heart head west.

“Crossing my fingers for just a little bit of rain around then,” he replies, smiling a little at the thought of the beach in the sunshine. “Maybe it’ll chase away all the spring breakers come out and terrorize us for two weeks.”

He wonders if he’ll still be here in spring, but he’s been here this long already with no signs of change. Maybe he’ll figure out how to swim by then. “Funny how I haven’t met you before and now we run into each other twice in a week.”

Rafael laughs at the thought of this beach being overrun by rampant spring breakers. “The dozen or so we get still surprise me. I’m just glad most people have never heard of this place.” 

Ajay settles down the sand on a surprisingly warm Friday morning. If he concentrates, just enough, he can feel the warm sand on his fingertips.

“The sun’s not going to last long, is it?” he comments as he peers off at the bulk of clouds heading this way.

“Never does.” The comment is made idly, almost to himself. It takes him a second to snap out of his train of thought, and notice the familiar face. 

“Doesn’t everything in cartoons have big, goopy tears? Would you rather have tiny ones? Little bullet tears? That sounds so weird.”

Holly’s about to hike a leg up onto the bike’s opposite side when Rafael offers, and her tired legs thank him. “Aw, man. I’d say no, but I’ve been walking around all day today. Plus, I wanna know what you were playing on your radio. Maybe we can blast it and make the neighborhood windows vibrate a little.”

“You’re right, big, goopy tears sound way more normal than small tears.” 

“I wouldn’t know! I don’t have any five star dentists to compare them to!” 

“See? That’s what I was thinking, but my troop leader wasn’t having it.” Holly extends her sigh a little longer than normal for dramatic flair. “Her arms are so long! They just keep going. She’d have no choice but to get all your hangers–the only place they’d fit is her arms! But yeah, of course she would.” 

“I haven’t had any other either, but the way my sister’s tell it, the dentists here are monsters who are out to get them. They might be a little dramatic, though.”

“Try not to let it get to you, okay? I don’t know if I can afford all the Puffs for your big, goopy tears.” 

“It’s a conspiracy. Every time I talk to the cashier there, she’s always just saying it’s the same! No new salsa! I don’t buy that. Not for a second.” She folds her arms, starting back toward the handlebars of her bike at the mention of heading home. “Yup. I just wanted to get a better shot of the moon. What about you? Late night cruise?” 

“Big, goopy tears? What am I, an elephant?” 

“If I have to hear about her bad experiences with dentists one more time, I can’t be held accountable for my actions.”

Holly grins, popping one of the donuts into her mouth while she imagines getting toppled over by a bunch of young girls. “Mom tried to sign me up for girl scouts when I was young, but it didn’t work out. I was too bossy, she said?” A shake of her head follows another smile. “I’ll be there to hold your hangers! Or who knows? Maybe my mom will be.” 

“Aw, come on! She’s not wrong! The dentists we have in Petal Beach aren’t... the greatest.” 

 “I won’t break a bone. I’m indestructable, pfft, just because I’m not as big as you. You know what that is? Sexist! No! Ageist!” She exclaims loudly, poking a finger into his chest but when her eyes meet his, she falters.

it takes her a second of opening and closing her mouth before she sets it into a pout. “If you’re not back in five minutes, I’m coming in for you.”   

Rafael is just barely able to hide the smile she’s close to drawing from him. “I didn’t say I wasn’t gonna break a bone, just that I don’t want you to.” 

“We’ll duke it out. Maybe if we’re lucky, they’ll put it in the papers about the brave fight you put up.” 

Holly rolls her shoulders, stretching one arm out in front of her and holding onto her elbow. “We can’t help that they keep adding double discount deals. That’s not our choice. It’s reasonable!” It’s nice to talk with him more fluidly–for a long time, things were strange, like moving through sand. “And then we’ll be up until six in the morning trying to digest all of them. With no apologies, obviously.” 

“If we’re lucky? I couldn’t deal with them not recognizing me for it.” 

“You’re going to give my mom a very real cavity if you keep being so sweet.” 

“That’s the plan! I’m trying to get a little girl scout brigade together, to go on adventures with me.” She teases, clearly not wanting to be the one responsible for giving a bunch of young girls sugar and being the target of unhappy moms. “She had a lot of new ideas and patterns she put together over the holidays. There was so much spare red fabric–it’s going to look like Christmas in there for a while, but I already know some of the pieces would look incredible on you.” 

Sol laughs, and shakes her head. “Well, we can’t have that, now can we?”

“I’m getting there. Hopefully sooner than we think. Then I can tell the whole town I clowned you.” 

“Getting five tacos isn’t splurging at this point! I’m used to it. We can’t go back to three, it’ll just be too miserable. And besides, splurging on sweet bread is not going to feel like a mistake once you’re eating like, five pieces for two bucks.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not going down without a fight.” 

“Well, your tastebuds have paid, too. It works out!” 

“Not yet? I’ll have to come around with some Gatorade soon, for sure. The little ones–just one time! And everything’s falling in line, I’m really excited. She’s gonna have some really cool shit when the shelves are stocked again, it’ll be special just in time for the new season.”

“Rarely! Maybe twice, and they weren’t even that bad!”

“Me too. I should invest in one of those Batman or Superman suits for Halloween. The fake pecs would do wonders for me.” 

“Great!” She pockets her phone, triumphant. “We’ve never had the smoothies from that bakery, either. It’ll be a big day to splurge.” 

“I better watch my back, then. That’s the kind of thing that might push you over the edge.”

“You’re the best taste-tester my mom could ask for. This is why she’s always trying to give you free stuff!” 

Holly straightens her posture, leaning back with a nod. “That’s the best possible option–and pretty much exactly what we’re hoping for. But soccer practice sounds fun! Do you bring everybody Capri Suns, too?” Holly’s face contorts as she tries to visualize her day’s plans. “My manager didn’t ask me to come in today, so no work until tomorrow. Just samples, I guess!”

“She’s too kind! Really, I think I go overboard with how much I tell her I love her. Everything she makes is just too good for me to feel okay with leaving without paying her something for it.” 

“When I do, I’ll finally be able to take you at arm wrestling.” 

It’s a long, long way from now, but she laughs either way. “Maybe! But you still did it, so I’m buying. Where else would that money go? Come on, think about it. It’s just more responsibly spent!” 

“I’m waiting for the day.” 

“No, you can’t leave without me,” she insists, a little more forcefully and still clinging to his arm. “I can do it, trust me.” 

She doesn’t intend to leave much room after that for protest. It takes her a second to pull herself away from Rafael but she needs both arms to try to scramble up over the wall. 

“Hey, hey, just hang on.” Rafael holds onto her arm as gently as he can, tugging her back from the wall she makes a bee-line toward.

“You just have good taste, that’s why. Not everyone does!” 

She doesn’t pay much mind to the lack of acknowledgement on Sol’s part; Holly’s mind jerks from one topic to the next without issue. “Okay, tell me if you change your mind! They’re good, but a lot of sweet is good with a little water.” Sol praises her mom’s sweet, and Holly smiles like she’s the one responsible. “Thanks! I’ll let her know.” But she’s not quite ready to end the conversation yet–she never likes saying goodbye to Sol’s warm smile. “Anyway, what are you doing today?”

“They don’t know what they’re missing, and I’m happy to take their share.” 

“Whatever you say, mountaineer!” Rafael makes it look easy, and Holly scrunches her nose. 

She inspects her phone once it’s in both hands after a thanks, glad it’s not broken. “Okay, well, my budget owes you for not having to get another phone. So lunch is on me next time, and maybe we can get some sweet bread after?” 

“Hey, watch it. You could still be growing. You’ll be looking like me in no time.”