Alice was happy for her son but hated the situation after hanging up after Luke’s phone call back home. Luke sounded so happy, but all the reasons for his happiness hurt. Her son loved living in California and Alice was hoping that he would be begging to come back home. Luke wanting to return would make her husband stop the fruitless house hunting they were doing. His happiness for being in with a crowd and having a nickname, was not right to the concerned Mom. Luke was Luke, he should not be going by Eck. This was nothing like how an older brother should act. Alice’s brother closest to her age, Dom, did not have a nickname and stayed away from hanging out with a big crowd. To Luke’s mom, his happiness was being forced and he was going to come crashing back down when he goes back to being who he really was.

Alice’s biggest concern which came from talking with her son, was his use of Mother when saying no to her about him coming home without them moving. The idea was shot down faster than a jerk using a creepy pick up line on an elegant lady. The conviction in Luke’s words were as strong as a person with true faith beliefs. The certainly behind the no and use of mother let Alice know she was not yet forgiven for all the times she forced her son to wear a dress. The use of mother also reminded her how her son really felt about her, he hated his mom.

Alice’s mixed emotional response to the phone call was a perfect example of why one of the hardest things about being a parent for Alice was watching her children grow up. Raising children was a bittersweet experience for her. Overall, her children doing well was what made her so happy with being a mom. Luke and Lori were both doing great in school, they pursued their goals and had hobbies. The bitter part came from having misguided expectations for them. She wanted Lori to have a carbon copy of her childhood. That meant Lori had to be like her and Luke like Dom. This never worked out. Lori was only her golden child not Fred’s. Luke did not embrace being who he should be Older brothers were not supposed to be so outgoing like Luke. They stayed in the background for the youngest to shine.

Fred, on the other hand, was as ecstatic about his son as a man down to his last dollar hitting the jackpot. Hearing about all of Luke’s escapades only reinforced having his son moved to the other side of the country as the right decision. It still tickled him hearing about his son riding the waves. Hearing about all the time spent with the Cove Crew, did not only made Fred’s day, it made his week. Luke deserved being in so tight with kids that they gave him a nickname. Teenagers needed to feel like they belonged.

The next news Luke gave Fred, made sure that it made not only his week but his month also. Luke had a girlfriend. His son having found someone that special to him, was exactly the boost Luke needed to help make sure the past was looked back upon and not lived in. Luke would be able to stay in the moment longer when life got rough.

There was one difficult question which came with hearing his son doing so well. Would it be for the best for Luke to stay out in California no matter what? Fred so wanted his son to come home as soon as possible. He missed watching Luke go from being a boy to becoming a man. The loving father also wanted his son to come home for selfish reasons. The last thing Fred wanted was to feel like a failed parent. How he let himself be in the dark instead of digging deeper with his wife and his son’s relationship made Fred feel like he was not a good parent. He wanted a chance for redemption.

Wanting the chance to right his mistake was what led Fred to answer the difficult question. If his son wanted to stay in California then he would. Being the best parent you can be meant doing what was best for your child. Being away from Lori and Alice was best for Luke. He knew his wife would not make any more mistakes with Luke, but Lori, his daughter would do everything she could to try to make Luke feel like he was a distant second to her. Fred knew he could not watch over her enough to stop Lori from trying to make the world how she wanted it. The father also knew there was not enough time for Lori to change. Lori might not even want to change.

Fred would ensure Luke knew the choice was up to him. He would also assure his son that his home was with him, not in California. Fred would also make sure that the connection between them stayed strong. He would take his wife and daughter to go visit Luke out to Cali for the summer vacation. Also, Luke would come home to visit for Christmas. They would be as close as they could be even with a such great distance between father and son.

With the decision made Fred was going to tell his wife. Fred wanted her input about it, but would not change his mind only because she objected. They both had to put what was best for Luke ahead of their wants. They wanted their family to be whole, but that was not as important as making sure Luke had the best opportunity to have the best childhood he could.

**************

The night before the call was almost just like a normal night for Eck. He went down to the stationary carnival, which was the boardwalk, to hang with some of the members of the Cove Crew. The night started to become a little special when Lil was there. Anytime Luke ended doing anything with Lil around, went from normal to special. Then the level of specialness increased when Eck and Lil ended up splitting from the group. She asked him if he wanted to share a funnel cake. The answer of yes was as sure as the new day, new start and new beginnings which came with the rising sun. No was not an option, one of the few things Eck found better than being in a group with Lil around was when those two spent time alone.

Their path down the midway was lit by the neon lights above the games of chance, sideshows, food stands and rides. The different colors of the signs were like an electric rainbow and at the end was both Valhalla and a pot of gold. Eck and Lil having alone time was Valhalla and them becoming Luke and Mary to each other was the pot of gold.

Them becoming who they were without any masks or expectations was a treasure worth more than any leprechaun’s treasure. This time alone did not only let Luke and Mary become closer to each other, it also let them become closer to who they were. Finding someone who cared for you like those two did for each other, made it easier to open up to both the other and themselves.

Then after finally getting the funnel cake those two sat on the railing of the boardwalk. The perch was chosen because of it being out of the light and it gave those two semi-privacy. Picking to be in seclusion came from them wanting to have a monopoly of the other’s time. Being in the limelight would have taken away from the spotlight on each other.

Luke and Mary were laughing while they were feeding each other funnel cake when they saw Shy in the distance. They instantly stopped the laugher and movement to try to not get busted. If Shy did not see the young lovers then their open secret, which everyone knew that they liked each other, would stay undiscovered. Everyone knowing but not speaking about the obvious, saved those two from the stupid questions, like “Hey did you get some?” Teenagers could be so crass and dumb.

Another reason for the privacy was so that Luke and Mary did not have to answer the many unanswered questions about the relationship. Were they boyfriend girlfriend? How long had they been together? Did they love each other? When was their time together, a date or just them spending time together? The two love birds were fledglings to being in love, and them being unversed in the language of love led to speaking directly being difficult. They wanted to be honest, yet at the same time not put any pressure on the other. They also did not want to build up expectations. They were happy by just being around each other and being able to be true to themselves.

Trying to not draw attention did not work. Shy saw her friends and started to go straight towards them. Their friend made it down to the boardwalk late that night, dinner out with the parents, so she was looking for the Cove Crew. Talking to Eck and Lil would send her in the right direction. Plus Shy wanted to see if those two finally admitted to each other what everyone else knew, that they were a couple.

Both Luke and Mary knew they were going to have a crash course in talking about love. Sitting alone sharing funnel cake in a darkened area of the boardwalk was not something two friends did. Even if they could think of a thin cover story which most of their friends would act like they believed, Shy would not. Her disbelief would not be from not trying. Not being afraid to say what was on her mind made Shy just naturally punch holes in any story.

Shy greeted her friends “Hey guys, what’s up?”

Luke spoke first ”Just hanging out with Mary.”

“With Mary?”

Shy response to Luke’s answer with a question was a sign of a massive hole punch in the story. Even with those five words all being truthful, Luke knew what he said was a lie of omission. Using Mary instead of Lil was what made it so. He was not speaking in Cove cant. The Cove Crew used the others nickname to refer to each other all the time. This was unless they were going out with each other.

Saying Mary caused a huge wave and Luke was going to have to ride it. Mary holding his hand a little tighter was a sign for him to do so. “Right Mary?”

The short question was also a complex one. It was not only to confirm what Luke said was true. It was the novice’s way of asking Mary out. He was not going to state what this truly was unless Mary was ready to also. Mary said “Yes Luke.”

Even with one of the worst secrets ever finally being exposed Luke and Mary felt awkward. They wanted to talk about what they had, finally answer those unasked questions but could not yet. Shy was still there. This situation did not last long. Shy might have been a straightforward teenager but she was not crass and stupid.

Before leaving Shy wanted to show her blessing. She knew those two went as good together as a sunny day and the beach. “Cool, I’ll leave you two along. I just came over to see if you knew where Silk and the rest of the crew was.”

To Luke and Mary, hearing those words was almost as big of a relief as finally being open and honest to each other. Luke looked at Mary to refer to her giving the answer. Him doing all the talking for the newly announced couple did not feel right to him. To him the relationship was not only them becoming best friends but also being partners. Mary said “They were down by the balloon pop when we left them.”

“Thanks, and enjoy your night. See you later?”

It was late and the talk was going to be long so Luke responded “See you tomorrow Shy.”

The girl who was going to find her friends, gave the two lovebirds a hug as she left. She whispered in Lil’s ear that she was happy for her. Those two were best friends and Lil shared with Shy how she felt about Luke. Shy also gave the same message to Eck. She knew he was a good one and deserved to be with someone like Lil.

Those two were alone with that elephant alongside them being the topic. Even with many topics to cover which they thought would make them uncomfortable the talk was easy. They breezed thru what was worrying them before for one reason, they realized how insignificant the answers to those questions really were. The date they started to date was not relevant, them being together was what mattered. Boyfriend, girlfriend were just labels and did not change how they felt about each other. Both Mary and Luke found it great to say it, but that came from declaring who they were to each other. They wanted the world to know that they found the other special and picked them over anyone else.

On their way home, they held hands. Luke walked Mary to her home and even with a set of peering eyes looking out the front door window, he kissed her. Luke was not scared of showing anyone how he felt about Mary. Being brave did not make him crass or stupid. It was a short kiss to show respect to their audience.

As soon as he was out of sight from Mary’s house, Luke dropped playing it cool and started to run home. Even with being free to be open with Mary, he still did not want to look like a dork right then. He could not wait to tell his aunt and uncle about his night. Tomorrow could not come quick enough, he wanted to go to the Cove and let everyone see him together with Mary. Then he wanted to tell his cousin Sam. Most importantly, he wanted to tell his dad all about Lil. His dad hearing that story of his son getting his first girlfriend was how Fred’s week being made went to his month being made.

****************

Tracy was not having a good summer and could not wait for it to be over. The biggest reason was who she chose to surround herself with. Being close friends with Lori and her court was weighing heavily on Tracy. She needed to break free from them. The girl wanted a do-over with picking her friends. The best way to get into a new crowd was the start of a new school year.

The start of the upcoming new year would not be a normal one for her. Tracy was going to be a freshman so she was starting her high school career. With all three middle schools of her school district going to the same high school, entering 9th grade was a restart for people who wanted one. There were so many new people, so kids could branch out from their old groups. Being surrounded with new people also let the kids change who they were or at least perceived to be by others. Many times, a troublemaker would take advantage of the new start and become a model student in high school. The lanky kid would take a chance and try out for the basketball team. A geek or nerd would go to find some of the cool kids from the other areas of town.

Tracy was going to change, but did not know how. All she knew was that she did not want to be known as the last thing Luke has said to her, a mean and nasty person. She knew she was better than that. If only Tracy was not so anxious she would not be. The girl needed to have faith in herself and she would be able to show to everyone including herself that she was not a mean and nasty person, just a scared girl who needed support to find her inner strength. By the end of the year she would get that support from the most unlikeliness of all people, Luke.

****************

Lori was unfolding the cushion metal chairs to put around one of the cards tables the David Project used for board games. Out of all the tables and playing areas she helped set up this was the one Lori was going to be at tonight. The game Go was going to be played there. Every week this game was played by Ming Zhao. Every week less and less of the other kids wanted to play with Ming. He was just too good at the game. The kids did not know him well enough to just want to spend time with him. They were there to play games to be social, not the other way around. Ming needed someone to play with and Lori was going to be that someone.

Had the Brat Princess not been volunteering at the David Project, she would not have wanted anything to do with Ming. Ming’s story was too much like her brother’s. His dad played favorites and picked his younger brother over him. The only time he paid attention to him was when the teenager was in trouble. The trouble was mostly for being himself. Ming was not the idea of a son to his dad. Mr. Zhao wanted his boys to be like John Wayne, tough and rugged without a need to talk about their emotions. Ming was more like Keanu Reeves, strong, resistant and in touch with his emotions. Ming was an outcast at school but not by his choice. His brother tried to toughen his baby brother up by initiating picking on him and inviting others to join in. His mom was too busy putting out other fires at home and also working to see how bad the situation was for Ming.

Lori’s heart hurt for Ming. He was a bright kid who was helpful, yet more similarities between Luke and him. These matching personality traits were not seen by Lori. There was no way that Lori would see this sweet preteen as anything like her brother. She lied to herself about Luke so much that him being bright and helpful was to her him showing off and trying to steal the spotlight. Plus, here she was not thinking about her brother. Here Lori did not have to worry about him. At the David Project there was no one who ever said she was Luke’s sister or she was a twin.

Lori’s issue with her brother was actually internal. She was never able to be an individual. Everyone always grouped them together, that was what people did with twins. This grouping together meant Luke and Lori did everything together at first. The results were always compared. Her entire life felt like a competition. Then there was the exception her mom put on Lori. Alice wanted her daughter to have the same childhood as her. Lori wanting to win her mom’s affection did everything she could to fill the role of the youngest daughter according to Alice, be the golden child. Needing to be the golden child meant Lori had to be better than Luke. Needing to be the golden child also meant that Lori tried to be the Brat Princess instead of herself.

Lori was good at Go, but only good enough to give a competitive game. Losing to him did not matter to her. It was time spent giving a smile to someone who deserved one, plus, playing the game was fun. The strategy involved helped hone critical thinking.

After three games Lori suggested that they get a large pizza. Ming’s eyes became as large as those pies. After all Lori’s friend was a preteen boy and they loved pizza. He did not even think about him and his friend not being able to eat it all and went to pull out his money. Ming assumed he was going to pay half. He never had a friend buy him something.

Lori said “Put your money away, this is my treat. We can invite a couple of the other kids, whoever you want to join us. Then as we enjoy the snack play Fortnight with them.”

Ming lost his enthusiasm and said “Let’s just play Fortnight.”

“Come on you like pizza and I am hungry.”

Ming said “I want to include everyone here.”

All those years of thinking quickly to try to get her brother finally paid off for good. Lori figured out that three large pizzas should be enough to include everyone and the cost would not damage her saving that much. Getting this pizza was about more than her eating. Lori wanted the other kids to bond with Ming. They would be more open to playing Go with him if they liked him. She wanted Ming to not be there to stray away in loneliness but to form friends. The decision was to get enough for all. Lori told Ming “Then we will get three. Two pepperoni and one extra cheese. You announce it. Say it's from us.”

Ming weaved his way through the couple of other tables to go up to Ms. Polone. He wanted the lady who ran game night to tell all the kids the news. She insisted that Ming did. Him saying it would endear him to the group more. Ming made the announcement and the kids cheered. The night went from game night to a pizza party.

As the kids started to mingle and talk about how much fun the pizza party was going to be, Ms. Polone went up to talk with Lori. She wanted to thank Lori for the kind gesture. The sad truth about running this non-profit was Ms. Polone could never get enough donations to provide what she wanted to these kids.

The David Project was a hobby for Rita Polone. She felt good trying to make sure other kids never felt like her son. Seeing someone else make a sacrifice to add to game night let her know she was doing good. She needed that.

Ms. Polone said “Lori I don’t know what to say about the pizza.”

With how much trouble Lori has been in, with any adult not named Alice Zahn she got defensive. Maybe she stepped over the line without asking first, or Ms. Polone thought that she took Ming’s money. “Ms. Polone, sorry that I did not ask. It just I thought you would say yes.

Also, I did not take any money from Ming. I just wanted the kids to think he helped. I wanted him to take all the credit. Him buying pizza would make them open to playing Go with him again. He loves that game.”

Ms. Polone hugged Lori “Oh child, I am sorry. I did not mean for you to think you did bad. It is just touching that you turned these kids Friday night into a party. I know what you did before you explained. You made my day and saying thanks was not enough. You are one of the good ones.”

Being told she was one of the good ones was payment enough for her good deed. Had the Brat Princess been here, the first thought would have been to throw what Ms. Polone said right into her dad’s face. Someone thinking she was good would not have felt as good to her as knowing that her dad was wrong. Instead, Lori just thought her dad was misinformed and had not yet seen this side of his daughter. That somehow, she needed to make her dad see she was not what he thought she was.

Those words meant so much because Lori expected no personal gain from her gesture. The goal was Ming and the other kids becoming closer. Breaking bread with someone also broke the walls between them down. Sharing that time eating together helped form bonds. That was what this place needed. Helping was more than just doing what you were told. True help was doing what was needed without being told.

The kids all gathered around the television. They all ate pizza, drank pop, talked, and they took turns playing Fortnight as the others watched. Tonight, was the liveliest the social hall ever felt for the David Project. Ms. Polone felt like her hobby was doing more than just halting the ill effects of being bullied. Tonight, it was bringing kids together and making them stronger. Having support made kids able to stand up.

On the way home, Lori told her dad all about her night. The dad was proud of his daughter. He knew she was sharing the good feelings she had with him. A month before, this talk would have been Lori just trying to prove her dad wrong. This talk made it so maybe there was hope for Lori. There was another maybe which came from the night, there was a chance that Fred did not let his daughter down as much he thought.

After hearing about his daughter’s night Fred said “I am proud of you. I will give you half of the money you spent. You went way beyond what you planned.”

Lori’s heart grew from hearing those words. Now it was her turn to make her dad’s heart do the same “Wait until two months from now. Ms. Polone and I are trying to have a pizza party each month from now on and she is paying for the next one.”

“Lori, I will give you the money and also two months from now to pay for the pizza party. You deserve that.”

“No dad those kids deserve it.”

****************

Meeting rooms was one way that media companies wasted money. The rooms themselves were not frivolous expenses. Meeting rooms were vital for a company’s communication. The unneeded expense came from the companies always upgrading and remodeling them. Image was everything to too many of the big wigs in charge. The higher up wanted to make sure how people in the industry perceived the company, and that it was doing the best. Looking the best to them, would help draw and maintain the best talent. Those big wigs knew that a company is only as good as what movies, shows, CD, and books they have in production.

It was late Thursday when Bridget Meunier was running a meeting in one of these unnecessarily revamped rooms. The length of the meeting was the only thing she found to be even more needless. The time and money wasted during this meeting got to Bridget. Her title of Senior Executive Producer was irrelevant, and just a word salad to state she was paid well and had power. Her job was to come into a project which was at the breaking point of their budget becoming bloated and streamline them. Wasteful spending on this room, and the people wasting time in it just repeating what she said to somehow gain favor with her was counterproductive.

Then when she was about to answer yet the same question from the same person worded slightly differently she got a phone call. The ring was a deus ex machina to her. She excused herself to answer and then after greeting her savior from wasting more time, excused herself from the call and put the phone on mute.

“Everyone, I have to take this call. Now go back and look at the newest script and the original. See where they differ. Only keep in any changes which stayed true to the plot or characters and take out any which was put in because you thought it was a cool idea. Thank you and have a good night.”

The declarative nature of the last sentence told the writers and director that the meeting was over. They all grabbed their notes and left the room.

“Hey Fred sorry about that I am working a little late tonight.”

“Oh Bridget, I can let you go. I can call you back when you are done.”

“I am done now. I wanted to be done a half hour ago so your called help me.”

“I will not keep you long. I want to bring Alice and Lori out to California next month on our vacation to see Luke.”

“Great, you can stay at our guest house.”

“I wasn’t calling for a place. Wait, you have a guest house!”

“Yes, and I know you were not calling for a place to stay, but you have one. Just tell me when and I will make sure that Martin and I are off.”

********************

The week after the spur of the moment pizza party, Ming along with a couple of the regulars of the David Group arrived right after Lori. They were carrying reusable grocery bags filled with paper plates, napkins, plastic utensils, snacks, buns and six packs of different sodas, and Ming had a crock pot. As Ming walked by Lori the delicious aroma from the crock pot gave away the content, hot italian sausage. The scent of fennel, oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes and tomato sauce was a clear give away.

Lori was still in the process of unfolding the first table when a member of the early arrivers group, Paula Logan, asked another, Ted Winters, to help her set up one of the long tables. Paula’s helper suggested putting it at the far wall by the electrical socket. The rest of the group gave him a shout out for the good idea.

As the kids were setting up the pot luck dinner they organized on their own, Ms. Polone came out of the social hall’s office. Seeing the kids were at game night early, made the director of the David Project feel good. Them wanting to be there was a sign that she was helping them feel like part of a group. Then seeing them set up to share a meal was even more touching. Not only were these kids feeling like a part of a group they wanted to make sure the group became closer.

Wanting to give credit where it was due, Ms. Polone went to Lori and said “Dear, you are doing too much. You got all these kids to help you. Thank you. I will bring a cake next week. We can’t always do something this big, but we will. You are making this place feel so welcoming to the kids.”

The Brat Princess would have taken the credit, but she was left at the door. Her not being Alice’s daughter or Luke’s twin sister acted like two bouncers and denied that part of Lori’s entrance to this place. “Ms. Polone. I had nothing to do with it. These kids did it all on their own.”

Ms. Polone called everyone over. “Kids, thank you so much for doing this. You know you do not have to. I have been working on trying to get more funding and will start to bring snacks. Next week it will be cake and ice cream.”

The ice cream was added after she found out it was the kids themselves. That gesture became sweeter to the lady who was trying to give them a place to call their own so she was going to make the reward even sweeter. Hearing about next week treat made the kids look forward to the next game night even more. Spending time with friends was great, but having cake and ice cream during that time made it even better.

Tim did the same as Lori and made sure most of the credit went where it should. “Ms. Polone, Ming organized this. Right Ming?”

Sheepishly Ming agreed. He did not like being in the limelight. Whenever he was the center of attention, it was usually not good.

Ms. Polone wanted to help Ming be more open, so she asked an open-ended question. If it had been just a closed ended one like “Was this true?” the answer would have been one word. So, she went with “That is so nice of you. Why and what made you pick hot sausage?”
“It was so nice what Lori did last week. Everyone was having fun together and laughing. I wanted this week to be the same.

“I pickled hot sausage because I overheard you and Lori talking about it. You two do so much for us, it just seemed right to get something both of you liked.”

Lori spoke up “That is so nice of you Ming. Everyone that is so nice of all you. Ming might have come up with the idea, but you all did it. You all took charge. Thank you all.”

The game night at the social hall was loud the entire time. The room was filled with people who were being social by playing games. Whereas before, the feel was that people were playing games to be social. The new emphasis on getting to know each other over doing the activity, gave the night the feel of a party.

During the night Ming and Lori talked. This chat was at first small talk about what they did over the past week. The normally reserved Ming became extroverted. His eyes lit up like the sun in the clearing of the woods he started to talk about. Last weekend his mom finally took him to a cabin. He spent every waking moment out in nature with his notebook. Ming wanted to draw and take notes of the flora and fauna he encountered.

Hearing this story made Lori go back many years ago, to when she was eight years old. Her mom took her horseback riding. Being in nature felt so good, riding down that secluded trail made her as tranquil as the pond at the bottom of it. Thinking back, Lori felt that she would have enjoyed it more being on foot. That somehow, she was putting herself above nature being on horseback.

Lori engaged in the conversation by bringing up how much she liked that trail. That it would be nice to actually walk it with someone who knew the trees, plants and animals. Ming was that person and offered to take her. With the Brat Princess nowhere to be found, Lori forgot about needing permission from her dad and took Ming up.

Then on her way out of the social hall the Brat Princess was there waiting to be picked up before they got into her dad’s van. Talking to her dad the Brat Princess made a declaration about her plans for the weekend, going to that trail with Ming. Her dad’s ruling was two months ago and it had to ease up by now. There was no way a subject could think they could sway such enormous power over royalty.

Even with the statement coming from the Brat Princess, the voice was Lori. Fred did not take it as an order. It came out too sweet to be a demand. Hearing that Lori was actually making a connection with Ming gave him more hope than last week about his daughter. Having higher expectations about his aspiration for his daughter made a pause in the conversation.

The Brat Princess was abruptly pushed to the back by Lori. Fred’s daughter did not want to have to call Ming and say she could not go. Yes, she would be disappointed if she could not expand her love of the woods this weekend, but letting down Ming would be more of one. “Sorry, dad. I meant can I go to the horse-riding trail with Ming this weekend? It just sounded so fun I forgot to ask. Please, can I go? I promise I know to ask you. I will from now on.”

“My sweet pickle, you can go. It sounds great and can see why you are excited.”

Hearing my sweet pickle from her dad kept the Brat Princess from being able to push her way on to the front. Ever since the start of the War of the Twins, her dad had not called or use that term of affection towards her. He never had a reason, dealing with the Brat Princess always left a sour taste in his mouth. ”Thanks, dad. I will share everything about it with you. Did you know that Ming wants to work with nature when he grows up?”

**********************

Greg K. sat at the Cove looking southward towards the boardwalk. The distance between him and the permanent carnival made it so only the building and the rides were visible. This did not matter. The young man was focused on underneath the boardwalk. The support beams had his attention. That was where the past of the Cove Crew was, and also his future. Since it’s inception, sometime during the summer after graduating high school a member would go down there to carve their name in one of the support beams. Each year had its own beam.

This summer was Greg K.’s time to leave his mark on the beams which supported him into becoming the young man he was. Those beams did not only hold up the boardwalk. They held up the Cove Crew. This ritual of leaving your mark about being in the Cove Crew also left its mark on the group. The current members would go down there and see all who had preceded them. Knowing that staying true to the group was also staying true to the people who came before.

To most of the people in the Cove Crew, now some of those people who came before were their brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, parents, and grandparents. Some of those former members might be their favorite teacher, or neighbors. These people who were close to them, made the Cove a place they loved and the members people they could count on. Staying true to this place was staying true to those who were dear to them.

Also, some of those former members might be strangers. To some of the members, honoring the people they did not know was most important to them. Knowing that people they never will meet had a hand in making them who they were, gave these members of the Cove Crew a connection to everyone. Not knowing everyone who helped them become who they were, made them see that people are more interconnected than society led them to believe. Community was more than your town, state or country. Community was who you let in.

As the soon to be emeritus member of the Cove Crew was looking towards the place which would make his present the past, part of the future of the place he held dear walked into his line of sight. Eck. One of the newest members was coming back from hanging ten and going to hang out by the firepit. Spending time by the firepit was for bonding and becoming closer to the group. Greg K. called Eck over.

Eck’s friend wanted to share with someone how special this place, these people and this time has been to him. Eck was the perfect person to share this with. It was going to be up to the newest member of the crew to help uphold what it was. Eck has found his place in the Cove Crew so now it was time for him to find this place, these people and what this time meant.

Greg K. was already walking towards the shrine when Eck was making his way over. Eck hurried up to catch up with his friend. On the way down Greg K started to explain what The Cove and the crew meant. That everyone who was welcoming was welcomed. Unity was where they found their strength. The support that they gave to others came back tenfold. Being true to yourself was how you were true to others.

Even with Greg K. passing down wisdom. The talk was not a lecture but a discussion. A lecture would have gone against one of the biggest tenets of the friendships formed here. Everyone was equal. Greg K. made sure that Eck responded with more than yes. This talk was not about picking up what was being laid down. It was about embracing what was being shared.
Greg K pausing before entering was a sign of respect to the hollow grounds they were about to enter. Eck followed suit. No one had told him about the beams and how significant they are, but the chat with Greg K. was enough to let him know. Treating this area with respect was a way to treat your friends with respect.

The talk morphed into an impromptu history lesson when they finally got into the support beams. Greg K. went to the beam in the furthest corner first. Everyone who showed this place to others always did. It was the first beam which was carved into. The person who started this was Homer. He got his name for he was the storyteller of the group. People who heard his stories said they were epics. The truth, at least to Homer, the stories themselves were not special, it was the people, his friends, in them which made them so. He shared those stories so others could see what he saw in them.

After getting his and the Crew’s story out Greg K. wanted Eck to share his. If Greg would have asked before this journey would have reverted back to the scared little boy. Fear of losing what he had had would have overtaken Eck. Eck would have been sure that once his story was told, he would have been an exile once more. Instead the ending of the story was greeted with arms wide open.

Even with Greg K. expecting Luke to tell the truth, hearing his friend do so was touching. If the elder knew how Eck was treated by his mom, sister and so-called friends he would have never asked to hear it.

“Dude, I am sorry. That was so wrong what happened. You’re a good dude and your sister took you down because she could not live up to you. Never forget that.

“I can assure you this. The only change in how I see you is that you are even stronger than I thought you were. I do not know many people who could have handled what you did and how you did it. I know this does not do anything to take away the pain, but that made you a better person. There is no shame in what happened to you. You did nothing wrong.

“You now have a crew for life. One day you will be down here explaining what we are to someone else. That will just be you getting ready to leave this place, but this place will always be with you. You will always have us with you.”

Those words were so healing to Eck. Now the teenager knew that he would not lose people in his life because of the petticoat punishment. Those who would not be around him because of what his mom did were never truly around him. People who were worth being near to would only care about who Luke was. Seeing the Cove Crew’s inner sanctum helped Eck to keep on raising up above his past. These beams were proof that there would be a solid strong support if people try to knock him down.

****************

Matt and Renee made a cute couple. The little interactions between them would make most people sick if they were not done as casual as the dress code at the local watering hole. Being nice and considerate to each other was effortless. One of them holding the door for the other then getting a thanks was done without thought, but not thoughtless. All of those little shows of affection were as sincere as the love and caring they showed.

The only concern their parents had was if they were mature enough if this relationship ended. They have been close friends for over 8 years and it would be a shame if and when those two broke up they also ended their friendship. Matt and Renee gave each other so much emotional support along with encouragement. Matt made sure to express his faith in Renee when she was considering if she should start to race BMX. He along with Luke were the loudest in the stands cheering for her and made sure to make it to the finish line to congrat her win or lose. They were proud of her doing what she loved, the results were as important as the weather in Korea to them.

Luke not being part of the group anymore was what brought this concern to the foreground. Meg. Al, Shanti and Ramesh all saw how much it hurt their kid to lose their close friend. Losing another close friend along with the heartache of ending a relationship would be devastating. It would be even harder for Matt and Renee because they would not have the support from each other.

Matt and Renee’s friendship was important and going back to being only friends after being boyfriend/girlfriend was a task for adults, let alone teenagers. The easiest way was if the relationship ended on mutual terms. If the exes were not on the same page about ending the relationship then resentment from one side would put a strain on the friendship. If the relationship ended because of one of them making a mistake, then the chance of them going back to friends would be as good as personal advice from an agony aunt.

This concern was what made all four of their parents even more supportive of the relationship. Being another beam of the support for Matt and Renee would add strength to their relationship. Being as welcoming as they could would set the underlying floor for the relationship built on the friendship. The teenagers would learn that they were both friends and lovers. That if the lover part did not work then they should be able to fall back on being friends.

The unwarranted concern started to quickly fade. The parents seeing that Matt and Renee were not having a honeymoon period of their relationship was a good sign. Unlike most teenagers these two were not in love with falling in love. Matt and Renee did not want to gush to others about how great being in love was. They wanted a relationship with someone who brought out the best in them and they did the same for the other. Those two were building their relationship on the solid foundation of their friendship.

Even with having each other, Matt and Renee were missing one thing in their relationship, Luke. They knew that Luke would be so happy for them. That the joy of being together would be even more with their close friend being yet another support beam to hold up their relationship. They might never see their friend again and he might fade from their memory, but Matt and Renee would always hold Luke in their heart. Part of the reason why they would become the good people they were destined to, was to honor their time with the third member of the Saturday Morning Bike Club.

****************

Ming’s mom, Gina Henderson-Zhao, could not get ready quick enough for her son. The pubertal teenager’s voice asking, crackled from the hormones and his excitement of the day. This day had a big circle around it on Ming’s mental calendar since the plans were made. Today ,was the day he was heading to the trails in South Park to hang out with Lori. Sharing his love for nature with someone close to his age was going to be fun. Finding someone in his age group who appreciated the woods and the outdoors made him feel less like an outsider for loving being outside. The kids in his school would all much rather be in front of a screen watching Netflix, playing games, or being social to kids in front of other screens.

Most of the time Gina hated to be rushed, but today she loved it. Her youngest was looking forward to being with other people. He found someone with the same interest. As if not being able to share what he cared for with someone else was enough, her youngest will get away from the negativity that her husband had. The negativity was from her husband trying to make Ming be someone who he was not.

Yang Zhao wanted the best for him and tried to push him to what he thought he should be instead of caring that his son would know better. Ming’s dad wanted his son to follow in his footsteps. He was a bro who followed the bro code in college, then went to medical school to become a doctor. Yang was still a man’s man and so wanted the same for his son.

The horse-trail at South Park was great for all involved. Gina got along great with Lori and her dad. Fred went on this nature hike because of Alice's insistence. Lori’s mom saw how well those two were getting along and wanted to foster their relationship. The reconnection between father and daughter would bring the family close together. It might also hasten Luke’s return from Cali. Fred seeing Lori in a better light might make him realize that having Luke so far away was overreacting.

Hearing all about the flowers, scrubs, bushes and animals on the path, made Lori’s appreciation of the beauty of nature blossom. Hearing about the Fibonacci Sequence being all around nature made her marvel at it more. The way Ming explained the sequence to her also made Lori feel good. Her friend was not trying to show off or talk down to her. Ming only wanted to share that information with her. That made Lori feel special.

Then, going beyond the horse path was virgin territory for Lori in more ways than her never being there. Seeing her reflection in a pond Lori noticed, caused a smile. Lori smiled all the time but there was always a particular reason. There was no reason for the smile that Lori could think of off the top of her head. A “just because” smile was something which Lori never noticed before.

Yes, she was having fun and that could be the reason, yet the smile was too big for this. The natural grin on Lori's face was from her friendship with Ming being based on only who she was. Ming did not want to be her friend because she was Alice’s daughter or he had to choose between her and her twin brother. Ming’s friendship was also not about what Lori could do for him. His friendship was all about just enjoying the time they spent together.

The best part of the day for Fred was on the way home. His sweet pickle would not stop talking about the day. He laughed and told her he knew he was there. Lori laughed back and said I know dad but I told you I was going to share this with you and I want to. His daughter wanting to share her great experience again with Fred was a sign she was on the path of growing up.

****************

Driving down the Southern California coast is an iconic scene in many movies. On the way to dinner with his aunt, uncle and cousin Sam, Luke found out seeing it on the big screen paled in comparison to in real life. Actually, being on the coastal road made Luke as immersed in the moment as one of the swimmers he saw in the ocean when he looked towards the Pacific. All his senses were treated to the beauty which this land had. The breeze from having the top down acted like a natural air conditioner and cooled him down from the heat of the sun. The air had the slight smell of salt from the sea. The crashing waves and call of the sea birds made a nice harmony. Experiencing the drive was more picturesque than anything Martin Scorsese has ever put on the silver screen.

The dinner itself added to the evening being picture perfect. A location director could not find a better place to film a meal after a drive on the coast. The seafood restaurant was right next to a wharf and had a deck. The al fresco seating let the beauty of the drive continue on to the meal.

Luke being in the moment made Aunt Bridget and Uncle Maurice know, they, along with their brother-in-law, made the right decision of having him come live with them. They knew Luke being the best version of himself came from him being able to be himself. That there was no pressure from unfounded expectations from Luke’s mom. There was not the unhealthy level of sibling rivalry from Lori.

One of the topics of conversation was about his parents and twin sister. This part of the discussion would be a test of how much Luke was really thriving. Talking about having to deal with the toxic relationship was going to show Luke’s true strength. Being strong was easy when things are going good in life. Having Lori and Alice around would mean Luke had to stay strong in face of what caused so much damaging adversity in his life.

The topic did not change Luke’s attitude. He was still the happy teenager embracing being in such a beautiful moment. Luke knew he could handle Lori now. His sister did not have one of her biggest allies anymore in the War of the Twins, operating in the shadows. All of her devious tactics and strategies were publicly known. There were strict sanctions placed on Lori and would be increased if she violated the terms of the peace treaty.

Luke’s strength remained for another reason. This time was different. Luke had the home court advantage. Luke also would be the one with the support. His friends were the beams which would make sure he could withstand anything Lori would try to knock him down. Lastly, he was working through not blaming himself for how he was treated. The kids back at home were manipulated into making him an outcast. The fact of the manufactured exile was not from Luke deserving it was now known by him.

After talking about the visit from Luke’s family the discussion stayed on him. Aunt Bridget and Uncle Maurice wanted to hear more about Mary. They have met the girl who was called Lil a couple of times and wanted to know more about her. How could they not, Luke’s eye lit up like the night sky filled with fireworks just hearing her name.

This night out for a family meal put to rest any concerns anyone had about Luke. They all knew he had support and felt like he was at home here. The biggest part was everyone saw that Luke was becoming the best version of himself. Having Luke live with them was the right decision and they drove home feeling good about Luke having his new home so far away from his family.

****************

The day before Lori went on vacation, Blake broke up with her. The timing was horrible for Lori and great for Blake. Being blindsided by her boyfriend made all the progress Lori was making regress back like the waning sea she was going to visit. Breakups were painful and Lori was not going to be able to have any real support. She was going to be far away from her friends. Telling her mom was not an option. Lori was the Brat Princess to the Nostalgia Queen. Telling the truth would make her look bad to her mom. Lori did not trust her dad. He was harsh and might not see it her way. After all, he was on record as saying she was a bad person.

This was great timing for Blake. He would not have to deal with the blunt of Lori’s anger right away. She was going to be away for a week. The conniving boy was also going to use her being away to his advantage. He was leaving Lori to try to get with Carrie Swift. If his plans did not work, then he could grovel to Lori right away to take him back. That he found out how much she meant to him with her so far away. That the breakup gave him a valuable lesson of not taking his girl for granted.

Blake ended up going steady with Lori to take a chance with Carrie Swift. She was perfect for him. At least perfect to make a move on. OK, she sounded perfect for him. There was a chance she would be more open to his advances than Lori. Blake’s cousin heard from a friend of a friend, that his next-door neighbor scored with her. Scoring would help Blake see himself as a man and not a boy. Having sex was his idea on how to become a man. This of course was just a way to not put the work into becoming a man. Blake to get a girl to sleep with him was much easier than putting the work in to mature

Even if Carrie was not as easy as advertised by the gossip, having her instead of Lori as a girlfriend would be an upgrade in his eyes. She lived in the next town over, so there would be no ever-present watchful eyes on his roaming eyes. Blake was always open to trade in and upgrade his girlfriend, he had to look out for himself after all.

Also, the cocksure Don Juan was entering high school and would not be weighed down by Lori in trying to get into the cool groups. These next four years were going to be important to his life. Being in the right group was paramount to have the best out of the high school experience. Having Lori at his side might lessen being accepted by the who’s who of the upperclassmen. Blake knew that couples were either accepted or rejected together, and Lori could rub people the wrong way.

Blake was a coward so the breakup was swift. The quickness of Blake and Lori being a couple ending was not by her choice. Lori would have wanted to know why and most definitely have her say in how she felt about the ending of them being a couple. Instead the heartbroken girl got no explanation and had no say in it. How could she when she found out via her relationship status has changed on Facebook.

Lori’s face was devoid of any emotions as she looked at her computer screen after lunch. She felt completely and utterly powerless. Even after just eating, her stomach had an empty feeling. She could not take the only course of action she wanted to do. It was simple and every other teenage girl she knew could do so. Not being able to call that no good boy of her and tell him that he had some explaining to do was as fair as a carnival game. She had to wait until she got permission from her dad. He was at work and she was not going to chance having him say no or being upset about her bothering him about something minor. He has finally been opening up to seeing Lori as who she wanted to be, a good person.

The vulnerable girl was not going to open herself up for more pain and disappointment. Losing her dad’s newfound trust in her would hurt. Him finding her wanting to call Blake as frivolous, would dash her hopes of him seeing her as who she wanted to be gone. It was much better for Lori to be in the known pain and just wait.

Lori laid in her bed thinking of everything she was going to say to Blake for a couple of hours. Alice went up to check on her daughter. Before being able to ask what was wrong, Lori in tears said “Blake broke up with me.”

“How could he?”

“I don’t know mom. He didn’t post why. He only changed his relationship status on Facebook.”

“Then it could be a misunderstanding, call him.”

“No mom. I need dad's permission.”

“I said you can call him so you can.”

“Mom calling that no good snake would just get us in trouble.”

“Then call your dad, he will understand.”

“No, mom. I don’t want to bother him. I need a good reason and this might not be. It can wait.”

Alice left. She went downstairs and called Fred. She was giving Fred the riot act about the situation. This should not be happening. Lori should have been able to just call Blake. As she was telling Fred how wrong he was, her husband said “Dear you are right. I should have been clearer with my Sweet Pickle that she could ask for my permission when I was at work. I should have also been including you in with the decisions sooner. As soon as you agreed to Luke going to Cali should have been a sign you would be doing better at raising our kids.

“What do you want to do about this?”

“I want Lori to call Blake and be able to talk with him. No, I want her to go over his house and talk face to face. If he broke up with her without telling her then he will not answer her phone call.”

“Dear then we will do it. Put me on the phone with Lori.”

Alice went to her daughter’s room and gave her the phone. The voice on the other line was her dad’s. Hearing him say “Hi Sweet Pickle” made her tense up. All the work she has been doing this summer was destroyed. Lori did her best to try to stop the destruction of the rebuilding of her and her dad’s relationship “Dad, I did not want mom to call. I was going to wait until you came home.”

“Lori it is fine. I told you that if you wanted to use the phone you had to get my permission. That meant I wanted you to call. If you are not sure then ask your mom first. If she thinks it is fine then she will tell you. If not then she will tell you to call me. Understand?”

“Yes, dad. I will ask mom then follow what she tells me.”

“Good. Now your mom told me about Blake. She came up with a great idea. She is going to take you to his house so you can talk with him about what is going on. When I get home, if you like we can talk more about it.”

“Thanks, dad. I love you.”

Fred was touched by hearing that I love you. It came from his daughter caring for him and not her feeling good about getting her way. “I love you also Sweet Pickle. Now get going. I will see you soon.”

After the phone call Lori felt powerful. She was going to set this situation straight. The outcome might be just a misunderstanding or her getting rid of some of the trash in her life. Either way she had agency and that was where the strength came from. She was in control of what happened to herself. The decision did not come from her being Alice’s daughter or Luke’s sister.

All those things which Lori was planning to say were forgotten on the short drive to Blake’s. Those words went away because they were not hers, but the Brat Princess’. Having the agency by herself put that royal pain in the back. Lori was just going to ask Blake what was up and get his answer. If it was a mistake then nothing will happen. If they were not a couple anymore then that boy did not deserve to see her mad or upset if he was too weak to break up with her in person.

Lori knocked on the door and Ms. Sellars opened it. Lori asked to speak with Blake and his mom denied her. Her son was taking a nap. Lori explained why and Blake’s mom said she knew and that there was nothing to be said. Lori agreed and left. Not being able to talk with Blake made the feeling of being completely and utterly powerless come back to Lori.

As Lori was walking back to the car the Brat Princess made her way to the spotlight. Moving to the center stage was easy with the weaken state Lori’s ego was in. The inner whispers of doubt in her choice of actions came. If Lori would have listened to her wise words which came when lying in bed then she would have gotten the satisfaction of telling off Blake. The heartache led to Lori listening to her worse angels and her progress of becoming a better person being, regressed. The Brat Princess getting more power again came from that no-good coward only looking out for himself and not being able to face the person he hurt.