Welcome to Gaia! ::

Like the shift in seasons, change was inevitable. Summer was coming to an end all too quickly. Warm days were becoming less frequent as temperatures fluctuate and leaves began to change. Deep purple maple trees lined the streets of their neighborhood in a most colorful display. It was just a matter of time before night time encroached on what precious daylight they had left.

Leaning his back against the concrete wall, James Pennington watched his youngest kid waiting patiently at the edge of the pool. She had just started kindergarten the week prior and with his son, Jasper, bound for college it was up to him to start taking more responsibility and being active in his daughter's life. After the death of his wife five years ago, he had buried himself in his work unintentionally, though inadvertently, forcing his son to pick up the slack he left behind at home in caring for Amelia.

However, after the argument he had with his son, he had realized things needed to change; not just for his kids, but for himself as well. Which is why he was here, at the local swimming pool, bringing his little one to her first day of swimming lessons.

Clad in a neon pink bathing suit with a ruffly tutu she sat on the white border that rimmed the public pool hugging her knees, no doubt cold from running through the shower before joining the other kids. Curious, dark purple eyes scanned the faces of the other swimmers both in and out of the pool before spotting him in the bleachers. A big smile spread across her face and she waved excitedly clearly awaiting her turn to jump into the water.

Not the first to get in the water, but definitely not the last, Amelia watched as one boy just about belly flopped in when he leaned forward while the next kid seemed to have the right idea. After dunking her feet in the water, which was fine of course, she rolled over onto her belly and slid into the pool following the second kids lead.

True, just as Ms. Tallulah said, it was far warmer once they got in! That is, save for the back of her legs from when she was hugging her knees while waiting for her new teacher to arrive. In all honesty though Amelia didn’t find the water to be all that bad unlike the girl beside her whose teeth were chattering quite loudly. Clinging to wall, which had a row of tiles that separated the water from the drain that wrapped around the perimeter of the pool, the young purple hair child tilted her head quizzically and gave the other girl a rather perplexed look.

Before she could ask her any sort of question, Amelia’s attention was immediately pulled back to the lone kid who was adamantly refusing to get into the water. Crocodile tears rolled down his slightly chubby cheeks as a young brunette woman approached from the bleachers and apologized profusely for the tantrum he was currently having. It took a bit of coaxing but after a few moments she finally managed to get her son in the water after having to bribe him with a ice cream cone from Dairy Queen after swimming lessons were over.

Now, with the small group of children finally all settled down eager purple eyes looked to her teacher waiting for Ms. Tallulah to instruct them on what to do next!

When her feet were let go, Amelia’s body sunk back into the water into a more vertical position. While she waited patiently as her teacher backed away violet eyes watched as the first boy who had jumped into the pool started kicking before the whistle blew.

Once the echoing sound of the whistle faced and Ms. Tallulah got out of splashing range, Amelia glanced over her shoulder at her teacher. There was worry in her expression but after seeing that not all the other kids had their face in the water she soon joined her classmates in making waves; ok so maybe more like ripples given their kicks weren’t really that strong. Still, it was an action she wasn’t completely unfamiliar with.

Just this past summer both Jasper and their father had taken her to the lake a few times to go play on the playground and build castles in the sand. Each time, one or the other always remembered to bring along her little purple inner tube, along with her box of plastic toys, so she didn’t sink when they got into the lake. It was fun the last time the three of them went; Jasper held onto her hands and told her to kick her feet which sent a torrent of splashes into their father's face. It was fun times, yet even with them there with her, Amelia was still apprehensive about putting her face into the water.

Amelia looked left, then right. One by one each of the other students drew in a deep breath then ducked their head under the water as instructed. Not her though.

That look of worry quickly turned into one of apprehension as she looked up at her father, still sitting in the stands, then over her shoulder at her teacher. By the time Ms. Tallulah finished counting down Amelia was the only one left still clinging to the wall.

“I cant…” Brows knitted together in worry she timidly added “I’m scared…” Amelia’s voice quivered and chin dimpled from her pursed lips and deep frown afraid of not only possibly getting trouble for not listening but being forced to do something that terrified her beyond logical reason.

Despite her teachers gentle coaxing Amelia’s chin began to dimple as she struggled to hold back the tears. Shaking her head she managed a reply, “I don’t want water gettin’ in my ears.” Poor thing already had an ear infection earlier that summer from being splashed in the face.

Regardless of how rational, or irrational, her concerns were she simply was not quite ready to start swim lessons yet. Realizing that was the case James gathered up her towel and small swim bag with her clothes then descended the bleachers with a few quite ‘excuse me’s’ as he passed several of the other parents.

“I’m sorry,” He looked down at Tallulah with a sincere apologetic expression as he reached down to help his daughter out of the pool. After wrapping her towel around her shoulders he lifted her up into his arms. “We’ll try again when she’s more ready,” Allowing Amelia to be a distraction or to disrupt class was one thing James was not willing to do especially since there were other students here that needed the teacher's attention.

Again he offered the young instructor another apology before disappearing into the locker room to help his daughter change.