Chapter 2 #3
"Swimming time," I agree as I gently pull the bag away from Kyrie to hang it on a hook where the towels usually stay tidy and dry.
Then I tuck my pool sandals and the kids' tiny water shoes neatly under the bench, nudging the older kids into a semblance of order too.
Even if it's not the norm for now, I still take comfort in putting everything in its proper place, just like usual.
I try not to get too work up over the piles of personal belongings and flip flops scattered from here to the pool in a blatant disregard for order. Ugh there are so many kids here today.
"But first, can you tell me the rules?" I ask, stalling.
"Yes. No running, hurry up Aunty," Leighton whines.
"And what else?"
"Potty in the potty, let's swim!" Leighton strikes a triumphant pose, like they just delivered a superhero catchphrase.
"That's right." I try to suppress my amused snort, that's close enough. I take a step toward the pool, holding onto both kids.
Kyrie balks.
I stop and reassess. Deep calming breath. Of course this is going to be complicated, just like everything else.
"Come on! Why we gotta wait forever?" Leighton bounces impatiently.
"Sorry, kiddo, we are getting in the pool as soon as we're all ready." I ruffle Leighton's hair and turn toward Kyrie.
"But we are ready!" Leighton insists, gesturing toward their striped swimsuit.
"Nuh uh, I not ready!" Kyrie stomps angrily, then stuffs their thumb back into their mouth and sidles closer to me.
They're acting as if they want to shelter under my wing for comfort in the way of a much younger chick.
Or perch on me to observe what to do before diving in.
I get that, worry and I are old friends, even before my accident made every doubt seem so much more real.
And I know Kyrie's been having more of these babyish moments since Cole joined their family earlier this year, so I can handle this.
"What if Aunty holds you?" I offer. Kyrie nods cautiously.
"No fair!" Leighton scowls.
"It's alright, kiddo. You want to swim and your sibling isn't ready, this is tricky. And we can find a way for everyone to have fun." I stand and scoop up Kyrie onto my hip to carry them on my good side. I lean in close to make my offer feel more special.
"I know! Would you like to switch to your feathers so you can perch on my shoulder and watch for a bit until you're more comfortable, Ky?" I suggest.
Kyrie snuggles into me, pulling my arm around them at an awkward angle.
I hold my breath, half-expecting them to refuse and cue up a meltdown from Leighton at not getting to swim yet.
I sigh in relief when they nod, face nuzzled into my good shoulder for a moment longer before I find myself hugging a tiny bundle of feathers.
I wince as Kyrie scales their way to my shoulder, even being careful with their beak and sharp little talons, the tips dig through my swimsuit leaving behind scattered pinpricks of pain that pale in comparison the constant ache of my bad shoulder.
"Okay, now we're all ready to get in the pool, lead the way, Leighton." I offer them my hand. "Remember to be gentle with Aunty's arm."
"I remember." Leighton takes my hand delicately and I let them tug me toward the ramp. They're as gentle as I can reasonably expect from an excited toddler.
We wade into the crowded pool together, and it might actually be for the best that Kyrie doesn't seem interested in leaving the safety of my shoulder anytime soon. It's so busy here today!
I know why. Winter break for the Four Corners school district spans from the end of November and into the new year to encompass as many different shifter species' winter holiday traditions as possible.
Which is great and all, except it means setting up childcare for the kids while their parents work.
Normally, that's not directly my problem.
Until Seb took a job at the Willowdale Zoo, working with Bram and his mate Ty this past spring, Seb's schedule was as flexible as mine.
And he was much more interested in being an actively involved uncle to our brother's kids.
Now that both of my clutchmates are parents, and they both insist on working outside the shifter community we've established here in Four Corners, I've found myself pitching in to help with childcare more often.
I figured it would be easier to handle the noise and sticky fingers tugging at me for attention in a place I normally feel calm.
"Watch this!" Leighton demands, then they shift into their bear fur and do a twisting maneuver I think is meant to be an underwater somersault, but mostly results in roiling water and flailing limbs.
Leighton accidentally kicks an adult doing aquarobics squats near the ramp rail, earning me a death glare.
I open my mouth to apologize, and promptly snap it closed as Leighton splashes me and Kyrie full in the face, then comes up spluttering for breath.
I wipe the water from my eyes and sooth Kyrie's angry croaks, turning them out of the splash zone just in time for Leighton to shake their big broad bear head dry, splattering more fat droplets into my eyes and leaving their fur standing up in bristles.
"Wow, buddy, that was sure something," I say as I wipe a bit of fur from my face.
Leighton is already paddling toward the cluster of older kids where Myra is playing though, so I have to chase after them and corral them back toward the shallower water.
I manage to catch them and put myself between them and the older kids.
"Nope. We're staying over here, Leighton. Myra is having friends time now. You two can have sibling time later," I remind them.
Leighton gives me a sulky look and I expect them to splash me again and swim off to chase after Myra anyway if I give them half a chance.
"You know, I almost forgot, Myra brought these little diving toys to play with, but I guess she forgot them.
I wonder if...no, I bet you're too little.
.." I trail off leaving the trap baited.
Bram got the fanciful octopus and jellyfish shaped toys for the little kids, and I shoved them in a pocket of my swim trunks for Leighton earlier, but they're a sucker for feeling more grown up and doing things Myra likes.
Kyrie beaks at my ear until I hold the diving toy up where they can see it too.
They're simple weighted disks decorated to look like cartoon sea creatures.
Bright, colorful fabric with bedazzled faces and glittery curly-que streamer arms that float in the the water.
Kyrie cocks their head and pecks curiously at the sparkly streamers, then they preen it gently.
Leighton shifts back to human shape to get a better look too, swimming closer and then clinging to my arm. "I can do it!"
"I don't know, you think you can swim down and collect all three of these little octopuses from the bottom before I count to a hundred?"
"Yes! I can do it!" Leighton splashes.
Kyrie croaks on my shoulder, then shuffles down my arm to test the water with one foot, then their beak, and then I've got both kids clamoring for attention as they paddle in circles around me in their human forms. Myra wasn't kidding about bears being natural swimmers, at least.
"Me too!" Kyrie boasts. "I can do it fastest!"
"Yeah? I don't know, it's pretty hard to find all of them." I pitch my voice with just the right blend of enthusiastic skepticism to get them both engaged.
"We can do it! Bears swim the best!" Kyrie and Leighton chorus.
"Okay, let's try. Ready? One, two--" I toss the little toys into the water right behind us and both my niblings are in their fur and diving before I can finish the countdown. "--three."
Their comment about bears swimming reminds me that ravens are not naturals in the water.
I reflexively glance around to check on my siblings.
I angle myself so I can keep an eye on the diving duo in front of me, absently counting how long they're underwater as I conduct a headcount.
Two bear cubs diving near my feet. Kyrie tickles my toes when they brush a little too close grabbing a diver.
Myra's group is easy to spot, they're playing with the ball right at the verge where the shallow water ends so Cory can stand where he can touch the bottom.
Three and four, both kids seem to be having a ball.
Elric makes five, standing near the diving board all gawky adolescent limbs as they laugh with their friends at the center of a knot of chattering teens.
Okay. Cool. No one is drowning. Maybe I've got this after all.
Leighton surfaces right in front of me with a toy in their mouth, splashing me thoroughly in the process. They shake water from their furry face, spraying me in a fine fur-scented mist before shifting and spitting the toy into their hand and lunging to cling to my arm.
"Got it! Did you see? How fast am I, Aunty?" Leighton demands.
"Wow! Fifty-two seconds," I fudge the numbers a bit, mostly so that I can hype up setting a record before we go and give them a goal to focus on.
"Wow! I'm so fast!"
Kyrie surfaces as Leighton whoops in delight, taking their human form as soon as they hit air and all but climbing me with the remaining two toys clutched in their hands. "I got more! I win!"
"No fair!" Leighton scowls. "I was faster."
"So? I gots more prey, so I win. Right?" They shove both toys toward their sibling. Leighton swipes for their prizes, but Kyrie lets go before they can grab the toys and both cubs watch the toys sink, streamers fluttering.
"It's my prey now!" Leighton dives for the toys, shifting into fur halfway to the bottom
Kyrie clings to my side, watching. I brace for a tantrum over losing their toys.
"Oops, you dropped them," I say.
"That's okay. I still winned," Kyrie says. "Snuggles?"