Risky Business

Marissa awoke early the next morning with a migraine. Groaning, she climbed out of bed and stumbled downstairs for some juice and an Advil. She was surprised to find her mom and dad sitting at the breakfast table when she entered the kitchen. “Oh, hi,” Marissa said. “Don't mind me,” she added, referring to their quickly hushed conversation. They both smiled nervously at Marissa as she grabbed a glass from the cabinet.

“What are you doing today?” her mother asked, watching Marissa pour the orange juice. Angela Evans was a small woman with a high pitched voice that made you want to claw at your ears. She almost always wore her blonde hair in a tight bun and you rarely ever saw her in anything but dress. She was like the perfect housewife, only without the nice attitude. Marissa's mother complained about everything her daughter did and the two always seemed to be in some sort of argument.

Marissa only shrugged and gulped down the pills. She hadn't planned on doing anything in particular, probably just lounging around and reading or doing something with Brett. Her mother nodded and opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by her husband.

“I was thinking we could go to the shops and maybe grab a late brunch,” he said. Marissa's shock and confusion must have shown on her face because he quickly added, “We haven't hung out in awhile, and I figured we could catch up.” Christopher Evans had been a tall, gangly teenager in high school and much hadn't changed as he grew older. He had put on a little weight and his messy, brown hair had streaks of gray in it, but those were his only differences. His carefree attitude even carried into his adulthood, except now he was quite strict and he didn't seem to like anything other than work.

Marissa replied with a quiet “sure” before ducking out of the kitchen. Her parents were acting very oddly and Marissa wondered what her father's motives were. He hadn't asked to hang out with her since she was a young kid, and she doubted that he really wanted to.

Shrugging it off, Marissa climbed back in her bed and flipped on the TV. Jerry Springer popped up and she laughed at his ridiculousness. No one but hoes and baby daddies went on the show and there were always fights. Laughing once more at the show's stupidity, Marissa changed the channel to a more entertaining show. As she flipped through the guide, her cell phone vibrated on her side table. Abandoning the remote, Marissa picked up her phone and read the text that Brett sent her.

Meet me @ 1 on the pier. It's a surprise. Don't be late!

Marissa typed back a simple “okay” and pressed send. She turned her attention back to the TV but quickly turned it off. Jumping up, Marissa opened her closet doors and flipped through clothes, wondering what she should wear. She decided on a light pair of jean shorts and a cute shirt that showed off her flat tummy. Marissa head to the bathroom and turned on the shower. Waiting for the water to warm up, she brushed out her hair before pulling it into a bun so it wouldn't get wet.

After showering, Marissa slipped on her clothes and walked back to her room. She sat down in front of her mirror with her makeup bag and began applying concealer to the dark circles under her eyes along with a few blemishes. As Marissa added the last of her mascara, her father walked in. Her eyes widened as she remembered her plans with him and groaned inwardly.

“Hey, Riss, I'll be waiting outside in the car, so just come out when you're ready,” he said with a smile. Marissa nodded and tried to figure out how she could manage to hang out with both her father and Brett. Maybe she could shop for a bit with her dad and then tell him she wanted to meet up with her friends for lunch, knowing that if she mentioned Brett, he wouldn't be very happy. Glancing at her phone, Marissa noted that it was only half past ten, so she had plenty of time to spend with her dad.

Marissa pulled her hair out of it's bun and ran a brush through it again before adding a head band. She glanced in the mirror one last time and grabbed her bag. Marissa took the stairs two at a time, and as she slipped her sandals on, she called out a “goodbye” to her mother. Marissa walked out of the front door and climbed into her father's truck.

“So, where to first?” he asked as he backed out of the driveway. Marissa shrugged and fiddled with the radio, finding a suitable radio station. She looked out of the window as her father navigated his way into town. Newport Harbor never had much traffic, for pretty much everyone always walked to and from the shops or otherwise caught a ride with a friend. Today was no exception. The streets were empty of cars but definitely not people. The sidewalks were so cluttered that people were walking in the road.

Marissa's dad finally pulled over after having to travel at such a slow speed and parked. The two climbed out of his truck and began walking to the shops at the end of Pier 2. There were two piers in Newport Harbor: one made specifically for fishing and one made for dining and shopping. The one Marissa and Brett had reunited on was the first one while the one her and her father were walking to was the second one. The fishing pier had never officially become Pier 1 like the other, but that was probably because Pier 2 had only recently been built.

It was nearly eleven when they reached the pier, and they were both covered in a layer of sweat. “Why don't we grab a drink before we shop?” Marissa suggested. She had watched her dad fan himself for the past five minutes and knew the heat was really getting to him. He nodded and they headed towards Sandy Waters.

Sandy Waters was the owner of the joint and actually named the place after herself. She figured her name fit well with the beach atmosphere and had built a restaurant only a couple of years ago. Sandy was a tall, blonde who could have been a model if not for the large, pink scar that ran down front of her body. Sandy had been in a fishing accident when she was on a trip with her father as a teenager. Everyone in Newport looked past her scar, however, because she served some of the best food in town.

Sandy had everything from shrimp to burgers to salads and had a special desert that only she knew how to make. The place was usually packed for lunch, and not unsurprisingly, it was very crowded when Marissa and her father walked inside.

The quick burst of cold air hit them hard, and Marissa almost fell from the relief it brought. She glanced around the restaurant and took in the familiar surroundings. The front room was filled with clothed tables and loud conversations. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves as they laughed and joked with their table mates.

Marissa smiled to herself as she remembered a time that Brett had brought her here. It was one of the rare times that the place was empty and there were only two other tables being occupied. Brett had insisted that they try everything on the menu, and they had, although it really cost them. They had tried over thirty different meals, ten appetizers, and three deserts. Not only were their stomachs full, the bill was full also: of a whole lot of zeros. Sandy had taken their picture and placed it on the wall as a sort of reminder of that night.

Marissa followed her father to a small table in the corner and sat down across from him. A waitress was with them in seconds, taking their drink order and leaving the two alone. “So,” her father started, clearing his throat awkwardly. “How have things been without uh, Brett?” Her parents had obviously seen how moody she had been since the beginning of summer, so it was natural for her dad to wonder why it was bothering her so much.

Marissa bit her lip and tried answering his question as honestly as she could without upsetting him. Marissa knew her parents didn't particularly care for Brett ever since he had gotten her in major trouble with the police a few years ago, but they had tried accepting Marissa's friendship and in return she purposely avoided talking about him and bringing him over.

“Um, it was hard at first, 'cause we've never been apart like that, ya know?” Her father nodded and she continued. “It's easier now. I forgave him for leaving.” Marissa swallowed hard on her last words and fiddled with her napkin. Fortunately the waitress coming back with their drinks and ended all discussion of Brett.

Realizing how uncomfortable the subject was for his daughter, Marissa's dad steered the conversation away by asking her where she wanted to go first. “We could check out that new Dock Shop place,” he suggested. Marissa nodded, taking a sip of her tea. “And then we could hit Shelley's Closet, maybe grab some lunch.”

Marissa grimaced when her dad mentioned having lunch together. “Uh, actually, Dad, I planned on eating out with some friends.” Marissa expected her father to scold her for deserting him to hang out with her friends, but instead he seemed almost excited for Marissa to cancel their lunch plans. “You're not mad that I'm ditching you?” she asked him, still confused at his acceptance.

“No, no, not at all. Go have fun with your friends,” he said with a smile. Marissa knew that if he found out she was meeting Brett instead of “friends,” that he would be very disappointed and probably even ground her, so she made sure not to let it slip.

The two chatted for a bit, sipping on their drinks before paying the bill and leaving. Marissa's dad led the way to the Dock Shop and the pair found themselves in a nicely decorated clothing shop. There were surfboards hanging on the walls along with life preservers and fishing poles. Racks and racks of clothes were sorted into four sections: men, women, teens, and kids. Marissa made her way over to the teens section and began browsing.

After a few minutes, Marissa walked to the dressing room with a pair of white shorts and a cute flowery dress. She tried both items on and decided to get them. As she was changing back into her regular clothes, Marissa's phone vibrated. It was at text from Brett reminding her not to be late. Glancing at the time, Marissa noted that she still had an hour before she was supposed to meet him.

Marissa left the dressing room and purchased her items before sitting on one of the benches outside of the shop to wait on her dad. It was only a short wait because he soon emerged with two shopping bags in his hand. Marissa raised an eyebrow, wondering what he could have gotten.

“I bought your mother a few things,” her dad said, answering Marissa's silent question. Marissa nodded and together they walked down the pier to the other clothing shop. Shelley's Closet was a more upscale boutique, although from the outside you wouldn't think that. It was built to resemble a closet made from a shell, but in reality it looked more like something you'd find on a playground.

Inside was another story, however, because it was decorated very nicely. The walls were covered in a patterned wallpaper and the floors were made of marble. The racks held more sophisticated looking clothes like the kind of thing you'd wear to a wedding or a dance. It was an all girl's store, so Marissa's dad followed Marissa to the young women's section. The clothes here were quite expensive, therefore Marissa doubted she was going to get anything; her father, however, had an entirely different idea.

“Pick whatever you want,” he said, and as Marissa's eyes widened, he added, “It'll be a late graduation present, yeah?” Marissa grinned at her father and began browsing the racks. Two dresses caught her eye and after a long debate, she decided to go with the black dress that had thin white stripes on it. She tried it on and of course it fit perfectly, so she took it to the cashier to ring it up.

Marissa hated seeing almost two hundred dollars wasted on one item, but she had fallen in love with the dress and she was ecstatic that her father was willing to buy it for her. Marissa and her dad walked out of the store and felt the first few drops of rain. They quickly hopped back under the awning and as they watched the rain progressively harden, Marissa groaned and pulled out her phone.

Brett answered on the second ring and Marissa asked him if their plans were still on. “Of course!” he exclaimed as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“It's pouring, though! We're gonna catch a cold!” Marissa hated the rain with a fiery passion and Brett knew that. She didn't understand why he still wanted to meet up, but Marissa knew that it must be important. Sighing, Marissa agreed to meet him and hung up. “Lunch is still on,” she said, turning to face her father. “I'll get a ride from one of my friends, don't worry,” she added when she saw his face.

“Riss – I don't think that's a good idea,” he said, biting his lip.

“Dad, I haven't seen them in forever. It'll only be for an hour or so, okay?” Marissa tried to give her dad a convincing smile but figured that it looked more like a grimace.

Her dad nodded and said, “I'll take your bags home. Don't stay out too late.” Marissa agreed to be home at 3 and watched her father race to his truck before ducking her head and running to the other pier.