rainbowlounge | (no subject)

It was one of the rare spring days where there wasn't a chore list a mile long. The weather was nice, warm and sunny with a breeze. It was a perfect day for being by the lake. Chloe and Joy were on vacation in Ireland, and Emmett and Jax were updating the mural on the side of the barn, so that left Noah and the girls by the lake.

The water was still a bit cool but it was easy enough to swim in, even if it seemed like Noah was the only one swimming. April and Ally were wading in the shallows, watching the mama ducks and their babies swim around. They had what was left of yesterday's bread with them, though it seemed like it was forgotten until the baby ducks bath time was over. Alex and Iris were both stretched out on the dock, tanning and talking, and Noah was tempted to duck under the water, swim over, and splash them. He missed when they were young and actually wanted to socialize with their father and didn't want to wear bikinis (or tankinis in Ally's case; thank God April still opted for onesies.)

"Is anyone gonna actually come in here, or am I gonna have to throw every one'a you off the docks like when you all were youngins?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It didn't help when the damned dog splashed over to Noah, and tried to get his paws on his shoulders and lick him in the face. It especially didn't help when Boomer tried to help him, and he was caught in the splash zone of a play-fight.

He slicked his hair back when he was able to swim away and mock glared at the girls. "See if I don't get revenge for that."

"I'm so afraid, Daddy," Iris drawled, flopping onto her back and doing lazy backstrokes around him.

Alex giggled, then swam over to Bailey, ruffling his floppy ears, then tugged him back to the dock. "You're a bit little for this, sweetie."

"The ducklings are smaller," April objected, paddling madly. "They can swim."

"Bailey isn't as bouyant," Alex replied, treading water with a lot more grace.

"I think his ears could help him stay afloat," Noah dryly said. "He won't learn to swim if we don't let him in the water. Let him stay in for a bit. We can watch him."

Boomer raised his head out of the water and bayed, loudly. Noah saw birds fly out of the treeline, and snorted. "M'takin' that as an agreement."

He treaded water, watching them all for a few seconds. "April, darlin', I think it's time someone gave you swimmin' lessons.

"In the shallows," Alex allowed, then rolled over onto her back and floated.

"I do not need swimming lessons," April said, still paddling madly and splashing water everywhere. "I'm swimming, aren't I?"

"If we were in a pool, it'd be half empty," Noah answered, not unkindly. "Do this, Buttercup. Go swim with Bailey and see if you can mimick him."

Said beagle was paddling around the shallows with Ally and Iris watching and encouraging him. He held his head out of the water, but his ears still floated with the rest of him, and he was mostly paddling around silently. It was ruined when he would wag his tail and send a splash of water behind him.

April wrinkled her nose. "I can't swim over there," she said. "It's too shallow." Still, she studied Bailey closely for a while, then held her head high out of the water and kicked out tentatively, paddling frantically with her hands.

"Like this, Daddy?" she called, over the noise.