High Tide

Epilogue [Three Years Later]

Epilogue

Three Years Later

Avery Tanner left her surf board behind on the patio steps and hurried into the house through the sliding door; her hair was dripping wet and salt clung to her tanned skin. The adrenaline was still pumping through her veins and the smile on her face wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. It was a good day; the weather was perfect to be out on the water; she was killing it out there... definitely ready for Saturday!

"You're graduatin' high school in half an hour, where the hell have you been?" Charlie asked her, looking a little too amused to be upset with her.

"I was out with Asher and Lily. We've got a competition on Saturday, priorities dad," Avery smirked, brushing by him and grabbing a water bottle from the refrigerator.

"Yeah, well, your ma's about to pull her hair out, you should really go and deal with her," Charlie warned, mischief in his blue eyes. "Looks like you've got to pick a dress or somethin'... like it really matters, you'll be wearin' a gown over it," he chuckled.

"I know, right? I told her the same thing!" Avery chuckled.

"In the meantime, I'll go pick up Hannah from the bus station," he continued.

"You're just bailing on dress picking," Avery accused, grinning.

"Maybe I am," Charlie shrugged vaguely, a smile on his scruffy face.

When they got to the high school, the gymnasium was already packed with students, parents and siblings alike. Charlie, Lydia, Marissa and Avery's best friend from childhood, Hannah, didn't have too many options for seats, opting for four chairs in the middle of a row almost at the back.

"This is kind of pointless, we can barely see the stage," Marissa pointed out, craning her neck to try and see over the head of a rather tall man sitting in the seat ahead of hers. "We'll have to wait 'til the very end just to hear Avery's name being called out?" she added.

"Be nice, this is important for your sister... it's a big event," Lydia smiled, her camera in the palm of her hand, ready to be used.

"She's not even going to college," Marissa shrugged.

"The police academy is sort of like college," Charlie pointed out.

"Says the police officer," Marissa smirked.

"That's chief of police, thank you very much," Charlie puffed out his chest.

While he missed being out patrolling the streets and being where all the action happened, his recent promotion allowed for much more flexible hours, which meant more time to spend with his family. Lydia worried a little less too, since he was behind a desk most of the time.

"Whatever, I still think these things are way too long," she admitted. "I relinquish you of your obligation to attend my high school graduation five years from now," she added playfully.

"Two hours of your time won't kill ya sweetheart," Charlie grinned, draping his long arm over his daughter's chair, the tips of his fingers barely touching Lydia's shoulder. She looked at him and smiled.

"Yeah, yeah," Marissa sighed.

It was a beautiful ceremony, although this far back Charlie, Lydia and Marissa didn't really get to see a whole lot of it. When the high school principal started naming students with a last name beginning in the letter 'S', Charlie crept towards the front with his wife's camera so that he could maybe get a few pictures of Avery once she climbed onto the stage.