Chapter 19: The Road Trip

AUGUST 14, 1980

NEWPORT BEACH, CA

"So, are you excited for TJ this weekend?" Kirsten asked as she shifted in her beach chair to get more comfortable. She and Kelly were spending the entire afternoon on the beach, tanning.

"Naturally…I mean we now finally get to experience the annual summer road trip to TJ that all the seniors before us have before their senior years…I mean, dancing, tequila, sex…what could be better?" Kelly said and then laughed.

Kirsten joined in Kelly's laughing and said, "Kell…"

"Which reminds me…how's that sex life of yours coming?" Kelly asked.

"Kell!" Kirsten exclaimed and she could feel her face burning…and it wasn't from the sun.

"What! You do have one, now, don't you!" Kelly defended herself.

"Well, yeah, technically…but I don't particularly want to talk about it…I guess it's still new, you know…" Kirsten said.

"Okay, okay…just tell me, is everything going well…with that?" Kelly asked.

Kirsten sighed and said, "Yeah, yeah it's great…well, except for the first time I guess…but yeah…"

"Yeah, the first time…definitely not really great…but now that's taken care of, right?" Kelly said.

"Yeah…right…" Kirsten trailed off again.

"Hey, so what's the deal for TJ tomorrow…when are we leaving, who's driving?" Kelly asked.

"Oh, I think that Jimmy's driving…me, you, him, and Matt…and I think he said we'll probably leave around 11…so we don't run into too much traffic," Kirsten told her.

"Sounds fabulous…I can't wait!" Kelly exclaimed.

"Should be one for the ages," Kirsten agreed.

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AUGUST 15, 1980

NEWPORT BEACH, CA

Kirsten heard the car horn outside and grabbed her bag. Just as she was opening the door, she heard her mom call out, "Bye, sweetie! Have fun!"

Kirsten smiled and said, "Thanks! Bye!"

She made her way out to Jimmy's car in her driveway and saw that Kelly and Matt were already in it. She opened the trunk, threw her bag in, and then hopped in the car.

As Jimmy drove away from the house, he asked her, "So, Kirst…do your parents know that we are going to TJ?"

"Please, if they actually knew I wouldn't be sitting in this car right now…I told them we were going to San Diego…which we are…we'll just be driving through it instead of actually staying there…" Kirsten reasoned.

Kelly laughed and said, "Leave it to you to come up with a logical lie." Then she rolled down the window and screamed, "Tijuana, here we come!" and it was followed by yelling from the other three from inside the car.

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AUGUST 15, 1980

TIJUANA, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

Kirsten opened the door to the hotel room that she was staying in with Jimmy, threw her bag to the side and flopped down on the bed. The car ride down to TJ really hadn't been that bad…fun actually…but Kirsten was a little tired for some reason. I guess car rides can take it out of you, she thought.

"Kirsten!" Kelly yelled as she burst into the room and pulled Kirsten off the bed. "Come on…were going exploring around the city…finding the best bars, clubs, food…let's go!" And before Kirsten could say anything, she managed to grab her purse before Kelly pulled her out the door.

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The four friends returned hours later after exploring the main areas of Tijuana. They ran into some of their friends from school and they told them that everyone was going to be at a club called 'Boom Boom' later that night. After telling their friends that they would definitely be there later to join up with them, the two couples had dinner at a Mexican restaurant, obviously serving the authentic food. Kelly raved about how it was so much better than the Mexican food at home…that real Mexico had the real food. But Kirsten was also quick to point out that Tijuana could hardly be considered 'real' Mexico, as many of the people there had just hopped the border from the US to Mexico for some partying.

Kirsten laid down on the hotel bed after they returned. The Pepsi that she had at dinner had reenergized her…but she was still a little tired. Wake up, Kirsten! she thought to herself. You have to stay up all night!

"Hey beautiful," Jimmy said as he came out of the bathroom and gave her a kiss.

"Hi handsome," Kirsten replied and kissed him again. They started kissing each other more fiercely, and Jimmy made his way onto the bed. His hands made their way to the base of her shirt and he started tugging it upwards.

"Jimmy, we have to go out soon…remember…" Kirsten said between kisses.

"Do you want to stop?" he asked as he traced little circles on her stomach and kissed her neck.

She started into space for a moment…but it was too hard to think while he was touching her. "No," she replied. "Definitely not…"

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"Wow. That was amazing. You are amazing," Jimmy said as rolled off of her and then gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Not so bad yourself," Kirsten said smiling and kissed him. "Jimmy…what time is it?"

"Um…9:30…I think," he answered.

"Yeah, we should probably get ready to go out," Kirsten told him and she got herself out of bed and into the bathroom.

Twenty minutes later, they were both ready to leave…Kirsten was dressed in a denim skirt, white halter top, and platform sandals…Jimmy was wearing jeans and a black shirt. Just as the pair was about to depart, Kirsten remembered something.

"Ugh…I should call my parents before I leave…I promised them I would check in," Kirsten said. She grabbed the phone sitting on the night stand and dialed a familiar number.

"Hi Mom! Mom…what's wrong…you sound like…what!" Kirsten said as she spoke into the phone. As she clutched the phone in her hand tightly, tears started streaming down her face as she listened to her mom. "Yeah, Mom…I'm coming home tonight…no, I am, okay…I love you…bye."

Kirsten sat still on her bed, still clutching the phone, and was now freely sobbing.

"Kirst! What happened! What's wrong?" Jimmy asked her as he rushed over and engulfed hug.

"Um…my grandma died!" Kirsten sobbed into his chest.

"Oh, sweetie…I'm sorry," Jimmy said as he continued to hold her in a hug and let her sob.

Finally after a few minutes, Kirsten lifted up her head and asked, "Jimmy…um, you don't have to do this…but I was wondering if you could take me home now…bad timing, I know…but if you don't want to-"

"Kirst…I'll take you home right now…don't you worry…I'll tell Kelly and Matt to hitch a ride with other people, okay…I'll get you home, sweetie," Jimmy reassured her. He kissed her on the top of the head and continued to hold her.

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Hailey heard her mom talking on the phone…it sounded like she was telling Kirsten the news. Hailey's eyes were red and puffy and her vision slightly blurred from the tears she had been crying. When she heard her mom say 'bye,' and hang up the phone, she poked her head around the corner and was about to enter when she saw her mom pull a large glass bottle full of a clear liquid from the freezer. She watched as her mom poured the liquid into a glass with some ice in it. When her mom set the bottle down…Hailey read the label…Absolut…she thought that's what it said…underneath it she thought she saw the word 'vodka.' Even young Hailey knew that vodka was the thing her mom drank when she was feeling sad…

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AUGUST 22, 1980

BOSTON, MA

Kirsten sat with her family in the airport sighing to herself after she heard the announcement that their flight back to Orange County had been delayed an hour. She pulled a book out of her bag to try to get her mind off the recent events. After taking the initial news of her grandmother's death somewhat hard, Kirsten felt that the visit for the funeral had given her closure. Although she wished that she would have been able to spend more time with her grandmother than she had, she had come to terms with her death and was thankful for the time that she had been able to spend with her.

Kirsten was more worried about her mother. She glanced over to where her mother sat. Her face was expressionless, not full of life as it had been for most of Kirsten's life. She looked completely lost as she stared blankly into space. When Kirsten first heard the news of her grandmother's death, she knew that her mom would take the news really hard…and she suspected that it wouldn't really help her drinking. But Kirsten was not prepared for how lifeless her mother had been over the past week. She prayed that her mother would improve, and return to be the smart, fun, and charitable woman she was, but she knew that her mom had started drinking again and it seemed too much to hope for.

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In the season one episode, 'The Escape,' they mention a club in TJ called, 'Boom Boom,' so I used it here. I have no idea if it actually exists or if it existed in 1980, but I do not own it.