Summer Days

 

Summer Days

Beginnings

Charles sat on the metal chair on the front porch, watching his parents’ car disappear down the road. “Good riddance,” he groaned, clutching his brown leather suitcase. He rested his chin on the palm of one hand, then glanced at his watch. “They should be here any minute now.”

A black minivan pulled up in the driveway. The driver’s side door opened and a tall red-haired man garbed in a brown jacket and worn blue jeans exited.

“About time!” Charles groaned. “Zeke, where have you been?” He got off the porch and walked toward the minivan. Zeke opened the passenger door and Charles got in. He sat down in an unoccupied seat beside a younger redhead. He placed his suitcase beside his feet.

Zeke closed the door and hopped back in the driver’s seat. “Well, Charles, we had to stop and get gas,” he replied, buckling his seat belt.

Charles sighed. “I still can’t believe my parents let me stay with you for the summer.” He sighed again.

“Well, you did tell them that we were taking you to a religious retreat,” his neighbor, Jason Bones, assured him. “And you did say that we could bring you to your father.”

Charles nodded. The minivan pulled out of the driveway and onto the road.