Breathe me Home | NaNoWriMo 2016

Chapter 10

"You're doing what?" My mother doesn't shock easily, but this time I think I've found her shock button. "With who?"
"I'm not sure what exactly. Uncle said it was a surprise. But he has to drive us after school tomorrow to show us." Sounds reasonable.
"And who is this 'uncle'?"
"Jonas' uncle...I'm not sure what his real name is."
"And didn't you tell your father that you thought he was drinking the first time he threw you out of his shop?"
The woman never hears anything important unless she can use it against me later. "Well...he seemed sober today."
"Oh well, then. Hop in his car!"
"Jonas said he's a good driver. And it's only a few miles. To the beach."
Mom gives me the look. "We're in Hawaii, honey. The whole place is a beach."
"One near here."
"Not comforting." Mom turns to tell Ricky to sit farther from the TV, then returns to my interrogation. "You really couldn't find a nice sweet old lady to teach you how to make grass skirts or something?"
"We tried. Remember?"
"We really have to work on your social skills." Mom shakes her head. "And your judgement. Got an address for this surf shop?"
Planning ahead is one of my better qualities. I pull an old flier out of my notebook with the address of the shop on it.
Mom takes it as if it may contain some deadly bacteria. "When was this printed? 1950?"
"1962.There's a date. It was for a surfing competition."
"Please tell me you're not going surfing tomorrow. You barely get in over your knees as it is."
"I don't think so. Uncle said it would be something better."
She's not hiding her concern well. "Better than surfing? Is he taking you shark fishing?"
"He promised we wouldn't be getting in the water tomorrow."
"But maybe the next day."
"I'm playing it by ear."
"I see that." Mom ponders for a moment. "I'm going to pay 'Uncle' a visit tomorrow. Call me from school before you go anywhere."
"Cool!" I scamper up to my room before she can change her mind. Really, though, it wasn't cool. This was supposed to be easy.