© Celin Manlove
Winter Kids by Becca Brin Manlove
Labor Day. Four-year-old Ailish (long A-lish) floated cross-legged on a floatie. Her mom, my daughter Celin (suhLINN), swam and tried to coax Ailish into the water. I’d watched the warmth rise from the lake on too many chilly mornings. I was grateful to sit with twoyear-old Sive (rhymes with five) as she napped on the pontoon boat. When twelve-year-old Katy and fourteen-year-old Molly ran over from next door, Ailish bounced with so much excitement on her floatie she nearly
swamped it. The Big Girls’ long legs flashed down the dock. Katy leapt in, but Molly stopped short. Celin and Katy lied about the temperature of the water while Ailish, from her mostly-dry perch on a floatie, cajoled Molly to jump in. Katy found the best argument, “Come on Molly. It’s the last day of summer!” Molly screamed as she leapt in. The Last Day of Summer. They were going back to school the next day. Even after we all moved to the sunwarmed deck, The Last Day of Summer
© Becca Manlove
Labor Day swim
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The Ely Winter Times
