Page 63 of Corrupt Idol

“Are you ready?” she asked.

“Yep!” Lynne handed her beach bag to Dad and linked their arms together. “Let’s go!”

There were people milling around, but it wasn’t crowded. They bypassed the pool and headed straight to the ocean. They found two loungers with an umbrella for shade and set all of their things on it.

“Isn’t it just like you remember?” Lynne gushed as she held onto her hat so the sea breeze wouldn’t take it.

“It’s even better,” she said as she unwound the sarong and started toward the water.

“Hey.”

Two fingers slipped beneath the string holding her top together. She glanced back at Jesse who held up a tube of sunscreen.

“Yes, you better lather up. You don’t want to get burned on the first day,” Lynne said as she slathered white paste over her arms.

She sidled away from his finger and held out a palm. Jesse’s mouth curved as he squeezed sunscreen in her palms. Impatiently, she rubbed it over herself and knew she wasn’t doing a good job, but her eyes were on the figures sliding through the aqua water.

“Turn around, let me do your back.”

She gave him a long look before she turned. Rough hands slid over her. He didn’t try anything funny and when he was through, he was right by her side as she headed to the water. The first step in was a shock. It was colder than she expected, but that didn’t stop her. When the water came up to her thighs, she dove into a gentle swell and screamed under water before she came up laughing.

Jesse surfaced beside her. She splashed him before she watched Mom and Dad wade in. She couldn’t keep the grin off her face.

“Doesn’t it feel great?” she crowed.

Lynne’s smile was as bright as her bathing suit. “This is exactly what I needed.”

Lynne didn’t last long in the water. Jesse helped his mother to the lounger and stayed with her while she and Dad swam and chatted about her road trip. Too soon, the sun began to set. They went to their rooms to change before making the short walk to the hotel’s restaurant, which looked like a massive tiki house. There was live music and good food. When she ordered a drink with a slice of pineapple in it, she got a disapproving look from dad, but he didn’t comment. Lynne didn’t eat at all, though she seemed happy and relaxed. When she fell into bed several hours later, head swimming, stomach full, and lips curled up in a smile, she knew she was going to make every moment of this vacation count.

* * *

Days passed in a busy blur.Naps in hammocks, swimming to her heart’s content, bike riding through town, and quality time with her parents alleviated the burden she had been carrying for years. She felt like the sea and sun were cleansing her, giving her a fresh start. The past didn’t exist, just the here and now. Jesse was the only blip on her horizon, but she didn’t have time to worry about him when they were all focused on Lynne. She and Jesse had an unspoken agreement that one of them would be with Lynne at all times, which would give Dad time to rest as well. They tended to Lynne’s every whim, not that she had many. Although Lynne’s optimistic attitude never wavered, it was clear that every day became more taxing than the last.

On their last day in Florida, they watched the sun set. She and Dad lay in a hammock while Lynne and Jesse lounged in another.

“You guys are awesome,” Dad said.

She looked up at him. “What?”

His hand landed on her wet, tangled hair. “You and Jesse. I couldn’t ask for better kids.”

“I guess you raised us right.”

He gave her a lopsided smile. “I guess so, but I can’t take as much credit as I would like. I know I wasn’t around as much as I should have been. Thank God for Lynne.”

She glanced at the other hammock. Lynne had the biggest smile on her face as she listened to Jesse. “Yes.”

“I’m glad you aren’t like your mom.”

Her attention snapped back to her father. “I’m sorry?”

His skin had a pink hue from the sunset. His eyes were unfocused and lost in thought as he stared out at the ocean. “Your mom was a selfish person. I thought she would change as we grew up and when she became a mother. It didn’t happen. All she wanted to do was party.”

She could count on one hand the number of times Dad had talked about her mother and none of them had been about her personality or the demise of their relationship.

“She wanted more out of life than to be a mom or housewife. She wanted to be an actress, to be famous. I thought she was joking, but one day I woke up and she was gone.” He let out a long sigh. “I went to church because I needed help. I was lost and angry. The church helped me get on my feet and gave you a solid foundation. I know you were raised by a lot of people, maybe more than you wanted to be, but I did my best.”

“You’re a great dad.”

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