Groms

Chapter Seven

"Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls…welcome to the Sebastian Inlet State Park surfing championship. Will the ten and under contestants please report to the green tent…ten and under to the green tent."

The wind was steady out of the east whipping the collection of brightly colored flags along the stretch of beach running north from Sebastian Inlet this Saturday morning. Like any sporting event this one was filled with commercialism from a large number of sponsors. Tents with company logos lined the beach representing most of the major surfing suppliers.

A bunch of vendors had signed up to sell their wares giving the event a carnival atmosphere once again. One area was covered in drifting smoke as grills were fired up and the smell of roasting chicken filled the air.

Charlie had scored high in both his heats the day before and would be in one of the top spots for the Sunday finals. The storm system he had been following all week had not headed for the coast and yet that disturbance had kicked up the waves along Sebastian Inlet. The weekend was young so they could still get some better waves in the following days.

But this was Grom Day and the beach was filled with families and kids. He watched as a small mob of kids hurried across the sand to the green tent and signed in with the registration officials. By now most of these parents had resigned themselves to an understanding that their little Groms were going to be surfing fanatics in the coming years.

Lucas and Neil would not be among this younger set, their competition wasn't due to begin until afternoon. Charlie had planted several beach umbrellas in the sand about twenty yards from the judge's awning and the speaker towers. This way he had an unobstructed view of the waves and could hear what the judges had to say.

There were quite a few people in their little group today. Marsha was there, a surprise appearance that made Charlie happy. Keith had brought his cameras to record the events and Carlos would join them once he had finished visiting his mother.

It had been five days since his mother had been shot but she seemed to be recovering well. Carlos visited her every day, ferried by Charlie or his mother after school let out. It revealed a side of the boy that none of them knew existed when he sat down and read to her.

One of the first things Carlos had done when he moved in was discover Charlie's high school text books and he was enamored of several literary volumes he found on the shelf. He liked Walt Whitman's poetry and Mark Twain's stories. He had been reading to his mother since he was a small boy and now it seemed to soothe the frayed edges of their current emotional state.

Charlie looked up as Lucas and Neil came running up the beach and dropped themselves in the chairs under the shade. He had sent them off on a long run along the shoreline to calm them down. Nothing worse than two juvenile surfers with more energy than brains and hours to go before they could compete.

The camera crew from WPBF television was wandering the beach filming the scene for the five o'clock news and a group of kids were standing behind the reporter making faces and waving at the camera. Charlie didn't care for the publicity and had shied away when the crew approached the judge's tent.

There were four judges for the Grom competition and they were paid by the sponsors. The catalog of moves a surfer might make at such a young age was limited, although they took risks at a far greater rate than the adults. Scoring was pretty subjective and so a flash move could garner points across the board from all the judges but the winner would probably be just a lucky surfer among peers.

The announcer was Mike Headly, a former surfing champion and a local celebrity here in Sebastian. He would call the scores and entertain the crowd waiting for that moment when he got to announce which kid would be named King or Queen of the Groms.

The young girls that competed were just as aggressive as any of the boys. There were fewer of them and not all of them were tomboys but they were tough little kids. Surfing was not a team sport and so individual performance relied on constant practice and dedication to master the waves.

The competition treated the boys and girls exactly the same, except the girls had their own locker room tent with a parent stationed at the entrance to keep the boys out. The boys had their own tent staked out in the sand a good distance away.

The ocean was unforgiving and punished those who were unprepared. But to Charlie and those who had surfed for years the waves sang an intoxicating song and there was no greater joy than dancing to that music. Neil knew the feeling and Lucas was just beginning to understand it for himself. Charlie just hoped that Lucas would place in the top five today but he would put money on Neil being awarded the first place trophy.

Mayor Gilmor and several of the city council members would appear later in the afternoon to shake hands and applaud the winners. Sebastian was very much a small town and any event that drew a crowd was considered a moment for the local politicians to show their faces.

After registration the mini-Groms were given a short while to warm up and get wet. Parents lined the shore to watch their kids among the crowd of youngsters getting a feel for this morning's surf. Charlie watched with amusement, remembering a time when he had done the same for Lucas. Thoughts like that made him feel old.

Mike wasn't old enough to gain very many surfing skills and it was pretty obvious he was just trying to please his older brother. Teaching Lucas to surf was an entirely different matter. The boy basked in the praise he got from Charlie but the need to ride the waves was a personal challenge. Lucas set his own goals and met them head on but he was never reckless.

Neil must have been a handful in his early years and yet from the few chats Charlie had with Mr. Kimble he came away with the knowledge that they were proud of their boy's accomplishments. Neil's parents would also arrive in time to see their son compete and boy were they in for a surprise.

Charlie had sat with Lucas and Neil just the other night to discuss tactics. Getting a place in the competition was more important than showing off all your moves before the finals. The judges would study the moves of each surfer as they winnowed out the average kids and selected the top five in each age group for the finals.

"These people know the waves," Charlie said. "If the sets are just low and slow then your performance will be judged on control of the board and how consistent you are with your moves. The way you mount, the angle of attack and your position on the wave all tell them that you know what you’re doing even before you start pulling off tricks.

"If the current gives you nothing but waves that close out and leave you with no ride then you wait…they will respect that. But I think the waves are going to be off the hook this weekend and you just have to choose a good section to ride. If we get six foot waves then we'll all be stoked…just don't lose control. Remember the big three…speed, power, control…that's what the judges look for."

And the ocean was cooperating this weekend. All day on Friday, and this morning, the sets had been strong and the waves were stretching up to six feet in height. Charlie had seen the topographic map of the ocean floor in and around the Sebastian coastline that was posted in the surf shop. The gentle slope of the sandy bottom allowed the waves to build up into good surfing water.

The speed with which a wave rushed at the shore determined how high it rose and how soon it formed the all-important curl. Charlie had managed to find the best wave of each set he rode. Snapping aerials off the top of the curl before it formed a tube and he could streak down the barrel of the wave as it curled over his head. It was a thrill ride and one that scored high points.

Lucas would try some of the same maneuvers and ride the barrel if he could. It would be easier for him since he was shorter. Charlie had felt the water slide across the back of his head as he crouched to stay low to the board. One false move and the wave would have pushed him off into a spectacular wipe out.

There was a lot of anticipation about Neil's coming competition. A lot of the young surfers and their followers had seen the boy performing his aerial stunts in past weeks. His flip off the top of the wave with the 360 degree rotation was a sure winner if he could pull it off but the landing counted for everything and that was risky.

"Okay…let's get started," Headly announced. "In the first heat we have…"

The names were meaningless to Charlie but the four Groms who paddled out beyond the break point looked determined. Three boys and a girl, all under ten years of age…tow-heads one and all. But as they took their rides and showed their stuff Charlie judged the girl was the one to beat.

Mini-Groms pounded the waves for several hours and thrilled the crowd of mostly parents. When all the heats were done there were four boys and that girl shunted into the Sunday finals. Next up were the twelve to fifteen age group which was what everyone had been waiting for.

Charlie was sure that Lucas would at least place and take home a trophy to sit on the bookshelf in their living room. No matter that Neil might take first place, Lucas would get a thrill every time he saw that little statue.

By noon the mini-Groms were done and Carlos arrived with Charlie's mother. She brought lunch for the crew except Lucas and Neil would not eat a big meal. Instead they consumed several power bars and a box of juice. Surfing on a mostly empty stomach was one way to avoid having to answer nature's call.

Neil's parents sat under the awning set up by the Park's Department. Mr. Kimble was an ardent supporter of his son's chosen sport while his mother cringed every time the boy dove off his board. Charlie wondered if they knew what an ace their son had become, but they would find out when the competition came to a close.

There was no limit to the number of waves a contestant could ride but they only had fifteen minutes to complete the heat. Once the maneuvers were finished on a wave the surfer would turn around and broach the wave back out to the break point and look for the next wave.

It was a grueling punishment for a body to be tossed off a board and plunged to the bottom of a crushing wave but it happened all the time. There were lifeguards stationed along the beach to watch each surfer when they wiped out. Most popped right up and resumed contact with their board by pulling it in with the leash. But accidents happen.

Only one injury had occurred on Friday while Charlie was out on the water. Sprained body parts, abrasions caused by sand, and even a concussion were all possible. It was a miracle that there were no injuries in the mini-Grom category with all the antics they pulled.

Lucas and Neil would not compete in the same heat which was good for Lucas. Judges took their cue from the first surfer on how difficult the waves were to ride, and that score found its way into the averages for all the surfers in a category. One judge might score too high and another too low but averaging balanced things out.

Charlie watched his brother choose a wave and pop up in a fairly clean section of the curl. This allowed him to carve four separate runs towards the top of the wave and switchback before going aerial on the fifth run. It displayed an impressive control with the power he needed to pull off the trick. Lucas had judged his wave perfectly as the curl collapsed behind him ending the ride.

Pulling one of Charlie's maneuvers, Lucas didn't even ride the foam and instead rolled off the board and bounced himself over the dissolving wave until he was headed back to the break point. Charlie smiled knowing his brother had just scored a few points for the quick return to action.

"We have an seven point five for Lucas Travers on that last run," Headly announced.

About right, Charlie noted. Given enough scores like that and Lucas would be swept up into the finals. He repeated the tricks again on the next wave and on his third run managed to ride a short barrel all the way across the section until his dismount.

Good scores, more seven point fives and a few eights. The judges were scoring hard today but then the waves were tall and strong making the maneuvers easier to accomplish. Charlie would be curious to see what Neil scored but he knew it would be high.

Lucas came running up the beach and went straight to the end of the judges table to see his scores. No matter that Mike Headly had announced them earlier because a surfer could not hear what was being said on the speakers over the roar of the waves. Lucas looked pleased as he dropped into a chair beside his mother.

"Looking good," she said.

"I did all right," Lucas replied with a grin, but then he turned to Charlie whose opinion he valued most.

"You did fine….good enough to get you in the finals, I'm sure," Charlie said.

Keith came over and ran back the images he had captured. The digital camera equipment had come to him from his uncle as had the telephoto lens which made these shots so special. Lucas stared intently at his ride on the waves and smiled.

"Tomorrow I shoot video," Keith said. "I hear you guys save your best tricks for the finals."

"That I really want to see. How's Neil?" Lucas asked.

"Already gone to get wet."

Lucas looked out across the waves and saw Neil astride his board watching the wave sets. He would love to be out there for moral support but he knew the boy was focused and ready. Two surfers ran their routines before it was Neil's turn and immediately Lucas could see that Neil had chosen the perfect wave for his introduction.

Neil popped up as he dropped down the face of the wave and went into a crouch as the barrel formed up behind him and then moved up over his head. He was pumping the board in short moves that increased his speed under the curl and then he shot out and up the face pulling off an aerial with a switchback before the barrel caught up with him again.

He did that twice before the wave started to collapse and he topped the wave, turning back away from the beach for another run. It was a risky move since he couldn't know how close the next wave was, but risks scored points.

"Neil Kimble with a spectacular ride…scoring a nine point five," Headly said.

"Awesome," Keith said and Lucas could only agree.

The next run was loaded with aerials, six of them Lucas counted, and the last one took Neil right off the top of the wave. He could have pulled off his 360 at that point but Lucas knew he was saving that for the finals. When he was done Neil had scored a solid average of nine point three, enough to put him ahead of the pack.

Charlie nodded, Neil was all set for tomorrow. If anything the waves had increased in height over the course of the day and tomorrow might see them top six feet. The weather report would tell him what he wanted to know but tomorrow promised to be the best day of surfing yet.

The crowd started to wander away as the sixteen to eighteen year olds ran their heats which would finish the day. Tonight there would be barbeques in backyards across town and a lot of relaxation. The competition would resume at noon on Sunday.

With hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill, Charlie relaxed in a lawn chair as the boys went over their boards examining the wax coating for flaws. His own board was pristine since he had been careful not to ground it out anywhere along the beach. Still, he would touch it up later.

Mr. Kimble stopped by to reclaim his son and Keith. They were all headed for a good night's rest and Lucas and Carlos went in the house to play video games. Charlie wasn't even surprised when the unmarked police car slid up the street and stopped outside the fence. Giddings was all smiles as he opened the gate and stepped into the yard.

"Good Evening, Charlie."

"Hello there, Detective."

"It's Bob….and I'm off duty."

"Didn't see you on the beach today," Charlie said.

"Yeah, sorry about that, but I will be there tomorrow for the finals. How did it go for your little crew today?"

"All of us made the finals. So what kept you away?"

Giddings sat down in one of the other chairs and waved off Charlie's offer of something to eat or drink.

"Peterson…they caught them in Nassau. Seems he was planning to fly from the Bahamas to London. The local police have impounded his boat and they are both under arrest. It seems a Bahamian patrol boat observed Steven tossing a couple of items over the stern once they knew the police were there.

"The boy is an idiot because the boat recovered three one ounce plastic bags of cocaine, all nice and dry. Steven didn't even open the bags before dumping them. We're going to have a hell of a time trying to extradite them back if they are facing major drug charges.

"Of course, Bahamian laws are really tough on drug crimes so they will be locked up for months before trial. Nasty jails I hear, too bad for them. U.S. courts might give them ten years for an ounce of cocaine, in the Bahamas they could face life in prison. They made a poor choice in going there."

"So that just about wraps up your case, doesn't it?" Charlie asked.

"For the moment. Might get a free ride to the Bahamas to explain to their authorities why we are so keen to have them back…providing we still are by the time they go to trial."

"A free vacation…not bad."

"Nassau is a nice place," Giddings said. "I bet they have some decent surfing. So I don't mean to keep you. Just wanted you to know the drama seems to be over. How is Carlos?"

"He's doing fine, and so is his mother. Do you want to see him?"

"Not tonight. I'm sure you guys need to rest up for tomorrow. I'll look you up when I hit the beach."

They stood and shook hands before Giddings got back in the car and drove away. Good man, Charlie thought. Always nice to know a friendly cop.

The sky on Sunday morning seemed brighter although there was still a smudge of gray on the eastern horizon. The waves would not diminish and that was the best news of the morning for anyone interested in surfing.

The competition would run mini-Groms, older Groms and then the adults, but nothing was set to begin until noon. Sebastian was still a conservative town and that meant many residents went to church on Sunday morning.

The boys were up at seven, time enough to digest a good breakfast and then attempt to relax. Charlie pawed through the newspaper but he already knew what it would have to say about the weather. The tropical system was still out there, west of The Bahamas but still affecting local Florida weather. That assured tall waves for surfers along the coast.

The story on the front page of the paper was a recap of the drug bust with the additional sideline about the capture of Peterson over in Nassau. Father and son were mentioned and then when Charlie followed the story to page four he got a little shock. The photo of last year's surfing event showed him standing next to Steven.

"This weekend's Sebastian Inlet surfing event will be missing the former winner," the story stated. "Drugs have always been a curse among major sporting figures and it seems that Steven Peterson is no exception. Arrested and charged with possession of a large amount of drugs by the Bahamian authorities, young Peterson will be sitting this weekend out behind bars in a Nassau police jail.

"The sponsors of the Sebastian Inlet competition were shocked to learn of the arrest and will hold a press conference later next week to discuss future events. Part of that discussion will be the image of the sport and the rules of the events. SISC, in partnership with the State Parks Department, has always held a clean and safe competition and will continue to do so."

Charlie frowned and closed the paper. "What's the matter?" Lucas asked.

"This whole Peterson nonsense is going to cause trouble among the sponsors of the competition."

"What kind of trouble?"

"I'm not sure," Charlie said. "But how many Groms would stay in the competition if they had to take a drug test?"

"Oh shit," Lucas said. "You know as well as I do that a lot of the guys occasionally smoke weed…they'll get busted."

"Not saying that will happen, but all this publicity about the drug business might force them to take notice."

"That would be bad, Charlie, but you know Neil and I don't smoke anything."

"Keith does," Carlos said. "He told me he parties with some of his musician friends."

"You think Neil would take the chance?" Lucas asked. "I don't think so…he's never shown any interest."

"Just saying…Keith is a big influence over him."

"Not going to happen….surfing is our drug," Lucas said.

"And it better stay that way," Charlie said.

"Another bright and sunny day here in south Florida," Mike Headly announced, his voice booming across the sand. "A great day for surfing…so let's get started."

The crowd along the Sebastian Inlet beach and lining the railings of the breakwater were daunting. Cars had overflowed the parking lots and were lined up along A1A, the Ocean Highway. Charlie tried to remember if this many people had shown up last year but he didn't think so. Could the news articles have attracted so many?

The competition was down to twenty surfers, five in each age group. Charlie knew the other four guys he would compete against, they had been friends for years. Surfing talent came from time on the water and most of these guys practiced year round, as did Charlie.

Onshore they could be buddies, share a laugh and talk about the competition. It was a different matter out there on the waves. They also shared the same heroes. Duke Kahanamoku, an Olympic swimmer, was known as the 'father of surfing.' A surfer from early in the last century, he was a legend in Hawaii and introduced the sport around the world.

Most of the world's best surfers came from Hawaii or California and that is why Kelly Slater was Florida's favorite. A local boy, he rose through the ranks into national prominence and was still considered the modern king of the surf. Charlie had met the guy who was in his late thirties at the time and had just received his eleventh world title. Everyone needed a hero.

The mini-Groms plowed the waves with great emphasis on small tricks and flashy moves which thrilled the crowd. Charlie was not at all surprised when the ten year old girl named Shelly scored the highest number of points.

"There you go," Charlie told Lucas. "She will be your competition in a few short years."

Neil laughed but Lucas didn't. If Charlie thought that then he would have to give it some serious consideration. The sponsors fussed over the young Groms as they approached the judge's tent to see their scores and receive the free shirts for the event. But now it was time for the older Groms to compete.

Lucas was second in line with Neil going out fourth. Charlie felt a little sorry for the poor kid who was last since it was certain Neil would squeeze all the high scores out of the judges with his run. And so the first boy paddled out past the break point and waited for his wave.

Charlie stood about forty feet above the waterline for a good view of the competition and found himself surrounded with familiar faces. His mom stood with the Kimble family surrounding Keith and his array of cameras. They ought to see some good video of the event when it was done.

The first boy did a credible job although he nearly wiped out on his second run. The kid needs to choose his waves a little more cautiously, Charlie thought…and then Lucas was up and heading out to start his runs.

The first wave he chose was pretty flat but it had a lot of power and allowed Lucas to show off his skills. The barrel of the wave was too low to ride under and so Lucas stayed in front of it, pumping the board for speed and pulling of a series of aerials which showed his control of the board. Then it was time for his second run.

Charlie could see the sets of waves as the swell formed out in the distance and he figured out which wave Lucas would choose right away. The third wave of the set had a larger swell than the others and so when it ran up into the shallows it would reach higher.

The wave rose up and Lucas dropped into it for the longest barrel ride of the day. It looked easy but Charlie knew the boy would have to pump that board to keep up speed and stay ahead of the barrel closing behind him. Lucas traversed a good two hundred and some feet under the curl of that wave before it closed down.

The crowd cheered as Lucas stood tall, hands in the air in triumph as he rode the foam into the beach.

"The only thing better than watching a great performance like that is riding the wave," Headly said over the speakers. "Lucas Travers scores a solid nine point four…let's give him a big round of applause."

Lucas gave his mother and Charlie a big wet hug when he returned to the beach, and then he looked around. The third competitor was already out there looking for his wave with Neil and the final surfer riding their boards in the distance.

A score of nine point four had momentarily jumped Lucas to the head of the pack but everyone was waiting for Neil's performance. Tony Marsh was number three and he gave one hell of a good performance just like Charlie expected. The oldest of four boys in the family, Tony was a total fish in the water and his little brothers would probably be much the same in years to come.

Tony's routine had some minor flaws and he came in at a nine point two leaving Lucas ahead for the moment. All eyes turned towards Neil sitting astride his board and bobbing in the swells beyond the break point.

"There he goes," Keith said as he watched through the viewfinder of his camera.

Once again Neil chose the third wave of a set and paddled into position. As the wave rolled in towards the beach Neil popped up onto his feet and caught the leading edge perfectly. He topped the wave and slid down the face building speed as he went to stay ahead of the curl.

The open section of the wave in front of him allowed Neil to run up and down the face, switching back in moves that left him airborne for just a few seconds…and then came the big move. Neil and his board shot up the face of the wave and into the sky where the boy crouched and grabbed the rails so he could spin.

Charlie was always astonished at this maneuver which took Neil up and around in an arc and then dropped him back down on the face of the wave. Skateboarders and snowboarders would be familiar with the move but it was tempting fate out here on the ocean. Neil concluded the move with a perfect landing that sent him speeding down the face of the wave to the cheers of the crowd.

"Great balls of fire….whooie…what a fantastic move by young Neil Kimble," Headly announced. "What do you call that…a helicopter?"

Neil had time for a few more aerials before the wave began to die out and he turned back for his second run. Charlie supposed the boy would make the move again just to prove it wasn't a fluke and that would assure his first place win. Where was Headley with the scores?

Charlie looked over at the judge's tent and saw the argument going on at the table so he approached…now what?

"He held onto the board…isn't that a rule violation?"

"Not at all, the rule says a surfer can touch the rails and they do it all the time when they shoot the tube. The only thing he's not supposed to do is leave his feet and he didn't. I say the score stands." That from the head judge who had the final say.

Then came Headly's announcement. "Sorry, folks…we're just checking the rule book here which we have to do every time there's a new move. The judge's score for Neil Kimble is a nine point eight."

Charlie grinned knowing that at least one or two of those judges had scored Neil at a ten to reach such a high average. But now it was time to see if the boy could pull it off again. This time the wave Neil chose began to break early and he all but disappeared under the curl. But the boy was pumping his board for speed and he shot out of the barrel, gained on the curling wave and topped the face of the wave into his signature helicopter move.

Neil slammed his landing at the base of the wave with such force that the water seemed stunned and began to dissolve into foam. A fickle wave, Charlie thought, and Neil was just lucky to have caught his ride. Again there was cheering as Neil rode his board into the sand.

"No doubt about it, folks….we have a new champion. The judges score Neil Kimble with a nine point nine," Headley said. "Wait…what was that? One of the judges has changed his score and our champ has move up to perfect tens across the board. Let's hear it for Neil."

The celebration lasted only moments as the final Grom moved in for his run. The crowd quieted down and focused on the final contestant, Steve Brown. The boy could place well and knock Lucas out of second place but nothing could diminish Neil's success. Unfortunately Steve just didn't have it today and so Lucas remained in second place.

It was inevitable that Neil would want to share his joy with Keith and so they sneaked into the men's dressing tent for a quiet moment alone. It was there that Carlos walked in and caught them in an embrace with lips locked together.

"Oh shit…sorry," Carlos said.

"No, come share the hug and I promise not to kiss you," Neil said.

And so it was three boys hugging that Lucas walked in on and he laughed.

"What's this, an orgy and you didn't invite me?"

"So, like you and Keith…?" Carlos said.

"Yes…he's my boyfriend," Neil said.

"Uh…cool."

"Oh, I came in to tell Neil that there is a whole group of girls outside looking for him," Lucas said.

"Not gonna happen, I'm busy," Neil said.

Lucas slid an arm around Carlos' shoulder. "I guess that means you and me have to take care of the ladies."

Carlos grinned. "I think we can do that."

There would be little the older surfers could do for the rest of the day to steal the glory of Neil's performance. Charlie went third in his age group and pulled off a nine point eight with just hard competitive surfing. The technical skills of his performance gave him the first place trophy.

The group photo which was taken that afternoon would appear in the newspaper the following day and it showed the smiling faces of Charlie, Lucas and Neil standing with the others and clutching their trophies. Charlie's only regret is that Steve Peterson would probably never see it.

The beach was deserted the following morning when the park's crew ran their tractors through the sand, raking away any remnant of the crowd that had gathered the day before. Sebastian Inlet would be quiet for a few days and then one by one the surfers would return.

Late November would bring in the cool breezes and the current would bring a chill to the water. A wetsuit would cover the surfers for most of the winter until spring, but nothing would stop the Groms from riding the waves.

By Thanksgiving Carlo's mother was out of the hospital and his grandmother had returned from Cuba to take care of the reunited family. He still went to the beach to watch Lucas and Neil surf, but said he was not crazy enough to join them.

Lucas and Neil returned to school and new-found popularity but it didn't take long for Neil to be known as a prince of the Groms. The label didn't really matter to him, but Keith did, and so he came out to his parents who only worried that his choice did not interfere with his schoolwork.

Lucas found himself surrounded with girlie groupies once again but knew his mother would object to him having a girlfriend at such a young age. Emotionally it was good to have so many friends among the girls but it was harder to decide if they just wanted to be seen with him because he was popular. At least he was now growing hair on his body in all the places that counted.

Charlie went back to work and in the middle of winter the Feds convicted the Petersons and the Cuban drug gang for smuggling. The article in the paper did mention that the Bahamian government was sending the two criminals back to Florida to serve their time.

And just like Giddings had said, Charlie and Marcos were awarded thousands of dollars once the guilty verdict was returned. Marcos immediately put his money in the bank with all thoughts of spending it set aside…perhaps his wife had something to do with that.

Charlie gave eight thousand to his mother so that she could start a college fund for Lucas. That still left a few dollars to spend.

"So what are you going to buy?" Lucas asked. "I bet it's a new car."

Charlie grinned. "I can't tell you…it's a surprise."

His mother laughed when Lucas groaned in frustration. "I hate surprises."

Charlie drank the last of his milk in the cereal bowl and pointed at Lucas' lunch bag on the counter. "You better go or you'll miss the bus."

Lucas rinsed out his bowl and put it in the dishwasher. He kissed his mother and dodged Charlie's affectionate hug as he grabbed the lunch bag and headed out the door.

"You haven't told him," She said.

"He'll find out at lunchtime," Charlie said. He kissed his mother and promised to be home for dinner, and then he grabbed his own lunch bag and headed for the boatyard.

At eleven-thirty Lucas sat down with his friends in the cafeteria and opened his lunch bag.

"What's that?" Neil asked as a folded piece of shiny paper fell out with the sandwich.

They both leaned in to read the words emblazoned across the top.

"Puerto Rico…a surfer's paradise." And then he saw the note Charlie had written across the bottom. "Spring break…Isabela…just you and me, the waves, and the pro-surfing championship with Kelly Slater going for the gold."

"Awesome," Neil said.