A Flower in War

Chapter Eleven: Beach Day

"We were thinking about heading to the beach today if you'd like to join us girls?" Amanda smiles at the two, both staring at their phones. Cal puts hers down since she's being spoken to and smiles, "I'm not big into sand but I could probably tag along for a bit!"
"Oh sorry Calanthe! Not the real beach! It's a little area of the country club." Amanda explains.
"Oh! Then yeah, I'd love to!"
"Well Sam? What about you?"
"I'm hanging out with Moon and Yasmine today, but thanks anyway mom!" Sam smiles before turning on her heel and sprinting back to her room.

"Is there a dress code I need to adhere to?"
"Oh god no! Wear whatever you want!" Amanda laughs.
"Am I allowed to wear my swimsuit under my clothes? I'm not a huge fan of changing around others."
"Of course! I know you burn like me so I'll grab the sunblock and we'll spray you down before you leave."
"Thanks Aunt Amanda!" Cal smiles, hugging her before running up to her room. Amanda hears her bump into someone saying sorry before a door closes.

Daniel walks down the stairs with a small smile, "so who's all going?"
"You, me, Anthony, and Calanthe. She's getting changed now so I can spray her down with sunblock."
"Smart girl. We never wore sunblock as kids. Probably why Jackson got melanoma."
"Hey, it wasn't your fault. Cancer is a hell of a disease and he lived a lot longer than most at that stage."
"Yeah, I know. I know." Amanda kisses his cheek, rubbing up and down his arms in an attempt to soothe him.

"She found him Amanda..." Daniel whispers.
"Who?"
"Calanthe. She found Jackson... she tried to save him, performed CPR and everything."
"How do you know this?"
"Anthony found an article... I wasn't going to tell you but I can't be the only adult that knows."
"You should have told me sooner Daniel. That's serious trauma. We need to get her into a therapist."
"I know, I know. I want her to go, I just don't want to make her do something she doesn't want to do."
"I know. But we're her guardians now, we have to try."

"I'll go." Cal interjects from the stairs.
"Sweetheart I'm sorry. We didn't mean to-"
"It's okay. You were curious, I understand. I agree that I should see someone. But if it's all right with you both... I'd like to pick who I see?"
"Of course sweetheart! Of course. That is a completely understandable and reasonable request."
"Thanks. I'll start looking when we get back! Could you help me with the sunblock Aunt Amanda?"
"Absolutely!"

-

"This is... very posh."
"Yes, I guess it is." Daniel laughs at the young girl whose eyes are now the size of saucers as she takes in all the amenities.
"Do you mind if I explore a bit?"
"No, no! Not at all! Knock yourself out kid!" Daniel smiles, sending her off.

"She looks happy." Amanda comments.
"Glad one of the kids is. Anthony hasn't taken his face out of that screen." Daniel turns to his son walking over and pulling out a chair.
"Hey bud. Why don't you check out that magician over there? He's doing some pretty amazing tricks!"
Anthony doesn't bother to look up from his game, "I'm on level ten."
Daniel sighs, "Come on, all right? You could play that game anywhere! How about we shoot some hoops? I'll win you a prize?"
"I'm thirsty."
"Great! There's a bar right over there. Let's take a walk. We'll get a couple of sodas." Daniel sits up, patting his son on the shoulder.
"Nah, I'm good." Daniel sighs, rolling his eyes before venturing back to the bar where his wife is waiting.

"You know, I would have killed to visit a club like this when I was his age."
Amanda sighs, hearing her husband start his soliloquy.
"You know where I hung out in the summer?"
"Hmmm?"
"On a filthy street in Newark with a broken-"
"A broken fire hydrant next to your Aunt Tessie's. Yeah." Amanda nods, watching him look back to their son.
"What do you say we let Anthony play with his thing, and you and I get a couple drinks?" Amanda proposes, leaning her elbows on the bar top.
"Dirty martinis?"
"Yes," Amanda turns towards the bartender, "Ice cold."
"Perfect."
"Mm." Amanda agrees with a smile.

"LaRussos!" The two turn to see Isaiah and Aisha walking towards them.
"Hey!"
"You still kicking the competition?" Isaiah chuckles, shaking Daniel's hand.
"You know it, Isaiah."
"Yeah."
"How's the Q5 treating you?"
"Wouldn't know. This one over here's been behind the wheel all month, going back and forth to robot camp."
"Dad. It's an AP physics prep course." Aisha interjects.
"Mm hmm."

"Hey, where's Samantha? I feel like I haven't seen her all summer!"
"She's uh-" Daniel and Amanda start before Amanda puts a hand on her husbands shoulder telling him to stop.
"She's with her grandma. But I'll tell her that you said hi." Amanda assures.
"Great."
"But, Calanthe's here? She's basically another daughter to us. She's right over there on the chaise. Dark hair, pale skin, purple bikini." Amanda points Calanthe out.
"Thanks Miss LaRusso."
"Of course."

Aisha wrings her hands as she walks over to the girl on the chaise.
"Hi." Aisha offers her a little wave.
"Hi! Sorry, I'm new. Is this your spot?" Cal asks worriedly.
"No! No! Um... I'm Aisha. Im one of Sam's friends? Miss LaRusso said you were like their daughter and since Sam isn't here... I figured I'd see if you'd maybe want to hang out?"
"Yeah! Come sit!" Cal smiles, hitting the spot beside her.

"Thanks. You know if you want a tan you may want to go to a chaise without the umbrella?"
"Oh I don't want a tan. Skin cancer runs in my family."
"Ah. Sorry I-"
"Don't apologize. You didn't know. So tell me about yourself!"
"Um I'm Aisha. Im 16. I go to West Valley?"
"Well what do you like?"
"Physics?"
"Yeah? That's pretty cool! It's one of the oldest academic disciplines right?"
"Yeah! How did you know?"
"I may look like a moron, but I'm fairly smart in my own right."
"Oh god, no I didn't mean it like that!"
"I'm just playing Aisha. Don't worry. I'm not great at physics, human anatomy and physiology is more my speed."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, I like knowing how the body works. How the brain works, why some receptors are, well for lack of a better word, broken in some but not others leading to serotonin syndrome or depression or neurological disorders. I find it fascinating."
"You're pretty cool you know?"
"Yeah? You're pretty cool too!"

The two sat chatting for a little while longer before Amanda and Daniel decided it was time to go back. Cal bid Aisha farewell, getting her number so they could plan something together, hopefully with Sam this time.

The loud bass cuts through the car like a samurai sword before anyone even sees the back to back cars parked out front.
"What's all this?" Daniel asks confusedly.
"I have no idea." Seatbelts are quickly thrown off as everyone exits the car being smacked in the face by the music playing.
"Take Anthony up to his room, Calanthe." Daniel says absentmindedly.
"Course." Cal nods, opening the front door and bringing Tony upstairs, guiding him so he doesn't lose his footing while staring down at that damn game.

Cal hears Daniel yelling something about bathing suits before cars start up and people barrel out of the driveway.
"Ugh." Cal hears Sam groan. The familiar squeak of springs sounding after the fact.
"Knock knock." Cal taps on the door, opening it to find Sam in a heap on her bed.
"I'm going to be the talk of school now! I mean... god I'm so embarrassed!"
"You know if you had just asked, this wouldn't have happened."

"You really think dad would have let me have a party?"
"I think if you said you wanted to have a few friends over while we were gone and a few friends turned into more - you would have had a good out."
"I just wanted to throw a party before we go back to school! A cool party! Now I'm going to be known as the girl who's dad came and ruined it."
"Sam, he barely even said anything. The most I heard was something about bathing suits! It's not the end of the world you know? There will be new talks of the school before second period. I can guarantee it. But you should apologize to your dad. He didn't do anything wrong. He saw a bunch of people he didn't know in his house. Don't you think anyone would be alarmed by that?"

"Yeah, I guess you have a point." Sam admits begrudgingly. The two girls hear a call coming from Sam's laptop.
"It's Yas and Moon." Sam says softly.
"Then that's my cue." Cal smiles, watching Sam answer the call.
"Hey girls!"