"Turn left onto Royal Street and then it should be on the left," I said, reading off the directions winking up at me from my phone. We had been on the road for almost three hours but we had blasted music most of the time and talked the rest so I was almost disappointed that it was about to end.

"Oh, I see it! Dolphin's Keep Hotel. And you can walk to the beach from the hotel! This is perfect!" Auntie squealed as we pulled up to the front of the hotel.

It was a large building made of a warm brownstone and easily ten stories high if not more. As Auntie and I stepped out of the car a valet jogged up to us with a smile.

"Welcome to Dolphin's Keep Hotel. May I park your car for you?" The valet asked cordially and Auntie handed the man her keys.

"Our luggage is in the trunk. We're in room 917, could you have the busboys bring them up?" Auntie asked while handing him a crisp ten dollar bill. The man nodded happily, taking the tip and getting behind the wheel. I walked up next to Auntie and she put an arm around my shoulders.

"Shall we go inspect the room they got us?" she suggested and I nodded eagerly.

We walked into the hotel lobby and I gasped with delight. The lobby was absolutely beautiful. The floor was a creamy white tile with slivers of blue and pink in the marble and all the furniture was white with bright blue accents. Pictures of dolphins were hung expertly around the lobby and the hotel desk was made of the same marble as the floor. Auntie and I walked up to the concierge who greeted us pleasantly. Auntie gave him the reservation ticket her boss had given her which the concierge took happily. He then presented both of us with a keycard.

"Your reservation includes access to our gym and spa, as well as our indoor pool which you can access from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm every day. If your keycard gets demagnetized just bring it to the desk and we'll issue you a new one, although to keep this from happening, please keep it away from your cellphone. If you have any questions you can use the phones in your suite to call the desk or room service. Enjoy your stay at Dolphin's Keep Hotel."

"I'm sure we will," Auntie responded pleasantly.

With a small wave, we left the concierge and began walking down the hall towards the elevator. I had never been in a hotel before and I took everything in with fascination. Auntie pushed the button for the elevator and with a ding one of the metal doors slid open. I quickly pushed the number nine and gave Auntie a triumphant grin which made her laugh.

"And so the war begins," she said in a mock competitive voice.

"Whoever gets the next elevator first gets to choose where we eat dinner," I challenged.

"Deal!" Auntie agreed as the doors opened. "But first let's check out our room!"

Auntie and I walked down the deep blue carpeted hallway until we came to room 917. She whipped out her card and inserted it into the lock before I could even get mine out of my purse. With a wink, she stuck her tongue out at me and I laughed at her. She opened the door and I walked in after her, expectantly. Our mouths dropped open in amazement at the same time as we took it all in.

The walls were painted like a mural of the sea with dolphin pods swimming from one end to the other. The artwork was absolutely stunning. The room boasted two queen-sized beds with blue and green blankets and pillows that matched the colors in the mural. In between the beds was a large aquarium with colorful fish swimming around and a large flat-screen TV was positioned across from the beds. On the far wall was a glass screen door that opened onto a beautiful balcony with a view of the nighttime beach and with what looked like a hot tub.

"Who needs the ocean? We've got it in our room," Auntie said with amazement.

I nodded my agreement mutely, absolutely stunned. I noticed a door to my right and opened it slowly to reveal the bathroom. It had a full-sized jacuzzi and separate shower stall. The vanity was huge and the towels were a vibrant blue. Auntie and I exchanged incredulous looks before grinning and shutting the door. A knock came and Auntie opened the door for the busboys bringing our luggage. Auntie gave the busboys another tip and sent them on their way.

"So, Opal, tomorrow I am going to be in meetings from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, so I want to spend tonight with you!" Auntie declared and she began rummaging through my suitcase.

"Um, Auntie, that one is mine."

"Oh, I know," she replied with a smile. With a flourish, she pulled out a short-sleeved white empire waist dress with a design of red sakura blossoms running from the bottom left of the skirt up to the top right part of the waistline.

"Auntie, where did this come from?" I asked in awe, running a hand against the soft material.

"I brought it back with me from Japan. It was one of the dresses they asked me to consult on so they gave me a sample. I couldn't give it to you until they released their line though but they released it yesterday so it's all yours now! And I even got you some red heels to match," Auntie said while holding up a pair of red four-inch heels with a crisscross design from the toe up to the ankle

"Auntie they're gorgeous but you really need to stop spending money on me!" I said in desperation and Auntie laughed imperiously.

"Do not look down on your Auntie, Opal! Do you think I can't afford these things?"

"Well no, I mean..."

"Then get used to it, because after dinner I'm taking you shopping for a new swimsuit!"

"But..."

"No buts! Now get changed, we only have four hours tops before all the stores will close and we still need dinner. Oh, and put a little mascara and lip gloss on."

Auntie pushed the shoes and dress into my arms then handed me her makeup bag and gave me her most brilliant smile which I couldn't help but return. As I turned to go to the bathroom, I felt tears prickle behind my eyes. I knew that I didn't deserve Auntie's love but I loved her more than anyone in the world and I would do anything to make her happy; if wearing cute clothes and shopping made her happy then I was okay with that too.

I came back out a few minutes later wearing the beautiful dress. It fit me perfectly and the material felt wonderful against my skin. The heels were amazing, but I had to concentrate when I was walking. I had never worn a heel over two inches in my life so I felt wobbly but I didn't want Auntie to know. As I stepped into our room Auntie clapped for me and I stared at her, my mouth dropping open.

She was wearing a deep purple one-shoulder mini dress with a large, shimmering black belt that accentuated her tiny waist. She had pulled her hair up into an elegant bun and she had chosen the black stiletto heels she had worn when I picked her up from the airport.

"Auntie! You look amazing!" I said in awe and she beamed.

"Well, I couldn't be outdone by my niece," she quipped with a wink. I shook my head incredulously; Auntie was on an entirely different level than I was.

"Come on, then. Let's go eat and then we'll find you a swimsuit for tomorrow. I'm sorry I can't go to the beach with you." Auntie frowned piteously and I gave her a hug.

"It's okay, Auntie. We can go to the beach sometime when you don't have to work. I'll be okay on my own, I promise."

"Okay then. Oh, one second," she said, giving me a squeeze in return before she pulled away from me and picked up the phone next to her bed. "Yes, hello. This is Yuki Sato in room 917. Would you be so kind as to call a cab for me? Thank you very much!" She replaced the receiver and linked her arm with mine. "I don't feel like driving through a strange city," she said conspiratorially and I grinned.

"That's fine with me," I said as we left the room together.

Just before we got to the elevator Auntie broke away from me and in two bounds had pushed the elevator button. She spun around with a triumphant grin and I laughed, holding my hands up in defeat. There was no way I could go that fast in heels.

"So what's for dinner?" I asked as we rode the elevator down to the lobby.

"I want Japanese," Auntie said wistfully and I smiled.

"Sounds great!" I agreed with enthusiasm.

Auntie strode purposefully out of the elevator and I tried to match her confident steps, mimicking her movements. I still felt shaky, but I was keeping up with Auntie at least. We walked towards the desk where the concierge was speaking on the phone. He glanced up and his eyes widened. For a moment he actually stopped talking into the phone as he gawked at Auntie. I pretended to cough to keep myself from laughing outright. My cough seemed to wake up the concierge because he blinked, said a quick farewell to whoever was on the phone, and gave us a brilliant smile.

"Miss Sato, you look radiant."

"Well, thank you. What about my niece. Isn't she beautiful?" Auntie took my hand and led me into a slow spin. For a second I thought I was going to fall over but I managed the turn without embarrassing myself and the concierge clapped.

"Yes, she is indeed a marvel. Where are the two of you headed?"

"We were hoping to find a good Japanese restaurant for dinner."

"Ah! I would suggest Benihanas. And it looks like your taxi just pulled up; what impeccable timing."

"Thank you very much," Auntie said kindly and she looped her arm around my shoulders, leading me to the taxi.

Just before we reached the door I saw a valet, who looked to be in his late teens, turn around and see us. His mouth dropped open and he sprang to the door, opening it for us.

"What a nice young man! Thank you," Auntie said with a grin and I smiled at him. His cheeks turned slightly red and he nodded his head mutely as we walked past him to the taxi that was waiting. The taxi driver opened the door for us with a wide grin.

"And where can I take you two lovely ladies?"

"Benihanas, please," Auntie requested politely and the driver nodded. Auntie and I slid into the back seat and I sighed with relief. No danger of falling over while I was sitting.

Dinner was absolutely delicious. I ordered the Sansei Udon, a noodle dish with lots of vegetables, and Auntie got Agedashidofu which was sort of a breaded tofu soup. After we were done eating Auntie took me to the mall and immediately found a store chock full of the most revealing and skimpy swimsuits I had ever seen.

"There is no way I'm wearing that!" I cried out in dismay as Auntie picked out a green bikini that was mainly made of string.

"Oh, but Opal this is the height of swimwear fashion! And you've got the figure to pull it off," Auntie pouted but I folded my arms stubbornly. She sighed dramatically while hanging up the offensive bikini. "Fine, fine, what style are you looking for then?"

"Well, I, uh..." I rubbed my arm self-consciously.

I had never worn a swimsuit in my life for obvious reasons. I had always gotten a doctor's note when my school would go to the pool for gym class so no one would see my bruises. In all honesty, the closest I'd ever come to swimming was taking a bath. Suddenly the thought of going to the beach wasn't quite as appealing as I had anticipated.

"You know, Auntie, I was really just planning on walking in the sand. I don't need to get a swimsuit."

"Nonsense! Even if you don't get in the water you have to wear a swimsuit to the beach! Make sure you put on lots of sunscreen though. Your pale skin is beautiful, but I bet you'd get burned super easily." Auntie turned back to the racks of swimsuits and began shuffling through them. "You look through the rack behind me, Opal. Is there a specific color you like?"

"Not really," I muttered, nervously looking through the swimsuits.

The sheer lack of fabric made me a little dizzy. How can girls feel comfortable showing so much skin? I looked around, desperately trying to find something a little more conservative when a cute one-piece caught my eye.

"Auntie! What about this one?" I asked, pulling the swimsuit off the rack and showing it to her. It was orange with large white flowers covering it. Auntie looked up and shook her head.

"There is no way I'm letting you wear a one-piece, Opal," she said with finality.

"But it's really cute," I wheedled, pushing it towards her. She pushed it back with another firm shake of her head.

"No niece of mine is going to hide behind a one-piece, Opal Sato. You are a beautiful girl and you are always so sweet and safe. I want to see your wild side!" Auntie said and held up one of her picks. "What about this one?"

She held up a purple bikini with beads on the straps and a ring of beads that would lie against my hips if I were to wear it. It wasn't as bad as the stringy one but it was still too little material for me to be comfortable.

"I don't think so, Auntie."

"Just try it on for me, okay? We'll keep looking for some other ones though."

Nervously I agreed and we spent the next thirty minutes going through all the swimsuits in the store. Auntie had convinced me to try on at least a dozen and before I could protest further she shoved me towards the changing room and sat down in a chair outside my stall expectantly. I swallowed and walked into the changing room.

I tried on the purple bikini first for Auntie. Gulping past my nerves I turned around so I couldn't see myself in the mirror as I slid the bikini into place and tied it as tightly as I could get it. I felt a chill run down my spine and I hugged myself, trying to breathe normally. After years and years of hiding my body, having it so exposed felt terrifying.

"Sweetheart? Are you coming out?"

I let out a long breath and turned around slowly, peeking with one eye to see how I looked. A gasp escaped me and I clapped a hand to my mouth. I looked like my mother. My pale skin seemed to be glowing and other than a small scar on the side of my right leg there wasn't a single blemish to be seen.

Mother had been a swimsuit model when she was young. I remembered seeing a picture of her before she married my father and looking in the mirror it was as if that picture had been projected onto the mirror. We looked exactly alike.

I had to give up my career for that little brat. If you think I'm going to help you take care of her, you're dead wrong! You're the one that wanted a kid. You deal with her! Mother's voice ripped through my head, shattering any semblance of happiness that I had left.

I covered my eyes and looked away. I could feel my shoulders shaking from the suppressed sobs. Mother had never physically hurt me, but she had always resented me. What would she think if she knew that I looked exactly like she did in her prime?

"Opal? Opal, did you need help?" I opened the door slowly and stepped out. "Whoo! Opal, I knew that would look good on you! ...Opal, are you okay?"

Tears were slowly gathering in the corners of my eyes and I blinked rapidly trying to make them go away.

"Sweetheart, what's the matter? If you don't like it you can just say so, you won't hurt my feelings!"

"It's just... it's just... Mother..." I whispered, wiping my eyes. Auntie's face lit up with understanding and she placed a gentle hand on my cheek.

"I'm sorry, Opal. I should have known this would be hard for you. Do you want to go back to the hotel?"

As Auntie looked at me with understanding and compassion all my sadness seemed to melt away. Her gentle eyes and hand were the only happiness that I had ever known as a child. Slowly I smiled at her and wiped my eyes.

"No. No, I think I'm okay. But this is definitely not the one," I said with a watery half-smile. Auntie smiled kindly and nodded gently.

"Okay. On to the next one! I do love this on you, though."

"No way, Auntie. It's too much skin," I retorted self-consciously.

"What planet are you from exactly?" Auntie asked sarcastically as I closed the door.

I enjoyed myself after that. Showing off each of the bikinis that were on a range from horrible to awful was exhausting, but Auntie was enjoying herself which made me happy.

After eight bikinis I was going over my arguments for a one-piece in my head when I reached for the next of Auntie's picks. The coral pink top was strapless with a sweetheart neckline that made it look like mermaid seashells and the fabric had a layered effect that actually was pretty while still covering everything. The bottoms were wonderful. They looked like a little miniskirt and from the top left corner the skirt was coral pink, but it slowly changed color until the bottom right corner was a pale yellow. It also had a small slit on one side which made movement easy but I still felt covered.

I stepped out with a small smile. Auntie gasped and covered her mouth, her eyes crinkling with delight. She stood up and walked around me, fingering the fabric of the skirt.

"The top fits you perfectly and the color is wonderful with your skin tone. It's very sweet. I like it, Opal," Auntie said with a large smile and I felt myself returning it.

"Well, if I have to wear a bikini, this is the one that I like," I said definitively and Auntie clapped in triumph.

"I knew you'd find one! Now, go and change. Are you up for a late-night movie?"

"Don't you have meetings all day tomorrow? Shouldn't you go to bed early?" I asked as I quickly changed back into my dress and high heels.

"Sure I do, but I still want to spend time with you," Auntie said as I came out holding the pink bikini.

"Okay, Auntie, as long as you promise to wake up tomorrow."

"Oh please, I'm 32 not 50, Opal," Auntie scoffed with an affronted tone. I laughed and hugged her as the clerk rang up our purchase.

"Sorry, Auntie. You look like you're still a teenager so I should have known better."

"Yes, you should have. Now. On to the movies!"

A/N I absolutely love seeing Opal and her Auntie together, so I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.