When he leaves, he debates visiting his mom or even Margot, but the three hours he’s been away from the Estate have already taken their toll, so he returns to the Estate, goes right for Mimi in herWendy Housewhere she was playing with Blaire, and hugs her close.
‘Missed you, babygirl,’ he whispers.
‘I missed you too, Daddy.So did Mari and Jules and Bee.’
Beeis Blaire because Blaire is hard to say.
Lachlan pulls Blaire into the hug too.
‘It’s good to be home.’
?
The second week of August is when Lachlan teaches Mimi how to swim.He has to hand it to Penhalyx, the pool system built in such a short amount of time is genuinely impressive.Freshwater engineered to remain that way, with aquatic plants and God only knows what other filtration systems keeping it naturally clean and safe, unlike the lake with its eels, parasites and bacteria.
There’s one main pool that’s huge and deep in the centre, then a series of shallow interconnected pools that Lachlan thinks of as stylish puddles and a small pool farther away that Mimi declares is hers because nearby all her favourite flowers grow.
She’s not afraid of the pool the way she was afraid of the waterfall because it’s calm, rippling and pretty, but she can’t swim and despite having claimed it for herself, Mimi is nervous, sitting on the edge, toes dipping in and out.
Lachlan takes a full day off to be in the pool with her and Blaire joins him, plus Jules.Penhalyx makes no objection.It’s a gift horse that Lachlan refuses to look in the mouth of.So he hasoneday to make this pool not scary.
It starts off slow.
Mimi has the radio beside her, informing Mari of all that’s going on and when she’s done talking, she listens intently, nodding as if receiving important messages.Lachlan is in trunks.The pool is just deep enough in the middle to reach his neck.Jules is swimming, talking to Blaire about the weather.He’s asking her about the storm two weeks ago.He’s subtly asking questions that all circle his lack of knowledge about Paranaturals.
The old man may have relaxed Jules’ study time, but he’s still not allowed any devices, so he’s probably frustrated he can’t look it up and Jules is smart enough not to ask either of Sorrenko’s boys.
Blaire is outrageously beautiful in a bikini, but Lachlan’s focus is all on Mimi in her brand-new bathing suit with polka dots and butterflies, assessing the water the way Lachlan would assess a room.‘Is there fishes?’she asks.
‘No, honey,’ Lachlan tells her.‘Just me, Bee and Jewel.’
Jules looks over at her and smiles encouraging.‘Come on, Mimikins, you can swim on my back.’
Mimi doesn’tquitereturn his smile.
Something isn’t right between the two of them.
Maybe it’s that she missed him too much, or worse, got used to his absence, or maybe it’s that she retreats into herself a little more whenever he spends time with the older kids.Either way, it’s not how it once was when Jules was the one she ran to over anyone else.
‘No thanks,’ she says and then looks at Lachlan.‘Show me again.’
He shows her the basic movements of swimming but knows she’ll need to do it in the water before she understands.It’s just one of those things.
‘I promise I won’t let you go.’
Mimi narrows her eyes, thinking.‘I hold my breath?’
‘Just like we practised, babygirl.’One of several things he’s taught her in case of smoke from fire.‘So long as you hold your breath, you won’t drown.’
Mimi looks a little proud.‘I can hold it long time.’
‘Yes, you can.’
Forty-four seconds is her record.
She stands up.‘OK, I jump.’
Jules swims closer, worried.‘Bodyguard, tell her to go slow.’
