Gunning For Gibson

Chapter 4

     The kids didn't spend that much on themselves, but Daniel couldn't care less since he was putting it all on the company's card anyway. He was even tempted to hit a few more shops but passed on it since the truck was going to be overstuffed already. The ride back to the house was quiet, too quiet considering that there were kids in the car. He could remember how loud it was whenever he and his brother were in the backseat during long road trips with mom and dad. Every five minutes their mother would have to look over her shoulder and threaten to stop the car and spank them on the side of the highway if he and his bother didn't behave and stop horsing around. Looking at them now, Stephen was content to look out the window while Emma was tweeting something into cyberspace. He looked over at the phone but couldn't read what was there. Daniel could tell he was going to have to have a long conversation with the geeks in tech just to get up to speed on what programs teenagers were using online these days. The best way to keep the kids safe was to stay one step ahead of them on everything. Not an easy task but one that Daniel was going to jump in with both feet; for his brother and that annoying woman he called a wife. He couldn't believe that his brother's wife would even consent to letting him take care of both kids. Mrs. Gibson was a devout Catholic, so leaving both kids with an outspoken Atheist such as him must have been one hell of a conversation when the will was being written up. He could almost imagine his brother and the argument he would use to get his way. This would only be used in the event that we both die at the same time. Seriously what are the odds? Daniel was sure at the time they thought winning the powerball was more likely than both of them perishing at the same time. He was unsure if luck had anything to do with it but Daniel was willing to be patient to see what the agency came up with as they looked into the crash with more vigour.

     After eating something healthy for lunch, Daniel grabbed that novel he picked up at the supermarket and sat down on the couch to read it. He had gotten several pages into the first chapter when he noticed that Emma and Stephen were in the room and looking at him.

     "What is it?" he asked as he looked up at them.

     "It's a nice day outside." Emma informed him.

     "It's California," Daniel informed her, "I suggest you get used to it."

     "But we want to go out." Stephen said, "We've never been to California."

     "Out?" Daniel repeated as he closed the book after dog tagging the page, "Any place in particular?"

     "The beach!" Emma called out excitedly.

     Daniel sat there for a moment and thought about it. "Did you pack a bathing suit?"

     "Yes!" Stephen said as he was excited.

     "I bought a new one this morning," Emma informed her uncle.

     "All right," Daniel said as he stood up, "Let's hit the beach!"

     The kids could hardly believe it but it's not like Daniel had any firm plans for the day. He wanted to read a book and he could do that at the beach just as easily. For two kids on the coast for the first time, going to the beach didn't seem so unreasonable. The kids got changed and packed bags to take the beach while Daniel mad minimal changes to what he was already wearing. He took of the sneakers and socks and put on a pair of flip flops. Combined with the white t-shirt and blue jeans, that was as far as he was willing to go at that given moment. After taking some various items to the car such as lawn chairs, a cooler full of sodas and the book he had been reading in the living room, the kids jumped into the car and had big smiles on their faces. Daniel hadn't been to the beach in quite some time but asked a neighbor while waiting for the kids to come to the car. He programmed the GPS to find the location he was given and off they went, looking for the beach.