Not another Day at the Beach

Chapter 15: We have a Problem

POV: Max
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"...The man, hailing from Orlando, is under arrest for stealing alligators from the Citrus County Zoo." The reporter on the TV said. "The alligator fight club he attempted to establish has been suspended as of yesterday, and the police are searching for others connected to the crime."

I laughed, picking up my eraser. I was sitting on the couch, watching the news and doodling. You could always count on a Florida man to give you some entertainment in the news.

I heard the door open, revealing my mom.

"Hey mom." I greeted, turning towards her.

Whenever I look at mom, it almost always shocks me how much she looks like Sadie. Same brown hair, freckles, only with a few wrinkles. Sadie doesn't really look like a combination of mom and dad. She just looks like mom's younger twin.

"Hey sweetie." Mom said, planting a kiss on my forehead.

"Did you win anything?" I asked as mom sat on the couch beside me.

"Second place." She said, smiling.

"Not bad."

Both my parents had been away at a baking competition, which was why Sadie and I had been working more.

"Where's dad?" I asked.

"In the kitchen."

I nodded, shading in my drawing.
Dad was probably unpacking all the stuff they had baked. Ugh. I know that it sounds awesome having sweets around the house 24/7, but when you're a kid of two bakers, it gets old pretty quickly. Of course, there are perks. You get an unlimited supply of your favorite desserts, and you know how to whip up a totally sweet cheesecake. Sadie and I were the coolest kids in school for bringing sweets in for our classmates, that is, until...

"How was it while we were away?" Mom asked.

I was about to tell her that it was fine, that nothing bad had happened, but I decided to get straight to the point.

"Uh...mom?" I said nervously.

My mother, flopping down on the couch, looked up at me.

"Yes sweetie?"

I sighed.

"I think Sades needs to go back to therapy."

My mom frowned.

"Why?"

"I saw her search history. She's looking at-"

"Again?" Mom whispered, biting her lip. Her tired green eyes looked down sadly.

"Yes, again. And now that she can afford it, I feel like she might actually do it. Her eighteenth birthday's in December, so she could legally..."

Mom shook her head.

"God...I thought she was doing better."

I had logged onto the family computer, only to find something I hadn't searched. Plastic surgery. Sadie had been searching for plastic surgery again. This is usually how we get the hint that her BDD is flaring up again.

"This time it was for rhinoplasty." I added.

"Shit..." Mom muttered. "Zack, can you come in here?" She shouted to my dad.

"Don't rush me, Anna." Dad shouted.

"It's important."

I heard my dad sigh, putting down a few boxes before coming into the room.