Kassia had finished up with her patients early, and had checked in at her shop. As soon as school had let out, Tiyanna knew to meet her mother there. Kassia and Danni were just discussing the next shipment from a Santorian trader when Tiyanna burst in, filled with excitement. Her green eyes sparkling brightly.
"Are we gonna go?" she asked, as she stared at her mother.
Kassia and Danni laughed.
"I don't know . . . Danni, what do you think? Do you think Tiyanna deserves an afternoon at Holo Pursuits?" Kassia asked, her voice pretending to debate with her friend.
"Well . . . I guess she's been pretty good this week from what you told me," Danni replied, her dark eyes bright with the teasing.
"Momma! Aunt Danni!!" she said with a hint of a frustrated whine.
The women laughed again.
"Of course, we're going!" Kassia relented, outstretching her arms for a hug. Immediately a gleeful cry escaped Tiyanna as she ran into her mother's arms.
"Can we go to the beach?" she said. "I even packed my swimsuit in my school bag!" She pulled from the bag her multicolored one-piece bathing suit.
"I think you and I had the same idea," Kassia replied as she opened her dress to reveal a black bathing suit underneath her clothing. "The beach it is!" Kassia laughed. "Let's go get changed and then we'll walk on over."
"Okay!"
It took them almost no time to get ready, and not much longer to walk over to Holo Pursuits, which wasn't far from her shop. They were a little early for the time slot she had reserved so she patiently waited. In front of her was a blond man. He seemed a bit antsy as he transferred his weight from one foot to the other.
"Hello, Jake," she said, getting his attention.
Immediately he turned around. "Hello," he said, but before he could turn back around he took a good look at her. "Do I know you?" he asked puzzled.
Kassia laughed. "Not formally. I'm Kassia. Lt. Kassia on duty. Just Kassia off duty."
She watched as suddenly a light went on in his eyes. "Kassia? As in the Station's Counselor Kassia? The one who owns Kassia's Kave of Curiosities and Mystery?" he asked. "I mean, I've only been in there once or twice, but -"
"Yes, I'm one and the same," she replied with a soft laugh and smile.
"That's cool."
"You seem to be a little anxious. Are you all right?" Kassia asked, trying not to slip into her counseling mode.
He shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah," he replied. "I'm fine. Just, there seems to be a mix-up with my account . . . and I've lost my time slot, I guess. They're trying to see when they can get me in next."
"Well . . .Why don't you just join us until it gets straightened out," Kassia offered.
"Oh, I couldn't impose . . ."
"You wouldn't be," Kassia laughed gently. "Trust me. Come on!" she urged. "We're programming a beach . . ."
This got his attention. "Are there good waves?" he asked hopefully.
"Well, if there aren't, I'm sure we can do something about that," she replied with a bright smile. "So will you join us?"
He nodded with a smile of his own. "Okay. Thanks!"
Tiyanna tugged on her mother's hand and looked into her green eyes. ~He's sad inside. Something happened to him. It has to do with a girl . . .~
~I know.~ Kassia replied. ~So let's help him forget his pain for awhile.~
~Okay!~ she replied as her smile grew.
Kassia then got their suite and had it set up. As they walked in, Jake for a moment stopped and looked at it. It was a great beach. There were what looked like several palm tree species dotting the landscape and sparkling white sand . . . The water was crystal clear and a vibrant blue. But best of all, the waves seemed pretty decent.
"Where is this place?" he asked.
"Our homeworld," Kassia replied as she took off her shoes, letting the warm sand engulf her feet.
Before another word could be uttered, Tiyanna was out of her towel and shoes running toward the beach and the warm water. As the waves crashed over her feet she squealed with delight.
"Come on! Come in the water with me!" she cried. "It's perfect!"
Jakey looked to Kassia.
"Go run after her," she laughed. "It's going to be awhile before I join you two. I'm going to relax under a tree for awhile and soak in the view."
"If you say so," he replied and started running after Tiyanna. "I'm going to get you!"
Suddenly Tiyanna started laughing and screaming as she tried to run and swim away from him in the impromptu game of tag. Kassia smiled as she watched them play. He was a natural with kids. She had picked that up immediately. She just sat down against a tree trunk and allowed herself a moment to just be as she watched them.
After some time, she noticed that Jakey had called to the computer for a surf board. One that was smaller than his size. Next thing she knew, he had Tiyanna on it. With much amusement and surprise, she watched as he gave Tiyanna a surfing lesson. It didn't take long before she was standing on the board by herself, having that wonderful ability to learn things the first time one is shown.
"Is this how you do it?" she said as she stood there and rode a gentle wave.
He laughed and clapped his hands. "Yeah! That's exactly how you do it! Are you sure you've never done this before?" he asked, sizing the little half-pint up, with her wet auburn hair hanging around her spot-framed face.
"I've never done this before, have I, mom!" she called out.
"Nope, never," Kassia confirmed, as she finally made her way to the water. "Our people have the ability to learn what we're shown the first time around . . Well, at least the special ones can. Right, Tiyanna?" she said as she winked at the little girl.
"That's right!" Tiyanna agreed quickly. "My mom and I are very special so we learn things fast!"
"Then are you ready for a lesson," he asked as he looked at Kassia.
Kassia smiled at him and thought about it. "All right . . . Teach me!"
Soon there was another board and another lesson commenced. It wasn't long before Kassia was looking like a professional on the board as she rode the waves. Tiyanna laughed and clapped her hands excitedly as Jakey just looked on with amazement. As she finally came up to him on her board, she smiled.
"Well, thanks for the lesson. I think I have the hang of it now," She smiled, her green eyes flashing her amusement at his astonishment.
"You really . . . You can . . ."
"Yes, I can learn that fast," she laughed. "It's okay to be surprised once in awhile, Jake," she said, as she playfully splashed him.
"Oooooo! You want to play that way, do you?" he said.
Suddenly, instead of astonishment, everything melted away into a big splash fight, ending with Tiyanna calling a surrender.
"Can we surf together?" she asked.
"I can't see why not," Kassia said as she looked to Jake.
He shrugged his shoulders. "Sure!"
With that, he got another surf board and they spent the rest of the session riding waves together. Tiyanna and Kassia knowing that for the moment they had not only gotten his mind off of girl it had been on, but that they had made a new friend in the process. And making new friends was always a good thing!