Evelyn loved to splash in the bathtub! She pretended it was the big ocean and she was a friendly whale, diving down, down, down! One day, while she played, her rubber ducky bobbed past the faucet. "Look, Mommy," Evelyn giggled, "He's going on an adventure!"
"He is!" Mom smiled, "Maybe he's going to a deserted island."
Evelyn's eyes went wide. A deserted island? What would she find there?
That night, Evelyn dreamt of sandy beaches and swaying palm trees. She dreamt of sparkling blue water and juicy mangoes. She even dreamt of a cute little cat with fluffy white paws! When she woke up, Evelyn knew what she had to do. She had to find that deserted island!
Evelyn grabbed her favorite shell and told it her plan. She knew the shell was magic because Mom said if you listened closely, you could hear the ocean whisper secrets. Evelyn listened and listened. Finally, the shell whispered, "Follow the setting sun..."
After school, Evelyn told Mom all about the shell's secret. Together they held hands and walked towards the setting sun. The sun dipped down, down, down until it touched the ocean and...WHOOSH! A giant wave appeared, sparkling and bright! The wave gently lifted Evelyn and Mom and, with a happy splash, landed them on the sandy shore of the deserted island.
The island was just like in Evelyn's dream! Palm trees swayed in the breeze, and colorful flowers dotted the green grass. Evelyn giggled as a tiny crab scuttled past her toes. Then she heard a soft "Meow."
Sitting on a rock, with its fluffy tail curled around its paws, was the cutest cat Evelyn had ever seen! It had white paws, just like in her dream!
"Hello!" Evelyn whispered. The cat tilted its head and purred. Evelyn knew right away they would be great friends.
Evelyn and the cat, whose name she learned was Whiskers, spent the whole afternoon playing. They chased butterflies, built sandcastles, and splashed in the waves. Evelyn told Whiskers all about her home in San Diego, and Whiskers rubbed against her leg, as if it understood.
As the moon rose, casting a silvery glow on the beach, Mom announced it was time to go home. Evelyn hugged Whiskers tightly. "I'll miss you," she whispered.
Whiskers rubbed its head against Evelyn's cheek and then, surprisingly, it whispered back! "The wave will bring you back," it purred, "Just follow the morning sun."
The next morning, Evelyn told her shell all about her new friend, Whiskers. She knew the shell would keep her secret safe. Then, holding her Mom's hand tight, she faced the bright morning sun. A giant wave appeared, and with a happy splash, they were back home in San Diego.
Evelyn knew she would never forget her adventure to the deserted island, her friendship with Whiskers, and the magic of the whispering waves. And maybe, just maybe, if she listened to her shell very, very closely, she'd hear Whiskers purring hello from across the sea.
