Barry was good as gold from Seawater. Better even. just as he always was with the bribery of an extra late bedtime or one of Troy's tales! He'd put his toy cars away as soon as he'd finished. And the pans and mugs on the draining board. Barry's school bag, gym kit and lunch box were all ready for the morning, lined up in the hall alongside Atlanta's and the Commander's briefcases, caps and lunchboxes. And he had set out what clothes he was going to wear tomorrow. He whizzed through his little chores and routines, ticking them off and getting a full row on his star chart.
"I swear the kid is more excited to see Phones then he ever was Santa Claus!" Troy had said once, with a wink that went over Barry's head. and it was very true. Generally, bedtime was something Atlanta usually had to set timers and gently nag Barry to get ready for. Tonight, he was Teeth brushed face washed and changed into his Pyjamas Earlier than normal, of his own accord. With a very eager attitude.
The only downside was Barry asked every five to ten minutes "will the others be here soon?" and "are they here yet?" to the point it was starting to get annoying for both adults.
Luckily for Sam's blood pressure, Atlanta had Gotten into the habit of instilling 'Quiet time' before Barry's actual bedtime. Normally she let him read to her from his workbook for school or something from his bookshelf. Tonight, he'd asked her to read to him. Again, most kids his age were probably 'too old' for such things but Barry still liked stories. And seeing as he'd asked so politely?
"Please can we have this one?"
"'Corse honey."
They sat on the couch again, Barry's legs over her lap and cuddling the plushie fish (Finn) that the boys had picked him up on shore leave As Atlanta read aloud to him. Troy's adventures were his favourite, but nothing beats being read to. Tonight, it was about The Thunder Buddies; one of the series where members of a five aside Soccer team and their friends were also secretly saving the world one international rescue at a time. It wasn't to Atlanta's taste. and was more a comic with paragraphs then a 'real' book. but if it got Barry reading more again, she'd read comics every night to him if he asked. That was the main thing.
As with some of Troy's adventures, Atlanta wondered once again if a thrilling adventure would wind Barry up rather than down before bed. but she needn't have worried. Despite Barry wanting to stay up once or twice Atlanta could feel his head drooping against her or forward against his chest as she finished the chapter.
"He was doomed the moment he asked you to read to him." the Commander chuckled. He hoisted himself back into his chair. "I Bet your two poker chips the kid won't make it without a nap first."
"You're on." Atlanta marking the page in the book.
"No, Bet I can!" Barry chimed in stubbornly, Jerking awake. Rubbing his eyes. "I'm not tired. Two chips I can stay up!"
"Sure kid." The Commander snorted. "And you don't play poker. so don't place bets you can't pay."
"And I'd rather you didn't teach him till he's thirteen at least." Atlanta said.
"Aw!" Barry said. Well, yawned.
"I taught you to play when you weren't much older than him." Sam frowned.
"And you got in a lot of trouble for doing so." Atlanta teased. "As did Uncle Jack."
"Alright alright. Yeah, your mother came home and wasn't impressed, huh." Her father muttered.
Atlanta (knowing full well what had happened when she wasn't supposed to have had her ears pierced until she was sixteen), guessed Barry would probably be playing by the end of the year!
Sam then said, "Still don't think you can make that bet, Barry."
"Mm-Atlanta can have my chips! We bet I can stay up." Barry insisted, trying to fight another yawn. "Which she'll win, 'Cos I'm not tired!"
"That 'm' again." Atlanta thought. "That's the third time Barry's done that now. And he definitely didn't bite his tongue there."
But then forgot about it.
Sure enough, once Atlanta had turned off the big light in favour of the lamps, Barry cuddled up to her again. And While a Documentary on the new coral reefs played with the sound turned low, he dozed off. He looked real sweet, His fish in a head lock and bundled up in his supercar dressing gown. Atlanta's heart melted just looking down at him.
"Those chips are mine," Sam gloated in a whisper, bringing her a drink. Barry mumbled something but didn't stir. "Where's that book I was gonna lend Marina's father by the way? I'll give it to her tonight while I remember before she heads off to Pacifica at the weekend."
"Bottom shelf." Atlanta replied Quietly. "Gee, Marina's shore leave has rolled around quick again huh?"
Barry was sure going to miss her. She thought. Well, they all would, they always did. But Barry? He'd miss Marina something awful. Those two were as thick as thieves nowadays. Teaching Barry sign had improved all the teams understanding of it. And now Barry's ASL was almost better than any of theirs. And he loved having 'secret language' lengthy chats with Marina at speeds the other adults could only just keep up with.
If Troy was Barry's hero and Phone's his technical advisor, then Marina was the one he really talked and listened to. And Barry loved to discuss things about life above the water, once by being trusted with the real reason for her nonverbal ways. Stuff the grown-ups never thought important like the best ways to win at marbles, the types of diggers on site and the strongest Pocket Monsters. Marina seemed to enjoy it all the same and always had time for Barry.
But Marina hadn't been away since Barry had been settled here in Marineville permanently. Atlanta tried not to think about what would happen if, one day, her friend might decide to return to the sea for good…
Instead, Atlanta said to her father, "Can't believe Aphony enjoys those trashy things!"
"Some people have good taste." Sam replied, finding the book in question and popping it in one of his chair compartments.
"You had to find a fellow fan of Charles Grey adventures at the bottom of the ocean." Atlanta scoffed.
"Well Marina's father might be intellectual and live underwater." the Commander said as he picked up the paper, "but sometimes a fellow likes a book with a plot you don't have to think Deep-y about!"
Atlanta laughed, cringed and groaned at the dad joke.
Then sighed Looking up at the ceiling. Nice as it was to put her feet up, She Should really move. Go and do something with her hair. And put the drinks in the cooler. and get changed into the skirt she'd picked out, (because it went with the necklace Troy had given her for Valentine's Day). And tidy up. And feed the cat. and get the place ready for the team coming over. And move because her arm was getting stiff with Barry lying on it.
Another five minutes she thought, then I'll get up-
"'Lanta?" Barry said, interrupting and sleepily dropping the capital At.
"Yeah? I'm here."" Atlanta responded thinking he might be dreaming. Barry did have nightmares sometimes. She could Feel him frown against her arm too. But Barry wasn't asleep anymore.
"Atlanta. Can I ask you something?"
"You just did." Her father dad-joked again, turning off the tv. Atlanta and Barry both ignored him.
"Sure honey. what is it?"
Barry sat up and rubbed his eyes, Blinked up at her.
"Is it ...is it weird I call you Atlanta?" he asked quietly, his face quite serious.
"It is my name." she teased kindly. "I'd think it stranger if you didn't."
"Now who's making dad jokes?" Sam quipped.
"Father- shh. This is a bit out of the blue?" Atlanta tried but Barry was insistent.
"No, I mean is it weird I call you Atlanta?" Barry said, Stressing the I and pointing to himself.
"And that I call the others by their first names." He continued. "Even though you're all adults and I'm supposed to say Mister and Captain and surnames stuff. I mean Marina's not got a surname to call her Miss something. And Phone's name isn't really Phones. But still-? Is it? Is it weird? Or Rude?"
"Well granted it's not usual." Atlanta shrugged. "But I still wouldn't say it was 'weird'."
"Could do with you not doing so in the control tower, or when we're on duty." Sam reminded him. Bar Barry calling the Commander 'sir' occasionally, Barry was the only one who called him Sam while the Commander was in uniform and lived to see the sunrise. Much to the commander's annoyance. He wasn't Sam to many people. But Barry had to call him something at home.
Barry gave a mumbled agreement but wasn't satisfied.
"Yeah but. but Mr Jonah says it's not polite." he said, More to his shirt then to either of the adults.
"In general? Or was he talking to you?" Atlanta asked. Barry looked away, so she let that go and reminded him. "Mr Jonah knows you are under special circumstances compared to the other kids in class, dear. Was he telling you off for doing so?"
"No. he was saying it Gener-ally then, I guess?" Barry shrugged.
"Well then so It's not polite I suppose, no." Atlanta nodded. "Under normal rules. But our situation is unusual, isn't it? so it's not weird for you to call me Atlanta. And my father Sam. Just different. But no, not weird as such."
"Okay…" Barry said, sounding very far from okay. He continued.
"Then Is it weird...I don't call you, mm. Mu." Barry paused and stood up suddenly facing her. taking a breath big enough to puff his chest out, he asked Atlanta,
"Is it weird I don't call you 'Mom'?"