“One… two…. three… four…” counted Rory.
“What are you counting?” his mother asked.
“Five… aw, dang, Mom! You messed me up,” he said. “I was counting the waves. Oliver said that the seventh wave is always the biggest.”
“I never heard that, but, okay, I’ll help you count,” she replied.
She stared at the sea and the waves licking the shore. “How do you know which one is one?” she asked.
Rory explained, “I wait for a big wave, then I start counting.”
“There!” his mother shouted. At the next wave, Rory called, “One!”
“Two… three… four,” they counted together.
“Wait,” said Rory, “that was another big one.”
“The biggest?” Mom asked.
His shoulders slumped. “I don’t know. Let’s try again.”
They watched and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
“They’re all small now,” Rory whined.
His mother nodded understandingly.
“There’s a big one!” his mother said, then Rory counted, “One!”
“Two… three… four… five… six… seven… eight… nine,” they both counted.
Rory looked at his mother. “It’s not seven,” he said.
“Where did you hear this again?” his mother asked.
“Oliver,” he replied. “His uncle told him. He’s a surfer so he knows.”
“Hmm,” his mother said. “Let’s try once more.”
After the next big wave, they both counted “One!”
Then together, “Two… three… four… five… six… SEVEN!”
Oliver jumped up and down. “It’s true! It’s true! Every seventh wave is a big wave!”
His mother questioned, “EVERY seventh wave?”
“Yes! Yes! You saw it, right?” Oliver said.
This is my response to the Unicorn Challenge which calls for a 250 word response to the photo prompt.
I’ve been listening to this Skipinnish song on repeat for a while. It’s so hopeful. The name of the album is “The Seventh Wave” and the song references in its lyrics “the seventh wave” so, of course, I looked it up.
Basically it’s not true.
Except when it is.
Go figure.
If this story is fiction but sort of science-y, does that make it science fiction?
Hot Dogs and Marmalade 
A most tender moment captured in this post. A lovely innocence preserved here. Adore it. Thanks.
Hehe! Probably not science fiction but a good story nonetheless! Sweet that you were able to pen such a lovely bonding experience…
I adore this …. Those little moments, how memories are formed and stories believed …. 💞
Moments on the beach with our kids. Priceless, Sally.
What a great mum!
I love your stories when you show mother/child interaction, they should be given out at ante-natal classes. 😉
(PS I love your other stories too!)
And good music. I didn’t know this band.
It would be comforting to believe the ocean was so predictable. Ocean waves are scary. I like the dynamics between the mother and son in this story.
just grabbed our (virtual) hands and, with a not-quite-outloud, come, I want to show you something, we Readers have been gifted.
nicely done
Great piece of whimsy, Sally, and terrific relatable dialogue.
‘He’s a surfer so he knows.’ Classic.
I enjoy Skipinnish, and their offshoot, Tide Lines.
The things people say and believe!
Sounds like a fun day of adventure together! 💞