This ride is a wild one, and I make no apologies for what I'm about to do. Buckle up...
"Gracie!" Charlie yelled at the top of his lungs, drawing out the last syllable of his sister's name. "Someone's here! Gracie!"
"I hear you!" Grace matched him in volume and added a teeny bit of annoyance. Her dad wasn't there so she didn't have to be nice to her brother. "Charlie, what did I tell you about answering the door?"
"But she says she's our auntie." He whined back. She could picture his pouty face. This made her roll her eyes.
"Auntie?" Grace didn't consider Tani an auntie, and Kono wasn't on the island. She trudged up the hall, totally confused.
Until she saw who was standing in the living room.
"Aunt Catherine!" Grace ran into her Catherine's arms.
"And she brought unicorn smoothies!" Charlie was already slurping his, whipped cream and glitter on his nose.
"It's so good to see you. Is Dad with you?" Grace looked around Catherine into the late evening sun. The driveway was empty.
"Nope, I'm a few minutes ahead of him." Catherine smiled and motioned to the cardboard drink carrier on the coffee table. She shut the front door with a decisive click and a giggle. "I've been dying to try these silly things."
Grace grabbed her drink and eyed it carefully.
Catherine took one of the cups. "Go on, they're good."
"I know, it's just -" Grace stirred the pink and purple slurry with the multi-colored straw. "I'm watching my sugar intake."
"Sugar intake? Such grownup words." Catherine wrinkled her nose. "Ah Grace, live a little. It's okay to have a treat once in a while. Don't be such a drag."
"Yea Gracie." Charlie giggled. "Don't be a drag."
That was all it took. With a grin, Grace took a sip. "This is so good. My friends have been talking nonstop about these all week. Thank you, Aunt Catherine."
"Why so formal? Call me Cath." She tilted her head and batted her eyelashes, smiling just enough.
Charlie was enthralled. He'd never met Catherine. "Auntie Cath, you're the best."
He sat on the couch. Hard. He spilled some of his smoothie.
Grace growled. "Charlie, Dad will kill you!"
The little boy stuck his tongue out at his sister. Catherine laughed and dabbed the spot with a napkin.
"Nah, he won't." Charlie swirled his drink. "Because Auntie Cath -"
He stopped and rubbed his eyes, not finishing his sentence.
Grace rolled her eyes at her brother and took another sip, making sure she got a good blob of whipped cream. "I really gotta get started on my homework."
"Homework? Really. Can it wait?" Catherine squeezed in between the siblings, putting her arms around both of them. "Why don't we chat til your dad gets home?"
"Alright. I haven't seen you for ages. Uncle Steve said-" Grace paused, biting her lip.
"It's okay, Grace. Your Uncle Steve and me are good. We'll always be friends."
"Well, Uncle Steve said you were helping kids in Afghanistan or something. What's it like?"
Catherine brushed a strand of hair from her face and thought for a moment. "It's very rewarding. And interesting."
Charlie bounced on the cushion. "I like you Auntie Cath."
"What do you say, Charlie?" Grace looked around Catherine to raise her eyebrow at her brother. "Auntie Catherine did something nice for you."
Charlie beamed and wrapped his sticky arms around his aunt, sloshing a little more of the smoothie on the couch. "Thank you for the yummy unicorn!"
Catherine peeled herself away and took the drink from the Charlie. "I think you've had enough for now, little guy."
She set the cup on the coffee table, smearing a few drips from what had spilled over the sides.
"Let me get you washed up before your dad gets here."
"Good idea. Better you than me." Grace shook her head and gave her brother half an eye roll. "I can't take him anywhere."
Catherine led Charlie back the hall. He stumbled a little, and she scooped him into her arms, cooing in his ear.
Grace sighed, glad to be free of her pain in the ass brother just for a moment, and sipped her drink. It was cold and sweet. Gave her a tinge of brain freeze. She wondered for a second how they made edible glitter. Setting the cup down, she grabbed her backpack from the floor near the couch. She really needed to start her book report. She'd put it off all week and didn't want to spend the weekend worrying over it. Not to mention, Danno would kill her.
Standing up, the room wobbled, like a wave had passed over everything. She blamed it on the sugar rush from the smoothie and cursed herself for drinking too much of it. The feeling was odd, though, and it took a few seconds for her to recover.
She took one step and her legs went out from under her. Her backpack broke her fall, but the books were hard and unforgiving. Eyes watering, she tried to sit up, but couldn't move without feeling like she was going to puke. Grace called out to Catherine as her chin hit the floor and the world went white.
What just happened? Don't worry. You won't wonder for long. I'll post again soon...maybe even tonight.