Through Fire

Sixteen

Today Chris and I were free from school so we were going to Abuela's. ''Hey Mija, abuela just called and she has a cold so you guys are going to spend the day with Buck.'' ''Okay is she okay?'' ''Yes, just a cold. Now hurry up, because I have to get to work.'' I shake my head and get up.

I got dressed very slowly and jelled for my dad to help me put my brace back on. ''Okay all set?'' ''Yes.'' ''You will eat something at Buck's.'' ''Sure.'' We all went to the car and dad drove us to Buck.

Dad opened the door. ''Go watch some Tv I will get Buck.'' ''He didn't know we were coming?'' ''No.'' ''Mean.'' Dad laughed. Chris and I went to sit at the salon table and watched some Tv. Dad walked up the stairs and Buck came walking down the stairs.

''You know, that blood clot could have almost killed you, but it didn't.'' Dad said and it made me swallow hard. Buck didn't seem to notice us. ''You have your whole life ahead of you. So why don't just take it as a win. Stop feeling sorry for yourself.'' Wow dad was on a roll.

Buck turned around to walk back up the stairs. ''Hey Buck.'' Chris said. I gave a little wave. ''Hey buddy, hey Sof.Uh, what are you guys doing here.'' ''They are hanging out with their Buck today.'' Dad said, giving me and Chris a hug. ''Because I have to go to work today..''

''Where is Carla?'' ''She went to Morongo.'' Chris said. ''So take them out. Have some fun. Maybe you will learn something.'' Than dad whispered something to Buck ''Love you guys.'' ''Love you too dad.'' Chris and I said.

Buck looked after dad and laughed. ''So what do you guys like to do fo fun?'' ''Pier.'' Chris almost screamed in excitement. ''Okay sounds fun. Let me change and then we will go.'' Buck ran up the stairs and came back in a normal outfit.

There was a big ferris wheel at the pier which Chris of course wanted to go in . ''This is so high.'' ''This is so cool.'' ''Sofia calm down we are barely of the ground.'' Buck laughed and Chris also laughed at me. ''Barely above the ground? I can see your apartment from here.'' Chris seemed to be amused by me being scared.

''Now what do you guys want to go on next?'' Chris looked around and I really didn't care just as long as he was happy. ''Down there?'' ''Yeah.'' ''Come on. Come on.'' Chris and Buck wanted to go on this spinning thing, but Buck was too tall. Chris and I laughed our asses off.

We went in a few more things, but I didn't go in everything since I couldn't bend my leg. ''Do you guys want cotton candy?'' ''Yes.'' Chris and I said at the same time. We went to sit at a picnic table while Buck got us cotton candy, me and Chris a pink one and he had a blue one.

''mhh.'' ''Is it good?'' ''That cotton candy is so good.'' Chris said. ''It's delicious.'' After that we squeezed ourselves into the photo booth and took some fun pictures. Chris wanted to shoot with the water cannon so we went to do that. ''This is for all the marbles.'' Buck said.

''Buck?'' ''Yeah buddy?'' ''I don't want the marbles. I want the bear.'' I started to laugh, he was just like me. ''No it's, it's just a figure of speech.'' Me and Buck both laughed as Chris indeed won the bear. Buck helped him of course, but we all high fived him.

Buck seemed to be distracted. He was looking at paramedics helping somebody. ''You will get to do that soon again.'' I said hugging on his side. ''Yeah.'' ''Buck. Sofia.'' We turned around and Buck carried the giant bear. ''Let's go feed the fish.''

We found a bench near the edge of the pier looking out over the water. Chris was looking at the water standing on a bench and Buck and I were sitting next to each other, me holding that giant bear.

Buck had a dead grib on Chris's shirt so he wouldn't fall. ''You ever think about what you want you want to do with your life?'' He looked at me.''What you want to be when you grow up?'' He looked at Chris.