Guess I shouldn't have mentioned the number of reviews last time. Anyway, thanks to decadenceofmysoul, seleneplaysgames, YaleAceBella12, monkeybaby, the guest Alex, and ItsJustBecca for your reviews of the last chapter.
Days passed and temperatures rose and after a string of high stress cases, Danny was more than ready for vacation. He could tell that his three restless children were too. He came home the Friday before the trip to find no one in the living room. He found that weird until he heard voices from upstairs.
"Jack, make a decision, we don't have all night," Linda told her son. "If you don't want me to pack for you, give me an answer."
"Okay, the red one," Jack answered. Danny mounted the stairs and found his wife in his sons' room. He watched as she methodically moved through the room helping Jack pack. He stood in the doorway watching and trying not to smile. Watching his wife with his kids made him fall in love with her all over again. He noticed the packed bag at the foot of Sean's bed and knew that she had started there. He waited and watched as she continued to help Jack.
"Mom!" Danny heard from down the hall. "Have you seen my new swimsuit?"
"What have I told you about yelling in my house? And did you check the laundry?" Linda answered.
"Yes, and it's not there," Anna answered.
"Jack," Linda turned to her middle child, "underwear and t-shirts, enough for a week. I will be back to check. After that, ask your dad. He doesn't seem to have anything else to do," Linda said. She shot Danny a look then pushed past him out of the room. She entered Anna's room to find it looked like the girl's closet exploded. "Maryanna!"
"It's organized chaos, Mama. I know where everything's at."
"Like the t-shirt on your lamp? The curling iron on your dresser? The six skirts on your bed and the shoes falling out of your closet?" Linda asked.
"I ..." Anna blushed.
"And you wonder why you can't find your swimsuit," Linda answered rhetorically. She crossed the room as Anna looked down, ashamed. Linda threaded her hand through her daughter's hair then lifted her chin. "Let's clean up this mess and get you packed, then we'll see what we find." Linda looked at Anna's empty suitcase then hugged her daughter. She shook her head and they packed all of Anna's clothes and accessories for their vacation. By the time her suitcase was full and the room cleaned, there was no sight of her swimsuit. "I guess it's not here." The dryer buzzed from downstairs. Linda sighed and went down to find Danny pulling clothes from it. "Thanks," she said as she smiled softly.
"Well, I wasn't doing anything else," Danny said. Linda sighed. "Is this new?" He held up the bottom half of a purple bikini.
"Yes," Linda answered, smiling.
"For vacation?" Danny smirked.
"Yes, but it's your daughter's."
Danny held it up and stared at the scrap of fabric, his brows furrowed. "This? My daughter? No way. I don't think so." Danny shook his head. He wouldn't let his daughter put that on. Not his baby girl.
Linda crossed her arms over her chest. "Come on, Danny, she's 16. You were intrigued when you thought it was mine."
"That's because you're my wife, not my baby girl."
"And if I was 16 and you were a hormonal, teenage boy, you'd love it."
"That's different."
"How? Times are changing and if it makes her comfortable, who cares what everyone else thinks?"
"I do. She's my daughter and the last thing I want is for her to get hurt."
"So she's instantly a victim because of the swimsuit?"
"I didn't say that, Linda. I will never say that. Not to her, not to anyone. I just worry about my little girl."
"I know, Danny." Linda dropped her arms. "You'll be right there and she won't go anywhere in this without Nicky. Plus she's really smart and has a good head on her shoulders. Putting on a bikini doesn't change your daughter. She'll be fine." Linda snatched the bottoms from Danny's hand and took the laundry upstairs.
"Did you find it?" Anna asked when Linda entered the room.
"Actually, your dad did," Linda said, smirking slightly.
"He's not happy is he?"
"You're 16 and growing up, there are going to be things your dad doesn't like but you're going to do them anyway."
"Would you be okay with that?" Anna asked, looking up at her mom.
"I know what you're going through and I'm not going to like some of it but I will understand it and I'll handle your dad. You're growing up and I know you have to do what you think is right for you. I'm a nurse and your mother so there is very little you can go through that I haven't been through or seen. I hope you know that if you ever need it, I'm here for you to have an open and honest conversation with. You're smart and you have a good head on your shoulders and I love that about you, the way we raised you, but even smart girls need their moms occasionally."
"I know, Mama. I'm never afraid to come to you and I know you won't judge me," Anna said.
Linda kissed Anna's forehead then handed over the missing clothing before heading to her room to fold the rest of it. Anna did as her mother asked and tried not to worry about her dad.
"Kids, let's go!" Linda called up the stairs the following morning. Her and Danny's bags were already packed and in the car, they were just waiting on the kids. "Sean! Jack! Anna!"
"Coming!" Jack and Sean both answered. There was no answer from Anna though. The boys ran down the stairs their bags in hand. Danny took the bags and they went to breakfast.
"Maryanna, if I have to call again, I'm sending your father up."
Anna pulled herself up out of bed and ran her brush through her hair before changing. She took her bag downstairs to Danny then grabbed a bagel. They drove over to Frank's where they found he had rented a big black van to drive up to the house. They would also be taking Danny's Jeep for any local driving. Erin's car was back by the garage but Jamie's car was nowhere to be seen. Anna figured Erin had picked him up.
"Dad, can I go with Grandpa?" Sean asked.
"Ask your grandpa if it's alright" Danny told him.
"I have room for two more," Frank said as Jamie stowed the last cooler in the back of the van.
"Sweet," Sean answered and made his way into the middle seat. Erin slid in next to him as Anna looked at Jack.
"Two hours, empty back seat, awesome. Unless you're booting me out." Jack stared at his sister.
She stared back trying to figure him out then shook her head. "Nah, I'll hang with Nicky," Anna smirked. She climbed in the back corner of the van, followed by Nicky in the middle, then Jamie next to her where he could stretch his legs out next to Erin and Sean's seat.
Three hours later, they pulled up outside the houses they'd rented. It didn't take long for them to get settled in then Linda and Erin were making a list for meals for that week as the kids rushed out to the beach behind the houses. Jamie followed. The boys instantly pulled off their shoes and socks and waded into the water as the girls plopped down at the edge of the walkway and looked around. They spotted two cute boys down the beach playing catch with a football. "We should introduce ourselves," Nicky said.
"If they're interested, they'll come down here," Anna answered.
"You're not chicken, are you?"
Anna looked at her cousin. "Of course not, but guys always take a chance." Anna tossed her hair over her other shoulder.
"If you say so," Nicky said, looking down. Anna reached over and squeezed Nicky's hand.
Sure enough, one of the guys overthrew the football and they both raced to get it then walked over to the girls. "Hey," the taller one said. He was a brunette with striking blue eyes. The other was shorter with darker hair, a dark tan, and less bright blue eyes.
"Hey," Nicky and Anna answered.
"I'm Mike, this is my friend Brad. I live down there and Brad is visiting," the taller one said.
"I'm Anna, this is my cousin Nicky," Anna said.
"That your older brother?" Mike asked, motioning to Jamie.
"Uncle; my dad, her mom are a few years older than him."
"And I'm guessing younger cousins?" he motioned to Jack and Sean.
"Hers, not mine," Anna said.
"We'll be here for a few more weeks," Mike said.
Anna's phone buzzed and she looked at it. "Looks like lunch is ready." Anna smiled up at them then stood and pulled Nicky to her feet. "We'll see you around." Brad and Mike walked off and Anna called the rest of them in. The family spent the next two days together which helped Anna see that there was still something off about her uncle. She didn't blame him, it had been a month and a half since Vinny's death and it took longer than that to cope and move past that kind of trauma, but he was still kinda avoiding her and avoiding talking about it. She didn't know how or even if she wanted to approach the topic.
Before she could consider that any further, Linda asked to spend Monday afternoon with her. With the rest of the family at the beach, it was just them at the house. They made a couple dozen sugar cookies then sat down on the couch with lemonade and the cookies. "My sweet, little Anna. She's beautiful, smart, and caring. Maybe at times too caring."
"I don't understand," Anna shook her head.
"You care about people and that's not a bad thing. I love that about you but getting attached, especially to a cop, that's not all that great, trust me."
"You're talking about Vinny."
"Yes. I want to know how you're doing. Losing him had to have been tough."
"I barely knew him." Anna toyed with her glass as she tucked her feet up under her and leaned sideways against the couch.
"But you cared about him. Even for knowing him just a short while, you still cared about him."
Anna stared down at her cup and sat quiet for a few moments. She wasn't sure she wanted to talk about this with her mom but knew she had to in order to move past it. "You know the last conversation I had with him? That night I got arrested, I accused Uncle Jamie of sending him to spy on me."
"Was he mad?"
"Not really, just insisted Uncle Jamie didn't send him then we talked about sports until he went back to the bar. We were supposed to get dinner the next weekend. Sunday. Family dinner for lunch then after their tour, I was going to meet them for dinner. It hurts, Mama. I mean, I know we weren't close or anything but he was sweet and charming. When he met me and Uncle Jamie for dinner that one time, he was always making me laugh." Anna set her glass on the end table and turned to lean her back against the couch. She pulled a throw pillow into her lap and stared across the room. Linda too set her glass aside and slid over pulling her daughter into a hug.
"I know it's hard. It'll take time but eventually you'll find yourself thinking more about the good times and it won't hurt as much."
"Until then?"
"You talk to me, to your dad, or even your uncle Jamie."
"Okay," Anna agreed. They sat in the quiet of the living room for a bit longer, with Anna wrapped up in her mother's arms feeling safe and loved and protected. Eventually Linda pulled away.
"Help me make dinner?" Linda asked gently. Anna nodded and stood.
"Anna! Get up," Sean whined as he bounced on her bed on his knees. "We're going out on the boat today. Aren't you excited?" Anna pulled the covers further over her head, groaning.
"I'd be more excited for two more hours of sleep," Anna answered. Sean stopped bouncing and pouted even if Anna couldn't see it.
"Mom says if you don't get up and eat, you can't go out on the boat. You wanna go, don't you?" Anna peaked out from under her blankets to see he looked disappointed. She knew that Sean looked up to her and that lately with her still working so much and it going into her senior year that he was sad he didn't get to spend all that much time with her. Sure, he was closer to Jack than he was to her but she was still his sister. Anna felt a little bad about wanting to sleep in a little more.
"Eat what?" Anna asked.
"Cereal. Mom didn't want to make anything heavy before going out."
Anna blinked at her brother. "Okay, fine." Sean cheered then jumped off his bed, rushing out to wake his dad. Anna sighed and dragged herself out of bed to the bathroom then back to the bedroom to get dressed. She pulled on her new swimsuit, tank top, and shorts, then she put on some sunscreen and ran downstairs. After breakfast they went down to the boat dock where Frank and Henry were getting the boat ready. It took close to an hour for them to be ready, so in that time the kids built a sandcastle. Once the boat was ready, Danny helped Erin load a large cooler for lunch. Soon Jack and Sean were racing down the dock to the boat where they grudgingly pulled on life vests. Anna and Nicky followed with Linda and Jamie bringing up the rear. Anna had just reached the boat when her stomach turned. She froze, her eyes fluttering shut as she tried not to get sick.
A hand landed on her shoulder and her hand tightened around the dock railing. "Sweetheart? Are you okay?" Linda questioned going into full nurse mode.
"My stomach." Anna looked up at her mom with the most pathetic look on her face.
"Something you ate, kid?" Danny asked, concerned.
"I had cereal for breakfast," Anna said. Her stomach turned with the motion of the dock under her feet.
"Last time you took her out on a boat, did she get sick?" Linda asked, checking Anna for a fever that she didn't have.
"Hypothermia," Danny said. "I slept on the couch for a week for that."
"Seasick, Danny. I meant did she get seasick?" Anna clung tight to the dock railing as she started to feel dizzy. The wood seemed to sway more and more under her and she was starting to see stars.
"I don't think so," Danny answered. They both turned to look at Frank.
"We gave her Dramamine before we went out. Didn't want to chance it and have her getting sick halfway out. It was her first time on a boat and Danny wasn't sure," Jamie explained. Frank nodded.
"Check the first aid kit," Linda said. Erin was already digging through it but came up empty-handed as Anna's stomach rolled again. Her hand flew to her mouth as she fought down the instinct to lose said breakfast.
"She looks like she's going to blow," Jack said.
"Jack," Linda scolded.
"Not cool, bro," Sean chastised.
"We should get you back to the house, maybe run into town and get some."
"Not really feeling up to it anyway," Anna muttered.
"Okay. We should still get you to the house, at least off the dock," Linda said. Anna's stomach rolled again.
"You go, I got this," Jamie said, resting a hand on Anna's back.
"I couldn't," Linda said. She really didn't want to leave her daughter. It was her baby and she needed to be there for her.
"Go; enjoy time with your boys. I can handle this, I promise," Jamie answered, trying his best to convince his sister in law.
"Anna?" Linda asked, cupping her daughter's cheek.
"It's okay, Mama. It'll give us a chance to talk," Anna said softly.
"Okay," Linda reluctantly agreed. She didn't like not being there when one of her kids wasn't feeling good but with Jamie and Anna both insisting, she agreed. Jamie wrapped an arm around Anna and led her up to the big house to settle her down on the couch. Linda watched after them until she couldn't see them anymore, her heart still in her stomach, dread filling her.
"Linda, she'll be fine. She's in good hands. Jamie's always treated her like his own and nothing is going to stop him. Come on. Our girl is fine," Danny tried convincing his wife. He stepped onto the dock and took her hand. "Our boys need us."
"Yeah, come on, Mom," Jack and Sean coaxed. Linda sighed and looked up at the big house for a few moments before following Danny on to the boat.