Page 2 of The Summer Plans

Lana frowns. “I don’t think that’s right.”

“Let’s talk about something else, maybe. Are there any facts that don’t involve private parts?” I’m desperate to redirect this conversation.

Logan taps his finger against his cheek as though he’s deep in thought. “Narwhals’ horns are actually a giant tooth. The blue whale’s tongue is heavier than an elephant. And some crabs can taste with their feet.”

“Do you know facts about other animals?” The annoyance in Lana’s voice is palpable, and I know a fight is inevitable if I don’t intervene quickly. While they may be twins, these two couldn’t be more different.

“We’re going to the beach so I’m reading a book about sea animals. I want to be prepared if an octopus punches me in the ocean.”

“You’re not gonna get punched by an octopus.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do. I’m gonna punch you if you don’t shut up,” she snaps at her twin.

And this is why they aren’t sitting next to each other on the plane.

The rest of the flight is uneventful. When we land and collect our bags, the kids are surprisingly cooperative as each one shares their plans for our vacation. I order an Uber and give the address to the boatyard so we can catch the boat to Raven’s beach house.

Did I know my best friend owned a beach house? Nope. But when she asked me to check it out for her and see what needed to be done in order to sell it, I jumped at the opportunity. While I only have a license to sell houses in Colorado, I wasn’t turning down a free beach trip. Nor was I passing up an opportunity to boss Raven around. As the oldest member of our friend group, she often feels like the adultiest of us, especially when Bella tries to rope us into her antics.

Raven and I’ve been friends most of our lives. She’s been with me through everything—shitty exes, motherhood, and heartbreak.

After Todd and I divorced, he left Chestnut Mountain, Colorado, and moved to Wyoming. I was granted full custody with the caveat that the kids would spend the summers with him, but really, they spend it with his family. I get one week with them after school lets out in early June, and then they’re off to Nana and Pop-Pop’s.

But when Raven showed me the house plans and dangled a free vacation in front of me, I reached out to Todd’s family about swapping weeks. I never get to spend my summer birthday with my kids. I’m not normally one to rock the boat and ask for what I want, but I wanted to take this trip with them. Sending them to their grandparents on a flight from Florida at the end of this makes me nervous, but they’ve flown on their own before.

It’s an hour-long drive to the boatyard, but I’m now armed with the knowledge that there are four hundred different species of sharks, along with a few additional facts that may not exactly be correct.

The driver pulls up to the dock and takes our bags out of the trunk, depositing them on the curb before taking off without a word. We load our stuff onto the boat, and not long after we sail away from the mainland, several dolphins are swimming alongside us.

“Logan, look, a group of dolphins!” I point to the water.

Lana runs over to the side of the boat. “Cool!”

“It’s called a pod, Mom,” Logan corrects.

I grab the back of Lucas’s shirt as he attempts to climb on the railing to get a closer look.

“Did you know dolphins sleep by turning off half of their brains? And they have two stomachs. One for storage and one for digestion,” Logan announces proudly. “They’re also the only animals that do it for pleasure.”

My head snaps in his direction, praying he doesn’t elaborate.

Apparently, he piqued Lana’s curiosity. “Do what?”

Before I can try to deflect, Lucas chimes in with “I wish I had two stomachs like a dolphin.” He lifts his shirt and pats his tummy.

Lana narrows her eyes at him in annoyance. “Why?”

“So I can eat and store food for later in case I get hungry.”

“You’re always hungry,” she grumbles.

Logan throws his hands up. “That’s why I need two stomachs.”

A tiny island appears in the distance as the boat slows its speed in the shallow water.

“Welcome to Broccoli Bay,” the captain says.