Atlantis Burning

Chapter 19

It was Edward's day to cook breakfast and he served up homemade biscuits and gravy saying, "Henry, would you like to take a dive, today?"

"You never did get to see the pyramids, on the last trip."

"No dive," Annia declared with the authority of an entitled three-year-old.

"I told you that she gets upset when you go to Atlantis," Bea said. "How many times have you seen those pyramids, now?"

"I don't have to see the pyramids today, but that doesn't mean I think it's a good idea to let the baby start making the rules. We are the parents."

 "I agree, but you guys have been down there, a lot."

"How about a compromise. Henry and I were thinking that since we've never seen anyone near the portal we should leave a couple extra scuba tanks down there, in case we ever need them. We could go leave them and come back. We also thought that since we're making a long-term home at sea, maybe we should get Annia a dog. Maybe, we could do that after lunch."

"Annia would love a dog. Annia, tell daddy what a dog says," Bea pleaded.

"Woof, woof."

"I recently ran into someone on one of my runs- he had a few Portuguese Podengo Pequenos with him, and said they have a litter."

"They are the perfect size for Annia," Bea said.

"They're on Flores. We can have lunch on the island, too."

Henry and Edward were true to their word and were back on the boat in record time. They got back the Annie and sailed to Flores Island. As they walked through town, Henry carried Annia on his shoulders with her holding onto to his neck a little too tightly. They were invited in to the breeder's barn, where the puppies were. Edward sat in the pile of puppies, with Annia. They took their time getting to each one before making a decision. As they played, Henry and Bea talked with the owner, a Portuguese man in his thirties.

"Your English is very good, Leandro. Is that from working in tourism," Henry asked.

"I went to medical school in Baltimore."

"You're a doctor, that's good to know."

"Lot's of Americans find they like our simple living. I definitely see fewer stress related maladies than I did during my residency."

"I am an attorney, so I know all about it."

"Ah, then you've had your share of tension headaches." Henry nodded as a woman came out from the house holding an infant wrapped up in a beautiful lilac blanket. "This is my wife, Elyse. She just gave us this beautiful girl three weeks ago."

Bea delighted at the sight of the baby, "you look amazing, I'd never guess you just gave birth."

"You're very kind."

"She is perfect, what's her name?"

"Glory, would you like to hold her?" the woman asked, holding the baby out towards Bea.

Bea eagerly reached out and held the baby in her arms. She cooed and whispered and breathed in the sweet smell of a newborn.

"Do you mind if I take a photo," Henry asked?

"Of course not," Elyse said.

Henry took photos of Bea with the baby and called Henry over to join in, before focusing the camera on Annia and the puppies. Bea easily fell into conversation with Elyse, who also studied abroad.

"This blanket is gorgeous. I'd love to get one like it for Annia. Did you buy it in town?" Bea questioned.

The woman chuckled, "of course not, I crocheted it, myself. The quiet island life leaves time for such things."

Henry re-joined the conversation, "would you let me buy one from you, for Annia?"

"Of course! We make money where we can. Puppies. Blankets. Ask anyone on the island, I'm the best baker, if you ever need something sweet."

Henry put his arm around Elyse and said, "we are going to be good friends." They all laughed.

Elyse sent them home with a puppy, the blanket and some fatia dourada, but only after she made Henry promise to save it for his morning coffee. Henry only agreed, because it was going to be his turn to make breakfast. Fatia dourado is like a french toast - doughnut fusion, perfect with coffee and bacon. The family hit up a few shops in the town for puppy supplies. Annia was over the moon. The melancholy girl they'd been living with was never to be seen, again. Annia had been transformed into a bundle of joy. There was a lively debate on what to name the puppy. Since the trip to the garden, Annia had been calling every animal a quail and that is what they named the puppy, Quail.

Over dinner that night Henry said, did you pick up on what I did back there at the barn?"

"What did you do, Dad?"

"We now have family pictures of you holding your newborn and if anyone questions it, we have the blanket as proof."

Edward looked up from his plate, "well done. Maybe, Bea is going to have to make a photo album."

"I've been working on that, and this baby picture could not have gone any smoother, had we planned it."