It had only taken the words ‘let’s make Mom happy’ for the girls to fully jump on board. Alexandra remembered a blanket tucked in the emergency box. And Raven came up with the idea to hide the chair behind them. The girls were also quick to correct Beau on anything they thought he wasn’t doing correctly for the set up.
“Dad, no the blanket should be here.”
“The pillow is lumpy, so it should go this way.”
“There’s ants, let's get the ziplock to put the snacks in before they go into the cup holder.”
“We should get the poncho!”
He had to chuckle at the last suggestion. The bleachers were always wet but they were set far enough back that the reason was more all the swim lessons each day rather than the splashing. In fact the bleachers were behind a thick yellow line that went around the pool. The designated safe areas for parents. Sure you still had wet spots but it was outside the splash zone and you could still get good shots of your kids, if you wanted.
"I don't think we will need the poncho kids. I'll go get Mom though."
“Mom will love this.” Beau heard Alexandra say before heading off to get his wonderful wife. Sure, August didn’t want to stand out too much most of the time, but he had slowly learned over time she loved experiences. Which also meant being comfortable enough to enjoy the experience of seeing the girls first hand practicing and seeing their improved dives and swim times. He made sure to carefully escort August over, get her properly settled, and set down the girls' things where he planned to sit later. Knowing August, she’d probably talk someone’s ear off about the girls while he got to avoid talking to people. Which is why he did try to put her next to the nicely put together woman in the red and white dress.
Beau didn’t want to necessarily leave August alone. But the girls loved it when he got good pictures for the grandparents. It would only be a few minutes, and August seemed happy enough. Well, until she got up.He heard the loud clang and worried that she had slipped. But when Beau looked up he realized they had put her chair too close to the bleachers. Well, that was fine she was motioning she was fine and heading to the restroom. Probably all the water sounds or something. It was fine.
As he took a few more pictures, Beau didn’t even notice the woman in the barber pole dress starting to walk over. He didn’t notice anything until the woman was right next to him looking at his screen. “Who are you taking pictures of?”
He knew that tone, it was the ‘creep’ tone. He turned to the woman… what was her name? Cindy? “Oh hey, just taking pics of my girls. Grandparents love them.”
“And are you taking pictures of anyone else’s girls?”
Beau’s eyebrows slowly rose. Please let this woman not be claiming what he thought she was claiming. “Well no, but if you want me to help take pictures I could see what I can do. Maybe text them to you after or something.”
“Hardly… yours are the special needs girls, yes? Maybe you should be watching them closer before they have a fit and drown or something.”
Beau wasn’t sure what to say. He wanted to yell at this woman but that was a bad idea. Should he ignore her? Say something? Before his brain could hold onto an action Coach Millie came over. “I’m sorry is there a problem here Mindy?”
Ah Mindy that was it. At least that was sorted.
“Oh several. For starters, why is this man allowed to take pictures of our girls?”
Millie seemed to be fighting rolling her eyes. “For starters his daughters are on the same team as your Janet. And he is in an approved area for taking pictures of the kids. You could be over here taking pictures too.”
“Right, I'm almost always over here.” Beau shifted uncomfortably.
“Oh really? I assumed he was getting special treatment like his girls and wife are. For the ‘favors’ he does for you.”
Beau had completely lost where this conversation was going now. “You… mean when I send pics to the coach for the social media stuff?”
“I mean more like when you help her with… tacos.” Mindy was eyeing one of the girls coming out of the water.
“After all why else would your wife be allowed a set up like the one over there?”
Millie looked beat red, and Beau hadn’t caught up yet. “Alright Mindy that is enough. You are not harassing ANOTHER father who comes with his kids just because you send the nanny with your kid and don’t know who is normally here.”
Despite the stress of the situation, Beau was a bit glad he had a reason not to remember this woman. But it just came to him what Mindy was trying to say before. “Are you trying to say I’m cheating on my wife?!”
“Well what sort of self respecting man would be here in the middle of the afternoon instead of at a real job hmm? And how else would my darling Janet not be in the best positions?”
“My girls earned their positions like everyone else. And I set up the chair because my wife has an old injury.” He felt his grip tighten around the phone.
Mindy scoffed. “Please, she’s just fat, not hurt. And even with that hair she’s obviously too young to be having any physical problems. Maybe lay off the chocolates and she’ll move around better.”
“Why you-”
Millie got between them. “Get back to the benches. Now. Before I ban you from being in the approved parent areas.”
Mindy scowled a bit as she walked back. The anger instantly left Beau, and now he was just feeling shaken. “I’m sorry I-”
“Don’t apologize. You and the girls were trying to be sweet. I’m just glad August was feeling good enough to come on her afternoon off. You go back to the other area for today ok? Maybe ask Sarah to take some pictures for us on your way back.”
“Sure thing.” Beau started walking back, seeing the parents looking at him and some whispering. They all knew him but he was sure they had to be saying things about him. Why would anyone think he was cheating on his wife? Did he act flirty and not realize it? Figured that Beau would do that with anyone BUT his beloved wife. He just wanted to be polite and try to be social. He’d need to talk to August about it later, when the girls were doing homework or something.
“Hey Sarah, can you take the pictures?”
“Lemme guess, Mindy the paranoid strikes again.” Sarah got up, getting out her phone. “Yeah I got this. Just be careful she can be a vindictive-” A large splash was heard. “...Bitch” Sarah was staring past Beau and at the water. Thankfully it was in the lanes that the kids weren’t practicing in but slowly sinking into the blue pool was the chair, blanket, and everything else.”
Janet at least had the sense to be embarrassed. “MOM! What the heck?!”
Mindy shouted over it. “Serves them right!”
Millie was hurrying over. As Beau looked towards Millie, he saw August coming out and just staring at the chair in the water. The girls were screaming and panicking about the chair and everything else, people were shouting. There was so much noise and so many things to pay attention to. He couldn’t move, he couldn't think. Beau just wanted to scream himself when he felt a squeeze.
Beau looked and saw his beloved, sweet, and gentle wife using her free arm to squeeze his arm tightly. Her eyes glistened a bit as she seemed to put on a brave smile. “I’m sorry babe… your wonderful surprise…”
This was enough to snap him back. “You sit here, I'll get everything sorted ok?”
Aug nodded a little as Sarah helped her onto the bleachers. He went over and grabbed a net from the lifeguard to help grab things. Raven was diving down to pull up the blanket while Alexandra and another girl were pulling up the chair.
“Be careful girls. If it’s heavy just wait on it.”
“It’s not too bad, mister.”
In the background, he could hear the coach and the lifeguards threatening to call the cops if Mindy didn’t leave. When Raven came up with the blanket, she was trying not to cry. “Our surprise for mom…”
“It… it’s ok sweetie. We can do another one another time.”
Beau hoped they could at least. For now all he could do was get the sopping blanket and pillow out of the water and try to wring them out so the car wouldn’t get too soaked later. He glanced back just in time to see Sarah comforting August.
Poor thing. She was so gentle. She probably forgot how awful people could be. And it was all his fault.
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