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“Then no, the iguana didn’t.”
Gage laughed.
A sudden shriek caused all three of them to look toward the sliding doors. Joel set her down, and he and Gage stepped outside. She shimmied into the cover-up and grabbed her glasses before joining them.
“That sounded like Thandie,” Gage said, scanning the beachfront. “Lattimore?”
“Already calling him.”
Julien’s voice sounded from the watch on Joel’s wrist. “What’s up, Lattimore?”
“Is Thandie with you?” Joel asked.
“No.” Julien’s voice went from sleepy and relaxed to frantic. “Why? What’s wrong?”
Ayesha spotted a head bobbing in the water and ran, at full speed, toward the shoreline. As she drew nearer, she realized that more than one head was present. One clearly belonged to Thandie, who appeared to be swimming toward the other—someone too small to be Grey or Monroe, but definitely not too small to be her son.
Theo.
Their names got caught in her throat.
Joel and Gage ran past her and dove into the water, and she used every ounce of willpower to stay put. Joel and Gage were stronger swimmers, and too many people could further complicate the process of trying to get the children out. The water was also choppier than usual, though not rough enough to pose a challenge for an adult. Thandie and Theo, however, could easily get pulled under.
Thandie yelled Theo’s name, and that she was coming and to “just keep swimming.” Then Theo’s head sunk beneath the water.
And it didn’t resurface.
CHAPTER3
Theo’s arms and legs flailed, and a wave knocked him beneath the surface every few seconds. With her head start, Thandie was almost close enough to grab him, but Joel and Gage covered more than twice as much distance in one stroke.
Theo’s head went under again.
Joel ducked beneath the surface. Although the sun hadn’t fully risen, the water was clear enough for him to see Theo trying to claw his way back to the top. Then Thandie grabbed him and, rapidly kicking her legs, swam them both to the surface. Once they were back on land, he would ask her if she wanted one of Disney’s theme parks named after her. The kid was incredible.
“Talk to me, Theo,” she said.
Theo coughed and clung to her, his arms wrapped around her middle.
“That’s it, baby boy.” She thumped Theo on his back. “Keep coughing. Daddy says that’s a good sign.”
“Thandie,” Joel called. “We’ve got it. Thank you, sweetheart. You’re a mini Katie Ledecky, I swear.”
Thandie beamed, climbed onto Gage’s back, and they headed for the shore. Joel held Theo close, trying not to squeeze him, but it wasn’t easy. All he could think about was how close he’d come to losing him. If he didn’t squeeze him, in his mind, Theo would float away.
“Hey, baby boy.” He kissed the top of Theo’s head. “You okay? Talk to me.”
Theo, grip tight around his neck, nodded.
“Can you tell me what happened?”
“Me and Thandie,” Theo coughed, “were picking up seashells for her mommy and Unco Julien, and for you and Mama. We were making a present. But then I saw a man on the beach, and I got scared and runned away. I didn’t mean to run into the water.”
Joel searched the area. “What man?”
“It was my ‘magination.” Theo squeezed tighter. “I didn’t mean to go into the water. I’m sorry, Joel. Don’t be mad.”
Joel nudged Theo around to his back and swam toward the beachfront. Ari, on her knees, hugged Thandie and kissed her forehead. Ayesha could barely stand still as she and Josiah stared at the water.
