Second Shot

And the place seemed to be heaving with small children, which had Ella pulled in all different directions at once and made me nervous. She was naturally gregarious and keeping her at Simone’s side became more and more difficult.

At various times during the day the Aquarium held demonstrations and events. Our arrival coincided with a training session at the sea lion enclosure just outside the rear door. The enclosure had glass walls onto the viewing gallery on two sides, and by the time we arrived people were already six deep at every available vantage point. Ella instantly slipped Simone’s hand and squirmed her way through the press of legs to the front of the crowd, where it was impossible to follow

“We need to keep tabs on her,” I warned.

Simone threw me an almost amused glance that clearly said I wasn’t used to dealing with small children, who couldn’t be kept tethered all the time. Then her eyes were on the first of the sea lions, which had waddled out onto the artificial rocks like a fat man with his trousers round his ankles.

“She’ll be fine, Charlie,” Simone said, distracted. “Don’t worry”

“Yeah, right, ‘cause that’s just my job,” I muttered under my breath.

Just before the trainers appeared, what I took to be a generator plant just behind us cranked up, making the commentary all but impossible to hear from our position. The sea lions slipped off dry land and became instantly graceful, twisting and diving smoothly through the murky water of the enclosure. I caught a glimpse of Ella, pressed up against the glass wall, entranced.

The trainers came bouncing out, complete with audience volunteers. The sea lions bounded out of the water onto the wooden dock in one corner of the enclosure and did some messing around with paintbrushes in their mouths, which-if the snatch of commentary I managed to decipher was correct-was apparently just an extrapolation of natural sea lion behavior in the wild. I mean, who hasn’t seen a sea lion doing a little wa-tercolor number out there on the rocks?

I ducked and peered between the people in front of me, checking on Ella. A few moments before, she’d been right there, jiggling with excitement against the glass. Now she was gone.

Uncaring of the glares from the adults, I shouldered my way through, but she definitely wasn’t there.

“Simone,” I said over my shoulder. “Stay there while I find Ella.” The noise level was such that I don’t know if she heard me.

I plunged farther down the sloping walkway, madly looking for Ella and cursing under my breath at Simone’s too laid-back attitude to parenting.

“Sorry, sorry,” I said as I muscled my way in, scanning the rows of tiny bobble hats in front of me. “I’m looking for a child.”

One harassed father looked over at me, laconic. “See anything you like?”

Any other time, I would have laughed. Now I didn’t have time for a second glance as I worked my way farther down.

And then, just when I’d begun to panic, I spotted her.

“Ella!” I called sharply. “Come here!”

She gave me a look that, regardless of her age, clearly said, Get real! and squirreled her way deeper into the crush as the sea lions dived back into the tank to a spattering of applause.

I glanced back behind me. A moment ago Simone had been standing by the double doors leading back into the Aquarium proper, apparently enthralled by the show.

Now she was gone, too.

Oh shit

I hesitated just for a second, then went after Ella. The walkways were packed now, to the point where several people had hoisted their kids onto the fence surrounding the enclosure. I was a clear front-runner in the Miss Popular contest as I shoved my way through.

At last, I managed to snag Ella’s sleeve before she could escape again and had her pinned. She squealed in mock outrage, giggling at the same time. Thoroughly embarrassed by the glares I was getting from just about everybody, I scooped her up into my arms. She kicked at me briefly, still laughing.

“Ella, it’s not funny,” I said as I hurried against the crush of bodies back towards where I’d last seen Simone.

“‘Tis,” Ella said, still sniggering.

“No, it isn’t,” I said, frustration putting a bit of snap into my voice. “What if your mummy’s lost? What will you do then?”

I reached the top of the ramp. To my left was a small deck area that looked out over a low fence to the harbor. It had the look of an exit about it, even though it wasn’t signed. I made a fast decision and darted down the short flight of steps, past a row of vending machines and the backs of the fence round the sea lion enclosure. I could see the backs of the kids sitting precariously on the fence and hear the muffled commentary.

I knew there was no logical reason for Simone to have come this way and I almost turned back. Surely she wouldn’t willingly leave her child behind, unless there was something amiss. I hefted Ella onto my hip and started to run.