Surviving the Andersen Brothers

Vacation: Oklahoma Land Rush in Greece

Vincent gave me a hand off the small boat, ensuring that I would not fall on my face. We just arrived on the Greek island of Kythnos for our family vacation. Everything was so beautiful. The water was as blue and as clear as the sky. The temperature was a relaxing seventy-five degrees.

            We were on the docks of the town where the Andersen’s rented a home for the week. The house was way up near the top of the hill; houses packed in true European fashion all along the way.

            Lilly’s belly was getting bigger, making me wonder if she should even be taking these kinds of trips. Two more months and the baby would be here. Another Andersen brother to torture me when he comes of age.

            Lilly smiled at me, noticing my gaze, as James helped her out of the boat. One of her fragile hands rested on her stomach and the other was in James’ hand.

            One month had passed since I left the hospital. My training began two weeks ago and I was nearly at my prime again. Part of me wondered if I was ever going to get as good as I was in enough time for the new school year. In just two weeks, I had reached my first plateau. I had a great support system, though. The whole family encouraged me to push myself—aside from James; he didn’t want me to overdo it. There was some pain when I ran from the broken ribs. Most of my scabbing was healed, leaving nice, new, pink skin underneath. The only other noticeable thing that was wrong was the splint on my finger—one more week for that thing.

            I was so close to having this nightmare completely behind me.

            Now was the time to relax and enjoy our vacation time as a family.

            I questioned Lucas about his attachments to Charlotte a week or two after the date. He wasn’t very open about anything concerning the two of them and I never came across any more evidence that proved my case. I was starting to think I imagined the whole thing.

            My new best girly friend, Terra Holt, just signed up for the Track and Field team. Being the new girl, she trained mostly with me. I met her at one of my practices one week ago. She was brand new to the school and she will be starting her first and last year, senior year, with me. We hit it off immediately. Nearly inseparable ever since our introduction.

            Zach bumped into me, his nose stuck in his phone, checking his messages.

            “Zach, put your phone away. Enjoy the time we have in Greece!” I told him, nudging his arm again.

            He looked up at me, a smile on his face. “I have to text Blake and tell her we landed safely on our island,” he told me.

            I rolled my eyes. The boy was in love that was plain to see. Zach finally sucked up enough courage and asked Blake to go steady with him. She, of course, said yes. They, too, have been inseparable ever since.

            I couldn’t even imagine what time it was back in the states.

            I thought about texting Terra with my new phone—courtesy of James and Lilly—but I quickly decided against it when Vincent grabbed my hand and began walking.

            Would we be walking all the way up the hill? My thoughts and concerns went back to the very pregnant Lilly.

            “Hey, guys,” James called. It was then that I realized the rest of the brothers were following us. “The donkeys are over here.”

            I laughed. Donkeys? We would be riding donkeys up to our vacation home. That made things easier.

            “This will be interesting,” Vincent commented.