Back home four months later
“There were dozens of calls,” the reporter said, as I finished my story. He chuckled. “Complaints to the Department of Natural Resources about ‘the kid in the tree’ disturbing the eagles.” He sat back. “Did you know that?”
“I heard.” I took a big drink of my lemonade. Telling the story—just remembering it all—made me thirsty.
“Thank goodness for those nature lovers.” Dad grinned from the loveseat next to me. “I’d never even heard of eagle cams before this. Who knew?”
“Well, thank goodness for the eagles,” Mom said, placing a plate of cookies on the coffee table. “And for DNR for putting it up.”
Dad reached to take her hand. She still got upset when I talked about it.
“I’m actually glad the whale attack rumors weren’t true,” the reporter said, earning a glare from Mom.
“Getting attacked by a whale wasn’t the story here,” he continued. “The real story is how you managed to not panic, save yourself, and save Marina, too!”
“We saved each other.” I grabbed a cookie, still warm from the oven, and bit into it. The peanut butter center was gooey, my favorite. “I wouldn’t have made it without Marina.”
The reporter scratched his head with a pencil. “One thing I don’t understand,” he said. “You kept referring to yourself as overweight. You’re obviously not.”
“That was sixth grade. I’m back on the gymnastics team now. Coach says I ‘got back on the horse.’ He means the pommel horse. He thinks he’s funny.”
“And what about Marina? How was her wrist?”
“Oh, yeah. Broken. But she’s better now. We video chat once a week. She’s going to come to Ohio with her dad for a visit. We’re both going to be marine biologists.”
The grownups exchanged glances as if I weren’t in the room. I knew they thought I sounded like a kid. But how could they understand I was serious? Having a seal look you in the eyes changes you.
“Wow, sounds like you have everything figured out,” said the reporter.
“Dude,” Stacey said as she stuck her head into the room. “Dishwasher needs to be unloaded and it’s your turn. I am not doing it.”
I turned back to the reporter. “I haven’t got everything figured out. Who can understand big sisters?”