The Parenthood Drabbles

Conch

In the style of Sally and Percy Jackson

She sat on the beach with a book inches from her nose, Percy playing in the shallow water. She was totally immersed in a book in a way that she could never manage to at home with Gabe around, and she was paying minimal attention to her son. She figured that if there was one place where she didn't have to watch him like a hawk, it'd be in the ocean. Poseidon could handle that.

"Mommy, Mommy!" She heard.

But when duty called...

She closed her book and put it down, meeting Percy halfway up his sprint up the beach. He was running to her, with swimming trunks dripping on the sand and a huge, spirally seashell in his hands.

"Wow, did you find a conch?" Sally asked the six year old.

Percy nodded with wide, bright eyes. He put it to his ear.

"I can hear the ocean Mommy, you try!" He said.

She bent down and pushed her hair behind her ear. He pressed the shell against her ear.

Hello Sal. She heard.

She stood up straight, spooked.

Percy looked at her with bright eyes.

"Wow," she said forcing a smile on her face. "Pretty cool, eh?"

"Can I keep it?" Percy asked.

"Umm- sure, sweetheart. Okay." Sally said nodding. "Here, I'll take it back to the towels with me and you can play some more, how's that?"

Well, it wasn't like she'd ever had a normal trip to the beach.