Salute to Summer

It’s the last day of summer. Time to send it off with flare. And Yumi has just the thing.

“Let’s go out on a trip today!” she said. Her family eyed her.

“And go where?” Toshiki asked. She broke into a huge grin.

“The sea!” she said. The three adults look at each other. Yumi’s smile started to dim.

“No?” she asked.

“We can do that,” Momma said. Why did she look so uneasy? Yumi raised her eyebrow.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. There was a pause. Her mother forced herself to smile.

“No dear,” she said. Her smile looked like it hurt. Poppa started to look nervous. Toshiki looked between the parents. He already suspected why they looked worried. Yumi perked up.

“So can we go?” she asked.

“Yes,” her parents said.

“Yay!” Yumi said, clapping her hands together. Everyone else looked nervous.

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Yumi was going to make the most of this beach trip. Her family pretended to be happy the whole way there. Toshiki didn’t know what to do.

Should I say something?

Yumi sat smiling and humming to herself. Her fiancé eyed her. Well as long as she’s happy.

The car was so quiet. Maybe too quiet. Maybe too quiet, almost painfully so. The veteran pressed his lips together.

“So… what are we doing today?” he finally asked. Nobody answered at first.

“Going to the beach,” Yumi said.

“Well… yeah. But what will we do when we get there?” he asked.

“Oh. Just walking along the beach, swim, have a picnic-- things like that,” she said. She had been so excited for this trip. Yumi spent last night picking out what swimsuit she wanted to wear.

“Ah,” Toshiki said, nodding. Her parents could breathe a little bit easier. Still, they had their worries. Toshiki understood but he tried not to think the worst. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe she just wanted to go to the beach. Yumi looked out the window, smiling. They would be at the beach in a couple of hours. This should be fine, right? Right? Yumi giggled to herself.