Author's Note: Thanks for the kind reviews! The more I know people are reading it, the more I want to write, lol. So here's the next chapter, now in Derek's POV. Enjoy and please review!
It was hard for me to eat my breakfast with a wiggly Marti on my lap.
"Shmeeeeeereeeek!" she sang as she bounced and I spilled my spoonful of Cheerios on the floor. I sighed in exasperation.
It was close to noon on a Saturday morning. I, of course, had just woken up and was trying to eat my cereal. Nora and Dad had announced then that we were having a "family meeting." This was the first one of those that I had heard of.
Edwin and Lizzie came inside from the backyard and Marti had jumped into my lap, wearing a fairy costume. Casey came down from upstairs, and I stuck my tongue out at her, complete with a mouthful of chewed-up Cheerios.
"Ew, Derek! You're so gross!" she exclaimed, disgusted, and sat down across from me.
I grinned.
Once everyone was assembled, Nora began. "George and I have been thinking of a way that we all can really bond as a new family."
Oh boy, here we go. I rolled my eyes and attempted to get another spoonful of cereal. Marti fidgeted and cereal splattered on the chair this time.
"And we know that summer vacation starts in just one week," Dad added.
"Right. So we decided on a family vacation!" Nora smiled brightly, and my Dad wrapped an arm around her.
The five of us kids just stared at the two of them.
"Where?" Lizzie asked, looking very apprehensive.
"To the coast," my Dad answered, looking pleased with himself. "Your mom and I rented a beach house for a week. The weather is supposed to be incredible next week. And the MacDonald-Venturi Household is going to spend it together in the sun."
"Will there be mermaids?" Marti questioned, looking very serious.
My Dad looked stumped. "Uh…maybe, honey."
"Yay!" Marti bounced up and down again in my lap just as I was about to actually get the last spoonful of cereal in my mouth. The spoon jerked and catapulted soggy Cheerios across the table. It ended up hitting Casey right in the face.
"Derek!" she screeched, jumping up.
I laughed at her misfortune. It really wasn't my fault. But it was funny as hell.
And that's how we found out about our first beach adventure as a big happy family.