Consider Yourself Lucky

Thirteen

The unprofessional doctor left the room to allow us to take in the bad news. I think I'm a bit more scared of what's going to happen than Grandma is. She keeps assuring me that we'll get through this and that it's just a bump in the road. But it isn't just a bump in the road. It's a fucking tumor on her brain. That's some serious shit. It explains why she kept getting dizzy and why she keeps getting headaches. I wish she would have called the doctor sooner instead of having to fall down the stairs to find out.

"Adelaide, do you work today?" Well, I was supposed to, but I don't think I'm going to tell her that. She probably doesn't remember anyway considering she's asking.

"No, I have the day off why? Did you need anything?"

"Actually no, quite the opposite really. I wanted you to take the day for yourself. Try not to worry about me too much and just relax."

"I want to stay by your side. I don't want to leave."

"Honey, there isn't much to do here but sit and wait. If anything, else comes up I will tell them to dial you as soon as they know. I don't want you to waste the day away. Go get some lunch, go shopping, take a walk in the park. Adelaide, just do something." She looks at Collin as if they have some secret code between each other.

"Grandma, are you su-"

"Go. Please. I don't need anything. Go be a giddy teenager with that handsome boyfriend of yours."

"He isn't my boyfriend." I roll my eyes and smile at her.

"Wait, I'm not?" I turn to look at him with his arms crossed like a little boy. It's kind of cute.

"You haven't asked me to be your girlfriend. Plus, we've only known each other for barely a week."

"Ahhh, I remember those days with your grandfather. Time means nothing my dear. Always keep that in mind." She smiles at me and uses what little strength she has to push on my back to get me to leave.

"I love you. Call me if anything."

"Yes, I will. Have a good day."

We walk out the same way we came in. It bothers me that she wants me to go and have fun while she's laying in a hospital bed with a tumor. She usually handles things on her own, but I just thought this would be something she would want support with. I guess everyone has different ways to cope. Collin and I hold hands while we walk to the car. It's around lunchtime now but I'm not even hungry. Quite frankly, I just want to lay in bed all day now. I know I said I wanted to be productive today but that was before I knew everything I know now. We get to the car, and I still haven't said a word. I just want to break down crying but right now doesn't seem like the time. I want to be alone when I do. Or at least in the shower where he wouldn't be able to hear me. Collin turns the car on and starts driving.

"Where are we going?"

"Just sit back and relax and you'll see when we get there." I make myself as comfortable as I can get in the passenger seat and close my eyes while listening to the music playing on the radio.

I must have actually fallen asleep because the next time I open my eyes, the clock on the dashboard reads one-thirty. It was about noon when we left the hospital. I look around and don't recognize where we are.

"Well good morning sleeping beauty, how was your nap."

"It was good." I put the seat back up and adjust myself so I'm in a sitting position again.

"You woke up just in time, we're almost there." Where could we possibly be going that's this far away? There's a small parking lot that only has a couple cars, so Collin pulls into one of the empty spaces. We get out of the car, and he opens the trunk. He pulls out a blanket and a small handwoven basket.

"What's in the basket and how long has it been in your trunk?"

"I stopped at a store on the way out of town and got some lunch for us. You were snoring so I didn't bother to wake you. You look pretty cute when you sleep, just saying." I blush and grab the blanket from him. He locks the car, and he holds my hand while leading me down a little sandy path. I've never been here before, so I have no idea where he is taking me. We walk for about five minutes before I see it. The beach. He brought me to the beach. When I look over at him, he's already staring at me.

"You need a day to have fun." The beach is almost empty. This must be one of those spots not many people know about. Usually, the beaches are packed with people. There's a couple playing frisbee with their golden retriever and some people with paddle boards out in the water but other than that, it's just us. We found a spot close to the water but far enough away to where the waves won't get our blanket wet. He takes the blanket from me and lays it out on the sand. We sit on the blanket, and I open the basket. He pulls out all the food. There's a small cheese platter with crackers and pepperoni, some chocolate covered strawberries, a premade grinder, and a couple bottles of water.

"I tried to be romantic, and I wanted to get some wine, but I didn't want either of us to drink then drive. So, water it is." He took one of the strawberries out and held it towards my mouth. I opened my mouth so he could feed me the strawberry. It felt like something out of a romance movie. We ate our lunch and watched the couple with the dog for a little while.

"Collin?"

"Yes, Addy?"

"What made you want to come to the beach?"

"Everyone loves the beach." He pops a piece of cheese in his mouth. "I'm kidding. Well, I'm not. Most people love the beach. When I asked you what your favorite childhood memory was, what did you say?"

"I told you about the time Grandma let me skip school and brought me to the beach so I could forget about how the bad things that girl said to me at school." Then it hit me.

"Exactly. You needed a self-care day then just like you do now. You seemed so happy when you were telling me that story, so I thought with everything going on right now with your grandma you definitely needed a self-care day. I know I'm not her and she probably made it really special for you, but I tried."

"You are amazing. This is amazing. Thank you." There are tears forming in my eyes, but I try not to let them fall. I leaned in to kiss him and we both laid on the blanket. We stare up at the sky trying to figure out what the clouds reminds us of. We see one that looks like a bunny, a fire hydrant, and a monkey with a unicorn horn.

"You have quite the imagination Adelaide Chase." I look over at him and as he leans in to kiss me, I get up and run towards the water. He runs after me and picks me up. He spins me around and kisses me. We end up knee deep in the water when a huge wave crashes into us, soaking our clothes and hair. We stand there and laugh. It's a good thing we left our phones up on the blanket. We splash each other like little kids and run back and forth chasing one another only to end up both under the water together over and over again. When our fingers start looking like prunes, we go back up to the blanket.

"How does some ice cream sound?" My face lights up.

"Ice cream sounds very yummy." We pack up the blanket and basket and walk down the sandy trail back to the car. We drive another fifteen minutes to an ice cream parlor on a small boardwalk. A little bell dings when we walk inside, and it smells of vanilla and fresh baked cookies.

"How can I help you?" A little old lady comes to the front, wiping her hands with a paper towel.

"Can I get two scoops of strawberry in a bowl with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, rainbow sprinkles, and a cherry?" I giggle as he orders his ice cream.

"Of course, and for you young lady?"

Could I please have two scoops of cookie dough in a bowl with the same toppings as his?"

"Sure, anything else or will that be all?"

"That's all. Thank you." He hands her a ten-dollar bill and tells her to keep the change. He always tips so nicely. We watch as she scoops our ice cream and puts all our toppings on.

"Here you go. Have a wonderful day."

"Thank you, you as well." We walk outside and sit at one of the picnic tables in front of the water. I admire him as he stares out into the ocean, and I wonder what is going through his head.