Free Crossing Oceans by Gina Holmes Page B

squealed open, and Craig stepped out wearing a pair of aqua swim trunks. I tried to keep my eyes off the muscles in his shoulders and the hair on his chest. Wow, he had changed.
    “Hey, ladies, watch this!”
    Isabella jerked her head up as Craig ran full speed down the yard. He grabbed the rope hanging from the thick oak branch stretching over the lake, swung Tarzan-style over the water, and let go.
    A loud splash filled the air and a swell rose where he’d gone under.
    Isabella’s mouth dropped open. “Did you see that?” she asked without taking her eyes off the ripples.
    Craig’s head pushed through the water, his hair pasted against his skull like a blond swim cap. Trickles ran down his grinning face. “Try it, Bella. I’ll catch you.”
    “She’s scared—,” I started to say, but Isabella took off running. When she reached the rope, she stopped and grabbed the end of it, slowly walking it back as far as she could. Clutching tight, she made a run for it, swinging herself out toward Craig.
    “Bells, don’t!” I yelled, but it was already too late. She was airborne.
    “Catch me!” she screamed, absolutely fearless, utterly delighted.
    Her legs kicked in the air as though she were pedaling an imaginary bike, and Craig lifted his arms for her. I held my breath, unsure whether to scream or laugh.
    I glanced back at Mama Peg and my father, who had both stopped rocking and watched, their faces lit as they shared her pleasure. Suddenly their grins died and dread filled me. When my father bolted up, I knew something was wrong. I spun around and saw neither Craig nor Isabella. A plea formed on my lips. “Dad?”
    As I stood frozen, my father tore past me. Before I pulled together the horror of what had happened, he dove in. When I saw Craig come up for air without my daughter, blood trickling from his nose, panic flooded me with adrenaline. I raced across the pier. As terrified as I was, I still had the clarity of thought to realize I stood a better chance of spotting her from land.
    Why hadn’t I stopped her? What was I thinking? As the ripples began to smooth on the surface, I nearly lost my mind.
    Both my father and Craig surfaced . . . again without my daughter.
    My heart stopped, and the only sound I could hear was my own labored and quick breaths. “Bella!” I scanned the water but saw only waves caused by Craig and my father flailing around searching for her.
    “Jesus. Oh, Jesus, help.” Mama Peg’s frantic prayers rent from her throat on a wail, echoing my soul’s plea. I didn’t turn to look for fear that if I turned away, I would miss her. If I turned away, I might never see her again.
    The lake, serene just moments ago, was suddenly ominous—dark and deep. Seconds felt like hours. My soul screamed, My baby is drowning! Everything seemed to happen in slow motion except, of course, the passing of time. Each second that flew by meant one more breath Isabella should have taken but hadn’t.
    With wide eyes, I moved my head back and forth looking for a shadow of her just under the surface, a few air bubbles . . . anything. If she were anywhere near the top, I’d be able to see a flash of her colorful suit, but I didn’t. I couldn’t just stand there dry and safe on the pier as my daughter’s lungs filled with water.
    Something brown moved across the water, making me think I had caught a glimpse of her hair, but it was just a twig. My nails dug into my palms as I stood, helpless, searching for her. Craig yelled something, but I couldn’t discern his words. Animal instinct took over and I dropped to my knees, screaming her name. What was I thinking, letting her . . . ?
    Irrational or not, I had to do something. I crawled to the edge of the pier and dove in. As fast as my arms would fly, I swam to the center of the lake and dove beneath the surface. The shock of the cold water only added to my panic. Though I kept my eyes open, I saw nothing but murky brown. Frantically, I combed the water