Tony picked up his father's bag as soon as he appeared through customs and hugged him. 'How's Abuelo?' he asked.

His father shook his head hopelessly. 'I don't know, Tony. He seemed alright while I was there, but I just had this feeling he was only putting on an act for my benefit. He's lost.' They walked towards the exit in silence. 'How's everyone doing?'

'Mom's got a cold. She's in bed. I made lasagna. Marco's team won again, and Rita got another prize for chemistry. Everything else is as you left it.'

His father nodded satisfied. Tony put the suitcase into the boot and settled in the car. 'You got new tires?'

'Yep. The spares were more worn than the ones on the wheels.'

Mr. Almeida regarded him quizzically. 'What did you write this time, Tony?'

'A computing assignment. John's friend wanted an 'A' so I charged $200. It takes longer to write it up so well. And of course I done John's too. It got a 'B'. So I barely had time to do my own when someone else came and wanted help with some program, I got $150 for that too!'

'Be careful, Tony. One of these days they'll catch you. I hear they take a dim view of this kind of "help."'

'They won't catch me, Papa. I've only got one more exam tomorrow and then I'll defend my thesis on Monday. And that's it.'

They both fell silent. Tony paid for the airport car-park and started on the way home. 'Didn't Abuelo want to come here for a while?'

His father shook his head. 'He's not going anywhere, Tony, he never liked leaving his home, and he's old now. It's so quiet there now, I think it bothers him. I feel guilty leaving him, but what else can I do?'

'I could go' Tony said softly, changing lanes forcefully. 'Damn traffic. I'm free from Tuesday, and I've got some money too.'

'Tony, you've got to report to the army soon' Mr. Almeida said with a sigh.

'I've got a whole month. You know John invited me to go to their beach house, but I'll go some other time. Someone should be with Abuelo now.'

He defended his thesis successfully on Monday and packed a suitcase of clothes. He put everything in the car in the evening and left at dawn on Tuesday. After the hectic end of term he felt he could use some peace. Being alone he drove straight there pausing only to eat or take a few minutes walk. He crossed the border in record time and arrived the next day at his grandparent's home, having picked up only one ticket along the entire route.

He parked the car and went in search of his grandfather. The house was empty; he searched through all the rooms in vain. Getting worried he ran outside and searched the gardens. They were deserted too, and looked badly in need of watering. The swings hung motionless in the heat. Tony remembered pushing Maria there last summer, helping her race against Jo. He blinked back a few tears. Where else could he search for his grandfather?

Hearing footsteps he hurried behind the wall of grapes and found the old man watering a rose. They contemplated each other in silence for a moment before Tony rushed into his arms. 'Tony, what are you doing here?' his grandfather asked so quietly he could hardly hear him, before adding, even more softly, 'she planted this just before she died.'

Tony had guessed as much. He took the watering can. 'Abuelo, I've come to stay for a while. Let me water the rest of the garden for you.'

'Ah, yes, I haven't been doing anything for a while' his grandfather said. 'Nobody needs this anymore.'

'I'll get you a bore and lay down reticulation, so you'll just have to switch it on. It'll be much easier,' Tony told him. 'I'll come inside in a few minutes. Will you make up a bed for me?'

His grandfather seemed to focus for the first time. He nodded and went inside. Tony watered the garden and followed him in. He looked through an empty fridge. His grandfather looked embarrassed. 'Sorry, I didn't know you were coming.'

'It's okay' Tony replied, glad he had come. He found a packet of spaghetti in a cupboard and went outside to find a few vegetables. Soon he was preparing a sauce, while he chatted about his brothers and sisters to his grandfather. 'Shall we eat outside on the terrace?'

They carried lunch outside. Tony smiled as he stared towards the apple trees. 'Do you remember how hopeless I was with the bow and arrows?' he chuckled. 'And remember the next year, when we all went on holiday to Mexico City, and I got lost. Mom was frantic. And then that same year I tried Jose's skate-board and fell in this puddle just before Church.'

His grandfather smiled back at him. 'Oh yes, you were all quite a handful. I still remember lifting poor Marco off the tree after you hung him.'

Tony went slightly red. 'We were all Spanish and he was the Moor. He wanted to attack our castle. It wasn't my idea anyway, Abuelo. We've all grown up now.'

'Have you made friends with Jane's husband yet, what was his name? Robert?'

Tony got up to clear the table, hoping to avoid the question. His grandfather, still perceptive, followed him in. He sighed. Old people liked to be told everything was fine and everyone was friends, but he really couldn't bring himself to say anything pleasant about Robert.

'Jane likes him. They seem happy,' he finally answered, beginning the washing up.

'You know him well, Tony, and you hate him. What did he do to you?' his grandfather questioned. 'You never did say.'

'He was on the basket-ball team at school. He wasn't my friend,' Tony said shortly. 'After I quit someone broke a leg, and he came to tell me I should return and play for them in their final game. I wasn't going to, but John, you remember who he is, told me I should do it. Jane came to watch the game,' he paused, unable to explain how he'd felt putting on the sports uniform again and facing the team. 'She looked real pretty, and after we won he asked her out.'

'But if they are happy, can't you forgive him?' his grandfather pressed.

'Yeah' he answered. They wouldn't be happy for long, he guessed. 'He's just not like us, he has no family. None that he sees anyway. He's got this huge house and he runs one of his father's companies. It's all his, none of its Jane's. She might feel bad someday. Isn't it siesta time?' he asked, reluctant to discuss the subject further.

His grandfather smiled. Tony went upstairs to the room he used to share with his brothers and cousins, and lay on the newly made bed. After the exams and the all day drive he felt surprisingly tired. Something had to be done to cheer his grandfather up, he just couldn't imagine what. Maybe the new bore would help. He fell asleep thinking about it.

'Hey, Abuelo, I'm going to start digging the bore,' he said cheerfully the next morning. 'It's all got to be dug out before I can install the pump.' He started digging in the hard soil. After a while his grandfather came to examine the progress. He told Tony to go inside; it was too hot to continue.

'We should go to town now to buy the concrete rings and the pump' he said. 'Will you come with me?' He was surprised to see the reluctance on his grandfather's face. 'You haven't been anywhere since …'

His grandfather wordlessly got into the car. They had to drive to several smaller towns before they found all they needed. Tony paid an exorbitant price for delivery. 'Have a coffee with me, Abuelo?' he asked. 'Or a pizza? Saves us cooking tonight.'

They ended up having dinner in the town, sitting outside a café. Tony watched the traffic and the pedestrians wandering past. A plan for cheering his grandfather slowly took form. He broached it on the drive back.

'What do you think of my car, Abuelo?' He listened to his grandfather's praise. 'Why don't we take it for a ride next week? After the bore is installed. We could go all the way to the ocean, check out every beach along the coast!'

His grandfather stared at him in silence. Tony waited patiently, determined to take him for a holiday. He spent the rest of the drive home assuring his grandfather that the house would be fine, and a neighbor would keep an eye on the place. 'I always wanted to go for such a drive. Please come with me, I wouldn't go alone.' He was reminded that such a holiday would cost more than they could afford. Tony secretly smiled. He was winning this argument. 'No, it doesn't have to. We could take the tent. We'll take some sleeping bags.'

Finally he received the nod he had been waiting for.

He worked hard that week digging the well down to the water table, installing the pump, and digging out trenches for the sprinklers. He laid the pipes, connected them together, and went in search of his grandfather. 'It's all ready. I'm going to switch it on now. You can fire me if we don't get any water.' Water squirted from the ground, much to his relief.

They set off the next morning. He put his grandfather's favorite tapes on and drove rapidly, keeping an eye out for any police cars. By evening they arrived at the coast. Tony drove along the coast looking for a deserted beach. 'What about here, Abuelo? We're outside any town, there's no one here. I'll set up the tent.'

'Tony, camping is forbidden on the beach' said his grandfather gently.

Tony shrugged. 'We're not going to camp ON the beach; I'll put it up just along those dunes over there.' He set the tent up, unrolled their sleeping bags and opened the folded chairs. 'Now then, you sit down and I'll make some dinner.' He set up his portable gas can and boiled water, adding spaghetti. He opened a bottle of sauce and warmed them up together.

After dinner he went for a quick swim. He splashed around in the surf, enjoying the complete isolation of the spot. It was also fun settling down in the tent later that night. He pulled the sleeping bag's zip right up as the swim had cooled him and said goodnight.

'What happened between you and Robert, Tony?' asked his grandfather quietly. Tony sighed, feeling admiration for the timing of the question.

'He just lied about something, that's all.' His grandfather sat up, fixing him with a steady gaze. 'I got punished. Let's go to sleep now, we've got a long day tomorrow.'

'And you were completely innocent, Tony?'

Tony groaned aloud. 'Not completely' he admitted. He rolled over to face the opposite side of the tent.

'Then let it go. A family has to stay close together, you know, not just tolerate each other.'

Next morning they both had a swim and then drove into Decemboque for breakfast. Tony took the opportunity to call his parents and let them know their whereabouts. He handed the phone over to his grandfather with a grin. 'They don't believe me. You tell them we're on the beach!'

They spent a lazy day driving along the coast near the town, looking at all the various beaches. Tony had bought sandwiches which they ate for lunch, and they went shopping for mince meat in Decemboque in the late afternoon. Tony cooked dinner under the stars for the second time.

Next morning he packed everything into the car and they set off further along the Gulf of California. They stopped frequently to look at the view. 'Look at this, Abuelo. I could just spend the rest of my life here.' His grandfather seemed a lot happier already. He agreed that it was indeed lovely, but a little too isolated.

That night Tony found a caravan park in Empalme, and set his tent up there. They went to sleep early after the long day. They spent the following two days there, relaxing at the beach and enjoying the cheerful atmosphere of the town in the evening. Crowds of children raced around a playground, music played somewhere. They spoke of previous trips with his family; he got his first laugh out of his grandfather.

The next day they again stopped at a deserted beach in the late afternoon. This time Tony set the tent up in record time. He had bought food which he warmed up, and they ate under the stars again.

'It is so very quiet at home now.' Tony hardly heard the words. 'Just me left waiting to die.'

'Oh, no, Abuelo,' he whispered back, swallowing hard. 'I'll come as often as I can. The others will come too. Wait for us.'

'They'll send you far away, Tony, who knows when you'll get leave.'

'I'll get leave, don't worry about that. And you don't get deployed for too long. I'll write every week.'

His grandfather turned to him with a serious expression. 'You will be ok in the army, I hope? Do as you're told and stay out of trouble.' Tony laughed and promised he would do exactly as he was told and avoid annoying any superior.

The following day they stopped in Mazatlan. They stayed there four days as Tony feared tiring his grandfather, then set off further south. They drove as far as Acapulco, a place Tony had always longed to see, before heading back to his grandfather's home.

It felt good to return to the comfort of a house. Tony spent the last two days repairing things around the house, weeding the gardens and stacking the kitchen cupboards with food. He packed his bag slowly, reluctant to leave the old man alone again.

'Hurry up now, Tony. You can't be late for the army. Go. I'll be alright.' His grandfather gave him a hug. 'I will leave the sheets on your bed.'

Damn, he thought, feeling his eyes mist up. Why was he thinking about his grandfather again? He had tried so hard not to, since his death a few years ago. He squeezed his eyes shut, picturing their tent on the last night of their holiday, just a few feet from the water's edge. How they had woken up cold and their things had been slightly damp. He heard the quiet sentence again, 'They will send you far away, Tony.'

The walls of the cell seemed to move inwards, crushing him.