh…good cereal around here?" Jim asked.
His mom frowned. "Jim. I realize that you dislike my choice of cereal, but there are more adults in this house than kids. Would you expect us to eat the things you like?"
Just then, Delbert appeared from the cellar with a box of Fruit Loops in his hands.
"Oh! Good morning, Jim," he greeted.
"Hi. Wanna trade, Doc?"
Delbert puffed out his small chest. "And insult Sam the Toucan by not eating this most fruity product? I think not!"
Sarah put her hands on her hips. "Delbert!"
The doctor grinned sheepishly.
An hour later, the group filed out of the cottage, beach supplies in hand. Jim lagged behind, making sure that Delbert's bathing suit stayed up and covered his Speedo. Ahead, Delbert was walking with his hand around his wife's waist. Sarah was talking animatedly to the couple. Her large, straw beach hat swayed on her head as she gestured wildly with her hands.
Great. She's probably describing my boxers, Jim mused. He kicked at the sand with his red flip flops.
The beach was already crowded, but eventually Delbert found a spot suitable for their large umbrella.
Jim looked around the beach trying to see if there were any girls around. Unfortunately, all he could see were little kids. Still, it looked like he would be the only person in his group that would go into the water. His mom was wearing an old-fashioned red bathing suit---the kind with a skirt. She was the type who preferred getting a tan rather than getting wet. Delbert always got sunburned; already, the doctor (clad in a plaid swimming trunks) was lying down on the sand under the protective shade of the umbrella.
Amelia almost never went swimming, either. Ever since she had gotten injured on her ship a few years ago, unnecessary action didn't suit her. Today, the captain was wearing a navy blue one-piece. Dark sunglasses covered her piercing green eyes as she grimly on a beach chair.
"Well, I'm off!" Jim cried, giving one last tug on his borrowed swimsuit. The ocean beckoned to him.
"Let me grease you up first!" answered Sarah, sitting up and waving a large bottle of suntan lotion.
Jim blanched. "Ma! I don't need that stuff!" he protested.
Sarah slathered the white goo all over her hands. "Nonsense, sweetheart. I don't want you to get skin cancer---or whatever that thing is called." She began to massage the lotion onto Jim's chest.
"Mom! Knock it off!" Jim yelped. This was getting to be embarrassing, especially with Amelia right in front of him.
"Oh, alright. Have fun!" said Sarah, giving up. She rubbed his leg one last time before capping the bottle.
Jim walked off, his face burning. He bet Amelia had enjoyed seeing his discomfort. I'll show her, he vowed. The teen marched off confidently, ignoring the fact that he looked ridiculous in Delbert's swim suit.
"I just don't understand it---Jim didn't wear that Speedo I bought him," Sarah commented as she watched her son plow into the crashing surf.
"Really," replied Amelia, dryly. She flipped open a notebook that she had brought out with her. She started scribbling out a complicated calculus equation.
"Oh. I recall seeing Jim wearing a Speedo," remarked Delbert, still lying prone on the sand.
"Really?" echoed Sarah. She laid down her book. "Tell me more."
Amelia rolled her eyes from behind her sunglasses.
Meanwhile, Jim was enjoying himself. True, the water was a tad cold, but the waves were exciting. He had managed to surf a few thrillers with his new boogie board. Even better, a pretty girl was beside him in the water. She was playing the ignoring game with him for now, but Jim hoped that he could befriend her.
The girl deftly swam out her surfboard, which impressed the teen. He didn't realize that the waves were big enough for surfing.
Jim looked back at the beach. Despite the crowd, he could see his mom talking to Delbert. Amelia, however, was looking up from her notebook.
"I'll show her that I'm not a whimp," he murmured to himself, not sure whether he wanted to show off in front of the girl or prove something to Amelia. He tugged at his boogie board and went farther out. At last, Jim spotted the perfect wave. It was still forming, but the teen knew that it would be a big one.
Jim knew that a boogie board wasn't a surf board, but he sure as heck wanted to look impressive. As the wave rushed eagerly towards him, the teenager squatted onto the board.
"Yes!" he shouted. The wave became bigger and lifted him up. Sucking in his breath, Jim stood up slightly. He grinned in triumph as his boogie board easily handled the large wave.
Just then, he felt the cord in Delbert's swimsuit give---just a tad.
"Crap!" hissed the teen, looking down. Before he totally lost his balance and fell off, Jim saw the bathing suit land around his feet. His black Speedo was now fully exposed to all who were watching.
The girl, with her surfboard wrinkled her nose. "Yuck!" she commented.
Back on the beach, Amelia narrowed her eyes at Jim, partly feeling sorry for the teen. Still, she did see the accident unfold---much to the teen's dismay.
Sarah put a hand to her heart. "That's the Speedo I was telling you about!" she cried excitedly to Amelia.
----Poor Jim! Okay, I'll try to give Jimbo a break next chapter…I do tend to use him a LOT…hehe. I hope that you readers liked this one! treasure planet-gurl came up with the slipping swim suit idea! Thanks for the suggestion!