The Importance

Gifts or Threats?

I barely knock when Emma wrenches the door open and gives me a big hug. Alex also hugs me, and I feel the happy flutter thing yet again. I hate it, I think. 

I can tell they both have a gift for me and feel as if my gifts to them might not be enough. I also think that hugging was also a better gift than what I would've given them, but I go with it. The day is extremely warm and the continuous warm weather compels us to travel to the pond, which is tucked down in a small divot behind a modest mound of grass and dirt.

I am the first to jump into the glassy water and the chill shoots up my spine. I brush the bitter coolness away at first, thinking of other things, but it soon becomes apparent that I cannot avoid it. I smile, it helps soothe the initial bite of the clear calm liquid.

"Come on guys," I bite my upper lip as a sting of cold hits my toes when I sink out to a deeper part of the pond, "it isn't very cold. Jump in!" I drift further out into the water, letting the cold waves waft to my calves and quickly take my entire body.

Emma's expression is pure denial. There is no way she is getting in this fish skilled water, no way. Alex on the other hand...

"Okay. Emma can stay here in the blazing heat while I...." Alex wades into the water a little too quickly after he removes his dark blue sneakers and red socks. He hisses before diving under the surface of the water, pushing off of the bank, swimming out to my general location in the water, and looking back at Emma expectantly.

"No!" Emma props her hands on her hips.

Alex begins to squirm as he senses the freezing waft much speedier than I had.

"It isn't even cold Em," Alex reasons, holding back his shivering with much effort.

I am beginning to believe that our idea was not the best. I have never felt water this cold before.

"Alex! Alexia, you said there was fish in there!" Emma whines grumbling about things brushing up against our legs as we swim.

"Oh, you are fine!" I yell to her as Alex and I drift further and further away from shore, "it isn't like they are going to come up, grab you, and pull you under the surface of the water. You will be fine!"

"Why would you put that thought in my head?" Emma whimpers as she crawls into the water, "You said it wasn't very cold!" She takes another tentative step. Alex has disappeared from my side, and I see his outline creeping toward Emma underwater. He plans to push her in!

"It isn't very cold out here, in the middle. You'll get used to it real quick!" That is a lie though, I still haven't gotten used to it and I think this will be one of the more stupid things I will be doing in my life. 

I roll my eyes as Emma takes a few more baby steps, chewing on her top plump lip the entire time from the chill. Alex has now traveled behind her, quieter than a cat. He now stands up silently and brings his arms back, his dark shirt suctioning to his skin to reveal he is less skinny and has more slight muscles. Emma scoots forward just as Alex thrusts his arms forward roughly, hard enough that his poor twin splashes into the shivery water. She is completely submerged now and I'm sure the freezing frostbite water seems a lot colder now.

Alex laughs and I can't help but join him. He could've been a little gentler, but it is his sibling, so I guess she had it coming. 

When Emma re-emerges, her face is deadly. She turns to find her brother standing behind her with an almost terrified look plastered across his face. His mouth is open in a sheepish half-smile, half-concerned way as if he doesn't know if he should laugh or not. He chews on his lip just like his sister had, smiling widely.