Andie and Sue ran back to their umbrellas; Andie threw on her T-shirt and Sue her beach wrap. They were uncomfortable in their bathing suits, and couldn’t figure out why they wore suits so big (and not two pieces. The boys meanwhile tightened their bathing trunks …whether or not they noticed they were looser, they didn’t say.
Soon the girls rejoined Kellie and the boys and began their search for Jake.
“So what’s your name?” Bobby asked. “And who are we looking for?”
“I’m Kellie,” she replied. “I was with a boy named Jake but he ran off. He’s littler than me so I don’t wan’im to get hurt.”
“Well I’m Bobby. That’s my friend Jimmy, the blonde girl is Sue and the brunette is my girlfriend Andie.”
14-year-old Andie swooned silently – he said GIRLFRIEND! – while Sue asked Kellie “How old are you?”
“I’m 10, I’m in fourth grade.”
“And how old is your friend?”
“He’s little,” Kellie said. “He’s like 5 or 6. I don’t wan’im to get lost, I dunno if he can read yet.”
“Well, we’ll find him,” Bobby said.
“What grade are you guys in?” Kellie asked. “You’re too big to go ta my school.”
“I’m going into tenth grade, I’m 15,” Bobby said. “Jimmy an’ Sue are 14.”
“And it’s almost Andie’s birthday,” Sue said. “She’s gonna be the big 1-3!”
Over at the other blankets, 25-year-old Katie was having fun with 6 young ladies her own age. They were having fun gabbing and drinking margaritas. The conversation was starting to become more adventurous and salacious as time went on.
“I don’t know why you are wearing that big old bathing suit Mary Elyse,” said Claudia, the skinny, flirty blonde. “It covers you like a blanket, but you have the nicest boobs! You should show them off!”
“Yeah, to who?” Mary Elyse asked as she brushed her long, wavy, red hair behind her back. “Those teenage guys over there? Should I be a cradle robber?”
“Claudia should hit on them, she barely has any boobs anyway,” laughed Tricia, the busty brunette.
“Oh haha, at least I won’t need back surgery when I’m 30 like you,” Claudia retorted. “Look at those things!”
“Yeah, I was a B-cup in 8th grade but I was a full-on D by senior year,” Tricia said.
“God I didn’t even get my boobs until 8th grade,” Claudia said. “I hate being so little.”
“I love my boobs,” said Nancy, one of the other girls.
“Can we just talk about something else besides tits?” Mary Elyse asked, clearly uncomfortable.
“You guys are a hoot,” said Katie. As she turned 26, she didn’t notice that vague, 9-year-old stretch-mark scars slowly appeared in her otherwise flawless stomach, nor did the 23-year-old women she was with notice either.
Meanwhile, 9-year-old Kellie and her new friends were having no luck finding little Jakey. She knew her mom was going to kill her; Katie had trusted her with the responsibility of watching him. She started to tear up.
“Hey Kellie, don’t cry, we’ll find him,” 13-year-old Jimmy said, his voice cracking as he spoke.
“Hey, look over there!” shouted 12-year-old Susie. “Didn’t you say he had a white tank top?”
“Yeah!” Kellie shouted. The kids ran over to the tank, which was near some bushes. “Jakey, are you in there? Come on out !”
“No!” came the high-pitched reply. “You a meanie!”
“Hey buddy,” Jimmy tried. “My name is Jimmy. Do you like games?”
“Uh huh,” came the reply.
“Well, do you wanna come out and play a game with us? Kellie is really sorry, she’ll be nice to you. I have Angry Birds on my Kindle.”
Slowly, the naked 3-year-old toddled out of the bushes. “Want to play game,” he said.
“Oh Jakey!” Kellie cried. The 9-year-old grabbed the small boy and gave him a big hug.
“Jimmy is a hero! Good job!” said Andie.
“Haha, Andie liiii-iiikes Jimmy!” Susie taunted jokingly.
“Do not!” the 10-year-old shouted. “He’s my friend’s all!”
Jimmy picked up the toddler and said “C’mon guys, let’s go back to Kellie’s mom.”
And so the kids – a 2-year-old, 9-year-old, 10-year-old, 2 11-year-olds and a 12-year-old - started the journey across the beach back to 26-year-old Katie and her 22 year-old friends.
And few minutes later, 9-year-old Kellie did make it back to her 26-year-old mother and her 21-year-old friends, with 9-year-old Andie, 10-year-old Jimmy and Susie and 11-year-old Bobby carrying baby Jake.
“Mom, can you take the baby?” Kellie asked. “He’s too fussy.”
“I’ll take him,” Katie replied taking the baby from young Jimmy (who couldn’t take his eyes off the statuesque woman’s pendulous breasts).
And the ring continued to glow, even brighter than before.