Tommy had been rubbing his arm for the entire ride home. "Will you leave it alone? You're making it hurt," his mother said, as they pulled into the driveway. As soon as the car was in park, she craned back to see what was under the bandage. All she saw was a light pink swelling, which was to be expected. "Don't be so so dramatic. Your baby sister got the same shots, and she's just fine."
Fifi smiled at the mention of the favoritism, and she kicked in her car seat in celebration. Her brother's grumpyface took her delight to the next level.
Roscoe was barking like crazy inside the house. Tommy grabbed the stickers while his mom unbuckled Fifi. "Remember, put those where the movers will see them, so they know what to pack! And don't use them all!"
Tommy opened the door, and Roscoe pounced, knocking him down and covering him with slobbery kisses. "Ready to go outside?" Tommy said, between laughs. He put one of the red stickers on Roscoe's nose; the dog stopped, perplexed. Tommy sat up to catch his breath, watching Roscoe's battle with the sticker.
Irene took the stickers out of Tommy's hand. "We've got too much to do! Did you want to take anything or not?" Tommy tried to take them back, but his mother was firm. "And you're helping your sister, too..." When she felt she'd won, she gave him one sheet of stickers. "I'll give you more if you need them. They're not toys."
As Tommy went upstairs, the phone rang. "Irene... I'm hearing stories, Irene..."
"They're probably true, Ray. I'm taking the job. I gotta go where the money is."
"You can't do that!"
"I can, and I have to. It's too good a deal to turn down. They have schools there for the kids, the health benefits are great, Tommy's best friend is already down there with his family - they're going to be fine."
"I'm gonna lawyer up!"
"They're also providing legal assistance. They've already made arrangements with the judge; you can't do a thing."
Irene cocooned glasses in bubble wrap, as she waited for Ray to recover. "Well, I guess you've thought of everything."
"They've thought of everything, Ray. They've taken care of everything. They really want me there. And you know I never wanted to leave Tampa. I never thought I'd get the chance again."
"That ain't Tampa. It's a swamp."
"Well, it's where the kids are going to call home now. So I'm going to hang up now. I gotta get us in the water, Ray. We're leaving most of the stuff here. Take what you want, sell the rest."
"Am I ever going to see them again?"
"Maybe when you get yourself together, Ray. Maybe, when you get yourself a job, you can come down."
"We know that's not going to happen."
"And there's nothing for me up here, Ray. There's not enough room."
Tommy was yelling from upstairs. "Mom!"
Irene hung up the phone and ran. Tommy was in the bathroom, filling up the tub. Fifi was on the floor, convulsing and gasping. Irene picked her up and placed her in the water, submerging Fifi's neck. Irene reached down and felt the gentle flutterings along her clavicle. "It's happening too fast."
Tommy was crying. Irene held his chin and looked him in the eyes. "Tommy, we're done packing. I'll call Aunt Colleen when we get there, and we'll give her a list. She can send it. Or maybe you can ask your dad. But we have to go." She glanced at his neck; his gills were starting to come in, as well.
Eight minutes later, they were in the car, and on the way to the coast. Fifi's car seat had been replaced with a beer cooler, filled to three-quarters with ice for the girl to slosh in. Tommy, now silent and determined, had his eyes on the road his mother was driving them down. In the passenger seat, the sum of their belongings rested within two waterproof duffel bags, emblazoned with the BP logo.
Irene, driving above the speed limit, was more agitated about the time it took to get a live person on the phone. "BP Tampa, human resources, this is-"
"Employee 586714, Irene Santiago, requesting early arrival at Research Campus 1!"
"Identified, Irene. Reason?"
"Medical! Premature programming development - my daughter! She's only 3!"
"Understood. Will you need emergency support?"
Irene turned a hard left, at the sign that read MARINA, 2 MILES AHEAD. "Yes!"
The response team was waiting at Bay 1. They confirmed that Fifi had acclimated ahead of schedule, but not abnormally so. Tommy had started feeling dizzy at the marina; once he put on the water helmet, he was fine. "The breathing part's easy," the EMT explained. "The pressure adjustment, however, isn't something we can compensate for with our equipment. I'm sorry if this is a rush, but it's for the best if you submerge now."
Irene nodded, and passed her bags to the ferry operator. She'd send the car home, contact her sister, and take care of all the things they were leaving behind later. After all, they were only things. Life was happening right now.
inspired by Discover Magazine article, "Fruit Flies' Genomes can change in Just Days"
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