Embers (Ch. 4)

GISELLE

The Kemah Boardwalk was probably the only place in Houston I could spend the summer working at without quitting the next day. Although it was a seasonal job, they paid me enough so I could actually afford to keep my car this year and I actually enjoyed working here. Charlie Hanley, Samantha Stevenson and I chilled throughout our morning shifts at the ride section, playing the occasional prank on each other while we were supposed to be friendly hosts to the tourists and to the locals and their brats running around everywhere. If I had to pick a favorite ride out of them all, it would have to be The Aviator. But only because I thoroughly relished in screaming bloody murder as we swung around and around the pole in our seats, claiming we were all going to unhinge from the ride and die. Charlie, my best and closest flamboyant guy friend always chickened out when I dared him to get on the ride with me on our days off. Samantha, the chatty daredevil always managed to convince him otherwise.

Our boss called us the money making trio since we always got the most customers to get on whatever ride we were assigned to that day. We had a system in place which allowed us to gain this fruitful title and it all started before our shifts even began. We all met at different breakfast spots near the amusement park. Hyping up all the rides we were assigned to before out shifts started to the tourists and locals whilst eating pancakes and scrambled eggs became part of our morning ritual. It's been working all summer long and so far, it was looking like I was going have enough money for the back to school party I planned on having while Uncle Freddy slipped away on one of his business trips. Aunt Serena and Uncle Danny would be here by then, and it would relieve him of all babysitting duties, leaving me with the house all to myself.

Today was one of those days where the hangover just wouldn't let up and the migraine pounding against my head made it difficult for me to be in the best of moods to greet all these people. Sam, Charlie and I had partied too hard last night after work and now I severely regretted it when I felt like throwing up every five seconds. At least I had my shades on to cover my tired eyes as I forced a smile and handed out tickets to the ferris wheel. It was a sunny day here in Kemah and it had been the perfect excuse to wear them uncharacteristically.

"Did you guys hear what happened at Karen's store?" Samantha's raspy tone caught my attention as I gave out my last ticket on the ride, and headed on over to Sam and the rest of the crowd of co-workers near us. I pushed through them as Sam held up her phone so everyone could watch the video featuring some kind of robbery happening at Karen's Gems. It was the newest addition to town square where mostly everything was. Sort of like Grand Central Station for the south. Only Karen's Gems was being robbed by a couple of thugs with guns and an unknown member of society had decided it was a good idea to interrupt them and ran into the store and someone decided it was a better idea to film it and send it to local news stations.

Whoever was holding the camera had done a shitty job at focusing on the person who ran into that store. But I didn't need a better angle to know what the hell happened. The second I saw Zach's face in the midst of the onlooking crowd surrounding the jewelry store, I already knew who's gone in there to save the day.

"Hey, Sam? Can you cover the rest of my shift? I have something I need to do," I asked and she nodded, concern in her pale green eyes as I handed her my time card and bolted towards the parking lot. I reached for the phone in my pocket and cursed out loud when I saw I forgot to charge my phone and I already knew I was going to have a million angry voicemails from Uncle Freddy when my phone came back from the dead.

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I tried my best not to break the speed limit on my way back to Pasadena, but it seems the combination of worry and impatience got the best of me and I cursed out loud again once I heard the police sirens tailing me. I pulled over, of course, used my charm and my inherited dimples to get myself out of the speeding ticket, and I was back on the road before I knew it.

My tires screeched to a halt when I got to Uncle Danny and Aunt Serena's farmhouse, where the boys and Thea were settling back into, and I killed the engine. It seemed the cavalry hadn't been called as I had expected. I only saw Freddy's truck parked right next to my car and the lights turned on inside the house.

I contemplated what Zander was thinking when he decided busting a robbery was a marvelous idea and then I remembered what Uncle Danny had warned me about. Zander, like him at that age, had a lot of pent of anger inside, festering and molding itself into bigger and bigger bursts of reckless behavior. I could definitely relate. Which was why he had asked me to keep an eye on him while they returned home.

Although I still had no idea why my cousin was so angry to begin with, I planned on getting it out of him sooner or later. Not tonight though. I was pretty sure he'd heard his fair share of yelling from his parents and Uncle Freddy about what he did. Still, I had to hand it to the kid. It looks like he handled the situation accordingly and came out of it intact since he was now slumping down on his sofa, gazing into the television while Uncle Freddy and Aunt Jesse started on dinner.

"When did you get a key?" my heroically stoic cousin asked with a raised eyebrow as I entered the home and smirked as I remembered the times I had trotted on over to this place with my former fuck buddies. This property had one of the best views in the state and it totally set the mood for a night full of lecherous activity.

"When did you become the town's hero? You're all over the news, Zee," I changed the subject as my aunt and uncle joined us in the living room. I tried to ignore their suspicious demeanor and returned to look at my cousin, who was now covering his face with a throw pillow.

"He knows what he did was reckless and stupid and--"

"He's alive and he saved Freddy and Thea's lives today. Let's just focus on the good parts, shall we?" Aunt Jesse interrupted, and I raised an eyebrow when Uncle Freddy stopped himself from saying another word when her hand touched his shoulder. When did she become such an expert on taming the beast? Granted, Uncle Freddy had his temper, and we've all seen our fair share of it throughout the years, but he'd gone soft for the past year. I had a feeling Aunt Jesse had more to do with that than everyone knew.

"I get it, okay? I was just...you know...I had to do something. Thea was in there. And so were you Uncle Freddy and I'm sorry if I let you guys down, but I'm not sorry I went in there," Zander vented his confession to the rest of us and the room went silent as he stood up from the sofa when Thea entered the room. All eyes went to her when she approached her brother, and I caught her hand in mid-air before she resumed her punch, which was about to aim straight at his groin. I pulled her back as the tears began to pool in her eyes, but she blinked them away as she tried to keep her emotions in check.

There was so much more going on here than they were letting on, but it wasn't the right time or place to dive into it. Thea Carter had something to say and I knew she had no problem unlocking her inner tiger to say it.

"We almost lost Dad, pendejo! Do we really have to lose you too?" she claimed in fury, her hands balling into fists as Zander lowered himself to her height and brought her into a tight hug.

"Hate me all you want, but I'd do all over again if I had to," Zander replied into her ear and she pulled away from him then, huffing and puffing her way back down the hallway in which she emerged from.