Family is Forever (Sequel to Running on Insulin)

Chapter 53

Tyler POV

I woke up before Jenna did. I went into the bathroom and saw the door into Samantha's room was open. I poked my head in and saw her bed was empty. I didn't hear any sounds downstairs either.

I threw on some sweatpants and a t-shirt and headed downstairs. No one was downstairs. I didn't see any sign of Samantha, and Brendon and Sarah's door was closed. I was starting to worry a bit. I couldn't imagine any reason Samantha would have left. But she wasn't in her room, and she wasn't downstairs.

Just then I heard voices in the back yard and looked out back.  Brendon and Samantha came out of his studio. Samantha was smiling and laughing. She was carrying Bogart in her arms while Penny Lane followed them. I smiled.  Brendon and Samantha had spent some time this morning bonding. And Samantha looked happy.

"Hey!" Brendon said as they came in the back door.

"Hi, Dad!" Samantha said brightly.

"Good morning. How did you sleep?" I asked her.

"Good. I must have slept pretty deeply after you woke me up from my low, because I woke up and I forgot we were in California. I didn't recognize the room at first."

I smiled at her. A few months ago, waking up in a strange place might have set off a screaming fit. 

"You want coffee?" Brendon asked me.

"Oh my gosh, do I ever," I said.

"Dad doesn't function without coffee, Uncle B. You should know that," Samantha smiled.

Brendon poured me a cup of coffee and set out sugar and cream.

"So the ladies are still sleeping, and the kid is wide awake. What are your plans for today?" Brendon asked.

"I thought today might be a lay low kind of day. Call Josh, see if he wants to come by. Hang around the house, acclimatize to the time zone."

"Well, mi casa es su casa. Just feel free to eat and drink whatever you like, except for you missy. Alcohol is definitely off limits to you," Brendon joked. "Snacks are in the cupboards. Sam, pool's heated, so feel free to hop in and swim."

"Okay. Maybe later," Samantha said.

I called Josh and let him know we we're starting go our day and asked if he wanted to come over to Brendon and Sarah's.

He replied a little while later that he would be by around lunch.

I put my phone away and sat on the couch beside Samantha. I grabbed her in a hug and pulled her over to me, sending Bogart jumping off her.

"Daaad!" She cried, and laughed.

"So, I was thinking," I said to her.

"Uh oh," she laughed.

"How does Disneyland sound for tomorrow?"

"I've never been. So... good?" She said.

"Uncle B and Sarah, Zack and Kala, maybe Uncle Josh and us?"

"Sure," she smiled.

Jenna and Sarah came downstairs while Sam and I were cuddling on the couch and B was puttering around.

"Sam, you're already up?" Jenna said.

"Yup," she said, tracing one of my tattoos.

"Did you eat?"

"I did. Uncle B made eggs and toast."

"Okay. Good. We laying low today?" Jenna asked me.

"Yep. Josh'll be here for lunch and I thought we could just hang around the pool."

"You guys want a barbecue for dinner?" Brendon asked.

"Sure," I said.

"Sam, you want to come shopping with me for dinner?" Sarah asked.

"Okay," she said.

"Great. Let me just eat some breakfast and we'll head out."

It was so nice to see Samantha able to do things like go out without a thought. A far cry from where we were in November and December.

Once Sarah had finished eating her breakfast, she went to grab her purse and her and Sam left. Jenna smiled as the two of them left the house.

"She's doing so much better," Jenna said to me.

"She's amazing, guys," Brendon said. "We were talking out in the studio and she's a completely different kid. So much more open and confident. She said you taking her to Stanley's grave really helped."

"She still has a bit of work to do, undoing a lot of what Stanley did to her through her life, but things have been so much better for her since then," Jenna said.

"And it's so cool you got her that pager," Brendon said, smiling.

I looked at him confused.

"Pager?" I asked. Until it hit me. "Oh! Her insulin pump. Oh, yeah. That thing has been a godsend!"

"She was telling me about it. She says it makes dosing that much easier for her. Which is great. You guys are doing amazing by her," he said.

"We're trying," I smiled. "She's just amazing."

While Sam and Sarah were out, Jenna got a book and into her bathing suit and sat by the pool. Brendon and in went into his studio for a little and jammed a little.