Vacation ch 1
Characters aren't mine; no money made. Here's Chapter One of my answer to the Vacation Challenge. More to come...
"I can't believe he's MAKING me take two weeks off. You know why, don't you? I maxed out on overtime again. He's punishing me."
Greg smiled at her indignation. "No, he's making you take off 'cause he's afraid you'll make the department pay you for all your saved vacation once the year changes, and that would make the entire lab go broke. Look on the bright side, Sara. It's a vacation."
She snorted. "A vacation sitting in my living room alone watching TV. I don't think I'm up to that kind of excitement."
"So negative." He turned and faced her with a grin. "Well, I have a little surprise for you. You aren't the only one being forced to take vacation. I've been at the lab eight years, never took any time off except sick leave after the explosion. Grissom called me in last night, says I have some huge amount of time saved up and I'm going to have to start taking some of it. I am also taking a two-week mandatory break."
"Yeah, well, at least YOU'LL figure out how to have some fun."
"You've got that right. I'm going to spend those two weeks at my aunt's resort in Hawaii - and I'm taking YOU with me."
"Ha ha. Very funny."
He grabbed her wrist. "No, Sara; I'm serious. Food and lodging are free, and I'm paying your airfare if you'll just come with me. Please?"
Sara sighed. He was giving her the puppy dog eyes. How could she say no to Hawaii AND Greg with puppy dog eyes? "I'll pay for my own plane ticket, Greg."
"So you'll go?" "If you really want me to."
"Yes!" He grinned and pulled her into a hug. "Sara, we are going to have so much fun! And I've already paid for the tickets. All you have to do now is pack.
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Greg slid into the seat next to Sara. "You're going to love this place. We'll have our own individual cottage. There's a great restaurant on the complex, and each cottage has its own kitchen and a charcoal grill out front. You're going to love my Aunt Alice. She's cool! Her place has its own private beach. We can swim and surf and scuba dive. Like I said, you are going to love it!"
She smiled at him. "Thank you for this, Greg. This is without a doubt the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me."
He grinned and took her hand. "Thank YOU for agreeing to come along. It wouldn't be nearly as much fun by myself. Besides, I had a coupon for two-for-one airfare." He looked over her and out the window of the station wagon that served as one of the resort shuttles. "Almost there."
The shuttle pulled up in front of an elegant 3-story white brick building. Greg grabbed Sara's wrist and hopped out. "We'll be right back," he said to the driver. "After we check in he'll drive us to our cottage. After that, everything we need is within walking distance. Wait until you meet my Aunt Alice."
A tanned, heavyset woman in her early sixties sat behind the counter smoking a cigarette. When she spied Greg she yelled. "Whooh! My favorite nephew is here! Bring it on over here, Greggo! " She sailed around the counter and pulled him into a hug. "I have missed you, baby. Used to have you all summer every summer. Then you graduated and got a job. I wish you'd find work on the island."
Greg was blushing. "I wish I could too. No beaches in Vegas, and no Aunt Alice to make over me."
Alice grinned over at Sara. "From the looks of it you have someone making over you just fine. Are you going to introduce me to your girlfriend?"
"Oh, sorry. Alice, this is my friend Sara. Sara, Alice."
"Pleased to meet you, Sara. You're the first girl he's ever brought over to see me. Does that mean you two might be thinking about tying the knot sometime soon? We do weddings here, you know - lovely, romantic ones."
"Aunt Alice, you're embarrassing Sara. We're just friends." Alice snorted. "Right. Well, here's your cottage key. Number 7, your very favorite. Come back by for dinner and I'll kick your ass at chess like I usually do."
Greg grinned. "You probably will."