"Ain't anymore dangerous than drownin' yerself in the perfume stuff ya wear," Dan said, starting to lose his patience. She was being stubborn again!!
Bess cast a wary glance in the direction of the water rippling below, trying to ignore the sea of faces watching her with anxious expressions. My, but it looked like a long way down?
"C'mon, Bess," Nan encouraged, "You can do it."
"Don't ya trust me?" Dan asked, an innocent smile spreading across his face.
Emil rolled his eyes, grumbling loudly. "Chicken!" he taunted.
"First jump is always the hardest," Nat offered, trying to help ease Bess' fears. "But once you do it, the rest will be easy. Take your time, though," he added, not wanting to pressure her. He remembered being in the same situation a little more than a year before.
"Get off 'er, Emil," Dan growled, referring back to the other boy's snide remark from a moment ago.
"Hush, Dan, Emil," Jo chided from the bank, brushing a few breadcrumbs from the folds of her dark skirt. "You're not making things any easier for her."
"Is it cold?" Bess queried hesitantly, catching her bottom lip.
"Just jump!" Emil snapped. Girls were such wimps! Especially Bess, as pretty as he thought she was.
"Knock it off, Emil," Nick said calmly.
Laughing softly, Nan cupped her hands and sent a large splash in Nat's direction, before calling, "Hurry up, Bess! Yer missin' all the fun."
"Maybe I should wait?" Bess paled, tightening her grip around the bridge rail.
"No better time than the present, Princess!" Emil chortled.
Obviously uncomfortable, Bess shifted, rubbing her palm nervously against the bodice of her dark colored dress. Why wouldn't Emil just shut his big mouth and leave her alone?
"Pretty Bess doesn't want to get her dress dirty," Tommy commented, his wet, curly hair sticking out every which way.
"Quiet, Tommy," Jo warned, giving the younger boy a look of slight reproof. "You wouldn't want Bess making fun of you, would you?"
Reddening, Tommy shook his head. "No, Mrs. Jo. I guess not."
"Say, Bess, we're not gettin' any younger down here," Dan teased, knowing how it bugged the girl-and how it often pushed her just enough to do things, even if she didn't want to.
"Take your time, Bess," Jo called to her niece.
Unable to keep from smiling, Nick crossed his arms. "Ya want me ta catch ya?" he suggested, shading his eyes to look up at the blond girl standing, quite fearfully, on the edge of the bridge. "Pick a spot an' jump."
"Very funny, Nick!" Emil snickered. "She'll prob'ly turn ya to a pancake, if not drown ya."
"What about right here?" Bess questioned, liking his idea and paying no mind to Emil's taunting.
"X marks the spot," Nick agreed, moving to the place she had requested.
"You can do it, Bess!" Nat cheered, sending her an encouraging smile.
"Z-z-z?" Bess glanced up, hearing a buzz in her ear. A bee! It was a bee! Letting out a startled shriek, she shied away, jumping off without hesitation. Completely missing Nick, she landed in the water below with a loud splash.