September 1, 2018

A few weeks went by, but I couldn't bring myself to enjoy the last days of summer when I knew that my entire family wanted to quit the yacht club. I did my best to win as many regular season races as I could, but what was the point? Next summer, I wouldn't be able to sail. I would never be able to race against the adults in the yacht club - when it came to sailing, I would always be a child.

School started during the last week of August, and unfortunately, I didn't have any classes with Véro, and I only shared my physics class with Eden. Everett was going to Clearwater Lake High School now, which was a little strange, but I put up with my little brother. Eden, Véro, and I had the same lunch period, however, and we used that time to chat about sailing or whatever else came to mind. Fifth period soon became my favorite time of day - some days, it was the only time that I got with the girl that I loved.

On the Saturday before Labor Day, I helped Mom, Dad, and Everett set up for the last yacht club party of the season. As I helped Mom place tables and chairs on the lawn, Dad turned on the classic rock station on the radio, but even the music couldn't distract me from the thought that this might be my last yacht club party ever. I would never get to eat food or talk to the other people in the yacht club by the lakeshore again, and it was all thanks to my parents. If Mom and Dad hadn't decided to quit, then I wouldn't have had to worry about any of this. I had to somehow convince them to change their minds.

Everett, as usual, complained about everything. "I put a bowl of chips on every table," Everett said. "Can I go inside now?"

"Not yet," Dad said. "Why don't you help Sylvie fill the coolers with drinks?"

Everett groaned and said, "I can't wait until next year. I'll have so much more free time if I don't have to go to these stupid parties."

"Shut up, Everett," I said as I put water bottles into the coolers.

"Aren't the Holloways and the Sterling-Staffords supposed to help us with this?" Everett asked me.

"They'll be here soon," I said.

"Do you know if Eden and Véro are coming?" Everett asked.

"Why do you care?" I replied.

"I'm just curious," Everett said.

"I'll text Véro," I said. I pulled out my phone and asked her if she was coming, but Dad noticed and told me to get back to work. I quickly shoved my phone back into my pocket and did as Dad asked, but when my phone buzzed, I pulled it back out of my pocket and told Everett, "Véro's coming for sure, and I think Eden's coming too."

A few minutes later, Véro walked outside and sat down in a chair next to me. "Hi Sylvie," Véro said. "Do you need any help?"

"That would be great," I said.

Véro helped Everett and I stuff drinks into the coolers, and when we were done, Véro asked, "What's next?"

"I don't know," I answered.

"Sylvie, some of the yacht club members are starting to arrive," Mom said. "Why don't you go greet them?"

Véro held my hand, and the two of us went out to the pier to wait for our guests to arrive. The Holloways were the first to show up, followed by the Reinharts and the Kaufmans. Louis and Everett, of course, ended up sharing memes on their phones and doing nothing important, so it was up to the rest of us to greet everyone coming to the party. After a while, it seemed like everyone had arrived except for the Sterling-Staffords. "Are we allowed to eat yet?" Véro asked. "I'm hungry."

"Me too," I said. "My dad got burgers and cheese curds from Culver's."

"That sounds amazing," Véro said. She adjusted her glasses and then said, "I think there's a motorboat coming this way."

I looked up and saw that the Sterling-Staffords were coming our way. Véro and I tried to cheerfully tell them where the refreshments were and to enjoy the party, but Mr. Stafford, Mrs. Stafford, and Quentin all ignored us. They simply got out of the boat and walked toward the house without acknowledging our presence.

After the Sterling-Staffords arrived, late as usual, Véro, Eden, and I all sat down and tried our best to enjoy the party. "I heard yesterday that my grandparents are planning to leave the yacht club too," I told Véro and Eden.

"My parents are leaving," Eden said. "I personally don't mind. The protest last month only proved that this isn't the kind of yacht club that I want to be in."

"But you love sailing," I said.

"I do, but we can sail without being a part of the Clearwater Lake Yacht Club," Eden said. "We'll just do it for fun."

"It's not the same," I said.

"Maybe not, but the alternative would be putting up with Mr. Stafford," Eden said. "Besides, maybe he'll change his mind if enough families threaten to leave."

"I doubt it," I said. "He's not the sort of person who changes his mind easily."

Eden considered it and then said, "The yacht club won't survive for long if all of us leave. He has to realize that."

"The yacht club won't survive for long if Pigglyville keeps polluting the lake," I said. "He clearly hasn't realized that yet."

"You have a point," Eden said. "No matter how this goes, I think it will work out. Either Mr. Stafford will change some of his proposals, and we'll all stay in the yacht club, or he won't, and we'll leave and sail on our it. It will be okay, Sylvie."

"I can't leave the yacht club," I said. "It's been a part of my life for so long."

"I get it," Eden said. "The yacht club's important to me."

"Then why are you okay with leaving it?" I asked.

"I'm pretty sure it won't really happen, and even if it does, at least we'll be away from Mr. Stafford," Eden said.

"My parents seem pretty serious about leaving, and I'd rather be in the yacht club with Mr. Stafford as the commodore than leave," I said.

"If your parents leave, then what are you going to do about it?" Eden asked.

"I don't know," I admitted. "I can't get a membership on my own yet."

Véro, who had been uncharacteristically quiet up until now, said, "I'm going to go get some food."

"Me too," Eden said. "We can talk about the yacht club later. I'm hungry now!" Both of them got up and went to the food table to get their burgers, and I followed them. I took a burger and a handful of cheese curds and returned to the table to eat.

Véro, Eden, and I were quiet as we ate our lunch. I glanced toward my parents and grandparents, who were sitting together and chatting, but when I realized that they were talking about the yacht club, I decided that I didn't want to hear it. I hated thinking that this might be the last time that I would be able to get together with the other members of the yacht club. I wished that I could pretend as if the protest and Dad's fight with Mr. Stafford had never happened and that my family would be involved in the yacht club forever, but that seemed like a silly fantasy now.

After I finished my burger, I went back to the food table and got a scoop of ice cream. I took a few bites and then handed the bowl to Véro, who eagerly ate the rest of the ice cream. I just wasn't in the mood for dessert, or much of anything for that matter. The thought that I might not be able to sail next season wouldn't stop haunting me as I sat there, waiting for the end of the party and the end of my time with the Clearwater Lake Yacht Club.

Just as Véro finished off her ice cream, Dad said, "Hey yacht club!" for the last time, and the whole yacht club went silent. "I'd like to congratulate all of you on a wonderful 2018 season. I've seen some amazing sailors out there on the lake, and although we'll give out trophies to a few of them in just a moment, I'd just like to say that every one of you who sailed, judged, or helped out the yacht club in any way this season has done an excellent job. We greatly appreciate everyone who participated in our races and other events this year."

Dad went on to read off the race results, but even when he mentioned Véro and I as the winners of the previous day's Junior League races, I wasn't paying much attention. Once he was done with that, Dad started presenting trophies. Mr. and Mrs. Graves ended up winning first place in the regular season, while Elizabeth Cummings and Jamie Kaufman placed in second. Dad gave out a few more trophies for individual races, including one for himself for a race that he had won back in June. All of a sudden, he said, "One duo here has managed to win two trophies, and I'm extremely proud of their success. I am thrilled to present the Junior League 1st Place Trophy and the Clearwater Lake Junior Regatta 1st Place Trophy to Sylvie Morrison and Véro Arkoun."

Both Véro and I went up to receive our trophies. I gave my dad a hug, and he congratulated Véro and I. "Thank you, Dad," I said as he handed me the regatta trophy and handed Véro the regular season trophy.

"You're welcome, Sylvie," Dad said. "You and Véro both did very well this season."

Véro and I both returned to our table, and on our way back, I studied the regatta trophy. It was nothing more than a golden boat sitting on top of a pedestal engraved with the names of the previous Junior Regatta winners. I found "Phil and Holly Morrison - 1983" engraved on the pedestal, followed by "Lauren and Lisa Falconeri - 1984" and "Jill Vega and Luke Sterling - 1985" going all the way up to "Sylvie Morrison and Véro Arkoun - 2018." However, the trophy seemed to lose its meaning knowing that none of us would be back next season. My name would be last time the Morrison family name would appear on this trophy.

Dad finished off his speech by saying, "Thank you again for a wonderful season," leaving off the "and see you again next summer" that I had heard every commodore before him say at the end of the season. His omission stung me, and at that moment, I knew for sure that we wouldn't be back next season. Dad was leaving for sure, and he would take the whole family with him.

After Dad's speech, I couldn't leave right away. I went up to everyone I knew in the yacht club and said goodbye. I said goodbye to the Cummings and thanked Mrs. Cummings in particular for giving me sailing tips when I was little. I said goodbye to the Kauflins, knowing that I would never get to eat Mr. Kauflin's famous potato salad again. I said goodbye to the Kaufmans and the Falconeris, knowing that I would see Louis and Brooke plenty, even if I wouldn't see the rest of their families. I said goodbye to the Holloways, wishing that we weren't leaving Mrs. Holloway alone to deal with Mr. Stafford as the commodore and Mrs. Dawson as the secretary next season. I said goodbye to the Graves and the Vegas, nearly in tears as I wondered if I would ever see the best sailors in the yacht club again. I even said goodbye to the Sterling-Staffords, even though they were the cause of all of my suffering.

All of the guests left, one by one, and before long, I was left on my own. Even Véro and Eden needed to go home after a while, and after Mom, Dad, and Everett went back into the house, I stayed outside, staring at the lake. Clearwater Lake seemed unusually still that day, now that sailing season was over. Before long, Clearwater Lake would be nothing but a painful memory for me. The yacht club was the main reason why I loved Clearwater Lake so much, and now, it was gone. I didn't know what to think anymore.

I looked back at Clearwater Lake, its sparkling water taunting me, and as tears fell down my face, I turned away and went inside.