Not very long after her call with Randy was concluded, Karima made a second call to her own sister, way back in Nevada. Kyra, for starters was pleasantly surprised to learn of her nephew--in the latter's words--"getting a dad again".

"It might be about time, as well, that you reconsider your options, sister," Kari pressed on. "With Holden. With Cove. You've had enough fun out there by now, haven't you?"

"Getting back to where you feel I belong, huh..." Kyra was momentarily quiet on her end of the line, before snorting, half-amused. "You just don't know when to give up, Big Sis; but, you may have a point this time. California Gazette laid me off only a week ago and I've started to consider other options... then this call of yours came through."

Kari sighed. "Spoken like a true gold-digger..."

"Hey, there must at least be one in every family, wouldn't you agree? But let's leave it at that, for now; like I just said, I am willing to consider your offer and try to be together again with my family. Not that it won't take time for them to accept me back..."

At last, something we can both agree on. "If I can do anything else to help-"

"Your support, Big Sis, is help enough. Let me do this my way, like I always have."

"...Good luck, then."

"Pass my warm regards to Cove for me, at least, won't you?"

"No can-do. Warm or not, do that your own way. See you then."

With that, for once, Karima had the chance to hang up on her mischievous little sister, which she took.

***

Kyra, meanwhile, took her sister's cool reaction in stride; she had, after all, come across many such people herself during her journalistic stint.

Even without that, Kari's stance to her had never been the same since she--Kyra--let her know of her own plan of (and now actual) separation with Holden and Cove anyway. That will need to change.

"With that in mind," Kyra remarked presently, to herself, "first things first, I'd need to find somewhere much nearer to where my baby and that snore are living to settle in; that'll show all that I'm serious about trying to mend things. Let's see now, the condos for rent that are an hour's ride or less to Prism Vista City..."

***

Whilst Saka's and Dave's respective families were growing inexorably closer together, Cove and Derek were making their own preparations for the upcoming barbecue and fireworks displays; specifically, shopping for snacks and beverages that their families planned to bring to said events.

At present, they were on the way to one of the mom-and-pop stores in town that they knew would have at least part of what they needed.

"I still say we might do away with the fireworks, and just focus on the snacks and drinks," Derek pointed out. "That way we wouldn't have to bring too many stuff back. They--the people holding the show--are gonna provide the rest. Besides... having too much load to carry back home isn't gonna be a good idea, seeing how you-" the Suarez boy paused.

"Right... I'm still with this cast and all, you don't have to keep reminding me. Thanks for the thought."

"Hey, um... when's it gonna come off?"

"By the end of this year, my mom said when she last called me... but I sure hope it can come off sooner." Cove sighed. "Maybe I'll have Dad have a doctor check it; I miss swimming already. Can you swim, Derek?"

The other boy nodded. "Sorta. I'm learning to. There's a swimming pool near my place, with fences, changing rooms and all. I usually go there when not practicing soccer moves at the park."

"Huh. Do you still use the floats?"

"I- well... that's part of learning, isn't it? Saka once told me he could do without them, it's true, but..."

"Hey. No need to force yourself to be like him."

"I know... still... it'd be good if I can there too. Then I'd be able to teach my bros how to swim!"

"You will. They will. Saka's not the type to regard his friends differently based on whether they use floats or not; that's just not him."

"I suppose... What about you, Cove? Besides swimming, what more would you like to try doing with that cast off?"

"Hmm... I've always wanna try surfing. Looks cool. Kezia thinks so too."

Derek pictured it: his friend--several years older maybe--on a surfboard in a wetsuit, waves splashing all around him, the wind blowing his aquamarine mop of hair just right...

Oh yes, that'd definitely impress someone like Kez.

The noise level grew exponentially louder as they walked on; that part of the city was at the peak of its usual weekend bustle. The chatter of people enjoying the fine summer day; the call of birds trying to find bits of food left behind; and above all, lots of salespeople trying to get attention.

Cove sniffed the air as he walked beside Derek. There were already such tasty scents as pizzas, pretzels, hot doughnuts...

The Holden boy found all that invigorating, somehow. The energy surrounding the area seemed to fill him, even more so the fact that he was going through all this with a good friend by his side. Derek was a study in optimism as he began looking at all the familiar sites.

"Oh? Cove, look--there's quite the crowd... there, gathered near a few tables. They've got umbrellas blooming from their middles. I wonder what they're up to..."

"Hey. We're here for the snacks and juice-boxes, you said. For tonight."

Derek grinned. "Sure I did. Spare a moment to try look at those, though? Can't hurt."

The younger Holden rolled his eyes, but obliged. Together they went nearer... only to be attracted by a cheery male voice:

"Feast your eyes on... The Amazing Alexander!"

In the center of the crowd was a man with a tall hat and a funny green coat that had three long tails. Next to him was a little table with a cloth hanging over it that read 'The Amazing Alexander' in glittery, golden script.

Cove hummed in understanding, then turned to walk away just as The Amazing Alexander began shuffling a deck of cards.

"Just another street performance," the Holden boy told Derek. "I've come across lots back home, with my mom."

"Well, let's see his show for a change! We've come this far..."

Cove glanced back at the man. He briefly lifted his arms up off his sides, before returning them to place.

"I did not realize you're into these kinds of amusement... but, fine. Not too long, though; we've still got places to go."

Derek grinned, waving for his companion to follow him as he raced back to stand in the crowd. "It'll be a blast, I promise!"

With that, it began. The magic man pulled one card out of the deck, showing it to the curious onlookers. It was a four of diamonds.

"Watch closely..." Alexander whispered dramatically. Derek obliged, squeezing through a few of the adult onlookers to get a better view. Suddenly, the man snapped his fingers and the card just... disappeared.

"Woah!" the eldest Suarez boy couldn't help himself exclaiming, such was his thrill. Cove looked stoically on, wondering instead how Saka would have reacted had he been there. Not more than a huff, perhaps? Full-on laughter?

The Amazing Alexander, whom Derek felt had earned his title, turned his head, and looked directly at him. He reached on with a kind smile.

"What's this behind your ear?" he inquired.

"Uh... Nothing?"

Of all the people here, Derek thought, why would he guess his card might be with me?

Alexander smelled like popcorn and candy as he stepped closer, and Derek wrinkled his nose in confusion as he watched him. The boy felt a tug, only to realize that the performer had pulled the four of diamonds out from behind his ear.

"Wha..."

Derek knew that naughty card couldn't really have come from his ear, but he still didn't get how Alexander had done it. There was light applause from the crowd; Alex gave them a deep bow.

"This is for you," he said. "Thanks for being my assistant. And there's one for your friend too."

The magician plucked a pair of balloons from a clump of them tied down to his table. Both were in the shape of dolphins instead of being a normal circle.

"Wow," was all Derek could pull off.

After that, Alex went to someone else in the crowd, and the show progressed.

"That felt good, huh, Derek?" Cove wanted to know. "My uncle--Dad's brother--does that every time he visits. Not the balloons; the stuff with cards."

"Really? What presents did he give you afterwards?"

"None. Watching him perform is fun enough," Cove replied plainly while reaching over to take the dolphin that's been designated for him. "Green, huh. Like my hair. Thanks."

"Told you it'd be a blast."

By then the crowd had cleared some, and the boys came to notice a whole rack of brightly-colored kaleidoscopes on display.

"Ooh, these look nice too..."

"Derek."

"...Sorry."

Having given them but a brief look, they passed the racks of toys and went under the awnings, careful of their floating dolphins.

"Say, did you have places like this in your old town?" the Suarez boy thought aloud.

Cove blinked at that question and seemed to think. For a moment, Derek wondered if he shouldn't have asked; his friend might still miss that place...

"...Not really," came Cove's reply, to which Derek nodded in understanding. No need to press. They looked over at the stalls nearby, and this time noticed colorful keychains laid out on a table. These were sewn in the shape of sea creatures, and there was a plaque that read 'handmade' standing proudly in front.

As for the keychains themselves, there were many types: sharks, dolphins, turtles, crabs...

Derek's hand stopped on the dolphin, so similar to his balloon animal. It was made of a bright material that caught the sunlight when he picked it up. As he did so, the eldest Suarez boy remembered fondly of having seen a pod of dolphins on TV, jumping out of the water and splashing as they dived back in again.

"Is that what you want?" Cove asked beside him. "They're only six dollars apiece. We can get one, but then we have to go for the juice-boxes and snacks. How about it?"

"Huh... well, okay."

"Pick the color that you like, then."

Derek went with blue, and Cove actually bought it for him. The Suarez boy beamed, excited at the chance to display the keychain somewhere special.

"Thanks for the keychain, buddy."

"Don't worry about it."

Cove looked further down the street, where different food carts were lined up. He rested his non-cast arm over his stomach, and just as he did, Derek's let out a slight growl. They hadn't eaten since breakfast, and after all that wandering around, they figured they were definitely ready for some well-deserved lunch.

"Let's find some food," the Suarez boy suggested, to Cove's ready nod. They wandered around a short while, looking at all the delicacies on display.

"I wonder if we'd be hungry enough again when the barbecue event starts," Cove remarked, having passed hot-dogs, snow cones, ice cream and pizza. "We better eat light here. How about pretzels?"

"Yeah, let's try that."

Cove picked something sweet and cinnamon-y, while Derek went for one with chocolate. He licked his lips hungrily as the vendor handed his pretzel over, ready to take a big bite. It had tiny marshmallows on it, and was dripping with chocolate, just how Derek had liked it.

Not that his mom would like him to eat too much sugar, but this was a special occasion.

Derek, in turn, found an empty table and waved Cove over to it.

"Oh, wait... these balloons are gonna make it hard to eat," Holden's son reminded him.

"I know." Having placed his own pretzel carefully, Derek tugged the balloon dolphin out of Cove's hand and tied it in a delicate bow around his wrist.

"Oh," Cove let out a slight gasp of wonder. He bounced his arm up and down in place, testing the stability of his friend's knot. The balloon jostled around, but remained attached. He smiled, satisfied.

"There, now do mine," Derek said.

Cove struggled somewhat with the cast restricting his fingers on one hand and a string already tangled around the other, but in the end managed to get it right.

Now free to munch on their pretzels, the boys did so. Derek was done before Cove. He pulled on the string of his balloon to bring it down to his level; then he held it in his hands, manipulating it to make it look like it was jumping through the air.

A laugh came from his side. When he glanced back at Cove, Derek noticed that he had left the remaining part of his pretzel on the wrapper and that Cove was gripping his own dolphin too.

Derek had an idea.

"Mine's name is Merriweather," he told Cove. "He's the prince of all dolphins. He wears a crown made of seaweed, and his friends are merfolk! Every now and then he'll make friends with a kid and let them ride on his back. What's yours?"

Cove considered this question, placing the balloon against the table and resting his free arm across it in contemplation.

"Mine is-"

In his keenness to find a good name for it, Cove apparently didn't realize that he'd pressed the balloon a little too hard; it soon burst with a loud 'POP!' into ribbons. Its owner realized it a second too late.

"Oh... Oh, no..."

For a second Cove gaped in shock, just like Derek. Then his cheeks puffed up, squinting his eyes, and Derek saw tears starting to glisten.

"Derek... It..."

The Suarez boy looked considerately at Cove, then up to his own balloon, bobbing gently in the air above them.

"You can have mine," he offered, wondering to himself if Saka would've done the same.

Cove sniffled in immediate response, glancing up at the balloon, then back at his friend.

"No," he managed. "That's yours. I don't wanna take it from you."

"It's fine, really."

Still Cove turned it down. Even though it wasn't his fault, Derek felt bad; but having offered to help instead of keeping quiet seemed to have a positive effect on Cove, and that felt good.

***

The passing of Cove's balloon was the last major event of their adventure that day. Having finished up their meals, they went back to looking for snacks and juice-boxes. In the end they bought two boxfuls of these, and carried one each on the way home.

"What do you know," Cove said, trying to smile, "it didn't end with a blast after all, like you hoped, but a pop."

Derek laughed. "Right. But there's still this evening to look forward to. Even if our families somehow missed the barbecue, there's still the fireworks."

Cove nodded. "Thanks... for offering your balloon. You didn't have to."

"Thank you for buying me the keychain!"

The day wore on. It was now only three hours before the end-of-summer barbecue and fireworks shows were supposed to commence. The boys opted for a short break first; it's been an eventful day.