Family is Forever (Sequel to Running on Insulin)

Chapter 56.

I woke up in my bed in Uncle Brendon's and Aunt Sarah's house, still dressed from the day before. I didn't remember getting here.

I checked my phone and saw it was still pretty early. I knew we were going to the beach today, so I didn't bother showering. I got into my bathing suit and put clothes on top. I went downstairs quietly and went into the fridge. I saw yoghurt and strawberries, so I pulled those out, bolused my insulin and ate some strawberries with yoghurt.

Uncle Brendon came downstairs bleary eyed, wearing his glasses and his hair was a mess.

"Look who's up already," he said, making himself coffee. "Did you have fun yesterday?"

"It was awesome. Thanks!  And thanks for the t-shirts. And the sweatshirt. And the jacket."

"Anything for my favourite niece," he smiled.

"Wouldn't your real nieces be hurt to hear that?" I grinned.

"First you are a real niece. And second, don't tell them," he grinned.

He made himself some breakfast and we just talked about stuff and the day before and what was my favourite ride (Space Mountain. We rode it, like, five times in a row!)

Eventually Mom and Dad and Aunt Sarah came down and had some breakfast and then we all packed up some snacks and towels and chairs and headed to a beach Uncle Brendon knew that wasn't too busy, so we could enjoy ourselves.

It was beautiful. We spread out our towels and slathered on sunscreen. I wasn't ready to go in the water yet, so I stayed on the towels with Mom and Aunt Sarah. Uncle Brendon kept taking pictures of all of us and texting them to all of us. And posting them on social media. Mom and Dad had gotten me on Instagram so everything Uncle Brendon posted I got notified for.

We snacked on fruit and veggies and dip, some chips and hummus as well. I bolused properly.

We played some version of tag that seemed to wind up with me getting picked up and carried away by someone. 

"Don't take her near the water until she unhooks her pump!" Mom called out.

We played some volleyball, too. And raced along the beach. Uncle Brendon had a racquet game as well with wooden paddles and a ball. We played that as well.

Aunt Sarah and Mom had made sandwiches and we stopped for lunch. My sugar was a little low, so Mom made me drink a juice with my lunch.

After lunch, I lay on my towel for a bit to relax, digest and tan some more. I was on my stomach with my head in my arms.

"Having fun, baby?" Mom asked me, laying beside me.

"I am," I smiled. "Thanks for bringing me to California."

"Our pleasure," Mom smiled.

I dozed off a little until something cold splashed my back.

I yelped and sat up.

"Let's go, kiddo!" Uncle Brendon said, dripping water from his hair on me. "Unhook your pump and come into the ocean!"

Mom nodded at me and put her hand out for my pump. I unhooked it and handed it to her, capping off the tube.

I followed Uncle Brendon to the water where Dad was already in to his waist.

"Alright, Sam!" Dad said.

I stepped into the water and the waves covered my feet with sand. I laughed.

"It's cold!"  I screamed.

"Pfft!" Uncle Brendon said and came back and picked me up and carried me out to where Dad was.

"Put me down! Put me down!" I screamed and laughed and kicked.

"Okay," he said, and dropped me in the water. I sputtered up to the surface and tried to stand up, but a wave knocked me over. Dad grabbed me and pulled me out of the water while I sputtered.

"You okay?"

I coughed out some water and laughed.

"I love the ocean!" I said. "Except the salt. I don't like the salt."

Uncle Brendon laughed.

We splashed around once I found my footing on the bottom. I swam with the waves and Uncle Brendon showed me how to body surf. It was so much fun.

I was laughing and splashing and having so much fun. I swam out a bit deeper. Uncle Brendon and Dad stayed close by.

Suddenly a wave knocked me over and before I could get to the surface, another wave pushed me down. I broke the surface for a second but as soon as I tried to take a breath, water got in my mouth and a wave pushed me under again I couldn't breathe and everything went dark.

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Tyler POV

A wave knocked Samantha over as we were swimming a bit further out. She surfaced for a second but before she could get a breath, another wave got her in the face and knocked her under.

Brendon and I kept trying to reach her.

"Sam!" I cried trying to swim to her.

"Samantha!" Brendon called swimming towards her.

I managed to grab her and pulled her to me. Her eyes were closed. I waded through the water towards the beach, crying while I held my daughter's lifeless form.

"Call 911! Call 911!" I screamed.

Jenna came running.

"What happened!  Tyler!! What happened?!" She screamed.

I lay Samantha on the sand and checked if she was breathing. She wasn't. I felt for a pulse, and didn't find one. I started crying as I set her chin back and gave her two breaths. I could hear Sarah on the phone giving the operator instructions as to where we were.

I started chest compressions on Samantha, tears streaming down my face, mixing with the sea water.

"Come on, Samantha, come on, baby. Breathe!" I cried, before giving her two more breaths and restarting chest compressions. Samantha wasn't moving. She still wasn't breathing.

I felt someone pull me away and I struggled to get back to Samantha.

"Tyler! Tyler! The paramedics are here!  Let them take over!"

"No, no, no, no!" I cried, trying to get back to Samantha and resume CPR.

Brendon held me tight until it registered that there were paramedics around my daughter, doing chest compressions as well, and working over her.

I saw watched as they put a tube down her throat and started bagging her to get oxygen into her lungs. They loaded her into a stretcher and started rushing her to the waiting ambulance. Jenna went in with them as I was still laying in the sand, held by Brendon and crying like a baby.