Make a Splash

Kenneth and the others joined Jenneth and Samantha. He sat down the lounge chair beside Samantha's, and Ryan went to the one next to Kenneth's. Darlene went to Samantha and sat beside her.

"You're going to a honeymoon, Jhing?" Kenneth asked her.

Samantha is the one who explained. "Dr. de Villa is always being asked to sponsor those who get married in TGH. And when he does, he always gifts them free accommodation here in his rest house. For their honeymoon."

"Oh... So Jhing, this is also where you'll spend your honeymoon?" Kenneth asked. "Ryan is so lucky. He doesn't need to spend for your honeymoon."

Ryan scowled, making Kenneth and Samantha laugh. Jenneth just changed the subject.

"Lene, do you want to swim?" she asked to the kid in pink rash guard.

"Yes, I do!" She turned to her father. "Dad, let's go swim."

"I'll go with you," Jenneth told her.

"Yey! Dad?" Darlene looked at Kenneth, asking his permission.

"Okay, then. But don't go too deep, okay?" Kenneth said.

"I won't."

Darlene immediately went to the water. Jenneth stood up and is about to follow her. But Samantha stopped her by saying, "Hey! Are you swimming with your cover up?"

Jenneth looked at her.

"Aren't you supposed to take it off?" Samantha asked again.

Jenneth caught sight of Ryan, who immediately looked away when their eyes met.

"Come on. So that you can wear it again when you get cold," Samantha added.

Jenneth knows that concern is not the only reason why Samantha said that. She once again regrets that she only bought swimsuits with her instead of rash guards. Oh well, what else can she do? She took off the cover up dress and put it in the lounge chair. Then she went to the water and followed Darlene.

The pool's deepest part is only four feet deep. Darlene is also four feet height, so she could not swim to that part. Jenneth took a lifebuoy and helped Darlene ride onto it.

"Do you know how to swim, Aunty?" Darlene asked.

"A little."

"My dad is a very good swimmer. Also, Uncle Ryan."

Jenneth smiled. "Yes, I remember."

"When we go to the beach, they always take me to the deep part. Then Mom would get mad at them. She'll go to us, then she'll get me, and she'll get mad at Daddy and Uncle."

Darlene is smiling while she tells that story, like it was a very beautiful memory she just shared. But Jenneth could not help but feel sad.

"Maybe if Mom is still alive, she'll like it here. She likes going to beaches and swimming pools like this."

Jenneth touched Darlene's head and smiled.

"I'm sure she's happy to see you right now," Jenneth just said.

"Thank you, Aunty."

Jenneth smiled. "Lene... what if you have a new mom?" she then asked.

"It's okay. As long as she is nice and she loves Daddy and me. So that Daddy can be happy as well."

Jenneth was touched. She suddenly felt guilty that she refused to help Ryan. But, what could she do? Samantha is already in a relationship.

"Is your dad dating anyone?"

Darlene shook her head. "No. He's always working. This is the first time that we went out on a trip after Mom left us."

Jenneth felt more pity for Darlene.

"If you want, we can go out sometimes," she said to somehow lessen the sadness that the kid is feeling. Also, to lessen the sadness she's feeling for her.

"Sure!"

Darlene's enthusiasm is back again. Jenneth is glad that she was able to make her feel better.

"How about you, Aunty? Where is your mom and dad?"

"My father, he has another family. He met my mother in the hospital where they used to work. Both of them are nurses. He died two years ago. Then, my mother died just last month."

"You don't have any brother or sister?"

Jenneth shook her heard. "But I have a cousin. She's like a sister to me, and she's also an only child. She lived with us when her parents died. Mama was the one who took her in and sent her to school. She's now a model, you know. As in, supermodel, international."

"Really?" Darlene was really amazed.

"Yes. Don't worry. When she gets home, I will let you meet her. She also loves kids. And, she's very beautiful. Really. And very sexy."

That's when Ryan came to join them. The shirt he was wearing a while ago is now left in the lounge chair with Kenneth and Samantha, so Jenneth was able to examine his physique. He's not totally buff, but he's also not that bad. He's perfectly built for a corporate guy who visit the gym once in a while when his schedule allows.

"Can I join you?" he asked when he's near them.

"Of course, Uncle," Darlene said.

He then looked at Jenneth, as if asking her permission. She just nodded.

"Uncle, Aunty Jhing told me that she will introduce me to her cousin who is a supermodel," Darlene told him.

"Oh?" Ryan looked at Jenneth.

"Sharon," Jenneth said.

"Really? Sharon became a model?"

Jenneth nodded. "You don't know?"

"How would I know? We don't even talk to each other, remember?"

Jenneth didn't reply. The way he said it, it's like he's accusing her or something. Which Ryan realized after.

"Sorry! I mean–"

"It's okay," Jenneth told him. "It's true.... But what I meant is, I thought you know Sharon. I just thought maybe you saw her in magazines."

"What does she model?"

"Underwear."

Jenneth looked at Ryan, realizing what she said could have meant. And it was totally what Ryan thought.

"Really?" he asked, seemingly offended. "It's not only underwear ads that I look into magazines or billboards."

"I mean... that's the longest she modeled..." Jenneth suddenly felt guilty. Of all the things she could say, she chose to mention that thing. "But she had modeled a lot of brands... clothing, cars, those stuff... Lately she's been in a lot of ads."

Ryan just kept staring at her. Jenneth avoided his gaze.

"What's your cousin's name again?" Ryan asked.

"Sharon Cruz…"

Ryan fell silent. Jenneth looked at him.

"Sharon Cruz is your cousin..."

Jenneth nodded.

"The brand ambassador of Triumph?"

So Ryan knows about Sharon's gig with the lingerie brand? Jenneth's eyebrows raised as if accusing Ryan of being a hypocrite, pretending to get offended while knowing all the while that Sharon is the lingerie brand's model.

Which Ryan finally realized. He immediately explained on how he reacted.

"I mean... well... isn't she the endorser of Q5? Which happened to be the brand of my car, remember? I once saw her in a magazine... then..."

Jenneth did not reply. She just kept staring at him with that eyebrow of her still raised.

"What is Triumph?" Darlene suddenly asked.

The two of them looked at the kid. Ryan seems like he's trying really hard to answer Darlene's question in a way that will be wholesome for a young person like her, but he looks like he's at a loss of words. He looked at Jenneth, but the latter just shrugged. Let him explain everything to his goddaughter.

But it didn't matter, though. For suddenly, a splash of pool water washed over the three of them. It was Samantha and Kenneth, who just dove into the pool to join the three.

"What the!" Ryan cried out. "So inappropriately playful!"

Kenneth just laughed at what his best friend said. Meanwhile, Samantha was coughing like she had drank some pool water when they dove.

"Are you okay?" Kenneth asked Samantha.

Samantha splashed water towards Kenneth. "You even asked."

"I'm sorry..." Kenneth said.

Samantha splattered water onto him.

"Are you still kids?" Ryan quipped.

Kenneth then splattered pool water onto Ryan.

"Stop it!" Ryan shouted.

Jenneth laughed upon seeing Ryan's reaction. That made Kenneth continue splashing water to him. Even Samantha and Darlene joined in and copied what Kenneth is doing.

"Jhing! Join us!" Samantha said.

Jenneth smiled. She gave in to Samantha's invitation and joined the fun.

"Oh! So you're all ganging up on me, huh?" Ryan asked.

Ryan moved back a little and started splashing water onto the four. Until the Ryan-against-everyone became a free for all. Each of them are not splashing onto someone in particular. They just played like that in the water until they got tired not only of playing, but also of laughing.

Jenneth enjoyed every minute of it. Yes, they might have looked like kids, but don't they always say? Sometimes, it's not bad to go back to being children again.