On Saturdays I don't have to work so I decided to take Stella to the beach. I called up Eva to meet us over here too. About an hour later, I finally see her small, skinny frame walking towards where me and Stella are. She has her chesnut hair in loose waves, a big difference from the bun and hat she wears to work.
"Wave Stella it's Eva," I say grabbing her teeny hand swaying it in the air.
As she gets closer I myself, begin waving.
"Hiiii Eva!!!" I burst out, embarrassing her in front of everyone present at the beach. When she finally reaches us I grin.
"Very funny." She smiles.
"Hi Eva," Stella softly speaks.
"Hey Stella how's it going?" Eva saids, taking Stella from me and into her arms.
"Good." Stella giggles.
I stay quiet as I watch them exchange some words.
"Ready to get in the water?" Eva asks putting Stella beside her and stripping down into her one-piece bathing suit. I don't think much about her not wearing a two-piece, but I find it a little odd for a girl like her to not wear one.
I take off my t-shirt and lay down on the beach towel.
"You girls go ahead, I'll stay here.", Eva nods, but stops to look at my inked body.
"Like what you see, babe?" I smirk, taking off my ray bans to see Eva roll her eyes. She takes Stella's hand, and runs off into the water.
____________
"Harry can you pass me the sun tan lotion?" Eva asks.
"sure," I hand her the small bottle, "its funny, mid-January and we're both tanning." I lightly chuckle.
She squeezes a pea-sized amount on her palm and rubs it on her arms. before laying back down next to me, a good distance between the two of us.
"yeah, i love Miami weather."
A peaceful silence, except for the sound of crashing waves on the shore, descends upon us.
Eva sits up and starts wiggiling her toes in the grainy sand, her legs extended out infront of her. Stell sits quietly beside her playing with this yellow pail and blue shovel.
"I'll miss the beach for a while." she frowns looking down at the sand.
"why?" I call her out.
She hesitates, a hint of uncertainty flashes in her dark bluish eyes before she quickly composes herself. She wasn't expecting me to care or ask, I can tell.
"Well since my parents are retired now they moved back to Tenessee, where we used to live, and they want me to visit." she saids quietly.
"Aren't you excited?" I say in a cheery, high-pitched voice.
She grimaces, "I would be, but I have to drive up there all by myself- "
"when is it?" I cut her off, "I'll go. I can drive too." The offer tumbles out of my mouth before I can process what I just said. I don't know why I said it honestly. It might sound selfish of me to say but, I needed a break, from everything. I've been feeling physically and emotionally drained these days. I saw this as a way out.
"Harry.." She begins, I already know she's going to give me one hundred different reasons to not go.
"I want to go, it's around my birthday anyway, we'll spend it over there, its not like I do anything special.." What I said was true, i dont remember the last time I did something specifically centered around my birthday.
"I dont know.." She shakes her head and furrows her eyebrows.
"Plus, work isn't as fun without you. Oh c'mon pleaseee." I practically beg.
"fine." She tries to keep a straight face but a small smile forms on her pink lips.
I put my Ray Bans on and lay back down on the towel and begin to think what a stupid idea. I can't take Stella.
I'm going on a small vacation, the first one in ages, and I can't take Stella..I guess that means leaving her with our only relative left.
