Row Gawave: A Day at the Beach

 

Annabelle had so much fun, running into the water and then racing from the waves, screaming with delight. She’d been worried when Mommy told her she’d “get” to play with her cousin Mikey, like that was a good thing. Mikey picked his nose. But he’d been ok today. They were building a sandcastle together when the commotion started.

Screaming… Uncle Frankie waving his arms... Auntie Diane crying, yanking Mikey by the arm... Mommy and her stupid, ugly boyfriend running funny into the water, lifting their knees up high like the exercise she hated in gym class.

Strangers gathered. She heard words like row gawave and undertoes. If you could row in the ocean, Annabelle wondered, why didn’t someone row out to save Uncle Frankie?  Undertoes – now that made a bit more sense. There is nothing under your toes and Mommy said that’s what happened to her Daddy. He turned into nothing. That’s why she called the undertaker.

Grandma said Daddy was sleeping. Then, she said he was in a place called Heaven. But Mommy insisted he wasn’t anything anymore. Annabelle didn’t understand why grownups insisted on spouting nonsense, and if they were going to make stuff up, why didn’t they pick one story and stick to it!

The policeman said it was the strict nine who killed her Daddy. This confused her too. She’d heard of the three wisemen and even the seven wonders of the world, but she’d never heard of the strict nine. Mommy had a funny look on her face when the policeman said it. Maybe she was confused too. Annabelle figured that when Daddy came back from his nap/heaven/nothing he’d explain.

This morning, Mommy said the thing that was supposed to make her feel better but didn’t. Then she said they were going to spend a day at the beach, and that did cheer her up a little bit. Until now. Until the row gawave and all the shouting.

She looked over at Mikey. His bony pink shoulders jerking with each gulping sob.

Annabelle wanted to make him feel better. The thing Mommy had said didn’t work on her, but maybe it would make Mikey forget about the row gawave. Mommy had said it with her happy voice, so Annabelle did the same.

“You’re going to get a new da-a-addy,” she sang. “You’re going to get a new da-a-addy.”