"I still say the essay's a raw deal," Seth complained as he walked into the house. "That kind of stuff's crap. And I don't see why—"
"You'll do it." Cam pulled the bag out of Seth's arms. "And I don't want to hear any bitching about it. You can get started right after you clean up the mess your dog just made on the rug."
"My dog? He's not mine."
"He is now, and you better make sure he's housebroken all the way or he stays outside."
He stalked off toward the kitchen, with Phillip, who was trying desperately not to laugh, following.
Seth stood where he was, staring down at Foolish. "Dumb dog," he murmured, and when he crouched down, the puppy launched himself into Seth's arms, where he was welcomed with a fierce hug. "You're my dog now."
Sea Swept
_______________
By Сања Малохоџиќ - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45675159
If there's one thing many parents want more than to lead happy, successful lives, it's to make sure their kids lead happy, successful lives.
Now a former dean of Stanford University freshmen, Julie Lythocott-Haims, says many parents' hearts may be in the right place--but they're screwing things up big-time nonetheless.
_______________
Ethan stepped back from the controls. "We've got to go into the boatyard. You want to take her in?"
Though Seth's eyes were shielded by the dark sunglasses, Ethan imagined that their expression matched
the boy's dropped jaw. It only amused him when Seth jerked a shoulder as if such things were an
everyday occurrence.
"Sure. No problem." With sweaty palms, Seth took the helm.
Ethan stood by, hands casually tucked in his back pockets, eyes alert. There was plenty of water traffic. A pretty weekend afternoon drew the recreational sailors to the Bay. But they didn't have far to go, and the kid had to learn sometime. You couldn't live in St. Chris and not know how to pilot a workboat.
Rising Tides