Summer Days… 9C

=In her room, on the wall she had a board where she put up her best works. But right now. She worked away her time drawing her desk that was angled in a corner of her room in front of her. It wasn't the only thing in her line of vision going into her drawing pad. She stopped half way and sighed. While her room is what she wanted, she still had to use her bathroom in her old room. She'd asked her parents to have stairs leading down to the bathroom directly constructed, but they'd said no. There was a life lesson in there they'd told her that she can't remember. She got up from her bed and made the trip downstairs. Then decided to get something from the kitchen when, just past her parents room, she heard…

"Don't feel bad." Steph said, placing her hand on Travis' shoulder.

"You saw the looks Steph."

"They know you work. It's only natural that they'd be skeptical of you who barely stays home to suddenly leave work for a month."

"I can stay home. They shouldn't be skeptical. Have I really been that absent?" He hoped she would say no. She just smiled instead. He stepped back from her. "I didn't- I wasn't thinking."

She moved closer. "Of course you did. Hence the one month trip with you. Trav, they know you work. They understand and they revel in your time here with them."

"While you stayed here doing all the work."

She could see he felt bad. For more than one reason. "Don't fret Trav. They understand and you're home right now."

Rubbing his face, he turned away from her and planted his free hand on his hip. "Steph." He sighed. "I'm so sorry."

She walked round to face him then chuckled at the remorseful look on his face. "We don't want you to change."

"Do you speak for them? Because it shouldn't be okay for all of you to be fine about me being gone so long."

She placed her index finger just below her lower lip. "Hmm… what's that thing they say about absence and fonder?" She moved closer and snaked her hands through his waist.

He clicked his tongue. "Stop it." He scowled.

"Want to call them in and ask? I know they miss you. We all miss you. But when you're here, you're here and that's all that matters. "They understand and they're okay with it."

He looked down at her. "Did you make them okay with it?"

"I started to. But you've got smart kids. Besides, they're not alone with this. Sherry and Trip also have a not so present father. But they understand the reason for that. Besides. You handle things from wherever when I call miles away and you get them in line. You call when you have the chance and have Toby deliver messages and all that. It doesn't really feel like you're not here." He sighed, running his hand through her hair. "That's your 'I'm right' sigh."

He smirked. "Yeah it is."

"Phew!" He burst into laughter. "I thought you'd be grumpy all night."

He stopped laughing. "Grumpy?"

She shrugged and let go of him. "Just prepare to enjoy the trip okay?"

He smiled. "I'm excited actually. Being away from work for so long."

"You need it." "I do don't I?"=

With four weeks left of summer, Sawyer's routine continued. He'd just come back from an outing he'd chosen to go on alone, took a shower and was getting dressed when he heard a knock on his room door. "Yeah?!" He answered. It hadn't yet occurred to him that he wasn't expecting anyone. But if he had, it wouldn't matter. It would always be Otto. He rummaged through his wardrobe for a pair of shorts and found them. Baby blue shorts.

"Room service!" He heard from the other side.

He looked up from putting them on and scowled at the door. Then back to his shorts he wore under his towel. "I didn't order anything!" He said.

There was muttering from the other side. He couldn't hear a word. Now fully dressed, he tossed his towel aside and went for the door only to hear again, "Room service!"

He scoffed as he got closer to the door. "I said I didn't order any-" he pulled the door open and froze.

"This is me dealing with it." Tom said with a smile on his face. "Did you get taller?"

"No way mate, I need to check!" Tate moved past his friend to see if he and Sawyer were the same height.

He snapped out of his shock. "How are you here?"

Tom looked at Tate and chuckled. "We took a flight. Obviously." He strolled into the room, Tate followed.

"Nice choice mate." He hit his arm. Looking around the room. "It's so good to see you by the way."

Another person appeared. "You look better than the last time I saw you." Travis flashed a smile as he walked in.

Shocked yes, and somehow, disappointed. For a moment, he thought his mom and sister would walk through the doors and say something like the others did. He even unintentionally stood by the door for some time before he realized what he was doing. His disappointment grew. He blinked and turned to the three that had made themselves comfortable. "Hi dad." He forced himself to speak.

Tom chuckled, "Dude he's in shock." Smiling to mask his own disappointment. He'd thought Peggy and his mom would come out of somewhere to welcome him. How could he forget? He forced himself to smile.

They weren't they only ones hiding back what they'd imagined for a moment. Even Tate too had a thought. Even Travis. But then, what exactly can be done about it? "He wouldn't be shocked if he put his phone on once in a while."

"Technically, uncle Trav, he does put it on once in a while."

"Only technically." "How are you all here?"

It was Tate's turn to chuckle as he pulled out his phone. "You asked that already mate."