Beach Blues

by Brann Garvey

  Claudia’s Fabulous Florida Vacation Journal

  Motel Room, Florida. Thursday, 1:38 p.m.

  I’m not unpacking. I used the little lock that came with my suitcase to keep my stuff safe.

  Then I hid the key. Maybe Grandma will buy me another lip gloss.

  The Beach House

  After I locked my suitcase, I put my flip-flops on and headed outside.

  “Mom told us to stay in the room,” Alisha said. She folded her arms and GLARED at me.

  “She told you and your brothers to stay,” I said. “Not me!” I started walking.

  “I’m telling!” Alisha yelled after me.

  A few doors down, Mom and Dad’s door was open. “I’m going to the beach house,” I told them. “To see if Grandma needs anything.”

  They were still unpacking. Mom smiled. She said, “Okay,” and waved.

  I took off. I ran past a house with a blue door. The table on the deck had a blue umbrella. The Greats were staying in the next house. It had a big porch and a BBQ grill. Great-Grandpa was sitting at a picnic table. My great-aunt and great-uncle were sitting in the porch swing.

  I don’t have as many relatives as some kids do. Grandma has one brother, Great-Uncle Sam. Mom has a sister. She has two kids. But this was a Cortez family vacation.

  Great-Grandpa Cortez walked with a cane. He had trouble remembering, so he lived with other old people. He had helpers who made sure he took his medicine and didn’t forget to eat.

  “There’s Claudia!” Great-Grandpa called. He smiled and waved. He never forgot me.

  Grandma came out the door. She was carrying glasses of pink lemonade on a tray.

  “Thank you, Myra,” Great-Aunt Louisa said. She fanned herself and took a glass. “I’m parched.”

  “Can I help with anything, Grandma?” I asked.

  “No, but thanks for asking,” Grandma said. “Go have some fun.”

  I raced toward the water. I couldn’t go swimming without an adult, but I could wade and look for pretty shells.

  Claudia’s Fabulous Florida Vacation Journal

  Seminole Beach, Florida. Thursday, 2:25 p.m.

  Having fun in Florida will be easy. As long as I don’t go back to my motel room. It’s infested with cousins.

  Buddies and Brats

  At the beach, I saw two kids — a girl and a boy — riding the waves on boogie boards. Boogie boards look like cut-off surfboards. You hold on and let the water carry you onto the beach.

  The boy had short dark hair and a nice smile. When he got off his board, he saw me watching and walked over. The girl followed him. She had a nice smile too. I guessed that they were brother and sister. They looked friendly.

  “Want to try boogie boarding?” the boy asked, smiling.

  “No thanks. I don’t have my bathing suit on,” I said. “And I don’t want to be in the ocean ALONE.”

  “You won’t be alone,” the girl said. “Mason and I use the buddy system.”

  “Maybe later,” I said. “Are you guys on vacation?”

  “No, we live here,” Mason said. He pointed to the house with the blue door, next door to where Grandma was staying.

  They sat down and we talked. Randi was in seventh grade, just like me. Mason was in eighth. Their school was on winter break too. That meant we could hang out together.

  I told them about burning my feet on the sand. “Does anything else on the beach hurt?” I asked nervously. I’d read about STINGING jellyfish and sharks. I did not want to see any up

  “Don’t feed the seagulls,” Mason said.

  “Why would that hurt?” I asked.

  “They’ll dive bomb you to get more,” Randi explained.

  “They don’t fly away when you wave your arms,” Mason said. “They think you’re throwing more food.”

  “Hey, do you like miniature golf?” Randi asked me.

  “Love it!” I said.

  “Cool,” Randi said. “You should come with us. We’re going this afternoon!”

  Then Randi and Mason’s mother called them in. I went with them to meet her.

  “Mom, can Claudia go with us to Pirate’s Cove?” Randi asked.

  “That’s the miniature golf course,” Mason told me.

  “If it’s okay with her parents,” Mrs. Baker said. “Claudia, you can tell your mom and dad that Pirate’s Cove is just a short walk down the beach.”

  As fast as I could, I ran back to the motel to ask my mom and dad if I could go. I was so excited. It was great luck to meet Randi and Mason! It was going to be a fantastic vacation!

  Mom and Dad were sitting on a bench outside the motel with Aunt Maria and Uncle Renaldo. Gabe was playing in the sand. I ran up to them. I was out of breath when I finally stopped.

  “Can I go play miniature golf down the beach at Pirate’s Cove with my new friends?” I asked in my sweetest voice. “Their mom said it was okay,” I added. “They live right there!” I pointed at Mason and Randi’s house.

  “PIRATES!” Jose yelled. He appeared in the doorway. “Is Pirate’s Cove the place that has a ship and a skull cave? I want to go!”

  I stared at Jose. I’ve never heard him talk so much before. I guess he really likes pirates.

  “Me go, too!” Gabe shouted. Then he dumped a pail of sand on his head.

  “Go where?” Alisha shouted from inside.

  “To play pirate golf,” Jose said.

  “I don’t want to play stupid golf,” Alisha said, sticking her head out the window.

  “Good,” I said. “You’re not invited.”

  “I want to go!” Jose insisted.

  “Nobody is going to play golf,” Dad said.

  I gasped. “Why not?” I asked.

  Mom explained, “Dad and I are going to buy groceries. The beach house has a kitchen. We’ll all be eating over there. Aunt Maria and Uncle Renaldo are going shopping with us. You have to watch your cousins.”

  “Why can’t Jimmy or Uncle Diego watch them?” I asked.

  Mom gave me a look. “Uncle Diego’s taking a nap, and Jimmy doesn’t pay attention,” she told me.

  I had to babysit. PERIOD. No way out.

  When Randi came to get me, I told her the bad news. She was DISAPPOINTED, but she understood.

  “Come over after dinner,” Randi said. “We’ll play dominoes. It’s more fun with three.”

  “I’ll be there!” I exclaimed.

  Time drags when you’re stuck in a motel room with my cousins.

  Jose turned on cartoons and sobbed. Alisha locked herself in the bathroom, and Gabe poured wet sand on my pillow.

  Claudia’s Fantastic Florida Vacation Journal

  Motel Room, Florida. Thursday, 4:47 p.m.

  Why I shouldn’t be upset about missing miniature golf:

  1. I’ve played miniature golf before.

  2. I’ll see Randi and Mason later.

  3. Someone has to watch the little kids.

  But Uncle Diego and Jimmy and Great-Uncle Sam and Great-Aunt Louisa could babysit too. So how come I always get stuck with the three terrible tots?

  CHAPTER 4

  Later Thursday

  Beach Feast

  My whole family loves to eat. Our first meal at the beach was a banquet!

  First Course: chips, dip, vegetable sticks, cheese squares

  Second Course: tossed green salad, macaroni salad, olives

  Third Course: hamburgers, beans, hot dogs, corn-on-the-cob, fries

  Fourth Course: strawberry shortcake

  The table at the beach house wasn’t big enough for everyone. Uncle Diego and Jimmy sat on the porch swing. I sat on the steps with my cousins.

  Alisha sniffed her hamburger and made a face. “My meat smells funny,” she said.

  “That’s steak sauce,” Great-Uncle Sam said. “It’s my special burger recipe. You’ll like it.”

  “No, I won’t,” Alisha said, frowning. She put her burger back on the serving plate. “I want a hot dog.”

  “I like b
urgers better,” I said.

  “So do I,” Alisha agreed. “But not with steak sauce.”

  Jose shook the ketchup bottle. The ketchup wouldn’t come out. Jose pounded on the bottom of the bottle. The ketchup still wouldn’t come out.

  He shook the bottle really hard. It came out that time — and splattered all over me!

  “Watch it, Jose!” I yelled. I didn’t mean to snap. I was just surprised, and upset. My new shirt had red ketchup dots all over it. It looked TERRIBLE. And ketchup leaves stains!

  “Claudia yelled at me!” Jose screamed.

  “My shirt is ruined,” I said.

  “Put some cold water on it,” Grandma said. “I’ll take the stains out tomorrow.”

  I went into the beach house and put cold water on the ketchup spots. The dots faded a little.

  When I went back outside, I tried to eat. Macaroni salad kept falling off Gabe’s fork. He picked a piece off the sandy step and ate it. He drank his grape juice way too fast. It started to dribble down the sides of his mouth.

  I only ate half of my burger and corn. Watching Gabe killed my appetite.

  Mom and Aunt Maria cleared the table. Everyone was too full for dessert. We decided to have it later.

  Randi and Mason waved from their porch. “Come on over, Claudia!” Randi called. They were ready to play dominoes.

  “Go ahead, Claudia,” Mom said.

  I SMILED and turned to leave.

  Then Mom said, “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

  “What?” I asked.

  “Your cousins,” Mom said. “The grownups want to talk. You’ll need to take your cousins with you.”

  Claudia’s Not-So-Fabulous Florida Vacation Journal

  The Beach House, Florida. Thursday, 7:52 p.m.

  Teenagers hate having little kids tag along. Don’t my parents know that? Aunt Maria and Uncle Renaldo probably don’t care. I almost don’t blame them. If I lived with Alisha, Jose, and Gabe, I’d want someone else to watch them, too!

  Cousin Chaos

  Mason and Randi were surprised to see my cousins. They said it was okay, but they were just being nice.

  “You can play dominoes with us,” Mason told Alisha, “but you have to follow the RULES.”

  “Okay,” Alisha said. She smiled sweetly at Mason. I almost fainted. I had never seen Alisha smile before.

  “I want to watch cartoons,” Jose said.

  “Too bad,” Randi said. “We’re playing dominoes.”

  Jose stamped his foot. He folded his arms and hung his head. He sniffled. We all ignored him.

  Randi and Mason sat down at their kitchen table. I started to sit in the chair beside Mason, but Alisha pushed me out of the way. She sat down and stuck her tongue out at me.

  I sat by Randi. Gabe climbed into my lap.

  We each took seven dominoes. I stood my tiles on their sides so I could see what I had.

  “Crash!” Gabe yelled. He reached out and knocked my dominoes down. Face up! Everyone saw my tiles.

  “Don’t do that, Gabe!” I said loudly. I set my tiles on their sides again.

  Gabe knocked them down again. Then he piled them up like building blocks.

  Jose sat on the steps and BANGED his feet.

  “Do you have a nine, Alisha?” Mason asked.

  “No,” Alisha said, shaking her head.

  “Then you have to take another domino,” I said. “Now it’s my turn.”

  I looked through my pile of tiles. Gabe squirmed on my lap. He kicked my leg when I put a nine down.

  “That’s MINE!” Gabe cried.

  “We’re supposed to play them, Gabe,” I said. “Not just keep them on the table. We have to play them to win.”

  “I want to watch cartoons!” Jose shrieked.

  I put Gabe down and rushed over to Jose. “Be quiet, Jose!” I said. “You’re being really rude.”

  “I want to watch cartoons!” Jose squealed.

  “Be QUIET now,” I told him. “I’ll let you watch cartoons when we get back to the motel!”

  Jose sniffled and wiped his nose on his arm. But at least he stopped screeching.

  “Gabe!” Alisha exclaimed.

  I looked back at the table. Gabe was giggling and mixing up all the dominoes on the table.

  “Now we have to start over,” Randi said.

  “No, I’ll just take these guys and go,” I said. My cousins were my problem. It wasn’t fair to ask Randi and Mason to put up with them.

  “Thanks a lot, Gabe!” Alisha yelled. She glared at her little brother. “I don’t want to leave!”

  “Too bad. We’re going,” I said.

  Gabe was TIRED and CRANKY. He screamed when I picked him up. I led Jose and Alisha off the deck. Then I turned back to Randi and Mason.

  “How late will you guys be up?” I asked.

  “Not long,” Mason said. “We’re getting up early tomorrow to go snorkeling.”

  “You can come,” Randi added. “But no little kids.”

  “I’ll be there,” I said. “ALONE.”

  The kids fell asleep ten minutes after we got back to the beach house. The adults were talking about boring stuff. I wanted to go to bed early so I’d be wide awake in the morning.

  I went outside to tell my mom I was going back to the motel.

  Before I could open my mouth, Grandma smiled at me. She said, “There’s my best helper. Let’s clean up this mess, Claudia.”

  Claudia’s Not-So-Fabulous Florida Vacation Journal

  The Beach House, Florida. Thursday, 9:17 p.m.

  The Cortez ship has a bunch of captains, some lazy passengers, and one person who does all the work. Me!

  Family Faults

  I threw away the paper plates and napkins. Grandma took the real dishes inside. I don’t mind helping Grandma. She does a lot for me. She helps everyone. But nobody else offered to pitch in.

  “Where’s Jimmy, Grandma?” I asked.

  “He went to the arcade with some boys he met on the beach,” Grandma said. “I’m glad. Your brother spends too much time ALONE playing games.”

  I didn’t tell Grandma I wanted to be with my new friends, too. It wasn’t her fault my cousins messed up the domino game, or that everyone was having fun but me.

  Then Uncle Diego played “The Sloop John B” on his guitar. It was an old folk song. All the grown-ups knew the words.

  Mom and Dad sat on the steps. Dad had his arm around Mom. They sang and watched the little white waves roll in.

  Aunt Maria clapped when Uncle Diego finished. “That was really good,” she told him. “Do you play with a band?”

  “No,” Uncle Diego said. “Then my HOBBY would turn into my JOB. Then maybe singing wouldn’t be fun anymore.”

  “I see,” Aunt Maria said.

  “Let’s have a singalong one of these nights,” Uncle Diego suggested. “The kids too.”

  “Speaking of our kids, they should be in bed,” Aunt Maria said.

  “They’re asleep,” Uncle Renaldo pointed out. “If we move them, they might wake up.”

  “They should be asleep in bed,” Aunt Maria argued.

  I ducked behind the table. I had to hide before Aunt Maria asked me to take her kids back to the motel!

  I stayed down and crawled into the house.

  Grandma was washing the dishes. I used a small towel to dry them. The beach house doesn’t have a dishwasher.

  “What’s going on out there?” Grandma asked.

  I shrugged. I wasn’t in the mood for talking.

  Claudia’s Not-So-Fabulous Florida Vacation Journal

  Motel Room, Florida. Thursday, 10:37 p.m.

  My dad says, “Life isn’t fair.” Boy, is that true!

  People who aren’t dependable and mess up never get asked to do anything, because they aren’t dependable and they mess up!

  That’s why nobody asks Jimmy to do anything.

  People ask me to babysit and do chores because I always show up and I do a good job.

/>   So bad behavior gets a lot of time off, and good behavior gets a lot of work! That is so wrong.

  CHAPTER 5

  Friday

  Escape

  The next morning, I got up at 6:30. Aunt Maria and Uncle Renaldo liked to sleep late. The cousins weren’t awake either.

  So no one heard me sneak out.

  I left a note on Mom and Dad’s door.

  Dear Mom and Dad,

  Snorkeling with Randi and Mason.

  Buddy system.

  Check with Grandma.

  Love, Claudia

  Next I ran to the beach house. Grandma was already up. She was in the kitchen. Great-Grandpa Cortez, Great-Aunt Louisa, and Great-Uncle Sam were still sleeping.

  “You’re up EARLY,” Grandma said. She looked at my beach bag. “Going somewhere?”

  “Randi and Mason invited me to go snorkeling,” I explained. “They’re leaving any minute! But Mom and Dad aren’t awake. Can I go?”

  “Maybe,” Grandma said. “Breakfast first.”

  “Can I have the strawberry shortcake I didn’t eat last night?” I asked. “On the porch, please?”

  Randi and Mason came over when I sat down on the porch. Grandma gave them strawberry shortcake too. Mason was carrying an extra boogie board for me to use.

  “Claudia can’t go swimming alone,” Grandma said.

  “There’s a lifeguard,” Randi said. “And we watch out for each other.”

  “It’s called the buddy system,” I explained.

  “You can see Old Boat Reef from here,” Mason told Grandma. He pointed down the beach. “Mom knows where it is.”

  “Okay, Claudia,” Grandma said. “You can go.” She gave each of us a bag of snacks and a bottle of water.

  “Be back by 3 o’clock,” Grandma said. “We’re eating dinner EARLY in case anyone has plans for tonight.”