美好记忆打包带给你

摘要：想到将和哥哥莱文在新泽西海滩度过一周，查理兴奋极了。可临出门前，妈妈却突然宣布，莱文的朋友格里芬将与他们同行，因为格里芬的父母要带他生病的哥哥路易斯去科罗拉多州看医生。旅途中，格里芬对任何活动都提不起兴趣，甚至都不和兄弟俩人一起玩。查理终于按捺不住向哥哥抱怨，

Bottled Up

By Karen DelleCava Art by Pablo Pino

想到将和哥哥莱文在新泽西海滩度过一周，查理兴奋极了。可临出门前，妈妈却突然宣布，莱文的朋友格里芬将与他们同行，因为格里芬的父母要带他生病的哥哥路易斯去科罗拉多州看医生。旅途中，格里芬对任何活动都提不起兴趣，甚至都不和兄弟俩人一起玩。查理终于按捺不住向哥哥抱怨，觉得格里芬扫了大家的兴。可莱文却十分严肃地提醒他设身处地换位思考。查理想，假如生病的是莱文……但他很快打住了自己的想象，因为他承受不了。于是，查理主动邀请格里芬一起堆沙塑，他终于见到格里芬脸上露出笑容。那天晚上，格里芬收到哥哥报平安的短信，大家悬着的心也放了下来。次日，他们在沙滩散步时，格里芬掏出一块罕见的红色海玻璃送给查理，但查理没有接受，因为他想到一个好主意。既然路易斯无法来海边，他们或许能把这片海滩的美好，以特别的方式带给他……

“All packed, Charlie?” Levon asked.

“Yep.” I was psyched to have a whole week at the Jersey Shore with my big brother.

“I can’t wait to go bird-watching at the Cape May Lighthouse,” I said. Now that I was 11, Levon and I were allowed to ride bikes there by ourselves.

“Remember that huge pod of dolphins we saw from up there?” he said.

I nodded. “Epic.”

“Have your binoculars?”

“Check!”

The doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it,” Mom called.

When we got downstairs, Levon’s friend Griffin was standing near the front door. Next to him was a suitcase. Levon turned to me and shrugged.

“Griffin is coming with us, guys,” Mom said. “It’s a little last-minute, but the more the merrier, right?”

My stomach bottomed out as Mom ushered Griffin inside.

“My parents are flying Louis to Colorado to meet a new doctor,” he said, sounding pretty sad.

I almost forgot that his brother went to the doctor kind of a lot.

Soon we piled into the car. A few hours later, we were slathered in coconut-scented sunblock and tromping onto the beach. We wanted to cheer up Griffin, but he didn’t seem excited about any of the things we liked: bodysurfing, paddleball, flying kites.

The next day, we rented bikes and pedaled over to the lighthouse to check out the birds. Swallows swooped and chattered. The terns, like mini helicopters, hovered and then—bam!—dove into the marsh water. We identified an amazing oystercatcher. Griffin couldn’t care less.

“Going up?” I said, gesturing toward the lighthouse.

Griffin shook his head. “Heights creep me out. You guys go without me.”

Before I could drop my bike and run ahead, Levon shot me a look. It would be rude to leave Griffin alone.

“No problem,” I said, trying to sound upbeat.

When we went hunting for sea glass, I scored a light blue and a bunch of greens, whites, and browns to add to our collection. Griffin didn’t even try to find any. It was like trying to coax a smile from a statue.

Finally, on Thursday morning, I had Levon alone for a nanosecond, and I snapped.

“Griffin is ruining everything!”

“Shhh!Give him a break,” Levon whispered.

I lowered my voice. “Rainwould be more fun.”

“That’s pretty harsh, Charlie. Imagine what he’s going through.”

I stomped out of the room and flopped onto my bed. Deep breaths. I tried to put myself in Griffin’s place. What if Levon was sick like Louis? I’d be really worried too. Scary thoughts began to crash in my mind like violent waves on a stormy night. My chest squeezed as I pushed them away.

No wonder Griffin couldn’t have any fun.

That day on the beach, I asked, “What do you feel like doing, Griffin?”

“Want to make a sand sculpture?” he said.

We dug and hauled and piled up the wet sand, patting and carving it until it became a shark. Broken clam shells were perfect for the teeth. A few people stopped and took a selfie with it. Griffin beamed.

That night, he got a text from his brother: Cool new doc will be able to help. Yay! See you soon. Hope you’re having fun with Levon and Charlie.

“Best day ever!” Griffin said.

Early Friday morning, we went for a walk on the beach. The ocean fizzed around our ankles as we searched for hermit crabs and more sea glass.

Griffin reached down. “Check this out!”

“No way!” I turned over the powder-coated glass in my hand.

“It’s yours,” Griffin said.

I shook my head. “red is like impossible to find. It’s the rarest of all the colors. I can’t keep this.”

“Sorry I’ve been so bummed out,” he said. “I’ve been thinking about Louis.”

“We’re all psyched about his new doctor,” I said.

“Me too.”

I gave Griffin a fist bump. “But really, you should keep this. Or maybe . . .”

Back at the house, Griffin and Levon rinsed out an iced-tea bottle and soaked off the label. They loaded it with beach treasures including a downy seagull feather and the piece of red sea glass. I worked on a special note.

Brothers are like no others.

Ready to laugh

or try new things.

Rooting for you

even when you’re apart.

Happiest when you’re

together again.

“Wow!” Griffin said. “A message in a bottle anda sea-glass starter collection.”

“Since Louis can’t be here at the beach . . .” Levon said.

I held up the bottle and shook it. “We’ll bring the beach to Louis!”