The next morning Lucy and Alfie prepared a sumptuous Trini-style breakfast with Fried Bake, Buljol and lots of hot peppers. Uncle Eddie could hardly believe that he left this good life behind to live in Toronto. He mentally compared the bright sunshiny surroundings with the snowy mornings in Toronto and shrugged.
After breakfast, Willie suggested that the visiting duo get ready for the trip to Maracas. They climbed into Willie's little Toyota Corolla with Maria and the twins. It was a tight squeeze but they made it safely to the little house on the cliff overlooking the Caribbean Sea. Paco and Brenda, Willie's parents, welcomed Uncle Eddie and Auntie Joan to their humble abode.
Walking along the beach later that day with the boys running ahead of them, Willie thanked Uncle Eddie and Auntie Joan for keeping quiet about their winnings in Toronto. He reminded them of the high risks, especially for Freddie and Teddy. Uncle Eddie jokingly asked, "What winnings? Did you win something in Toronto?" Willie gave him a high-five and suggested that they head for the little bar at the far end of the beach.
Uncle Eddie chugged down a beastly cold Carib beer and declared, "Finally, a place where the water is warm and the beer is cold." When they joined the boys who were frolicking in the water, Willie said, "Let's go for a swim." The boys jumped right in and swam towards the towering waves. Auntie Joan grabbed hold of Maria's hand and asked if they would be safe. She said, "Don't worry about them; they have been doing this since they were kids."
The sun shone brightly and the wind blew gently as Auntie Joan and Maria walked along the beach. Auntie Joan enjoyed the feel of the warm sand caressing her toes. They were almost back home when the boys caught up with them. Willie took them to the vending area to get some world famous Shark n' Bake. The four adults asked for lots of hot peppers on their fare.
The coconut vendor waited expectantly for them to take their first bite. He knew that they would need some of his tasty coconuts to cool down the pepper. Auntie Joan cried out first, "This is really good but it is so hot!" Willie waved his hand at the coconut vendor and he started cutting coconuts as fast as he could.
That night they sat down to a quiet dinner prepared by Willie's parents. Paco and Brenda made dumplings and stew fish. It was truly delicious! After dinner, the family walked along the deserted beach enjoying the moonlight and the tranquil surroundings. The boys chased after the sand crabs while the adults chatted casually. Uncle Eddie accidentally asked, "Will you move to the city now that ..." Paco jumped in with, "Now that what?"
Maria expertly saved the day with, "Now that the boys are staying in the city to go to school." Willie breathed a sigh of relief and said, "We love it here. We have no plans to move to the city." Maria supported him by saying, "When I first moved here I wondered if I could ever live here but now, I want to stay here forever. Who would want to leave all this peace and quiet to live in the city?"
On numerous occasions, Willie and Maria actually considered moving to the city to be close to the boys. So far, they have always decided against it because of their love for the beach and the quality of life it afforded them.
On Saturday morning, everyone gathered at Alfie's as agreed. Those who were hiking over the mountain climbed into the minivan for Uncle Ralphie to drive them to the foot of the mountain. The ladies remained at Alfie's to wait for Uncle Ralphie to drive them to Maracas Bay.
The temperature in the Santa Cruz Valley was nice and cool as the men climbed, one by one, out of the minivan. Willie sniffed the air and found it to be somewhat fresh. He quietly wondered if a snake or some animal was in the area but said nothing to the others.
Most of them had backpacks with sandwiches and bottled water. The twins were decked in colorful shorts and running shoes; they too had backpacks. They also had earphones in each ear with wires leading into their backpacks. Uncle Eddie and Willie had small ice coolers. Uncle Eddie's was blue; Willie's red. Everyone assumed they were carrying extra bottles of cold water.
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Lifeguard from Maracas Bay
RomanceDestiny brings two young people together through a near death experience. They fall in love, get married on the beach and have a wonderful family. An unexpected event changed their lives forever. Read about the antics of Auntie G, the lovable protag...
