Chapter 86: The Beach House
Tuesday, January 3rd, Afternoon
It was still light, it was only around two in the afternoon, after all. She had an hour before the game was on. That was a big disadvantage of living on a different coast, the time difference.
Walking up the stairs, she was enjoying her day off. Being on The Strand, she could wear shorts and a t-shirt and be overdressed. Getting up early, she went to the nearby park and shot hoops. The guys there were wary of playing against her after she schooled a few. There were a few girls from the local neighborhood that would ask her for pointers, but that was only her early morning.
Before noon, she was out on the beach. She wanted to get a little sun, she was looking too pale, and read. Of course, she's been reading the same book over the past few months, being too busy to read for pleasure.
Candi smiled as she headed down the hall to her room. She threw her beach bag onto her bed and closed the door behind her. She took off her sunglasses and baseball cap, letting her brown hair out of its ponytail. She looked into the mirror on the back of the door. She grabbed her hairbrush off her dresser and started to brush out the mess of her hair.
Once she was pleased with how her hair turned out, she put her brush back. Smiling, she removed her t-shirt, leaving her just in her shorts and bikini top. She started to reach up to undo the top, when her phone rang, with a face time call.
Shaking her head, Candi walked over to her beach bag and retrieved her phone. Looking at the screen, she smiled when she saw the name and pressed the accept button, for the Face Time Call.
"Hey Sawyer," Candi said.
"Did I catch you at the beach?" Sawyer asked.
"No, just got back from the beach," Candi said.
Sawyer shook her head, "Lucky fucking you, living on the beach," Sawyer said.
"I wouldn't complain about things, considering where you're living," Candi said.
"No doubt, the only downfall is it doesn't have a beach," Sawyer said.
"Can't win them all, Sawyer," Candi said, to her baby sister,
"Could damn well try hard to though," Sawyer said.
Candi laughed and sat down on her bed, "And you say you're not spoiled," she said.
"I'm not," Sawyer said, feigning innocence.
"Keep telling yourself that, Sassy, and someday you'll believe," Candi said, ribbing her sister with her old nickname.
Sawyer's face got hard; her green eyes took an eerie icy quality to them. "I don't go by that name anymore," she said.
"Fine, Sawyer," Candi said.
"You're forgiven," Sawyer said, now having a cheerful smile.
"Thank you," Candi said, "Don't you have a game to get ready to cheer for?"
Sawyer smirked and made a dismissing gesture with her free hand. "I have like thirty minutes, anyways, I'd rather be out on the court playing," Sawyer said.
"Sawyer," Candi said, "Come on, we've had this discussion, and you're lucky you can cheer."
Sawyer huffed, "It sucks, and you want me off the court because I can kick your pale ass," she said.
Candi laughed, "Keep telling yourself that," she said, "And I'm pale because I work, unlike you."
Sawyer half-shrugged, more like canted her head, "Keith taught me well," she said.
"News for you, I can kick Keith's ass on the court," Candi said.
"Doubt it," Sawyer said.
"I'll send you a link," Candi said.
"Changed it in editing, c'mon Candi who taught you to edit?" Sawyer said.
Candi shook her head, "Well, next time you talk to him, ask him," Candi said.
"Sure, whatever you say, Sis," Sawyer said.
"That's Big Sis to you," Candi said.
Sawyer shook her head, "Y'all are Big Sisters to me," she said since she was the baby of the family.
Candi laughed, "But none bigger than me," she said, stating the fact she was the oldest.
It was Sawyer's turn to laugh, "True," she said, "Hey, are your roommates still using you to fish for men?" she asked.
Candi looked at her phone screen at her baby sister. "Where did you hear that?" she asked.
"I overheard you telling Keith," Sawyer said.
Candi shook her head, "I'll have to be more careful when I talk to our brother," she said.
Sawyer laughed, "So, anyways speaking of the men in our family," she said.
"Which one?" Candi asked.
"Well it's not Ellis," Sawyer said.
"It better not; he's six," Candi said.
"It's not, it's about the oldest one, whom we hold near and dear to our heart," Sawyer said.
Candi nodded, "It's New Year's, you know it's rough on Dad," she said.
"I know that, Candi," Sawyer said, "It's not that though."
"What is it then?" Candi asked.
"Dad hasn't talked to or emailed you, yet?" Sawyer asked.
"No, not anything significant," Candi said, looking at her phone.
"I'm going to kill him," Sawyer said.
"Why? What's going on?" Candi asked.
"Nothing," Sawyer said.
"Sawyer!" Candi said.
"Candi!" Sawyer said.
"What are you hiding?" Candi asked.
"Nothing, I can talk about," Sawyer said.
"Why not? You brought it up," Candi stated.
"Well," Sawyer said.
"Sawyer," Candi said.
Sawyer let out a breath. "It's Dad's business to talk to you, and not mine," she said.
"Sawyer Brooke Scott," Candi said.
"Oh, well look at what time it is, got to go," Sawyer said.
"Sawyer, you better not hang up on me," Candi said.
"Bye Candi, call you soon," Sawyer said.
"Sawyer!" Candi said.
Sawyer waved and cut off the connection. Candi tried calling back but the call went right to Sawyer's voicemail. Candi shook her head and put her phone down. Now what the fuck was Sawyer referring, and what did their Dad needed to talk to her about?
Candi shook her head and stood up. She walked over to the mirror and gazed upon her reflection. Her hand went to her chest and she rubbed her faded scar. Shaking her head, she studied her blue eyes.
"It could be good news for a change, Candi," she said. After a moment, she started laughing, "Fat chance with this family." Shaking her head, she looked over to her alarm clock. Nodding, she had time for a shower before the game. That's what she needed, especially after spending time on the beach.
Candi gave her reflection one last smile. Next, she locked her bedroom door, better to be safe now. She finished doffing what clothes she had on and went into her bathroom to shower.