Jason & Ava

Part Uno

"I'll stay here with Emma." I offer as the rest of my family gets ready to head to the boardwalk.

"Are you sure? Dad should be back soon. We can just wait." My brother Sam suggests. Emma is Sam's daughter and therefore my niece. She's one years old and she's the cutest little girl ever. I smile and shake my head.

"It's really fine, I want to go for a walk on the beach anyway." I tell him honestly. He smiles with gratitude.

"Thank you so much, you're the best sister in law ever, -" Lexi, Sam's wife tells me. I smile again and laugh.

"I heard that!" Skylar yells from downstairs where she's putting on her sandals. I roll my eyes and Lexi laughs handing Emma over to me.

"but seriously if you don't want to stay that's fine." Lexi says. I reassure her that I'm happy to stay with Emma as Emma reaches up to play with my necklace. I smile down at her and she beams back at me.

"Have fun guys!" I tell them as they all head out the door and I'm left in the beach house with Emma. "Want to go for a walk on the beach?" I ask Emma. She babbles a little and smiles. "Ok let's go" I write a note for my dad, get a light jacket for Emma and head down to the beach. As we walk along the water I spot a familiar face a little further down. "I thought I might find you down here." I say. Jason turns his head and smiles when he sees me.

"Hey Av, what's up?" Jason asks waving hi to Emma as we get closer.

"The rest of my family went to the boardwalk, but I volunteered to stay back with Emma. Truth be told I kinda wanted to come find you." I tell him smiling sheepishly. Jason smiles at me and looks back out at the ocean.

"Yeah well I just kinda needed some space, my parents are going through some crap." Jason says sensoring his language for Emma. "Oh and I'm honored by the way." Jason says looking at me again and smirking a little. I roll my eyes as Emma tries to get out of my arms.

"You want to walk in the water?" I ask her. She looks up at me and then goes back to wiggling her way out of my arms. I laugh and set her down on the waters edge holding her hands to keep her upright. I turn my attention back to Jason and see him smiling down at Emma. "I'm sorry, about your parents I mean. That has to suck." I say. He nods staring back at the waves and sticking his hands in his shorts pockets.

"You want to walk some?" He asks me seeming like he still has something on his chest that's he's not telling me. I agree, pick up Emma and we start walking further down the beach. Nothing but the sound of waves crashing and our breathing being heard.

"What's up Jace? You seem strange." I tell Jason as we walk down the beach, Emma laying her head on my shoulder.

"There's just a lot on my mind, you know? Like we're graduating from college next year and I'm terrified. Plus my parents are going to be left without a kid to distract them from the issues like what the he- heck is gonna happen to them." Jason says running a hand through his hair. I look at him struggling to see the young immature 14 year old I met four years ago instead all I see is worry and stress masking his face making him look about ten years older than he really is.

"Jason it's going to be ok, you're gonna go to college and maybe your parents can figure out a way to love again." Jason looks at me unconvinced. "Or maybe they won't, but if they can't make it work than it's probably for the best." I continue. Jason sighs.

"I know it sounds childish but I don't want my parents to get divorced, if they do I'm not sure I'll be able to have any hope for my future." Jason says staring straight ahead towards the lights along the boardwalk a ways in front of us.

"That doesn't sound childish at all Jace, of course you don't want your parents to split up. As for worrying about your future, don't, Jason you're going to be fine whether or not your parents stay together." Jason gives me a side glance looking hopeful and doubtful at the same time. I stop walking so he has to face me. "Jace I'm serious, come on, they're not bad people they're just not in love, if anything you'll be better at relationships cause youre gonna try your hardest to make things work." I tell him truthfully. Jason shrugs looking over my shoulder into the dark abis of the ocean. He looks at Emma snuggled into my neck and runs his hand through his hair again.

"We should head back, you should put Emma to sleep." Jason's says turning back towards the way we came. We walk together side by side in silence till we reach my beach house a few houses before his. "Thanks for finding me, Av, maybe I'll see ya tomorrow." Jason says trying his best to smile thought the obvious stress and worry on his face.

"I don't wanna leave you like this Jace." I tell him, a little scared of the way Jason is acting.

"I'm fine, really Ava, I'll be ok, go home, I'll text you when I get back to my house." I nod reluctantly and give him as much of a hug as I can with Emma on my hip. Jason waves and kisses Emma on the cheek before I head up the path to our beach house. I walk inside and walk up the stairs to the kitchen where I see my dad getting some ice cream.

"Hey Dad"

"Hey sweetie, how was your walk on the beach?" My dad asks raising his eyebrow towards the ice cream to ask if I want any I shake my head.

"It was good for the most part, but Emma is wiped out so I'm going to go put her down." My dad nods as I head back down the stairs to my brothers room where Emma sleeps. I lay her down in her crib after changing her into pjs. Shes a little restless so I stay with her rubbing her stomach until she's sound asleep.

"Emma asleep?" Dad asks and I nod. I sit down next to him on the couch. We sit there in comfortable silence and watch some show until the family gets back from the boardwalk.

// AUTHORS NOTE
Do you like this?? Should I write more? I can write short stories or more like blurbs like this but should I try to write more of this? Please let me know😁