When Summer Ends

New Life

2-23-22: I think I've expressed this, but I hate waking up early lol. Anywayyyy here's this, please enjoy, and please have a good day:)

Over the weekend, Rylie and I spend a lot of time working out the details for next weekend's beach trip. I'd called Hadley Saturday evening with the tentative plan, and she said it worked great for her and Jack. Now, we only had to figure out which beach.

Right now, the top one we had in mind was Wrightsville, even though it was a little bit more of a drive. But it did have more of a city life, which was something we always enjoyed. Plus, it had a Ferris wheel.

After another couple hours, Rylie drops the pen and notebook she'd been using before flopping back against the couch. "I'm so bored. We're mostly done, just need to book the hotel rooms. Can we go for a walk?" She pleased, turning towards me. At the word "walk", Harvey's ears perk up and he cocks his head excitedly. Rylie laughs. "Oh, I said one of your favorite words, didn't I?"

"A walk sounds amazing right now. We can grab takeout for dinner on the way back, too." I suggest, and Rylie nods.

We grab our shoes and clip the leash on Harvey before heading out the door. It's a little after four and still pretty warm, but I don't mind. It was only the beginning of summer, so it would only heat up from here.

"Where to?" Rylie asks, taking my arm. Harvey makes the decision for us and pulls me down the sidewalk.

"I'm guessing the dog park." I laugh. Not many people are out, and I enjoy the empty sidewalks. When we reach the dog park, it's pretty empty, too. Only six other people stand inside the large fenced area.

This was my favorite dog park in the city. It was connected to a normal park area that was normally filled with people and activity. Tall green trees line the edges of the park, with a few trees scattered within. A small river runs along the right side of the park, bringing the soft sound of quickly moving water to the clearing.

I unhook Harvey from his leash and he immediately takes off towards the other dogs. I recognize a couple of them from our previous trips here, and can't help but laugh as I watch them play with each other. Harvey typically got along well with the other dog, which was a relief for us. We didn't have to worry about him fighting dogs twice his size.

Several minutes later, Rylie's phone begins ringing. She stares down at it in confusion for a moment before answering the call.

"Hello? Oh, hey Dillon." She pauses, listening. I remember her mentioning her mom's new husband was Dillon, and I wonder why he's calling. "What? Right now? We'll be there as soon as we can."

"What's wrong?" I ask as Rylie hangs up. Worry lines her eyes.

"The baby is coming. Dillon says there are complications. We have to go to the hospital."

"Okay." I reply with no hesitation. I call Harvey to me and scoop him into my arms before hurrying after Rylie. Luckily, I have my keys in my purse and we hop straight into my car once we reach it. I try not to speed out of Charlotte and towards the hospital Rylie's mom is at.

By the time we reach the hospital, it's after 6:00pm and Rylie hasn't heard anything else from Dillon. She sits anxiously in her seat, her worry evident in the way she's almost folding in on herself.

I hook Harvey's leash back on and open Rylie's door for her before leading her into the hospital. "Hi," I say to a nurse at the front desk. "We're here for Kristen and Dillon..." I pause, realizing I didn't know Rylie's mom's new last name.

"White." Rylie speaks softly from beside me.

"Are you family?" The nurse asks without taking her eyes off of the computer in front of her.