Anna decides to help take care of her sick grandmother and blows off college. She's pretty much having the worst summer of her life but runs into someone from her past that could change everything. She's always been a good girl but he makes her want...
When Anna Marie was six her parents took her and her twelve year old brother Paul to California to visit their dad's mother, Susan. She was just settling into a new house outside of the city near Hollywood Hills. The ocean was only twelve miles away, and the sunsets were to die for.
Susan wasn't a stable part of the kids lives because she'd moved around a lot. She'd been a big time jazz singer in the 70's and she liked to road trip. Now that she was getting older though she'd decided to finally settle down and what better place that California.
Paul wanted to sight see but their parents were only concerned with helping Susan set up the house. Misti, Paul and Anna's mom, was fluttering around trying to control everything as usual. Their dad was kicked back in a lazy boy chair, the only thing he'd unpacked, drinking an ice cold beer.
"Carl so help me if you don't get off your lazy ass," Misti was cut off by Susan.
"Leave the boy alone Misti." She chuckled. "He's just fine where he is. I only have two more boxes anyway."
"Mommy, can we move to California?" Anna Marie asked in her still childish voice.
"No, the only things out here are hippies and people who pay $90,000 for cars." Misti said to her daughter.
"Hippies aren't so bad!" Paul piped up. "One time me and Dad were at a gas station, and while Dad was inside a hippie came up and asked me if I had a lighter. I told him I was twelve and he said when he was twelve he had a lighter. Mom, can I have a lighter?"
"No." Misti rubbed her temples thinking about how she needed a Xanax.
"Oh, hippies aren't so bad." Susan leaned against the doorway. "You kids wanna hear a story about the coolest concert ever?"
"Mom that's not really appropriate." Carl finally chimed in with his two cents.
"Woodstock is taught in history classes Carl. You two need to lighten up or you'll never make it out of your thirties." Susan rolled her eyes.
"Can we go to Woodstock Gram?" Paul asked.
"The yellow bird from Snoopy had a concert?" Anna Marie asked.
"No sweetie, it was a long time ago. Anna dear, it was not the yellow bird from Snoopy." Susan ruffled Anna's hair.
"Hey!" Anna squealed.
"What about Coachella?" Paul asked crossing his arms. "Can we go to Coachella?"
Susan looked over his head at Carl and Misti who shook their heads no. Then she knelt down to Paul's level and winked. "Maybe when you're older."
"Our grandma is the coolest!" Paul fist pumped.
"Kids why don't you go play outside for awhile while we finish unpacking. Then, if you're good, we'll go down to the beach." Misti suggested.
Outside the kids played catch with a few gloves they'd found in a box and a ball Paul brought from back home in Carolina. It felt like hours before their parents came out. Anna felt like her arm was ready to fall off. Not that she minded, because she loved spending time with her big brother.
"Kids! It's time for the beach! If we hurry we'll be there for the sunset!" Susan yelled out the back door into the yard for them.
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