A Dolphin Wish

by Natalie Grant

  Mia knew Maddie was intentionally changing the subject. Maddie didn’t like it when Mia and Lulu fought, and she was even less willing to argue herself.

  “Show me!” Lulu scooted over toward Maddie.

  Mia sat up and hugged her knees close, resting her chin on her knees.

  “Do you see any pictures, Mia?” Miss Julia brought her blanket over and sat down.

  “Not yet.”

  “You’ll never see anything if you don’t look up.”

  Mia could hear the smile in Miss Julia’s voice. “True.”

  “You know what I like best on nights like this—nights without the moon? It’s dark enough to see the Milky Way. To me, the Milky Way looks like a stripe of star paint across the sky. It’s beautiful because of all the tiny lights shining together. None of the lights are big enough to be spectacular on their own. Or at least not from our vantage point here on the earth.”

  “Star paint,” Mia repeated, following the line of light in the sky. “Wouldn’t it be fun to have a can of that?”

  “What would you use it for?” Miss Julia asked.

  “Oh, everything. My bedroom ceiling and the playroom ceiling, and of course I’d share it with Maddie and Lulu for their bedrooms. And maybe I’d paint a path of starlight from the back door out into the yard. Maybe I’d make a secret hideout. The paint would point the way so Maddie and Lulu and I could follow the path at night when it was dark enough to see. We could have sleepovers and read stories and drink hot cocoa.”

  “When I was younger, my dad and I built a clubhouse in the backyard,” Miss Julia said. “Maybe when we get home, we could see about making one for you girls in the backyard. We wouldn’t have the star paint, but we could have the rest of it—especially the hot cocoa.”

  It was an idea—a good one. Usually Mia would dive in and start planning, assuming that Maddie and Lulu would love the idea too. But now, she wasn’t so sure. “Do you think we’d all like a clubhouse? I mean . . . I’d like a clubhouse. I don’t know. Never mind.”

  “If you’d like one, that’s a good place to start,” Miss Julia said, and Mia had a feeling she heard the unspoken question about Maddie too. “You know how it feels to watch your mom sing? She’s on stage, doing the thing she most loves to do. Joy radiates out of her, and it soaks into the rest of us.”

  “I can’t help but sing along,” Mia said.

  “Right? And even if music isn’t our thing, watching your mom sing makes us think about our own dreams and ideas. We’re inspired to think about what brings us joy. We don’t have to love the same things to be inspired by one another. When a person creates something, whether it’s a song or a clubhouse or a satellite, in her own way, she’s celebrating God’s creation. She inspires others around her to celebrate in their own way, and on and on it goes, ripple after ripple.”

  Mia didn’t answer for a long moment, playing back Miss Julia’s words in her mind. “God wasn’t thinking about clubhouses when he created the universe, though.”

  “Maybe not, but I’m sure he was thinking about each unique one of us. About how I would love strawberries fresh from their vines on hot summer days. Or how you would love curling up with books—”

  “And how I would love Doritos!” Lulu announced, plopping down next to Mia.

  “Yes,” Miss Julia laughed. “About that too.”

  “Do you think God’s ever tasted Doritos?” Lulu asked, her voice loud enough to bring everyone else into the conversation.

  “Hmmm,” Dad said, chiming in. “Hard to say.”

  “Well, I hope so,” Lulu said. “I hope God can have as many Doritos as he’d like, because they’re de-licious.”

  Miss Julia wrapped her arm around Mia’s shoulders and squeezed her tight. “I’m proud of you.”

  Mia lay her head on Miss Julia’s shoulder and thought about clubhouses and star paint and everything between the words too. Maybe she and her sisters were each one of a kind, but she hoped they wouldn’t forget how to sparkle and shine together. They were Glimmer girls, after all.

  FOUR

  The gates to Captain Swashbuckler’s Adventure Park looked like giant waves of aqua, blue, green, and gold. As the Glimmer family and Miss Julia stood in the entrance line, two pirates sauntered over. One woman and one man, they both wore striped shirts and gold earrings and swords tucked into their thick leather belts.

  “Ahoy, me hearties,” said the man. “Who here wants to learn to swing a sword?”

  “Me, me, me, oh, me!” Lulu said, bouncing up and down.

  Mom eyed the swords. They didn’t have sharp edges, but they were definitely made of heavy metal.

  “I’m not sure . . .”

  “I’m strong enough, Mom,” Lulu said.

  “We realize you could lift the sword, Lulu. We’re just worried about the person you might swing it into.” Dad grinned over at Mom, and she shrugged as if to say, Well, they’re asking for it.

  “Let’s try that open space over there,” the woman said, pointing out a patch of grass. “Your mom and dad can stay in line, and we’ll take you three girls together. It will be perfectly safe, I promise.”

  “Perfectly.” The man scrunched an eye and added, “Arrgh.”

  “Go ahead, girls,” Mom said. “We’ll hold the space in line.”

  “I’m on camera duty,” Miss Julia said.

  “Make sure Lulu doesn’t skewer any pirates, please,” Dad said.

  “Will do,” Miss Julia promised.

  The sword was heavier than Mia expected. She faced off with the man—he was still scowling. Mia wondered if he knew he was more funny than frightening.

  “We pirates, we lift our opposite hand for balance while swinging a sword,” he said. “Put yer weight on both feet, that’s a lassie, and now raise your sword like this. Swing right . . .”

  Mia did, and he countered, their swords ringing as they clashed together.

  “Aye, shiver me timbers! Soon ye’ll be a fine pirate, sure as that ol’ North Star in the sky.”

  “Look at me! Look at me!” Lulu danced forward with her sword, swinging back and forth wildly. The female pirate countered, backing away. “I’m winning!”

  Miss Julia snapped picture after picture. Mia’s pirate taught her to parry, to lunge forward and back, and to spin out of the way and duck.

  “Want to try, Maddie?” Mia asked.

  Maddie shook her head. “I’m learning by watching you.”

  “How ’bout ye two pirate lassies give it a go?” the pirate asked, holding out his sword to Maddie.

  Soon, Maddie and Mia were clashing swords, lunging left and right as though they were in a movie. Lulu stood off to the side and cheered, first for one and then the other. Then Lulu insisted on her own fight, so they each took turns battling it out with her.

  “Looks like it’s time to go into the park.” Miss Julia snapped one last picture.

  “Call that one Lulu the Conqueror,” Lulu said.

  “Make sure ye visit High Jinks on the High Seas,” the female pirate called after them. “Yer ready for battle, I’d say, sure as me sea legs.”

  “Yay!” shouted Lulu. “Shiver me timbers.”

  Mia and Maddie followed their pirate sister into the park.

  “Avast, mateys!” A woman wearing a striped skirt and a shirt with puffy sleeves strode up to them. The beads on the ends of her braids clicked with each step. “Have ye heard about sailing our seven seas?”

  Mia exchanged looks with Maddie and Lulu. “Nope.”

  The pirate held a map open so they could see. “Straight ahead, ye’ll find Pete’s Paddle Boats—fine gentleman, he. Across the bridge is Buccaneer’s Island. No matter what ye need, ye’ll find it on our bonny island. Provisions, a hearty meal, tre
asure . . . even coffee.”

  “Coffee,” Dad said. “Now you’re talking.”

  “Chart yer course across the bridges to each of our seven seas. Ye’ll find the Arctic, Indian, Northern Atlantic, Southern Atlantic, Northern Pacific, Southern Pacific, and Antarctic. Each sea holds adventures of its own, and, of course, ye’ll want to keep an eye out for wildlife.”

  “Like dolphins?” asked Lulu.

  “Dolphins, sea otters, penguins, flamingos . . .” She reached into her satchel and pulled out three passports, one for each of the girls. “Pillage or plunder if ye must. But, whatever ye do, make sure the captains of each sea—salty dogs that they are—stamp yer passports. A full passport at sundown yields treasure beyond yer wildest dreams.”

  “Jewels?” Lulu asked.

  “Not real treasure,” Mia told her.

  “Ye never know, lassie,” the pirate said. “Now, where are ye headed?”

  “What’s that?” Lulu pointed out the ride that towered over all the rest.

  “That’s Scalawag’s Splash in our Indian Sea. But ye must be four feet tall to ride.”

  “I’m tall enough,” Lulu said. “Right, Mom?”

  “We haven’t measured you recently,” said Mom. “It will be close.”

  “Most of the rides are for riders three feet and taller. I’m sure ye’ll be tall enough for those,” the pirate said, letting down a little of her swagger to cheer Lulu up.

  “Come on, come on, come on!” Lulu said, tugging on Mom’s arm. “Let’s try Scalawag’s Splash first!”

  “May the wind be in yer sails!” the pirate called after them.

  Lulu urged them on to the right, making a beeline for Scalawag’s Splash.

  “Where’s the captain?” Maddie asked.

  “Looks like his station is next to the bridge.” Miss Julia pointed out a white-whiskered man who wore a giant captain’s hat.

  “Welcome, ducks,” the captain said. His name tag read, Captain Whitebeard.

  “Ducks?” Lulu asked. “Is that a pirate word?”

  “It’s a Captain Whitebeard word,” he said, winking. He stamped their passports and passed them back. “Enjoy the Indian Ocean!”

  From here they could see a snow-peaked mountain. Boats shot out of a dark opening over a cascade of water and under a bridge. Most of the ride appeared to be inside the mountain.

  Lulu’s eyes went wide. “Wow.”

  “Do you think it will be fun?” Maddie asked Mia.

  Mia felt a grin spreading across her face. Yes. She was positive it would be fun. “Come on!”

  “There’s the sign, Lulu,” Mom said. “Let’s see if you’re tall enough.”

  “I hope she is,” Maddie whispered as they walked over. “I don’t want to think about—”

  A wail cut through her words. Mom’s hand was an inch above Lulu’s head. Mom shook her head and hugged Lulu tight.

  “Then maybe we shouldn’t go either . . .” Maddie said.

  “You know what I see?” Dad asked. “Lulu, come with me. You girls go ahead. We’ll all ride the next one together.”

  “Stay together,” Mom said. “We’ll cheer you on from here.”

  “Do you want me to come with you?” Miss Julia’s grimace made it clear that riding Scalawag’s Splash was not her definition of fun.

  “We’ll be fine.” Mia reached for Maddie’s hand, and as soon as they were out of earshot she said, “They’re letting us ride on our own!”

  FIVE

  Maddie gripped Mia’s hand tighter as they went through the gate and into a cave. “Do you think we’ll get wet?”

  Inside, it was cool and just a little bit dark. Blue and green lights cast a watery glow across the walls. Portholes cut into the stone wall showed off an aquarium teeming with glowing jellyfish. “We’ll be okay.” Mia laced her arm through her sister’s, feeling better than she’d felt all week.

  Ahead, voices echoed off the walls. After rounding a few more corners, they found the end of the line just at the bottom of a tall staircase. At the top, a pirate wearing an eyepatch and striped pants with frayed edges greeted them.

  “Ahoy, me lassies. How many are ye?”

  “Ten?” Mia asked, not sure why he wanted to know their age. Was there an age rule to go along with the height one?

  “Ten of ye, hmmm?” the pirate asked, shooting a puzzled look over her shoulder.

  “Oh, no, just two,” Mia corrected.

  “Well then, step right up. This way. Ye’ll be in boat number two.”

  Mia led the way to the boat and climbed into the front seat. Water sloshed around her feet, and ahead a dark cave yawned open.

  “You okay?” Mia asked Maddie.

  “I guess . . .” Maddie said. “I’m glad you’re in front.”

  The bars clicked down over their laps, and then the boat shuddered.

  “Hold tight!” The roller coaster buzz filled Mia’s stomach as the boat jerked forward. Darkness swallowed them and the boat tilted back, clicking as they headed up, up, up. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my—” Pfft! Cold air blasted Mia’s face, and cut Maddie off mid-word.

  “What was th—” Pfft! Another blast of air came from the other side. Still, they clicked upward.

  A tiny chittering sound began, growing louder and louder by the moment, along with the whisper of movement—the sound of teeming insects. Of course, there weren’t any real insects, but knowing this didn’t slow Mia’s heartbeat.

  “I want off!” Maddie said.

  “It’s okay,” Mia said, but she heard the shake in her own voice. “It’s just for fun. I mean, we’re having fun, right?”

  “Mia, I want off.”

  She said this at the exact moment the log stopped climbing up. They tilted forward and hurtled forward into the dark. Mia’s body went weightless, lifting off the seat, and ripping a scream from her throat. Her stomach stayed far behind. She would have tumbled into the void, were it not for the bar that pressed against her legs, holding her in place. In front of her was darkness, thick as a pool of poster paint, deep as a well with no bottom.

  Then, light. Mia whipped her head around to see. Light illuminated a face in the darkness.

  Dark shadows gaped under the eyes, sagged in the hollowed cheeks, and filled the wide-open mouth. The horrible face looked just as surprised as the girls felt.

  “Mia, Mia, Mia!” Maddie said.

  “Hold on!” Mia shouted.

  The light clicked off. Then, they were careening around corners, jolting one way and then another. Water sloshed over the sides of the boat with each curve. Mia felt soggy and wrung out, afraid of what might pop out of the darkness next. She was afraid for herself, but especially afraid for Maddie. She could hear real fear in her sister’s voice, and she couldn’t do anything to help. The clicking began again and they were rising. Light appeared ahead and Mia remembered the waterfall she’d spotted before. They’d come out the opening they’d seen from the outside.

  “Hold on, hold on, Maddie!” she shouted.

  And they were weightless again, plunging over the side of the mountain, or at least it felt that way. The minute they hit the bottom, a giant wave of freezing water rushed over the front of the boat. Immediately, Mia was drenched from head to toe.

  “Maddie! Mia!” a voice shouted from somewhere overhead.

  Mia looked up and saw Lulu and Dad standing on the bridge, pointing giant water guns at them. She opened her mouth to tell them to stop, but Lulu blasted her face with water. It was too much.

  “Stop it, stop it!” Maddie shrieked.

  The boat swirled through the lagoon until they were at the dock. An attendant helped them out of their seats. Most of the other passengers were met by friend
s or family with towels. Mia huddled next to Maddie and shivered. Soon, Lulu bounded over with Dad, Mom, and Miss Julia close behind.

  “Did you see how I nailed you right in the face?” Lulu asked. “Kapow! Perfect shot!”

  ”Knock it off, Lulu,” Mia snapped.

  “Mia!” Mom warned, and then saw the looks on Mia and Maddie’s faces. “Girls, are you okay? You’re soaked.”

  “We can rent towels on Buccaneer’s Island,” Miss Julia said. “Be back in a flash.”

  “What did I do?” Lulu asked, hands on hips. When no one answered, she asked. “Well? What?”

  “Nothing, Lulu.” Mia said over the chattering of her teeth.

  “You know what,” Mom said. “I think the ride wasn’t quite what the girls expected. But it’s just the start of our day and we have so much fun ahead of us. You know, I saw someone with Belgian waffles while we were waiting. Maybe we need a little snack and time to dry off. What do you say, Maddie?”

  Despite their sogginess, Dad wrapped one arm around Maddie and the other around Mia. “You’ll warm up soon enough, girls. It’s going to be a hot day.”

  “It’s not hot now,” Mia said.

  “True,” Mom said.

  “Towels!” Miss Julia said, hurrying back with her arms full.

  Soon, Mia had a fluffy towel wrapped around her shoulders and they were on their way to Buccaneer’s Island for Belgian waffles.

  “How are you feeling?” Mom asked Mia.

  “A little better,” she said.

  “You know, I think Lulu would appreciate it if you’d go talk to her.”

  “She . . .” Mia noticed the droop of her little sister’s shoulders. “Right.” She hurried to catch up with Lulu. “Sorry for snapping at you, Lulu.”

  “I wish I could have gone on the ride with you,” Lulu said.

  “You probably had more fun with the water gun than Maddie and I had on the ride,” Mia said. “But we’ll make sure the next ride is one we can all go on, okay? Hopefully it will be less scary too.”