I’m not sure about this whole night swimming thing.

Why not?

Well, what if something tries to eat me?

Melly Mel, it’s cool. In the daytime, could you see things under the water that might want to nibble you?

Not helping!

I’m just saying! No real difference except in your head.

I don’t trust this!

‘Tashi is already out there. See, she’s fine.

But that’s Natasha.

What does that mean?

Well, look at her! She’s fearless. Out there in a, can we call that a bikini even? Do they come that small? And all swimming in who knows what!

Well we know what. We call it the ocean.

And yes that is still a bikini. A very nice bikini even. What’s wrong with her bikini?

You just wanna watch her be all almost naked and wet, Jacob! Your opinion in matters of my safety don’t count. So there.

You’ll be fine!

I like how you don’t deny the whole “want to see ‘Tashi wet and almost naked” bit.

Well, don’t y… all right I am the only one here, but if Dan was here he would agree with me!

He would. Anyway, Mel it’ll be fine, I’ll go with you.

Yeah?

Yes. I’ll even hold your hand, no laughing, I promise.

All right!

Come on, then, troops.

Cold! COLDCOLDCOLD!

Bracing!

C’mere then!

Ack!

Hey, ‘Tashi!

Why is Melina climbing Jacob?

Seeking warmth I think.

That makes little or no sense.

So it must be about right.

Must be.

Stop squirming!

Stop trying to climb on top of my head!

Is it wrong to just watch?

I do not think so. However my hunger has surpassed my desire to swim. Shall we watch while eating?

Let’s.

Hey! They’re gonna go eat all the food while we freeze to death out here!

Awww but we just got here.

You can come right back.

Didn’t you go on about waiting thirty minutes so you didn’t drown?

Sure! But that was me. You want to drown, you can.

Hey!

Now carry me to shore!

Get off my head, you!

Neener! Won’t! Mush Miss Teschmacher!

You ever feel like we’re raising children?

Dear lord no. Then I would begin to weep for their grades.

I did very good in school I’ll have you know!

Yeah! Me too!

No, you didn’t. Remember that time you stole my math homework out of fear that you couldn’t possibly learn the work in time?

We were seven!

I’m just saying. No, guys, Jake is bad at tests.

It’s true. I test horribly. Everyone thought I was really dumb for years.

And then?

Oh. They still do. I was just trying to make it sound better.

You aren’t dumb, Jacob, a lot of people don’t test well.

No, when he was a little kid he would cry when a test was coming up.

Nice, and you make fun of my anxiety.

Well no. I mean, yeah I did but, well, all right I’m sorry.

Thank you. So anyway, now what? We eat and then …

No swimming for another thirty minutes!

Yes, dearling, we know.

Just saying.

‘Tashi? What’s around here to do?

Nothing, that’s the point. We eat. We hang out. We sleep.

Oh, sleep. What’re the arrangements?

I call the couch, for Jake.

Ass!

Yep!

Boys. There are five bedrooms.

Five?!

My friend likes to have parties on the weekend.

Just not this weekend.

Exactly. And so we benefit.

Who owns a five bedroom beach house, anyway? Who is this friend of yours? Trump?

Not hardly. No, he is just a friend.

You’re being far too cryptic, here, ‘Tashi.

I call shenanigans!

Not at all. No, John is just an old friend of my family.

And now it makes sense.

Not to me.

Me either.

Natasha’s family has connections. Strange ones. Her father is an accountant. Stop me if I go too far, ‘Tashi.

It’s all right, Mark.

And his clients tend to be big time movers and shakers in fashion. Real rich, power-type people.

Wow!

So why don’t we get to party all the time?

Mmmm. We would except I hate my family. And they don’t tend to like me much.

Then how… ?

This weekend? Sometimes I do things to do them. Sometimes.

But this is…

For my wonderful friends. It’s worth it.

That’s so sweet, Natasha!

It’s nothing.

It’s sweet.

Yeah it is. Thanks ‘Tashi.

And now I need to drink and go lay on a couch and bask in my friends.

To the bat couch!

We keep moving so much. Inside, outside, water, beach, inside, when will it end?!

Sunday?

Oh.

But it’s still Friday night!

Woohoo!

TO BE CONTINUED…