Page 33 of In Dangerous Water

“Chlorine,” I pronounced slowly. “It helps the water stay clean.”

“I can swim real good. Better than Danielle!” Archer announced as his sister glared daggers at him.

“I can swim,” she muttered. “I just don’t like to.”

Archer jumped off the bench to demonstrate his swimming strokes. “Watch me!”

I pulled Celeste back before her brother’s enthusiastic pin-wheeling of his arms bonked her in the head.

“Amazing,” I said.

Archer stopped his demonstration. “Mamansays you are going to eat supper with us tonight.”

I nodded. “Looks like.”

Celeste patted my hand. “You can sit by me.”

“Thank you.” I looked down into her big green eyes and was lost. “I’d like that.”

“Sit by me too!” Archer demanded and grabbed my other hand.

I smiled. “Well lucky for me I’ve got two sides. You canbothsit by me.”

“Let’s go!” the twins said in unison.

Celeste jumped down and they both began to tug me down the gravel path.

“I think we have some time before dinner yet,” I said as I was towed along.

“I want you to see my new room!” Celeste said. “I share with Danielle now.”

“Oh,” I said. “I shared a room with all of my sisters when I was a kid.”

Danielle was bringing up the rear of our group and she shrugged. “Iusedto have my own room.”

“Be thankful you’re only sharing with one sister,” I told her. “I had to share with all three of mine when I was little.”

Danielle’s eyes went wide. “Really?” she asked. “What was that like?”

“We had two sets of bunk beds in our old room. It was fun, but messy and loud,” I admitted.

“I got the top bunk because I’m the oldest,” Danielle said, sending a superior look at her younger sister.

“That’s a big sister’s right, I suppose,” I said.

“I like the bottom bunk.” Celeste smiled affably.

I gave Celeste’s hand a squeeze. “I had the bottom bunk too, because I was the baby of the family. But...” I bent over to whisper to the girl. “Did you known that you can make a tent out of your blankets when you have the bottom bunk?”

“Really?” Celeste giggled and danced in place.

“Yeah.” I nodded. “I’ll show you.”

“Hooray!” she shouted.

Archer tugged on my hand to get my attention. “I have my own room now too.”

“Oh yeah?” I said as we walked along the path and back to the commercial side of the mansion. “What color is your room, bud?”

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