grunt.
“That bad?” I laugh.
“I haven’t had a lie in since he was born. So yes, that bad.”
“Well,” I slowly start, “I’m not going to make things better for you, I’ve got some bad news.”
“Why? What’s wrong?” he asks.
“Your beach hut has been broken in to.”
I hear him gasp on the other side of the line. “Was anything taken?”
“I don’t think so. At least, it doesn’t look like it. I spoke to some of the people next door, who told me there has been a homeless man that roams the beach from time to time. They seem to think it was most likely him.”
He lets out a sigh. “Thanks for letting me know. Does it need a new padlock?”
“No, the lock it fine. The latch was broken with the padlock still hanging off it. I’ll go out today to buy a new latch and get Rick to fix it into place.”
“Thank you Summer. I’ll pay you back when you return the key,” and then he lets out another chuckle, “I guess it was lucky you brought a man with you.”
“Yes it was,” I reply as I dreamily stare at the beach hut.
“I have to go,” Brendan says, pulling me back to reality. “Mick wants something.”
“Okay, I’ll see you soon.”
“See you soon Summer.” When the line goes dead I move the phone away from my ear and make my way back to Anna and Rick.
I get back inside to find Anna drive a car up and down Rick’s arm, he looks up at me with one eye open, his eyebrows wrinkled together in a frown and I can’t help but giggle.
“Anna,” I smile, “I thought we were going to let Rick sleep for a little longer?”
“It’s okay,” she replies, “I’m being gentle. I promise I won’t wake him up.”
“Then that’s a promise you can’t keep!” Rick suddenly turns around with a growl and starts tickling his sister who lets out a loud squeal of surprise followed by hysterical giggles.
“I just spoke to Brendan,” I tell Rick once their tickle fight has calmed down. “I promised him to get a new latch for the door. Would it be okay if I leave you two alone for a little while to go to the hardware store and pick one up?”
“Mhm,” Rick nods, “would you need a hand?”
“Nah,” I shake my head, “I’ll be fine. The store isn’t far from here, I’ll be back before you know it.”
Chapter 2
It took me just under an hour to drive to the store, pick up a new latch and a screwdriver and drive back to the beach. When I get back I find a parking spot a little closer to our hut and park in it. I pick up the carrier bag from the passenger seat and walk back to an empty beach hut. Everything is how I’d left it this morning, the airbed still flat on the floor, the covers draped over it and cars lying around it, the only things missing are Anna and Rick. I look out at the beach and then my ears catch the now so familiar squeals of Anna.
I sit down on the front step and watch Anna and Rick run in and out of the sea with the waves. Anna is still wearing all of her clothes, but has her leggings rolled up to above her knees again, Rick on the other hand, has taken his shirt off and even though he’s made the effort of rolling his jeans they’re not nearly high enough and the bottoms are dark with water. I watch him laugh with his sister, happily running back and forth with the waves, but more than anything, I look at his chest, his perfect muscly chest and daydream about the next time I’ll be able to touch his soft skin.
Suddenly Anna notices me on the step and waves at me. As I wave back at, Rick says something to her that I’m unable to make out and they both come running back. I stand up and pull yesterday’s towels from the railing.
“Did you get a new latch?” Rick ask while he takes the towels from me and hands one down to Anna.
“Mhm,” I nod, “would you mind fixing it?”
“Not at all,” he smiles up at me while he dries his legs. “But I could really do with some food first.”
As he says it my belly rumbles in reply.
“That bad?” I laugh.
“I haven’t had a lie in since he was born. So yes, that bad.”
“Well,” I slowly start, “I’m not going to make things better for you, I’ve got some bad news.”
“Why? What’s wrong?” he asks.
“Your beach hut has been broken in to.”
I hear him gasp on the other side of the line. “Was anything taken?”
“I don’t think so. At least, it doesn’t look like it. I spoke to some of the people next door, who told me there has been a homeless man that roams the beach from time to time. They seem to think it was most likely him.”
He lets out a sigh. “Thanks for letting me know. Does it need a new padlock?”
“No, the lock it fine. The latch was broken with the padlock still hanging off it. I’ll go out today to buy a new latch and get Rick to fix it into place.”
“Thank you Summer. I’ll pay you back when you return the key,” and then he lets out another chuckle, “I guess it was lucky you brought a man with you.”
“Yes it was,” I reply as I dreamily stare at the beach hut.
“I have to go,” Brendan says, pulling me back to reality. “Mick wants something.”
“Okay, I’ll see you soon.”
“See you soon Summer.” When the line goes dead I move the phone away from my ear and make my way back to Anna and Rick.
I get back inside to find Anna drive a car up and down Rick’s arm, he looks up at me with one eye open, his eyebrows wrinkled together in a frown and I can’t help but giggle.
“Anna,” I smile, “I thought we were going to let Rick sleep for a little longer?”
“It’s okay,” she replies, “I’m being gentle. I promise I won’t wake him up.”
“Then that’s a promise you can’t keep!” Rick suddenly turns around with a growl and starts tickling his sister who lets out a loud squeal of surprise followed by hysterical giggles.
“I just spoke to Brendan,” I tell Rick once their tickle fight has calmed down. “I promised him to get a new latch for the door. Would it be okay if I leave you two alone for a little while to go to the hardware store and pick one up?”
“Mhm,” Rick nods, “would you need a hand?”
“Nah,” I shake my head, “I’ll be fine. The store isn’t far from here, I’ll be back before you know it.”
Chapter 2
It took me just under an hour to drive to the store, pick up a new latch and a screwdriver and drive back to the beach. When I get back I find a parking spot a little closer to our hut and park in it. I pick up the carrier bag from the passenger seat and walk back to an empty beach hut. Everything is how I’d left it this morning, the airbed still flat on the floor, the covers draped over it and cars lying around it, the only things missing are Anna and Rick. I look out at the beach and then my ears catch the now so familiar squeals of Anna.
I sit down on the front step and watch Anna and Rick run in and out of the sea with the waves. Anna is still wearing all of her clothes, but has her leggings rolled up to above her knees again, Rick on the other hand, has taken his shirt off and even though he’s made the effort of rolling his jeans they’re not nearly high enough and the bottoms are dark with water. I watch him laugh with his sister, happily running back and forth with the waves, but more than anything, I look at his chest, his perfect muscly chest and daydream about the next time I’ll be able to touch his soft skin.
Suddenly Anna notices me on the step and waves at me. As I wave back at, Rick says something to her that I’m unable to make out and they both come running back. I stand up and pull yesterday’s towels from the railing.
“Did you get a new latch?” Rick ask while he takes the towels from me and hands one down to Anna.
“Mhm,” I nod, “would you mind fixing it?”
“Not at all,” he smiles up at me while he dries his legs. “But I could really do with some food first.”
As he says it my belly rumbles in reply.
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