Page 32 of In Dangerous Water

Autumn leaves were fluttering down, the breeze was cool, and I was happy and calm. I started to giggle over the actions of onebrave bird who kept pecking at the liquid fish, when a startled gasp came from my right.

I glanced over and discovered that three young faces were peeking out from the dahlias, staring open-mouthed at the goldfish I’d conjured.

“Hey kids,” I said to the Marquette children.

“You’re Cordelia,” the oldest said.

“I am.”

“And you’ve got water magick,” she announced.

I smiled at Danielle Marquette. “I do.”

The girl skipped over and plopped herself down on the bench next to me. “Our cousin Brooke has water magick, but she can’t dothat.” The seven-year-old was pretty, with her mother’s blue eyes and her father’s dark hair.

“Everyone’s magickal talents are different,” I told her.

A moment later the twins, five-year-old Archer and Celeste, joined us. Blonde and smiling, they stood hand in hand and looked from the watery goldfish and then expectantly back to me.

“What else can you do?” the boy asked.

I concentrated, flipped my hand over, and the goldfish leapt higher into the air. The fish dove back into the fountain with a splash—one large enough to gently splatter the twins where they stood.

That caused all of the children to giggle and before I knew it, I had all three of the kids sitting on the bench with me. The youngest girl, Celeste, climbed right on my lap and began playing with my hair as her older sister asked me more questions.

“You’re staying here with us now, right?”

“For a while,” I said to Danielle.

I found myself pleased to be in the company of the Marquette family. The truth was I was always happiest when around children. They were so open and honest. I loved teaching the little ones at the aquatic center too.

Tim and I always talked about having a bunch of our own someday...My thoughts suddenly stumbled to a painful halt.

There will never be a family with Tim. Not now, not after what he thinks of me.Taking a steadying breath, I tried to allow the disappointment to slide away.

“Don’t be sad,” Celeste said, patting my face. “You’re gonna like it here.”

“You will,” Archer added. “Our ghosts are pretty quiet now.”

I didn’t laugh. He was completely serious. Instead, I nodded to him. “That’s good to know.”

“Papa says you teach kids how to swim,” Danielle said next, giving me a long hard look.

Not sure why she was suddenly so serious, I answered carefully. “Yes, I do.”

“Hmmm,” was Danielle’s reply.

“Danielle is afraid to swim,” Archer blurted out.

“Am not!” his sister shot back.

Celeste leaned over to look at her sister. “You don’t go in the pool.”

“I don’t like the pool at the hotel.” Danielle crossed her arms. “It smells funny.”

“The chlorine.” I nodded. “In an indoor pool it does smells pretty strong.”

“What’s lor—een?” Celeste wanted to know.

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