Sea Air Read Free Page A

thought.
    There weren’t a lot of people at the pool, so the girls had the wading area almost to themselves. They flew down the slide and played in the water with their swim noodles, looking quite pleased with themselves and with the world. Sandra and I wandered over to the snack bar and chose a table with a clear view of the pool.
    Sandra took a sip of her latte. “When are you taking your vacation?” she asked after a while.
    I remembered my awkward conversation with Marco earlier that morning.
    “Oh, I think we’ll probably leave at the beginning of school vacation.”
    “Where will you go?”
    “I don’t know yet. Somewhere quiet. Maybe the sea.” My hand flew to my mouth. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t talk about the sea in front of you.”
    Sandra laughed. “Don’t worry, I’m okay. Anyway, we’re going to the sea, too. The Baltic Sea, near Rügen. We’re staying in a beautiful vacation house with a thatched roof, right on the water. Heavenly! One of Christoph’s colleagues was going to go, but his wife fractured a bone pretty badly and can’t get away. We took the place as soon as we heard.”
    “When are you going?” I asked.
    “We’ll be gone the two weeks right after school lets out, just like you. It was a spur-of-the-moment thing. Christoph has a lot of vacation hours to use up.” She slapped the table. “Wait, why don’t you just come with us? We have two extra beds.”
    I considered it for a moment, but I didn’t like the idea of being a third wheel. Christoph and Sandra needed time together, and if I went along, I’d just be in the way. If I had a boyfriend, then it might be a different story, but . . . No guys in the house ever again! I reminded myself. My decision was firm. But there was no denying that there were times when it would have been handy to have a boyfriend.
    “I don’t think so. Go by yourselves. You and Christoph need some quality time.”
    “Well, if you change your mind, the offer stands.”
    “Thanks. That’s really sweet.”
    For a while, we sat and watched our little water bugs play. When they dove under water, all we could see were their cute little butts. Pretty soon, they got tired of the water. Armed with their swimming noodles, they climbed out of the pool and ran toward us with short little steps, bodies trembling and teeth chattering. Sandra and I reached out and wrapped them in big, fluffy towels.
    “I’m thirsty,” whined Paula.
    “Me, too,” said Anneke. “And I want fries!”
    “I want Coke and fries and ice cream and candy!” Paula started to ramp up, and her voice was getting louder. I threw Sandra a look.
    She took up the challenge, folding her arms in front of her body and pulling down her lower lip. “I want chocolate, too! A whole bar to myself!”
    Their mouths hanging open, our daughters gave each other a look that said, Have the old people gone totally nuts? Then a look of comprehension dawned on Anneke. She nudged Paula. “They want us to say please!”
    Smart kid! I thought. Sandra and I waited them out, maintaining our air of displeasure.
    “May we please have fries and something to drink, Momma?” asked Paula.
    “Oh, you want something to eat and drink? Why didn’t you say so?” I headed toward the snack bar in my flip-flops and motioned for the children to follow. Relieved, they tiptoed behind me and even offered to help carry the food back to the table. Paula and Anneke pushed ketchup-soaked fries into their mouths and drank their apple juice without even pausing to chatter. When the food was all gone, Paula wiped a yellow towel across her mouth.
    “Am I going with Anneke to Rügen?” Paula asked suddenly. She spoke as casually as if she were asking for another order of french fries, alternately looking at me and then Sandra.
    “To Rügen?” I tried to decide how to phrase my answer.
    “Anneke’s going to an island in the middle of the sea for summer vacation, and she wants me to go with her. She says she’ll be