Family Vacation: >4

It was my Dad. He'd already made it upstairs. We all followed his voice and saw him staring, forlornly, into one of the bedrooms. It was a small room, painted seashell pink, with two lacquer-framed twin beds. He looked at all of us, exasperated, as if the tragedy of this was self-evident.

"On the website, they said it was two beds for four kids," Dad said, "I didn't realize they meant it would be in the same room."

"Maybe there's another bedroom," Mom said.

"Sure, Deb, I looked all over the house, but I bet you'll find the secret place I couldn't see," Dad snapped. Everyone looked at each other, I could feel the uncomfortable like it was the temperature, rising up my skin.

As we explored, we found that, as my Dad had so politely pointed out, there were only two other bedrooms in the house. Both had Queen-sized beds clearly intended for the adult couples. There was a sectional in the living room, as I'd mentioned, but there were no other places to sleep except that tiny room with the two skinny beds.

"I'm sorry guys," Dad said to us kids after we'd canvassed the house. "I'm sending a complaint, but at this point I can't pull another bedroom out of my ass.

"That's OK, Uncle Gary," Marissa said, "Even if you could, we wouldn't want to sleep in anything that came out of your butt."

My Dad gave her a rare smile and went to help Mom set up the kitchen. Meanwhile, we went upstairs and flopped down on the beds.

"I guess we'll split boys and girls?" I said.

"So, you two will be nice and comfortable while us guys sleep halfway on the floor?" Liam said. He and I had been having such a good day up till then, too. Maybe Dad's bad mood was contagious. "I'm just saying, it makes more sense to sleep boy-girl. That way there's enough space for everyone to be comfortable."

bed with our siblings?" Marissa

that?" Liam said, "It's not like I'm putting the moves

going on between them, but I couldn't put my

be fine," Logan said. His

*

changed for the beach. I put on a daffodil (what else?) one piece and pulled a long, white coverall over that. Then I slipped into

room.

bottoms, but it seemed like a fairly conservative cut. Logan and my brother were both in trunks (Liam's were red, Logan's

shore!" Marissa

in time for

house was only a block from the shore. The road was quiet

led up to the boardwalk. We went up on the wooden slats and stared out at sand and endless ocean. It was quiet, only a few people jogging by. Women pushed their babies in

discarded plastic cup. The ocean -- green-brown water with tight, violent waves -- roared. We walked down close, to just beyond where the water licked at the land, and

Logan had an umbrella and he planted it firmly in the ground. I unrolled my towel and sat down in my chair. I'd brought a big floppy hat and I put that on. The boys quickly stripped off their shirts, kicked off their sandals, and ran to the ocean. Marissa

is

was a suburban beach, for better or worse. The fun stuff happened a few towns over, like I said. But it was also relaxing, and it

cold, but not icy. I only went about thigh deep, but it was nice to feel the ocean on my legs. I saw my brother and cousin out deeper, jumping the waves. I'd left my sunglasses and

in agreement. We walked back to our setup. Marissa was

you do my back?" she asked, her voice

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255