Twin Tales by Jacqueline Wilson Read Free Book Online

sure.
    â€˜You like the little pool,’ said Mum.
    Connie wasn’t even sure about that any more. And besides, she had a sneaking suspicion that once they were at the baths Dad would try to get her into the big pool after all.
    â€˜You promise I don’t have to swim?’ she said.
    â€˜Not if you don’t want to. You just have to hold Claire or Charles in the little pool.’
    â€˜I don’t think they’ll like it,’ said Connie.
    â€˜They love it in the bath,’ said Mum.
    Connie snorted. It wasn’t as if the babies were super-brave. The least little thing startled them. When Dad played growly bears with them and went ‘Grrrr!’ they both burst into terrified tears.
    â€˜I always loved it when you played growly bears with me, Dad,’ said Connie.

    Mum bought the twins sweet little swimming costumes, red and navy stripes for Claire and green and navy stripes for Charles.

    â€˜Would you like a new swimming costume too, Connie?’ said Mum. ‘Your old dolphin one must be getting a bit small for you now.’
    â€˜I don’t need a new swimming costume, seeing as I’m never ever going swimming.’
    So she wriggled into her tight old costume on Sunday morning. She had to help Mum get the twins undressed and into their new costumes. The swimming-baths had special red plastic changing tables. The twins liked to lie back, kicking their legs.
    â€˜They’re practising their swimming strokes already,’ said the attendant, smiling.
    Connie couldn’t smile back. The smell and the sound of the baths had made her go all shivery.
    â€˜You poor old thing,’ said Mum, putting an arm round her. ‘You’re really frightened, aren’t you?’
    There were some girls getting changed nearby. They were listening. They nudged each other and grinned.
    â€˜Of course I’m not frightened,’ said Connie fiercely. ‘I just think swimming is an incredibly
boring
thing, that’s all.’
    It came out sounding much ruder than she meant. Mum sighed.
    â€˜Really, Connie! Do you have to talk to me in that sulky tone of voice all the time?’
    Connie blushed and stuffed Claire’s waving pink legs into her small swimming costume. Claire started to whimper and moan because she wanted to stay kicking, stark naked.

    â€˜There! You don’t want to go swimming, either, do you?’ said Connie, picking her up and giving her a cuddle.
    Charles started crying too, getting a bit fed up with all this dressing and undressing. Both twins were still yelling when Mum and Connie carried them to the little pool.
    â€˜Perhaps this isn’t such a good idea after all!’ said Mum.
    The attendant looked at Connie. ‘I thought we agreed before – you’re far too big a baby!’
    â€˜She’s acting as a sort of parent today,’ said Mum.
    â€˜All right,’ the attendant said reluctantly.
    Connie held tight to baby Claire. Somehow even the little pool had started to look quite big.
    â€˜I don’t think Claire wants to go in,’ said Connie. ‘She keeps crying.’
    Charles was crying, too, but when Mum got in the pool and very gently lowered him so that the water lapped round his legs he stopped in mid-squawk. He kicked. He splashed. He smiled.
    â€˜Try Claire in the water,’ said Mum. ‘Charles thinks it’s great fun.’

    Connie held even tighter to Claire. She put out one foot, dipping the tip of her toe in the little pool. ‘Come on,’ said Mum. ‘Charles, tell your sister that the water’s lovely.’
    Charles certainly seemed to think so. He wriggled determinedly, doing his best to get away from Mum. He waved his arms and legs in the water. He dipped his head and didn’t seem to mind a bit when he got wet. He was smiling from ear to ear.
    Claire was fidgeting and fussing, obviously feeling she was missing out.
    â€˜Come in the pool, darling,’