Suburban Island

Some Nights (Everyone)

It's just another day in Golden Leaf. They wait until the end comes for them.

-Annabelle and Kenji-

Annie watched the chopper fly away. She waved to the sky. Kenji sat in the window, frowning. Deep down, he knew that his daughter-in-law was right. The old man tried to deny this reality long enough. Realizing it just made him want to vomit. Kenji snorted and clicked his tongue.

"Good riddance," he muttered. Annie turned and walked into the house. She caught Kenji saying, "I'm glad that woman is gone." His granddaughter turned her head.

"Old man," she said.

"What?" he asked.

"How you don't like Mama so much?" she asked. "What did she do to make you so angry at her?" The cold fire in Kenji's eyes warned her to stop talking. But instead, the answer threw her off-guard.

"She hurt you when you were a baby," he said. Annie turned to him with a confused look on her face.

"What?" she asked. "Why would she do that?"

"I'll let her tell you herself," Kenji said. He walked up stairs to his room. Annie tilted her head.

"Okay..." she said.

-Josie and Steve-

"Why are we here?" Josie asked as her boyfriend led her through his house.

"I just want to show you something," Steve said.

"Show me what?" she asked. "Why did you ask me to wear my favorite swimsuit?"

"Trust me on this," her boyfriend insisted. Josie dropped her shoulders and rolled her eyes.

"Fine," she said. Steve led her to the back door. He broke into a smile and opened it wide. Sand covered most of the backyard. It came all that way up to the large swimming pool that his family owned. Water inside said pool moved like waves of the ocean. Plastic and paper palm trees decorated the fence enclosing the backyard. Two beach chairs and an umbrella sat in the sand. Steve walked in front of his girlfriend.

"Welcome to Golden Leaf Beach," he said. "Grand opening starts today." Josie tilted her head.

"This is a beach?" she asked.

"Yes," Steve said. "I used the special-order section of the form to request sand, a wave machine, and supplies to make the trees. I took the beach patio furniture from out of the shed." Josie looked around, shaking her head.

"This isn't a real beach," she said. "Where are the sounds?"

"Already on it," her boyfriend said. "Alexia, play beach sounds."

"Okay," the smart speaker said. Sounds of the waves and seagulls filled the silence. Josie turned to Steve.

"I don't get it," she said.

"Get what?" he asked.

"Why would you do all of this for me?" Josie asked.

"You wanted to go to the beach, so I brought the beach to you," Steve said, rubbing the back of his head. "Might as well enjoy it while we still can." Josie hugged him wildly.

"Thank you!" she shouted. Steve hugged her back and patted her on the back.

"Yes, yes," he said. "Just enjoy your day at the beach." His girlfriend jogged down to the pool, ocean.

-Mara and Gabby-

Mara walked up to 104 Griffin Street and knocked on the door. She looked up when it opened a crack.