Strangely Normal - By Tess Oliver Page 0,23

wonder exactly what the girl was getting ready for.

“Nope, that covers it,” Finley said tersely. She looked at Cole. “He’s full of shit. I think he came out to watch my new pal swim.” She winked at me.

Cole glanced in Jude’s direction and then looked back at Finley. “Nah, you’re wrong. I know my brother, and he’s out here to keep an eye on me.”

Finley and I had the same brow lifting reaction. “Huh?” Finley asked. “I think my theory is more plausible. I mean you look cute in your trunks, Coley, but Jude is just not that into you.”

“Your theory is better,” Cole said. “That’s why he’s out keeping an eye on me.”

Their rather cryptic conversation became clear to me after some thought. “You’re both totally wrong. Your brother has made it very obvious that he doesn’t like having me here.”

Cole looked down at me. “Really? What makes you thinks so?”

“I can just tell he doesn’t care for me.” I definitely didn’t want to bring up the conversation in the theater.

Cole looked over at Finley. “Isn’t that interesting?”

Finley nodded. “Why, yes it is.”

“If you two are going to continue talking in secret sibling code, I’m going to take a swim over to the deep end. I’ll send up a flare if I get lost out there.” I pushed off and swam toward the far end of the pool, which was a good distance away. Two laps in this pool would be a full workout. I was halfway across when I heard Finley call out for Some Pig. The sudden urgency in her voice made me turn back quickly.

“Where is he?” Finley cried. “Cole, find him, find him, please.” Cole pulled himself out of the pool just as I reached the small island. Finley was sucking in short gasps of air, and her face was white with worry. “I knew something would happen,” she cried. “Some Pig is gone and it’s all my fault.” I climbed up on the island and sat next to Finley. Her shoulders tensed up around her ears as she struggled to get a solid breath.

“I’m sure Some Pig is fine,” I said, but she didn’t hear a word. I felt completely helpless. I took hold of her hand, but she didn’t react to my touch. She was fading into her own panic-filled world. Water splashed over the island, and Jude’s head popped up from the water. Fully clothed, he pulled himself up onto the island and knelt behind his sister.

Gently he kneaded her shoulders and lowered his face near hers. “Breathe, Finley, breathe.” He looked at me. “I’ve got her. Go help find the pig. He likes the shade tree by the rose garden.”

I jumped into the water and swam quickly to the side. I hoisted myself up and ran toward the path. Cole joined me.

“He’s not under the tree. I already checked.” He motioned toward the house. “See if he went back to the house, and I’ll check out by the tennis courts.”

I raced back to the house and noticed immediately that the screen door was pushed open. Some Pig glanced up lazily from the rug in front of the television, completely unaware of the chaos he’d created. I turned to race back to the pool with the news. Some Pig got up and trotted after me. We jogged down the path side by side as if we were out running the track together. “You sure caused a stink, S.P. Let’s hurry back.” As soon as my foot hit the path leading to the pool area, I called out. “I’ve got him!”

I rounded the corner just as Jude was carrying Finley out of the pool. She looked sickly pale and her thin shoulders shook.

“I found him!” I called again.

Jude and Finley looked up. “Some Pig,” Finley cried as she spotted us. “Where were you?” Her voice was weak and shaky as if she’d just gone through something traumatic. And, I guess to her, it had been.

Jude lowered Finley’s feet to the ground, and Some Pig ran over to greet her as if in apology.

I pressed my hand to my chest to catch my breath. “He was curled up by the television.”

Cole came around the back of the pool house. “Oh good, you found him.”

“Cole, take Finley back to the house. She needs to get out of the sun,” Jude said.

Cole placed an arm around her shoulder and led Finley back toward the house. Her pig followed.

I collected our towels and shoes. Jude’s shadow loomed