We Met At The Eye Doctor

"So how's Hawaii?" Mandy asks me after a few days after I arrived.
"It's fabulous." I say in mockery.
"Lucky brat!" she mutters under her breath, "How was the wedding?"
"It was great, it was a simple very casual ceremony. The reception was crazy. I mean there was the Macarena with an over-active pelvic roll and we did the ritual of the trout."
"The what now?"
"Ritual of the trout, it's some psychotic dance move the guys made up way back when; Bianca, Adie and Jill showed me. Mike got a kick out of it."
"I bet he did." She snickers, "How is ol Mikey anyway?"
"Don't call him that. He's fine, he left to go down to the beach with Stella a few minutes ago."
"Awe, you didn't join him."
"I'm going in a few minutes. I just wanted to get my camera and stuff."
"Oh I see, working on vacation."
"I'm always working, I'm an artist." I say laughing.
"Sure you are honey."

"Oh you wouldn't believe what happened."
"Yeah I will." Mandy says in mockery.
"Shut-up." I say distracted, "Tre left yesterday for New York with Ramona and Bianca."
"Why?"
"Well the guys have November tour-free, so he decided to spend it with, and I quote, my two favorite ladies."
"Awe that's sweet, but Tre doesn't he also have a son?"
"Yeah, he's still here." I say as fumble with my camera to put in a new roll of film.
"A bit young to be traveling alone."
"Billie and Adie are taking care of him."
"Oh okay, so I'll let you go now, I have business to attend to, not everyone can be on vacation."
"Bye." I say as I hang up the phone.

I head down to the beach taking pictures of the scenery along the way. I see Mike and Stella building a sand castle down the coast, but they haven't noticed me yet. Such a perfect moment so I took a picture of it. I walk up to them making myself known.
"Hey that's a nice sand castle." I say to Stella.
"Thanks, when we're done I'm going to get water and make a moat." She says happily.
"Cool."
"Can I try your camera?" she asks looking at the camera in my hand.
"Umm sure, just press this button here when you want to take a picture." I say as I hand it to her. She scampers off to go take pictures.
"Be careful!" Mike calls after her. I sit myself on the edge of the tanning chair. "You're not paranoid she'll drop it?"
"Nope, that camera's been through hell and back, I don't think she can put it through worse treatment than I have." I say laughing.
"Same with my first bass, it's indestructible." Mike says laughing as he comes to sit next to me.

"Dad! Cassie! I took six pictures!" Stella says running up to us proudly, "I want to take one more of the two of you."
"Okay." I say as I wrap my arm around Mike.
"One, two, three." Stella counts before clicking the button on the top of the camera then passes it back to me. "Here you go."
"Thanks." I say as she scampers off with her bucket down to the water. "I got a picture of you in your bathing suit!"
"You're so immature." Mike says rolling his eyes. "Can I have a copy of it?"
"Sure." I say laughing, "Why? You want a picture of me in my bathing suit?"
"Yup." He says evilly.
"And you accuse me of being immature." I say shaking my head.
"SHHH!" Mike says putting his finger over his lips.

We lie on the tanning chairs for a while just enjoying each other's company. I lean over and start tracing over his tattoos with my finger. He twitches and starts laughing lightly.
"Cassie, what are you doing?"
"Tracing."
"Why?"
"Bored, and your tattoos interest me." I say as I continue.
"Stop it tickles." He says laughing as he puts his hand over mine.
"You're no fun, I'm going to see what Stella's up to." I say in mockery, "She'll probably be a lot more fun then tracing tattoos."
"Yeah okay." Mike says putting his sunglasses on and lying on the tanning chair smugly, probably thinking I'd come back. I walk down to the water where Stella is splashing around in the water.

"Cassie! You're coming swimming." She asks happily.
"Yup." I say stepping into the warm ocean.
"Look I got sea shells." She says as she lifts up her bucket.
"Wow, those are really nice." I say dipping my shoulders in the water so they won't burn.
"Dad said I couldn't go in the deeper part alone, but now that you're here, can you take me?" she asks hopefully.
"Sure." I say lowering myself into the water, "Piggy back?" she clambers on my back and I start to walk into the deeper part of the beach.
"There's no sharks right?"
"No, there's probably a shark screen where it gets really deep." I reassure her.
"You're not going to leave my dad are you?" Stella asks.
"No, why do you ask?"
"Because I don't want you to leave him, I like you and my dad is always happy when he's around you." she says happily. "Do you love him?" This question came as a bit of a shock to me, I never really thought about it seriously. I thought about the question for a moment knowing the answer the whole time.
"Yes." I say confidently.
"Good." She says happily, "Because I think he loves you too."

"Hey did I miss anything terribly amusing?" Mike asks as he wades towards us.
"Nope, just girl talk." I say as I shift Stella's weight on my back.
"Talking about me?" Mike asks in a cocky tone. Stella nods happily. "What were you saying?"
"We can't tell you that, or else it wouldn't be called girl talk." Stella teases. Mike takes Stella off my back and holds her in his arms.
"I can always leave you here and we'll swim away." Mike threatens as he holds Stella up away from him.
"No! No!" She yelps as she squirms in his grip.
"Hmm, why should I keep you, I mean I can leave you here and get your supper too." Mike teases.
"I'm cute!" Stella says laughing.
"Oh okay." Mike says as he holds her against him again.
"Do you want to go for lunch now?" I ask as we head back to shore.
"Yeah, I'm starving." Stella says patting her stomach.
"Me too, all that threatening really makes me hungry." Mike says evilly.