“Look, Mama! The water’s so clear!” Jolyne’s high-pitched, excited voice cut through the steady hum of the boat’s motor. She leaned far over the railing, her small hands gripping the cool metal as the sea breeze tugged at her vibrantly dyed braids and bangs. The ocean’s turquoise surface shimmered under the sunlight, and beneath it, schools of fish darted around lazily. Jolyne’s wide green eyes sparkled with wonder, her gaze fixed on a hammerhead shark gliding just below the boat. “Look! It’s the funny-looking shark Papa told me about!” she squealed, pointing with a dramatic flourish as though she had discovered a hidden treasure.

You felt your stomach flip as you realized just how far over the railing she had leaned. “Jolyne, careful!” you called, your voice sharp with alarm. In two quick strides, you were at her side, grabbing her small frame firmly by the waist and pulling her back to safety. “You’re going to give me a heart attack,” you muttered, holding her securely as she wriggled in protest.

“But Mama!” she whined, her brows furrowing. “I was just looking! You saw it, right? The hammerhead! Papa said they’re super cool because their eyes are on the sides of their heads!” She turned to you, her toothy grin back in full force, completely unbothered by the scare she had just given you.

You couldn’t help but laugh softly despite yourself. “Yes, I saw it,” you said, brushing a stray strand of her hair out of her face. “But no more leaning over the edge, okay? You’ll end up swimming with the sharks instead of just looking at them.”

Jolyne’s green eyes lit up mischievously. “Papa would save me if I fell in,” she declared confidently, crossing her arms and nodding like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “He’s super strong. He could totally wrestle a shark if he had to!”