The smallest fin follows the gentlest giant.
The Remaining Rain
By the time Kit reached the sky, Mum had left most of it falling towards him.
He rose through a curtain of spray, caught one bright glimpse of her tail, and splashed back into the sea.
When he surfaced, she was waiting nearby.
“Well?” she asked.
Kit blinked water from his eyes.
“Very rainy.”
A little wave lifted them both. Beyond Mum’s broad back, the sea stretched blue and bright towards a thin line of cloud.
He had wanted to jump beside her. From below, he had imagined them rising together, two pale bellies turned towards the sun.
So far, he had seen a great deal of falling water.
“Again?” Mum asked.
Kit moved closer.
“Again.”
After Three
They took their breaths and slipped beneath the surface.
Mum counted as they had agreed. On three, she turned down, swept round, and began to rise.
Kit turned too. He dipped deeper than he meant to, made a wide curve, then hurried upwards towards the bright patch where she had gone.
The surface broke above him.
For a moment, he was out in the open air, with water streaming from his flippers.
Mum was already coming down.
Her splash reached him before he landed.
Afterwards, he floated beside her while the water settled into long, soft ridges.
“I started on three,” he said.
“So did I.”
Kit looked down through the blue.
“I go round farther.”
Mum waited while he traced his wide turn with a tilt of his body.
“Could I start before you?”
“How much before?”
He considered this.
“A little.”
Mum looked at the drops still running down his face.
“We can try a little.”
A Little Earlier
This time, Kit began his turn while Mum waited.
He curved down, brought his tail beneath him, and rose towards the light. When he broke through, the air beside him was empty.
He landed with a small, sharp splash.
Mum appeared just afterwards, lifting a bright sheet of water from the sea.
When she came alongside, Kit was watching the place where she had landed.
“Too much little,” he said.
“I’ll wait less.”
“Two counts?”
“Let’s try.”
They rested through a passing swell. Kit leaned briefly against her side before moving away to give them both room.
Then they went below.
He started down.
Mum waited two counts.
Kit came round his turn and began to rise. Beside him, her great blue shape gathered speed.
The brightness above them widened.
They broke through almost together.
For one breathless moment, Kit saw the sky with Mum still in it.
Water scattered from her flipper in silver drops. Beyond them, a cloud stretched like a long, untidy ribbon.
Then the sea rose to meet him.
He landed first. Her splash rolled across his back, and he disappeared into the fizz of it.
When he surfaced, he was already looking for her.
“I saw you.”
Mum came up beside him.
“I saw you too.”
Mum’s Turn to Wait
They drifted for a while. Kit watched a patch of foam loosen into smaller pieces.
“Shall we do it again?” Mum asked.
He thought about the moment in the air. He could still see the line of her flipper against the cloud.
“Can I do one on my own?”
“Of course.”
“Will you stay here?”
“Right here.”
He swam out a little, then turned back to check. Her broad head rested above the water, facing him.
This time, there was no counting.
Kit took his breath and went down. He made his own wide turn, found the light, and pushed towards it.
Up he came, small and blue against the enormous sky.
Mum lifted her head to watch.
He landed beside her with all the splash he had.
For a moment, she vanished behind it.
When the water cleared, Kit was looking up at her.
A single drop hung from her chin.
He waited.
It fell straight onto his nose.
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