8 Years Later

Chapter 12

"Where are we going?"Maria asked the following day. Maria, Vanessa and Usnavi had went onto the elevated train going to a secret location.

"I actually don't know..."Vanessa said she looked at Usnavi "Where are we going Usnavi?"Vanessa asked. "Its a surprise,"Usnavi replied.

"oh Dios mío!"Maria exclaimed spotting the seaside out of her window.

"Look Mommy its the Seaside!"

Vanessa looked out of the window with a smile seeing the Seaside in its full glory with the clearest sparkling blue sea that she had ever seen and she could actually see the golden sand that wasn't crowded with people.

Vanessa had always promised to take Maria to the sea side ever since Maria was only 3 years old. "Its everything I imagined it would be!"Maria said, she giggled at the seagulls squawking in the sky above.

"This is our stop,"Usnavi said. Vanessa's eyes widened "What!?"she asked.

"Its our stop," Usnavi repeated "We are spending the day at the seaside." Maria immediately started jumping up and down with excitement "YAAAAAY WE'RE GOING TO THE SEASIDE!" She cheered at the top of her lungs.

Maria had never been to the seaside. Vanessa felt as if she could cry what did she do to deserve Usnavi's kindness?

The three of them got off the train and Maria ran as fast she could onto the sand and takes off her shoes so she could feel the sand inbetween her toes. "It tickles!"Maria laughed.

Vanessa turned to look at Usnavi "You are just full of surprises aren't you?"she asked, "How did you know that I always wanted to take her to the beach?"

Usnavi gave Vanessa a small gentle smile "I just know,"he said "I'm magic."

Vanessa lets out a small laugh nodding a little "You sure are."

For the first hour Vanessa and Usnavi were helping build Maria's first ever sand castle, so it had to be extra special.

Usnavi had brought out a blue bucket and spade out of his black bag that he had brought with him. "Where did you get that?"Maria asked amazed.

"I told you, my store is magic!"Usnavi tells her.

"Wow!"Maria breathed out completely mesmerized.

"Okay is first we put sand into the bucket,"Vanessa said "but you need to make sure its damp so it'll stick together."

Vanessa and Usnavi start filing the sand into the bucket.

"You then pat it to make sure that its all flat."As Vanessa goes to pat the sand down with her hands, her hands touch Usnavi's as he goes to do the same thing.

They both institantly start to blush a hot pink and share an awakard giggle with a small smile as they turned the bucket over.

"You then tap the bucket with the spade,"Vanessa said. Maria got the blue spade and taps the bottom of the bucket with it. "And then...TADA!" Usnavi lifts up the bucket and a sandcastle was made.

Maria squeeled with delight and clapped her hands together "WOAH! THATS AMAZING! I WANT TO MAKE ANOTHER ONE!"

Usnavi chuckled "Go ahead make as many as you like."

Vanessa watched as Usnavi and Maria continue to make sandcastles together, adding seashell's to them and extra detail. Vanessa never noticed how similar the two were until this very moment.

Vanessa had to admit she still felt weird that Usnavi was Maria's father, but it was a wonderful weird.

Through the last few weeks Usnavi and Maria grew a unseperable bond, as if they knew each other forever. All this time Vanessa dreamed of getting away and live her dreams but now she knew what that dream was all along, she had found what she was looking for.

A family to call her own.

All she had to do to complete that dream is to tell Usnavi that Maria is his daughter.

"Mommy come on!"Maria called out. She was in the sea with Usnavi holding his hand, "Come in the sea with us!"

Vanessa got out of her thoughts and chuckled as she got up onto her feet "Okay okay I'm coming,"she said.

As Vanessa got into the sea she let's out a squeal "Oh My God Its Freezing!"

Maria couldn't stop laughing which made Vanessa smile as her teeth start to chatter "W-What A-are Y-you laughing A-A-at?"she asked.

"YOU!"Usnavi said and he splashed Vanessa all over causing her and Maria to scream as Maria also got splashed.

Vanessa squinted her eyes shut as her face and hair was now drenched. "USNAVI!"She yelled, as she opened her eyes Usnavi was in fits of laughter clutching his stomach as he does so "You should of seen your face!"

"Oh yeah?"Vanessa asked with a smirk forming on her lips, she then splashed Usnavi just as hard "You should of seen your face!"

To Maria seeing Usnavi drenched was even more funny and she splashed him also. "MARIA!"Usnavi yelled teasingly "You are supposed to be on my side!"

Maria just couldn't stop giggling. "Lets get him,"Vanessa said with a giggle in her voice and before everyone knew it. Usnavi, Vanessa and Maria were chasing  and splashing at each other with a mix of screams and laughter.

"Come here!"Usnavi said running towards Vanessa with his arms out "I want a hug!"

"No!"Vanessa yelled backing away. "RUN MOMMY!"Maria yelled. Vanessa than sprinted as fast as she could as Usnavi was chasing her around the sea.

"USNAVI GO AWAY!" Vanessa screamed, Usnavi managed to catch up with Vanessa and wrapped his arms around her waist causing them both to fall over yelling and screaming as they laughed. Maria was on the shore taking a photograph on the camera laughing at the two of them.

Usnavi landed on top of Vanessa and Vanessa was lying underneath with her hair spread out under the water, she looked into his eyes smiling at him

"Hi..."she giggled.
"Hi,"Usnavi returned the smile placing his hand against her cheek. Vanessa closed her eyes a little and opened them again feeling herself get closer to Usnavi and Usnavi felt himself lean forward as she got closer.

They were just inches apart when Vanessa got herself up from the water laughing "I am drenched!"she said.

Usnavi didn't know why but he felt disappointed for some reason as Vanessa stood up. "We should go and get dried up,"Usnavi said.

Vanessa nodded and the two got out of the water.

The sun was setting and Usnavi, Vanessa and Maria were sat on the sand eating Ice cream as they watched the waves crash against the shore.

"Thank you for today Usnavi,"Vanessa said gently with a smile.

"You're welcome,"Usnavi said "Its worth it to see the smile on Maria's face."

Vanessa sighed as Usnavi said that sentence, she knew that she had to tell Usnavi about Maria, the night at the club and that Vanessa left before he woke up but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to do it.

"Hey what's wrong?"Usnavi asked, looking concerend as he noticed Vanessa's face change.

"There's something I need to tell you,"Vanessa said, she took a deep breath and turned to look at his face but as he showed a small gentle smile she felt a sudden lump in her throat and the words were all muddled up.

"I-I-I um..." Usnavi took Vanessa's hand and squeezed it "You can tell me anything, you know that right?"

Vanessa nodded. "I know,"she said "but I wanted to tell you that...that you're the bestest friend I could of ever asked for."

Usnavi for some reason felt disappointed with Vanessa's answer, "Oh..."he said, Usnavi then nodded "You're not so bad yourself,"he said in a teasing manner.

As Vanessa continued to lick her melting ice cream and chewed on her chocolate flake she couldn't help but feel even more disappointed than Usnavi. God Why couldn't she just spit it out? Vanessa couldn't keep her eyes away from the Ocean and took a deep breath.

'It won't be long now, any day.'