Mine [Series 2] | ✔️

{33} Mine [Series 2]

THIRTY-THREE:

© All Rights Reserved - 2013 S. M. Palmer

♜♖♜ COLBY ♖♜♖

I TALKED WITH MY boss, Kiana, and she's allowing me to take five weeks off (she said she's going to give me worker's comp two of those weeks I'm gone) so I can go to the beach.

Keira and I have talked it over and we've figured we're going to go to stay at Ka'awa Loa Plantation Hotel. But unfortunately, my mom and stepdad won't able to go, because they can't find anyone to fill in for them at the hospital (or you know what I mean), so it's just going to be Tricia, Colton, Derek, Keira, and I.

- - -

{Monday, June 20, 2011}

We load everything into my mom's car trunk and then shut the trunk. "Mom, thanks for taking us to the airport," I answer, "and then keeping mine and Keira's cars at your house for the two weeks we're gone."

"Oh, you're very welcome, sweetie," Mom answers. "Oh, by the way, Tricia and Colton aren't going to be able to make it. So, it'll just be you, Keira, and Derek in Hawaii."

"It's a shame they won't be able to make it," I answer. "But I'm excited we're still able to go."

She smiles at me. After she drops us off at the airport, we check our luggage into baggage claim and then go through customs. Once all that's done, we go and sit by our boarding gate. "How are we going to do this?" Keira whispers, peering at me.

"Do what?" I ask, cocking an eyebrow.

"Get Derek's car seat and base onto the plane," she answers. "Will they even let us bring it on?"

"They'll have to let us get it on the plane," I answer. "That's Derek's only way to travel."

"True," she answers. She turns her attention to Derek. Derek's car seat is on the ground and he's looking around, gurgling. Bending down, Keira unstraps Derek and picks him up. "Hi, little guy," she replies, tickling his cheeks. "Are you excited to go to Hawaii with Mama and Daddy for two weeks or what?" She then showers his cheek in kisses.

Watching them in amazement, I smile at that. I lean back and stretch my arm behind Keira. "Oh, Colby, by the way," she replies, "your mom gave us her debit card to use. She said we have an unlimited amount. Her and Ashton will be able to pay for it at the bank."

"Cool," I answer before kissing the side of head. "But I shouldn't spend too much."

She giggles. "Well, don't leave me alone with it or I'll go cray with it."

I chuckle. (Cray—or cray cray—is the word us kids use nowadays instead of saying crazy. Saying cray—or cray cray—makes them sound cooler.) "Oh, Keira, while I'm thinking about it," I reply, "I have a big surprise for you and Derek that I'm going to give y'all in about two months or so."

Keira turns to me with a cocked eyebrow. "A big surprise?" she asks. "What kind of big surprise is this?"

"Well, if I told what it was it wouldn't be a big surprise anymore," I answer.

Keira giggles as she absentmindedly rolls her eyes, but nods nonetheless.

I lightly kiss her cheek and then turn to stare out the window that looks out on the run way.

A few minutes later, Keira turns to me. "Can you hold Derek?"

"Sure. Where are you going?"

"I want to go to the gift shop," she answers, "and get some magazines, snacks, and drinks for the plane trip."