Pulling the lift over, Wendy hooked it up and pressed the controller and gave a groan when the motor didn’t turn on to lift the craft up off the rack. Grabbing the chain, Wendy started pulling and just as she’d feared, the grinding of the chain woke Ryan up.
Pausing, Wendy glanced over to see Sally run over to Ryan and lay down with him on the blanket. With Ryan tended to, Wendy continued until the craft was up. Moving over to the craft, Wendy pushed and guided the lift over to the closed bay door.
A ramp was in front of the door with several V grooves formed along the ramp to guide the jet skis out to the water. When the door was opened the ramp was hand-cranked, extending it to the water. Wendy was just happy she had watched the workers because they’d all spoken Filipino, so she couldn’t ask them.
Seeing Wendy struggling to move the jet ski, Jo Ann ran over and tried to help. It took some serious effort, but they managed to get the craft over the ramp. “See that groove?” Wendy asked, panting hard.
Jo Ann looked at the ramp and then at the bottom of the craft and realized the bottom of the jet ski would fit in the groove. “It needs to come more to the right,” Jo Ann told her.
“When I lower the jet ski, you pull and guide it and it will set down into it,” Wendy panted, wiping sweat off her face.
As Wendy started to lower the craft, Ryan cried out as the chain woke him up again. “Sorry, Ryan,” Wendy called out but didn’t stop. When the jet ski slipped into the groove, Wendy wanted to cheer but she was exhausted. “Should’ve started this sooner,” she mumbled, trying to catch her breath.
Walking over to the counter, Wendy saw the key box on the wall was closed and locked. “This is starting to piss me off,” Wendy moaned, looking through the desk and finding several keys, but none fit. Giving up, Wendy walked over to a toolbox and dug around until she came up with a crowbar.
“Here’s a key,” she grinned and then grabbed a hammer. Luckily for Ryan, Wendy didn’t need the hammer as she popped the box open. Glancing at the jet ski and making sure she had the right number, Wendy grabbed the key with the number eight. Feeling exhausted, Wendy stuck the key in and turned it on. Seeing the gas tank was full, Wendy gave the key another turn, and the engine fired right up.
Quickly turning the motor off, Wendy left the key in the ignition and headed back to the desk. Grabbing the keys she’d found, Wendy moved back to a walk-in cage that held wetsuits and scuba gear. Finding a key that unlocked the cage, Wendy gave a silent thank you as she opened the door.
Already knowing her size but knowing she was smaller now, Wendy grabbed the size below it and moved around to a rack that held kid sizes. Grabbing one, Wendy turned to call for Jo Ann but found Jo Ann behind her. “Let’s see if this fits,” Wendy said, holding it up to Jo Ann.
“I thought we were riding. Why are we getting diving suits?” Jo Ann asked as Wendy pulled another one out and held it against Jo Ann’s body.
“We will be riding over ten miles and this will keep us from getting cold,” Wendy said satisfied. “Try this one on.”
Kicking her shoes off, Jo Ann stripped down as Wendy moved over and grabbed diving shoes in the girls’ size. Moving back over, Wendy helped Jo Ann pull on the neoprene suit and zipped up the back. “Very nice,” Wendy nodded and then bent down, putting the shoes on Jo Ann and zipped them up.
“How do the shoes feel?” Wendy asked.
“Flat,” Jo Ann answered.
Laughing, Wendy moved over and grabbed a suit in the same size for Sally. “They weren’t meant to run in, so that’s okay,” Wendy said.
Jo Ann looked down at the black and blue suit and then at her bare arms. The suit was armless.
Coming over with diving gloves, Wendy tried several pairs until she found a size for Jo Ann. When Wendy went to get a second pair, it hit her how easy it was fitting the girls. She only needed one of them.
Grabbing a duffel bag, Wendy loaded it with their stuff and walked over to find Sally keeping Ryan entertained. “Let’s eat,” Wendy said, still breathing hard but not gasping.
Jo Ann picked up her clothes off the floor and picked the spear gun up off the counter. Wendy had taught them how to use it and had even let them shoot it at pillows, but the weapon sent shivers down Jo Ann’s spine just looking at it. After Wendy had Ryan in the baby pack, Jo Ann held up the spear gun like it was about to jump out of her hands and kill them all.
Giving Jo Ann a wry smile, Wendy took the spear gun. “Don’t be afraid,” Wendy said.
“I’m trying,” Jo Ann said, putting her backpack on. Jo Ann stepped over and helped Sally lift the duffel bag with Sally’s and Wendy’s boots, suits, and gloves.
When they reached the kitchen, Wendy wasn’t in the mood to cook much more than soup. Finding cans of tomato soup, Wendy carried them over to the stove and grinned, seeing Sally and Jo Ann already starting on the grilled cheese. “If I would’ve known how easy it was to make grilled cheese, I would’ve made them at home,” Sally said, spreading butter on slices of bread.
“We got in trouble boiling eggs for Easter,” Jo Ann smirked. The first time Wendy had cooked, the twins had looked at
