Second Chance

Chapter 1

Present day – Green Lake

 “Oh for Pete’s sake....” Gabby Vista cursed mildly, thinking to herself while her eyebrows pleated in frustration ‘Right now I could have been in a beach hammock or lounging by the pool in one of those lush cushiony chases with pina-colada or strawberry margaritas in my hand, or both! Spending a week or two at some tropical vacation paradise where no one would know me, yet be asking all kinds of asinine questions for pure entertainment and gossip!’

 For who knows what time that exactly same thought pierced Gabby’s mind. It has been three days since she arrived to Green Lake, Croatia for a five week vacation and visit with her brother and a family. She was annoyed, that is what it was. Looking back, now she could not understand for the life of her why did she indulge in this idea and agreed to it. Just like it was back then, it still was beyond her craziest conclusions and it boggled her mind, she didn't understand it. There had to be more to it that Nick was not telling her.

Yeah, she lost that inane bet to her brother Nick that they made in their teens, but maybe if she tried just a little harder, she could have persuaded him and his wife Nina to come and visit her with their kids Junior and Mimi.

She recalled the conversation between her and Nick about two months ago over the phone. She told him how she hasn’t used her vacation this year, she still had her personal time left from last and this year, how she can maneuver some more time off work and she would have five weeks off for them when they come to visit.

“Perfect” he said “then you are coming home to us this year again and we are spending a vacation at the family home in Green Lake”

“Nooo... it is your turn guys to come here, I was there last year!”

“Yeah Gabby, you were here last year during cold winter and we didn’t do much but stayed indoors. This year it will be during summer and we will all have fun. Besides, you will get to see some people that you haven’t seen in a really long time”

“But I want you guys to come here, not me going back there again” Gabby whined

“No, it’s cheaper to pay for one plane ticket than four”

“If I am paying for it, what do you care?”

“That is not the point right now. And I am calling in that favour you owe me for a bet you lost last year when our cousin got married, and you get to see her daughter too. She is due few weeks before you come”

“I didn’t say I was coming”

“Oh yes you are! You owe me one and I am calling it in!”

“But I was going to take you guys to Disney World!” Gabby was trying to persuade him

“Not happening Gabby, you are coming here this year and we are spending the summer in Green Lake!”

“You know, Nina will be mad at you when she finds out I was going to take you guys to Disney and you made me come there!” she tried to play that card and Nina yelled from the background

“No I won’t! Mimi is too young for Disney!” She was yelling so Gabby can hear her

“Agrh... Traitor! Wait, am I on a speaker?” Gabby growled

“She just called you a traitor” Nick was laughing now, and all of a sudden Nina was on the phone

“You will thank me later, for various reasons. Mimi is skittish around masked people and clowns. If we take her to a Disney now, she would not enjoy it. Give it a couple more years. And we would really like it if you come back this year again. Kids would be ecstatic, you know that”