***
"This is the best day ever!"
Julia tore off the wrapping paper, "a new cell phone!"
She turned it on. Aunt Georgia peered over Julia's shoulder. Wisps of orange fuzz tickled Julia's neck.
"Your dad said he sent you a text."
Julia opened the messages.
"Hey sweetie," began her father, "we are coming down in two weeks. There is a meet right there in Lincoln City, and we signed you up--"
"This is the best day ever!"
Julia tore off the wrapping paper, "a new cell phone!"
She turned it on. Aunt Georgia peered over Julia's shoulder. Wisps of orange fuzz tickled Julia's neck.
"Your dad said he sent you a text."
Julia opened the messages.
"Hey sweetie," began her father, "we are coming down in two weeks. There is a meet right there in Lincoln City, and we signed you up--"
***
This is the worst day ever! thought Julia.
"I'm not ready for a meet," she texted Deanna.
"They'll EYB," Deanna replied.
"What's EYB?" said a voice.
Julia jumped and almost threw the phone. Stephen laughed.
"Stephen, why don't you warn someone?!"
Julia's yell came from deep in her gut. Escalation to the word "warn" expended her breath and left her dizzy.
"Whoa," said Stephen, "What's up?"
Julia sighed and placed her cell phone in the front pocket of her sweatshirt. Her fingers bumped something. She pulled out the piece of green sea glass.
"My parents are meddling again," she said. "They signed me up for a swim meet in two weeks--I haven't trained in a month."
"What do you have to lose?"
"The race--my dignity."
"I didn't think you cared about dignity--that's what I like about you--your cannonball defies all dignity and it's totally awesome."
Julia looked at the green piece of sea glass in her hand. She rubbed her fingers over the bubbled texture and smiled.
"Janice did some coaching," said Stephen, "she and I can help you train."
"Do you think she can help me get into a school for occupational therapy?"
"She's always promoting that stuff."
She and Stephen walked to the water. Julia closed her eyes and felt the salty breeze whip her hair. She raised her arm to throw the sea glass and cold water nipped her toes.
"You may miss an opportunity to create a work of art... "
Julia stopped her throw, but momentum lobbed the sea glass into the surf.
"Get it!" she cried.
She splashed and tried to keep the tide from taking her treasure. Stephen sloshed his hand around and found it once--twice--
"Got it."
Stephen stood dripping and triumphant. Julia reached out to reclaim her prize, and he clutched the token to his chest.
"Are you going to race?" he prodded.
Julia's cell phone buzzed. She pulled it out in exasperation and read the message from Deanna.
"DO IT!"
She looked at Stephen.
"Ok," she said, "You may be sorry once you're the coach."
Stephen placed the sea glass in her hand and curled her fingers around it.
"What's EYB?"
"Eat your bubbles. Usually it's EMB--"
"Eat my bubbles... "
His laughter was joined by the chorus of gulls and Julia felt a spark. She had a goal again...
Series 9 will be posted Tuesday, July 28, and the final Series, 10, will be posted Friday, July 31.
"I'm not ready for a meet," she texted Deanna.
"They'll EYB," Deanna replied.
"What's EYB?" said a voice.
Julia jumped and almost threw the phone. Stephen laughed.
"Stephen, why don't you warn someone?!"
Julia's yell came from deep in her gut. Escalation to the word "warn" expended her breath and left her dizzy.
"Whoa," said Stephen, "What's up?"
Julia sighed and placed her cell phone in the front pocket of her sweatshirt. Her fingers bumped something. She pulled out the piece of green sea glass.
"My parents are meddling again," she said. "They signed me up for a swim meet in two weeks--I haven't trained in a month."
"What do you have to lose?"
"The race--my dignity."
"I didn't think you cared about dignity--that's what I like about you--your cannonball defies all dignity and it's totally awesome."
Julia looked at the green piece of sea glass in her hand. She rubbed her fingers over the bubbled texture and smiled.
"Janice did some coaching," said Stephen, "she and I can help you train."
"Do you think she can help me get into a school for occupational therapy?"
"She's always promoting that stuff."
She and Stephen walked to the water. Julia closed her eyes and felt the salty breeze whip her hair. She raised her arm to throw the sea glass and cold water nipped her toes.
"You may miss an opportunity to create a work of art... "
Julia stopped her throw, but momentum lobbed the sea glass into the surf.
"Get it!" she cried.
She splashed and tried to keep the tide from taking her treasure. Stephen sloshed his hand around and found it once--twice--
"Got it."
Stephen stood dripping and triumphant. Julia reached out to reclaim her prize, and he clutched the token to his chest.
"Are you going to race?" he prodded.
Julia's cell phone buzzed. She pulled it out in exasperation and read the message from Deanna.
"DO IT!"
She looked at Stephen.
"Ok," she said, "You may be sorry once you're the coach."
Stephen placed the sea glass in her hand and curled her fingers around it.
"What's EYB?"
"Eat your bubbles. Usually it's EMB--"
"Eat my bubbles... "
His laughter was joined by the chorus of gulls and Julia felt a spark. She had a goal again...
Series 9 will be posted Tuesday, July 28, and the final Series, 10, will be posted Friday, July 31.
I am proud of you for going for it!! I hope your dreams come true. I love you! matt:)
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