Cerulean Found

Chapter 38 - Walk and Talk

I refuse to leave my room on Wednesday. If it were up to me, I'd stay there the rest of the summer. However, Dad did not like this idea at all. He pounded on the wooden door of my room until I had no choice but to let him in. To be honest, I was scared he was going to break it down. His temper is unmatched and his tall stature is intimidating. You do not want to be on his bad side.

He lectured me in his stern, authoritative voice, about how I was behaving badly and hurting mom, and how I needed to be spending time with her and the rest of the family. I agreed to get dressed and join them all on their planned trip to the Jalukka Botanical Garden. Just because I was going, didn't mean I was going to enjoy myself, or speak with anyone. Dad wanted me to spend time with the family, and that is exactly what I'd be doing, but on my own terms, of course.

The Jalukka Botanical Garden is an amazing way to spend an afternoon. That is, if you are a botanist and love tropical plants and rare flowers. Since I am not speaking to anyone, I am bored out of my mind. I can tell my self-proclaimed silence is annoying dad. He has that look of frustration and total disgust on his face, but I don't care.

I stopped caring the night I confronted mom. Cameron tries to get me alone and ask how I am doing. How I am coping. I give him a blank stare and walk off.

I am surprised that we don't happen to randomly run into the Hernandez clan as we usually do whenever we are out. But I am not in the clear from seeing them just yet. The day is still young, and according to Dad they are coming over for dinner.

He had called them while we were at the garden to extend the dinner invitation. I knew this was just a ploy. The whole dinner was because of me. If we had company, I had to stay out of my room and actually be with the family.

Well played, dad, I think to myself.

Gram has invited Peggy too. Abbo is cooking Ropa Vieja and fried plantains. This was not a random spur of the moment meal choice. I know exactly why he is making this. It is my favorite and they know I can't refuse this classic Cuban dish, no matter how mad I may be.

We don't go straight to the villa after our long visit at the botanical garden. We stop at the Carabalise Beach Resort so everyone can cool off in the water.

Everyone but me, that is. As my family takes their refreshing dip in the ocean, I walk off following one of the paved pathways that meander through the hotel grounds.

I am hot.

I am mad.

I am irritable.

I want to go home to Massachusetts, but I know that I can't. I am stuck on this island until August. And now I am stuck at this resort, in the blazing summer sun.

Sweaty and dirty.

I just want to go back to the villa, shower and then go to bed.

"Hey Mila!" a familiar voice calls. I turn around and see Josh jogging towards me. "Your brothers told me you had gone for a walk."

I don't say anything. I turn back around and continue on my walk. I know that is rude, but I just don't care anymore. Instead of getting a clue and heading back to the beach or wherever he came from, Josh continues to walk with me.

"Cameron said that you know," he says, breaking the silence.

"Yeah. So?" I spit out.

"How are you coping?" he asks.

"I'm fine."

"Really? You don't sound fine. You sound angry," he says.

If he can figure out that I am mad, then why isn't he smart enough to realize that I want to be left alone?