Summer at the ocean in Santa Carla
It was two weeks later when Summer arrived in Santa Carla. She took a little apartment near the town. It was not the best place, but she had to look a bit after her money. When she left her old home, she was not so happy, that she had to take her mother`s old car, but she soon got aware that it was much faster than her small Mazda. Summer also liked that her mother had made a real girly car out of it. The old BMW had pink skulls on the hood, pink lacquered rims with glitter and a big "Hello Kitty" in pink on the car trunk.
At her first evening, she walked to the beach. It was a foggy November evening, and it was cold and windy. But she had promised her mother to bring her human ashes to the ocean, and so she did now. She couldn`t stop crying and fell down on her knees, watching the waves take her mother`s ashes away. Carefully she laid the roses into the water and said "Goodbye" to her mother, then she left. She went to the boardwalk, grabbed something to eat, and then she went back home. She felt alone without her Mum.
Monday morning Summer had her first day as a teacher in Santa Carla's preschool for Native American children a few miles outside the town. She had done the same job in her hometown for many years and she really liked to work with the kids. But she didn`t like the differences that were still made between white and Native kids. In her hometown Summer always stood up to change it, something the Mayor didn`t like. But the young woman knew what it meant to grow up like this, she went through it herself. Her mother always had to fight to get her daughter anywhere.
She met her new workmates and went to the lessons with Sue, who was the same age then Summer. Sue showed her around and introduced her to the kids. The day went by very quick. Summer and Sue liked each other.
The weeks went on and Summer liked the town and her work. She met up with Sue from time to time for a coffee or a visit at the boardwalk. Thanks to Sue the young woman knew the town, and where she could get everything she needed.
When February came the days became a bit longer again, and sometimes the fog was replaced by the sun. "Hey Summer," Sue spoke to her on a Friday while Summer grabbed her books and bag on her way home. "I will go out tomorrow night, Nora will be there too. Would you like to meet up with us?" Nora, one of the few white teachers, was leaving the room and looked back as she heard her name. "Hey, that would be nice," she said looking at Summer. "Okay, I would like to join you. I didn`t go out for ages," she returned. "Cool," Nora answered and left the room. Summer went to the door. "We meet at nine o clock at the pier," Sue told her. "Okay, see you tomorrow," Summer answered and left.
