Teegan
"Francis said he heard you come in the back door around 1A.M.," my mom tells me the next morning.
Busted.
I mean, I did accidentally slam the door and then I tripped over a toy airplane that was on the floor, in the kitchen doorway. I'd planned on being quiet, but it didn't work out that way.
I have been in the kitchen with my mom and the kids for about ten minutes and she's bringing this up now, while Oscar and Josie eat pancakes and giggle about all the animals they saw at the zoo. They keep stopping to tell me something and then go back to eating. I look up at my mom, who is standing near the stove, drinking her coffee.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to make so much noise."
"Well, Francis was awake, in his office, so that's not the issue. I'm wondering why you were out so late considering you said goodnight to me at 10P.M.," she says, looking confused.
Her hair is back in a braid and she's wearing her glasses, which she only does at home. Waking up in her beach house two full weeks later was strange because I've never been here this long, but it also just feels right. I don't miss Seattle as much as I expected to, and even though I miss my dad and family there, I have this stand in family here.
"I..." I begin, wondering if I'm actually going to tell her this. She sighs. "Okay, so, I don't sleep well. I'm usually fine in Seattle, but sometimes I just can't sleep. And since I've been here, I haven't... slept well at all."
She looks at me like I have three heads and then puts down her coffee mug. "And you're just telling me this now?"
"It's just... embarrassing, I guess. I try to sleep. I lay there and close my eyes but I just don't sleep, so I end up getting up and trying to keep busy until I'm tired enough. Last night it was midnight and I just thought... walking the beach might help," I admit, avoiding her eyes.
"Insomnia is usually caused by stress, or depression." She says this like she's very concerned about me, suddenly.
"I'm fine, really. I think it's just a new bed, and new surroundings," I tell her quickly, then look over at the kids. "How many flamingos did you see, Oscar?"
He grins, syrup all over his face. "Like fifty, at least."
"Wow. That's amazing."
"We will talk more about this later, Teegan," my mom says and then gives me a smile. "Coffee?"
I nod at her and accept the cup of black coffee she hands over.
I never really considered my mother much of a mom. She'd spent so many years barely in my life that I basically told myself it would always be that way. Now she is acting like a real mom, but I'm already eighteen. I am not going to say that I don't like the new-found relationship we have, though. I might even be starting to like it too much.
I've just hung up from a phone call with Kiara where we talked about a lot of things - her job, my lack of social life, the kids, and her new potential love interest, Casey - when I hear a knock on my bedroom door. It's a tiny knock, so I know it's either Oscar or Josie.
"Come in!" I call out, because the door is not fully closed.
A minute later the door glides open and there is Josie, in a pink sun dress, her blond hair up in a pony tail. "Hi, Teeegan."
"Hey." I smile at her.
"You can paint my nail now. Mama gave me dis," she says and holds out a bright pink nail polish.
My smile hits my face immediately. I'd forgotten about our conversation two weeks ago, where I said I'd paint her nails. That feels like forever ago now.
"Come on in," I say, and pat my bed.
She strolls over and climbs up and then hands me the polish.
"You like pink a lot?" I ask her, opening it up. The smell of it fills the room.
She nods wildly. "Pink is so pretty."
"Yeah," I agree. "Hold out your hand like this."
She stretches out her fingers and keeps it as still as she can while I paint her tiny little nails. It only takes a few minutes because they are so small, but I tell her to stay still for ten more minutes to make sure they dry properly. After I make sure they are good, she jumps up and twirls around.
"I wuv dem. Thank you Teeegan!"
"You're welcome," I tell her.
"I go show Mama!" she yells as she tears out of my room and down the hallway.
My heart is growing and expanding to make room for Josie and Oscar, and I suddenly feel terrified thinking about the summer coming to an end. I still have six weeks. After that I have to fly back to Seattle to get ready to go to New York. I've been looking forward to college with Kiara for so long, and now the thought freaks me out. Leaving Avila Beach scares me. What in the world is happening?
*
"Teegan! Geez, I feel like I haven't seen you all that much since you've been here," Francis says to me, as he strolls into the kitchen later that afternoon.
I'm just sitting at the table, waiting for my waffle to pop out of the toaster. Mom took the kids outside to play with some of their friends and I have been trying to figure out what I'm going to do all day and evening.
"Yeah, I know," I answer, looking over at him.
He's tall and broad and has a big beard. He wears weird clothes like baggy tank tops and shorts at home, but it's weird to think he's a plastic surgeon when he's working. I met him a long time ago, I mean I barely have memories from before my parents split up, but I used to think he was a bad guy who stole my mom away from me. I don't feel that way about him anymore.
"How's the beach been treating you? You like working at the hut?" he asks, crossing the room to open the fridge.
My waffle pops and I stand up to retrieve it. "Yeah. It's good to have something to do. I like hanging out with the kids, too."
"What, Oscar and Josie? I thought you'd be wanting to avoid babysitting this summer?" he asks, but he's smiling.
"They are really awesome kids. And, for whatever reason, they love me," I say, and then laugh.
"Of course they do." He pours a coffee and adds some cream. "Oh, the big Fourth of July parties are happening tonight, down by the pier. I have to go in to work but your mom is going to bring the kids down to see what activities are going on. They usually have face painting and cotton candy."
"That sounds fun," I say, then take a bite out of my waffle.
"You should join them. Lola's coming down to hang out with her friends tonight, too. They will be doing fireworks once it's dark," Francis goes on.
I nod and act like I didn't already know this, but I don't say anything.
"You two getting along?" he asks, looking at me over his coffee.
"Yeah. We're good. I've only really seen her a few times..." I answer, because I really don't want him to think there's any drama between me and his daughter.
The back door opens a minute later and the kids come running in, their little legs covered in sand. Mom steps into the house and smiles at me and then notices her husband. She basically grins as she walks towards us.
"We're going to the fireworks after dinner!" Oscar yells. "Are you coming, Teegan?"
I look at my mom again. "Yeah, sure."
"Yay!" the kids yell at the same time.
"Go wash your hands, please. I'm going to start on dinner," my mom says to the kids and then walks over to Francis. "What time are you leaving?"
"Soon. Ten minutes? I just have consultations at the clinic and then I'm on call tomorrow," he answers and she nods, as if this is pretty normal for them.
"Teeg, you're going to come down to the pier with us? The festivities start around 7P.M., fireworks when it gets dark. I heard the party at the Wright's is going to be a lot of fun. You know, for the teenagers," my mom says to me.
"Lola told me about the party," I say, and realize I'm pretty sick of saying that. "But I'm just going to go with you and the kids and come back after the fireworks."
I see Mom and Francis exchange a look and then a moment later he kisses her head and he's off, coffee in hand. Mom pulls some chicken out of the fridge and starts dinner, so I take that as a good time to go get changed. I've been wearing pajama shorts and a thin tank top all day, since I didn't leave the house. This will be my first time in public with my mom and the kids and I want to look good.
I decide on my favourite jean shorts and a flowy blue t-shirt, and braid my hair over my shoulder. After adding a bit of lip gloss and mascara, I go back downstairs, where the kids are finishing up dinner. My mom made me a plate, so I eat a bit, even though I had already eaten.
"You're wearing blue for Fourth of July!" Oscar tells me. "Mama, can I wear a red shirt?"
"I want to wear red shirt, too!" Josie agrees.
"Of course. Go get changed, we have to leave in a few minutes," she tells them and we watch as they run down the hall and up the stairs. "You look nice."
"Thanks," I say and then smile.
"So, why don't you want to go to the party with Lola and her friends?" she asks, casual as anything.
"You're the only mom in the world who would keep pushing parties on her daughter," I say and then laugh. "There's alcohol, you know? Maybe drugs, too."
She lets out a quick laugh and rolls her eyes. "Of course there is. It's a small beach town. What else are teenagers going to do for fun?"
"Dad and Jenna would freak out if they heard you say that," I tell her, and then realize it's the first time I've brought them up with her.
"They are pretty strict, or what?" she wants to know.
"No, not strict. But I guess I am just not a partying type of teenager," I answer, hoping she lets me leave it at that.
"Well, at least stop by to say hi?" she suggests, then turns around to start loading the dishwasher.
I nod, even though she can't see me. And because I don't want to let her down, I say, "Okay, I will."