Ocean Dreams

Chapter 16

Back in the mainland, the four brothers and sisters were at the hotel in various rooms. Stephan was able to get the rooms prepared early, and Joel had to pay a nominal fee for it. But, it needed to be done. Josh and Doug were sharing a room. Lisa and Annie were in another room. They all got together with Ashley and Joel for dinner. Joel had a cab take them to one of the various seafood restaurants. As they waited for their food, Annie started up the subject of Nichole's husband.

"You aren't seeing him. None of you are. I doubt you all could survive an hour of boating, as it is," Joel muttered, as he sipped a beer.

"You don't know that!" Annie frowned.

"Honey, remember when we tried to teach you how to fish, and you couldn't last five seconds without complaining?" Ashley smiled. "And it's at night, so you would have nothing to see."

"How did she meet him?" Lisa asked.

"She was attacked while at sea in her scuba gear. Her husband was pearl diving and found her. He saved her life," Joel said calmly. "After that, they just knew that it was love at first sight."

"Why can't that ever happen to me?!" Annie pouted.

"Because you're a bitch. What?!" Josh said when he saw his father glaring at him.

"Not in a restaurant, or you're paying for your own meal," Joel warned. "And the same goes for you, too, Annie. Nikki is happy. She's an adult. If she wanted a quiet marriage, then she got it. She's not very happy with any of you, as it is."

"I was happy with her until she took my makeup," Lisa muttered.

"Oh, please, Lisa!" her mother said. "Nikki never wore makeup! For all you know, Annie could have set her up! Have you ever thought of that?"

"I..." Lisa blinked and saw Annie giving a look of innocence. That meant it was true. "You lying, deceiving little whore!"

"Hey!" Joel hissed. "You guys share a room. Deal with it then!"

"I'm going to the bathroom," Lisa said and rose up to move from the table quickly. Annie was going to join her, but Ashley stopped her with a glare. Lisa walked into the bathroom quickly, braced herself over a sink, and stared at herself in the over-large bathroom mirror. She couldn't believe it. All those years, I resented Nichole for nothing. She had no idea how badly she helped in isolating her sister away from her. Annie was a vile, poisonous thing. But, she was still blood. Lisa felt ill. Incredibly ill. Nichole would never forgive me. How could she? And all the teasing and bickering I helped do to her, because of Annie's goading, didn't help, either.

She remembered how Nichole tried to tell her that Annie said she needed something. That she was told that it was okay to go into my room to look for the little stick of lipstick, because she was trusted. And, with me being the way I was, I took offense that my personal space was violated. No one knew why Annie was like that with Nichole. But, Lisa knew she had to do one thing. I have to apologize to Nichole the moment I see her. To try and mend what was torn. Taking a deep breath, she went back out to confront her family.

"You okay?" Joel asked, as he plucked a fried shrimp from the appetizer basket.

"Dad," Lisa said. "when we get back to the hotel, can I talk to you?"

"Sure, sweetie," he nodded.

"All of us should be present," Annie said.

"No. Just Dad and I. Okay?" Lisa smiled.

"Can I be there, too?" Ashley smiled.

"We'll see," Lisa said softly. At the look that Annie was giving her, their mother knew that she may have to play as distraction.