A Gentle First Wiggle
Everything was quiet around the cool blue water. I blinked and gave my green hat a tiny tilt. My toes wiggled against the smooth stone edge of the patio. Right nearby, a little stuffed canine sat quietly beside the pool. I reached out a soft brown paw and gave its furry ear a gentle pat to see if it was awake too. It stayed still, but the warmth in my tummy told me I was really here.