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“Because, Tina, my hope for today was to enjoy a fun day on the lake. But this is the opposite of fun for any of us.”
She opened her mouth but snapped it shut again and deflated.
“It’s okay. This just isn’tourthing. We can find something else that we’ll all enjoy today.”
“Okay.” The corner of her lips turned up into a slight smile.
“How about kayaking?”
Callie popped up then, suddenly interested in the conversation. So she would like that?
“The kids have never been, but I think it would be fun.” Tina nudged Callie. “Don’t you?”
“We don’t have kayaks, though.” Callie’s shoulders dropped.
“That’s okay. My family has a bunch.” We could launch them from there.
It didn’t take long to get the boat emptied out and get over to my parents’. By the time we arrived, the kids were both in better spirits.
“Callie, you want to go with me? I’ll show you how to paddle and we can go as fast as you want.” Fast was relative in a kayak, but whatever.
She eyed her mom for a long minute, her lower lip caught between her teeth, then shrugged. “Sure.”
Tina and Teddy kept up with us pretty nicely, and I couldn’t help but smile at how calm Teddy was. He was fixated on the birds flying overhead. Tina, of course, winced and evenducked.Like the birds were dive-bombing her rather than flying fifty feet above us. Callie wasn’t lying when she said Tina had a weird thing about birds.
“So the bird thing…”
“Yup.” Callie grinned at me over her shoulder. “Told you. Totally weird.”
“Don’t make fun of me,” Tina hollered from behind us. “They’re weird. It’s like they’re always watching. Waiting to attack. Like in that movie.”
“What?” Callie and I asked in unison.
“Callie’s too young, and I won’t traumatize her like my mom did to me. But you have to know what I’m talking about, Kyle.”
I racked my brain for memories of a movie about birds attacking. When I didn’t say anything, she continued.
“The movie from the ’60s? The one about the birds that randomly attack the townspeople?”
I shook my head. “Nope. But there were five of us, and we were all pretty active. TV wasn’t really our thing.”
She sighed. “Fine. But when the birds all go crazy and start attacking people, remember that I tried to warn you all.”
She and Teddy rowed up next to us. Her smile said she was having fun, so I couldn’t tell whether she was being serious.
“Look, Mom.” Callie sat up straighter and pointed ahead as we paddled into the cove. “It’s the cliffs.”
Tina’s eyes widened, and she turned to me.
I shrugged. “I’d rather think of you and the kids the next time I think about these cliffs.” And I’d rather be with her if she wanted to go, so I could control the situation and keep everyone safe.
She tilted her head, searching my face. Feeling raw, I averted my gaze and turned forward so I could help Callie row toward the beachy shore next to the large rocks that rose up and out over the water.
The kids did surprisingly well listening to my instructions as we climbed up the rocks. Now we sat together on the highest one, wearing smiles. This had turned out to be a much better experience than the boat.
Holding Teddy tight, I slid my phone out of my pocket and checked my messages. I let out a groan at the one my mom had sent a few minutes ago, though I didn’t actually hate her suggestion.
“What’s wrong?” Tina asked.
