Emily's mom was a middle-aged woman who had flaming red hair, mossy green eyes exactly like her daughter's and a smile that lit up the room. She took off her coat and hung up her umbrella, revealing her maid's uniform.
"Someone looks unhappy," Lucinda said, grinning at her daughter.
"I'm not," Em replied.
"Well, I'm not unhappy someone, I've got something to cheer you up. We're going to the beach and it's your favorite beach too, Santa Monica!"
Em's face lit up like it did whenever her mom said they were having a trip to the beach. Then her eyes narrowed.
"You didn't work extra shifts at the diner to pay for this, did you?" Em asked.
"No," her mom said but her tone gave it away.
"Mom," Em said, a hint of exasperation in her voice "You know it's not nesscesary."
"Yes, but I just wanted you to have a nice holiday, after so much studying."
Em sighed "I guess what's already been done can't be undone, when are we going?"
Her mom said it was this weekend and Em immediately started packing. She was always crazy about going to the beach.
Her mom laughed softly. "You shouldn't overpack or it'll be too heavy and I can't carry it."
Em, who was in the middle of packing a ultra large fluffy blanket as if she was moving to the beach sighed.
"Fine, I guess you're right" Em said.
That Saturday, as soon as they got off the bus, Emily rushed off to their private cabin without a word. Her mother smiled. She knew how much Em loved the beach. The cabin was the only thing that Lucinda managed to hold on when everything else was taken away from them. At first, she planned to sell it to help pay off the debt. But when Em begged her not to, she decided she would work double jobs to help pay the debt. And now, seeing that delighted look on Emily's face when she went to Santa Monica, she knew she made the right choice. She hauled up the bags and carried them to the cabin. It was a nice little house by the beach, having a platform made from stone to protect it from tides. It was quite old and moss grew on the outer walls of the cabin. The sweet herbal smell of black birch and buttery smell of sandalwood always soothed them. The upper half of the cabin was made of cedar and the interior was made of the sweet smelling sandalwood and black birch. The rest of the cabin was made from a crystal-like mineral that smelled like the forest. Lucinda smiled at the house. Then she went and put their bags in the cabin. After that, she joined her daughter looking for sea shells.