CIMORELLI : All Powered Up

THIRTY FIVE : Beaches, Hills and Pain Pills

"Oh. My. Goodness." Lisa breathed, looking out into the horizon.

I felt my own jaw drop at the sheer beauty of where we were.

"This, this looks like a Photoshopped image.." Lauren whispered, totally in awe.

"Oh my gosh, I was just about to say that..." Said Christina.

I looked at my family, who had just gotten off of the van. Everyone was busy admiring the view. We were somehow transported from a bustling city, to beach paradise.

The tall, tall palm trees that lined the quaint little collection of cottages on the far end facing an amazing ocean view swayed gently in the floating breeze. My feet pushed against the warm, crumbly, breading-like sand that covered a wide amount of land before breaking to the ocean on one end, and the greenest grass on the other. We were surrounded by mountains covered in foliage, it was as if the little beach we were on was hidden in a crescent shaped dimple on the side of a huge mountain range. It was so secluded, so quiet, and absolutely so magical.

"Kath, you okay?" I started, whirling around to see who spoke, bringing my head back down from the clouds.

"Oh, Dani..it's you." I said, looking back at my sister. I saw that everyone else were already being ushered into their separate rooms.

"Come on, let's go, you pinched nostril! It's two to a room, so you better decide who you're staying with." Dani told me, sprinting to greet Christina at the door of their cottage.

I walked past the charming little restaurant in the middle of all the cottages, I saw Bee talking to a man. I came up to them to say hello.

"Oh, Kath!" Bee beckoned me to come forward, " This is my Uncle Daniel..He owns this dump." She joked, slapping him on the shoulder.

I smiled and shook his hand, "This place is beautiful, sir." I said.

He waved his hand, "Thank you, dear. And please, call me Dan." He turned around and grabbed something off of the counter he was leaning against.

It was a set of keys, one for me and one for Bee. He handed the one with a little wooden red chili keychain on it, and Bee got the one with the shell.

"I guess, we're the odd ones out, everybody else already chose their room mates, hahaha!" Bee said, pocketing her key.

I swirled mine around my pinky, " Huh, I guess so! You and me, pardner!" I replied in my crappy southern accent.

And then Dan said, "Okay, ladies, please do NOT lose the keys to your room, or else Beatrix I will take the money straight outta your wallet to pay for a duplicate. You'll be staying in cottage number seven, everything is ready, towels, toiletries, and the AC set on high for this little sparkplug." He said kidding, playfully punching Bee on the shoulder. She laughed along with him, but I saw how she winced from it, meaning that it hurt. I politely said goodbye to Dan thanking him, and ushered Bee into our room.

Our bags were already inside when we walked in and I shut the door.

"How are you feeli-- wow, this room is amazing!" I said, distracted. I looked around, the bamboo walls were painted a pleasant shade of cream, the wooden floors an old fashioned, shiny dark brown, small hand painted portraits hanging proudly on each wall, ivory -tiled toilet and bath, two double beds, various beach themed knick knacks littering the entire room and a charming mother of pearl wind chimes hanging on the windows with light blue, tulle curtains.

"It's pretty nice, I know.. my uncle does have a real eye for interior design.. and don't worry, I'm feeling okay...ish." Bee said, plonking down on the bed furthest from the window, directly below the wall type airconditioner.

Before I said anything, I looked out the window and saw our magnificent view of the beach and the mountains, my brothers already making fast work of the sand castle building equipment they brought.

Turning towards Bee and sitting on the corner of my bed, I faced her, "Bee, be real with me. How are you really feeling?"

"I'm totally okay, I promise.."

"Bee. Come on."

She looked up at the ceiling, still lying down. "Honestly? I feel like poop..." She sighed, "My doctor gave me meds to deal with the pain, but all it's making me feel is worse... I feel sluggish, my entire body is bruised, I can't eat, sometimes I can't even think straight, it hurts so much..."

"Oh Bee..." I said, feeling sorry for her.

"I wanted this trip to be a fun, lasting memory..." She said, sitting up and facing me, her face strewn with tears.

I tensed up when she said the words, 'lasting memory'.

"I'm sorry, you have to see this." She said, looking not at me, but at the floor.

I breathed slowly to stop my own tears from falling, I scooted over and wiped her eyes with my hand, "Bee, listen." I said, "You're one of the most generous people I've ever met, I can't thank you enough for what you've done for us, and for being our friend, you're a good person, one of the best in the world! More importantly, you are strong as heck!" I said to her with full conviction,

"But don't always have to be... It's okay to ask for help sometimes, you know that right?" I ended on a question.

She looked up at me, nodding, her eyes shiny from fresh tears, "I'm so tired...I don't know how I can do this much longer."

She paused for a little, "But I'll do it. I will. This weekend is going to be amazing!" She concluded, slowly wiping away the tears, and shakily pulling something out of her pocket.

I looked down, and saw that she had an orange prescription bottle in her hand. "What's that?" I asked, half-knowing.

"My pain meds." She said, looking at it. "Alright, pills, you better do your job right! I got a weekend of fun to have." She told it, in her signature determination.

"Thank you, Kath." She said, pulling me into an embrace. I hugged her back, I couldn't help but notice that she was feverishly warm, and that her hug was significantly less bone-crushing than normal. But I shook away my fears.

"Hey," I said, pulling away from her and looking into her eyes, "You and me, partner..remember that."

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A/N

i am dragging this story out as much as i can, I don't want it to end yet~ 😂😆✌😭

okay, this entry will make specific people sorta happy. i hope. lololol.

thank you everybody! vote, comment, follow, share, woot! (I just literally took the time to type 'woot'. nice.)

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