The Ghosts in You (A Zak Bagans Fanfic)

Chapter 89

It was shaping up to be a beautiful Southern California Sunday. Zak wrapped his arms around Sara. "What's on the agenda for today?"

Sara thought for a moment as she placed her glass of celery juice on the kitchen counter to return his hug. "I was thinking we could take Gracie, Huck, and Neo to Dog Beach. You up for it?" She smiled up at him.

"Dog Beach? Hell, yeah!" Zak was peeking over Sara's shoulder at some pictures on her refrigerator – photos of Sara with children that appeared to be going through cancer treatments. Chemo, he supposed. "Sara, who are the people in your pictures?" Zak scanned the photos when another one called out to him. "Is this you?"

She broke away from their embrace to look at the photo. "Yes. That's Christina and me; she's one of my best friends. I think we were about eight years old there."

"Who are the kids in the other pictures?" Zak queried.

"I volunteer at Children's Hospital. They're all pics of some of the kids I've met and spent time with."

"Really? That's great! The volunteering part, I mean." Another thing we have in common. "What prompted you to volunteer your time with terminally ill kids?"

"Christina and I met when we were seven – she was battling leukemia. I went with her to her doctor appointments and to visit her at camp during the summers," Sara explained. "As a matter of fact, that picture was taken at UCLA Children's Hospital; they threw a little Easter party for kids who were going through cancer treatments. Christina had her blood work done that day and then I went with her to the party. I got to meet a lot of kids who were battling different cancers. I'm drawn to them; it's hard to put into words. They're special."

"And Christina? Is she okay now?" Zak asked.

Sara assured him. "Yes! She's perfectly healthy."

"So you've been friends for what? Thirty plus years now?"

Sara did the math in her head. "Thirty-five." Sara smiled at the thought of her best friend. They'd gone through an incredible journey together.

For a moment, Sara's thoughts turned to her mom. Zak could see sadness flit across her eyes for a tick or two before she hastily switched topics: "Let's get everything together and head to the beach."

They gathered up towels, dog toys, snacks, and a small cooler with a few drinks apiece. "Zak, can you carry the cooler? I can grab the rest."

"Sure." Zak followed Sara into her garage where she opened the back of a 2018 Black Jeep Rubicon. "One black car and one white car?" he asked, taking notice of the brand new Mercedes AMG GLE 63 S.

She perked up. "Yin and yang – light and dark, Zak. You can't know one without knowing the other."

So true, he mused.

They loaded the Jeep and then set about leashing up Gracie, Huck, and Neo. "Do you want me to drive?" Zak asked. "I don't mind."

"I'm okay for the drive there. Maybe on the way home, though?"

All along their route, Sara pointed out various landmarks, filling him in on the time she'd spent in the O.C. as a teenager. "My dad moved here after my parents divorced, so I spent a lot of weekends here with him."

"What kinds of things would you do when you visited your dad?"

Sara smiled as the memories played through her mind. "Mostly shopping." She laughed. "Or movies. Oh, and lots of time on Balboa Island!"

"Balboa Island?" Zak asked.

"Yeah, it's a cool little spot in Newport Beach. I'll take you there sometime." She gave him a wink and a nod.