His Glorified Maid

Eighteen

"Michaela?" Carlos called to her softly. She looked up, studied his face, and knew from his knowing smirk that she'd been caught checking him out. Again. When his eyes grazed over her own form, she lacked the same confidence to open herself to him. She shuffled awkwardly, stretching her arms across her chest and stomach.

She was envious of his tan, feeling insecure with her own pale colour. She was grateful for the distraction when Jenny finally brought Tyler down. She could have done without her curiosity burning behind her smile as she looked from her to Carlos.

Michaela forced herself to speak. "Care to join us? I promise you'll enjoy it."

"I'll watch from here," Jenny responded. It looked like she wanted to say more, but she remained silent.

Tyler was wearing a long-sleeved one-piece swimsuit. It was blue with a green dinosaur printed on it. He wore a mask and snorkel, and fins and she couldn't suppress the chuckle that rose. How had he navigated the yacht and the stairs with his fins on? He was adorable.

"You won't need your mask and snorkel for this," she said, grateful that her voice was strong and clear. "Here, I'll help you take it off." He was reluctant but allowed her to pull it off.

She grabbed a buoyancy aid vest that was hanging up nearby and slipped it over Tyler's head. That seemed to calm the tension in the other adults. When she held a second vest up for Carlos, he gave her a look that had her smothering a giggle behind her hand.

She handed Jenny a torch before calling through on her radio to have the lights turned off over the rear of the lower deck. The sky had only just begun to darken so there was still enough light to see without the torch's narrow beam of light that stretched out across the sea, colouring its surface silver like the moon. It was like the buoyancy aid, a tool to make Tyler feel safe.

She stepped up to the edge of the platform that was sitting above sea level. It was incredibly still, there wasn't even a gentle swell to indicate the phenomenon she was praying they would see. If they didn't, it would just be a cold dip in a dark ocean. It wasn't even dark enough to see stars. She gestured for Tyler to take her hand and indicated to Carlos that he should grab his other hand.

She crouched down to Tyler's level. "How are you feeling? Are you scared or nervous?"

"No," he said bravely. She caught the slight tremble in his bottom lip and gave his hand an encouraging squeeze.

"Good. On the count of three, I want you to jump into the water with me and your uncle. Don't let go of our hands ok. Do you think you can do that?"

He looked up at her with eyes full of trust and she felt her heart squeeze with love. She turned to Jenny and asked her to turn off her light, then waited for her eyes to adjust to the sudden loss of light.

"Was that necessary?" Carlos asked uncertainly, his eyes hovering over Tyler protectively.

"Have a little faith," she said with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Ready. One. Two. Three." She felt no resistance from Tyler as he followed her lead and jumped into the water. As soon as the cool water washed over their heads, she felt Tyler try to pull his hands free. It was an instinctive, automatic reaction, but she held on tight.

When they resurfaced the water was alight with beads of blue light that stretched out like strings around them, she enjoyed Tyler's look of enchantment. She freed his hand, his vest keeping him afloat, so he could dip it into the water and try to catch the light.

"What are they?" he squealed in his excitement.

"Do you know what plankton is?"

"Whale food," he answered knowledgeably.