Part 7 - Annual Family Vacation

Lila was still dazed as she arrived at her family's house. So much so that she didn't realize that she had been picking at her food. Her parents glanced at each other in worry and her brothers did the same. 

"Lila, is everything okay?" Zed asked as he handed her a piece of steak. Lila was startled by the call before noticing that everyone was looking at her. 

"Oh yes! Sorry I was just a bit distracted," She replied as she ate the steak piece. She was a little unsettled, but there was no point in crying over spilled milk. 

"Anyways, what should we do for our annual vacation this year?" Lila asked trying to move on. She didn't want to worry her family, especially since she had just recently moved out.

"Hmm...I was thinking maybe we should go on a cruise this year," replied her Father. 

"A cruise?" asked Lila in bewilderment, his eyes going wide at the suggestion. "We should go somewhere fun and free! Not stay confined on a ship with nothing to do." 

"What do you mean! There's lots to do on a cruise!" Father barked back. 

They continued going back and forth about where to go. Zed chuckled seeing their Mother getting angrier as the voices grew louder. 

"Enough! It's just a trip! Stop arguing like children and be sensible!" yelled Mother before they finally stopped. 

"How about just going to our beach house this year?" Reo calming interjected. "That way we don't have to travel long." 

Lila thought about their beach house and realized it was a good idea. It was by the beach and had many boating activities for her Father to do. It also gave her opportunities to get out of BOATING activities. 

She and her Mother personally picked the beach house so they had no problem. Reo and Zed... Suddenly she looked at Reo and Zed with narrowed eyes. 

"What are you guys going to be doing while at the beach house?" She questioned. Reo coughed before looking away. Zed only smiled in return. Lila furrowed her eyes even more before smirking.

"Nobody is allowed to work during this trip," She stated. "I'll make sure of that." Reo and Zed merely glanced at their Father in response. Who was just about to give them a wink to signal that it was okay before he felt a fierce glare. He looked at Lila and her angry eyes before coughing as well. 

"Dad, are you okay?" Lila asked with a menacing smile. He felt her warning and weakly smiled before giving his sons a look that meant 'You guys are on your own.' Looking at their interactions, all Lila could do was smile, satisfied with the results. 

"Okay! Then it's decided! We'll be going to the beach house," her Mother said as she also chuckled at her daughter's antics. Zed and Reo merely smiled back. Lila felt the harmonious atmosphere and wished that her family would always stay happy. 

This only intensified the fear of anything going wrong because of her 'mistake.' 

***

"What's bothering you?" Zed asked as he sat down next to her on the bench. Lila glanced at him before looking back at the garden in front of her. She had come outside for some fresh air and unconsciously wandered towards the garden. Seeing the hibiscus flowers around her, her thoughts went back to her childhood. 

Zed and Reo ran around as Lila watched them play from the bench. They were about 7 years old and Lila had just recently turned 5. She laughed as Zed hid behind the hibiscus flowers to scare Reo, but was startled by an insect near him. Instead, it was Reo who came to his rescue as Zed sobbed.

When Lila came to check on them, she saw that Reo had also been scared, but wanted to protect his brother so he stayed strong. Until he saw her. His water eyes looked up at her as she approached and silently sobbed.

Lila could only wrap her tiny arms around them as comfort and hide her amusement. She only had one thought in mind. How some they still need comfort from their little sister?

Chuckling as she remembered how brave Reo tried to look while comforting Zed, Lila turned to look at the current Zed. Now he was taller than both her and Reo. She looked into his concerned eyes and signed. 

"I feel like I made a huge mistake recently," Lila explained, knowing she couldn't hide it anymore. "It makes me feel so useless because I believed I wouldn't ever make such a mistake. Thought I was all ready and prepared."

She knew she wasn't making proper sense, but felt it would be better to tell the truth than a lie. Not the whole truth, but enough to explain. Before Zed could say anything, another voice interrupted them.

"That mistake is just proof that you tried."