Page 1 of Another Love, Another Time
Chapter 1
River, Age 5
“Owie, owie, owie. It hurts!” I wail with big tears running down my face.
“Shake it off!” Auggie shouts back.
“I did, and it still hurts.”
A few minutes before, we were playing in the ocean. Auggie and I found something clear and squishy floating in the water. I wondered what it was, so I decided that I was going to pick it up to get a closer look. When I picked it up, it moved around and scared me. I dropped it on my foot, and as it slid off, I felt a burning pain.
Now, I’m screaming and crying for my mom and dad. Auggie is now crying too. He does that sometimes; when I cry, it’s like he can feel my pain.
Our parents run over to see what is going on, probably thinking we were attacked by sharks since we are both crying and screaming bloody murder.
My mom runs over with my baby brother, Brock, on her hip and asks Auggie, “What happened?” Auggie is able to point to the squishy thing but can’t get words out. My dad kneels, sets me on his knee, and peers at the injury.
Aunt Connie bends over to get a closer look at what Auggie is pointing at. “Oh no! It’s a jellyfish. Did you pick it up, Riv?” I nod my head in agreement.
“I think I remember hearing the best way to relieve the pain is to have someone pee on it. Does anyone have to pee?” Uncle Eddie asks.
“I think I’ve heard that too. It can’t hurt to try, right?” Mom offers.
My eyes widen. “I don’t want anyone to pee on me!” I start to cry again, and tears and snot become a horrid mask under my nose.
The adults are silent as they look at one another. No one needs to pee. Auggie stops crying, steps closer, and pulls me into a hug while I cry. My foot still hurts a lot, but now I have to let someone pee on me. If I want the pain to stop, I know what I have to do. I have to be brave like Daddy.
Auggie pulls me in and whispers into my ear, “River, I can pee and make it go away if you want. I’m so sorry. I wish it was me who got hurt. Is that okay?”
I nod my head and wrap my arms around him, so he doesn’t go anywhere. “I’m okay with that, but I don’t want anyone to see it—just me and you, Auggie. No one else, kay?” I ask.
Auggie leans back, looks me in the eye, and nods his head in agreement. Then, he steps back and sticks his chest out before talking to our parents. “I’m going to pee on River’s foot, but you all need to turn around. She doesn’t want anyone to see me do it.” Our parents are concerned, but they do as they are told. They circle around us, blocking us from view. “Close your eyes, Riv.”
As soon as my eyes are closed, I hear rustling, and then I can feel warm liquid running down my foot. I start to gag, but he continues.
I hear my dad ask Uncle Eddie, “What the heck are you teaching your son?”
My mom and Aunt Connie are laughing. When I don’t feel the pee anymore, I open my eyes.
“Did the pain go away?” Auggie asks.
It still hurts, but now I’m thinking about the pee on my foot. Eww!
“Honey, does it still hurt?” my dad asks, repeating Auggie’s question.
“Yes, it still hurts,” I answer.
My dad picks me up, and we start walking to our towels. He sets me down and says, “I knew we should have Googled it.” I’m still crying a little bit. He picks up his phone and starts typing something. I hope he’s Googling how to make the pain stop. After reading for a short while, he looks up as my mom and Aunt Connie walk up from where the jellyfish incident was.
“Ashley, Connie, do we have any vinegar up at the house?” he asks.
Aunt Connie responds, “Yeah, I think we bought some to go with the cucumber salad I’m making today. Let’s head up, and we can get the pee washed off. Did it say vinegar would work on it? Poor girl.”
“Kendall, go ahead and take her up there and get something on it so she’s not hurting anymore. We’ll get everything and bring it up.” My mom glances at the sky. “It looks like it’s going to start raining anyway.”
“Wait for me, Uncle Kendall! I want to go with you guys,” Auggie tells my dad as he starts to follow us.
“Okay, little man. Keep up.” Auggie follows us without shoes, not wanting to be left behind.
