Sodden Socks

Eddie laughed with glee as I swung him up onto my shoulders and held his sandy knees steady. Mickey barked at us, leaping up and spraying my shirt with droplets of salty water and sandy paw prints.

"To the sea!" Eddie ordered, pointing a stick of driftwood in the direction of his sister. I jogged down to join Suzie at the sea, who had run down as soon as we arrived. She always did that. She could stand there for hours just watching it, hands gesturing in front of her as she acted out the thoughts going through her head. I tugged on one of Eddie's legs gently.

"You want to go in?"

Eddie bounced on my shoulders in excitement, his hands gripping my face and ears. Laughing, I lifted him down carefully, trying but failing to keep his sandy feet away from my clothes. The driftwood fell to the ground as he ran into the sea to join Suzie, yelping when his feet touched the freezing water. I winced at the thought of the coldness seeping between my toes, glad that I had kept my feet securely in my trainers.

Eddie waded to where Suzie stood, her long hair waving in the salty breeze. He tapped her on the shoulder, and she turned and smiled at him.

"You forgot to take your socks off."

Suzie looked down in surprise, wriggling her toes. Lifting her hands out over the water, she shrugged.

"I don't think the sea minds."

Eddie nodded seriously, wrapping his fingers around hers. They looked perfect, standing there together as the waves lapped at their ankles. I felt in my pockets for a phone to take a picture, but they were empty. I must have left it at home. I watched the sea instead, sparkling in the evening light as the sun turned it orange. Mickey went to test the water, but quickly took his paw out again before coming to sit by my side, panting contently.

Eddie swayed from one foot to another, unable to keep still for as long as Suzie.

"Do you want to come and play in the caves?" he asked, hopefully.

She twisted around so that the hand holding Eddie's stretched across her body. She studied the cliff carefully. It towered above the brown sand, grey rock topped with green grass, the caves at the bottom like tiny teeth marks from the sea.

"You go. I'll come soon."

As she turned back to the sea, Eddie let go of her hand. He waded back to me.

"She's busy," he said. He tugged at my hand and I followed him, walking backwards up the beach so I could watch Suzie. Eddie laughed.

"You're going the wrong way."

I let him lead me towards the caves, laughing as he pulled hard on my arm. Mickey stayed by the sea, watching Suzie intently. I got the feeling he was better at this job than I was.

"I'm keeping an eye on Suzie. What's she busy doing?"

He frowned at me. "Suzie things," he said, as if it were obvious.

He tugged harder on my arm. "She's got Mickey. Come on!"

I shook my head at him, refusing to turn around. This was the first afternoon I'd been put in charge of the two of them, and I didn't want anything to go wrong. I was their aunt, after all. I should be able to look after them.

Eddie sighed and ran up to the caves without me, picking up another piece of driftwood on his way. I could hear his voice echoing around the rock.

"Aye, aye. Suzie will be here soon, captain. Aye!"

I smiled to myself, watching Suzie swirling her hands through the water, spinning in circles. Her skirt was soaked through, but she was smiling.