Ailana’s Journal—2026-06-05 (Island Kids) (Patreon)

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GOOD MORNING by Ailana Geven Keller

We started early. 3:00 a.m., to be exact. Min and Vanessa have to work today—they are taking the mobile clinic out, as they do every other day.

We started early so we could finish early. I’ll always have writing to work on, so this is good for me, too. We’re done with the studio work, and I think it came out great. Everyone is changing into the next outfits, and then we’re meeting the sunrise outside.

The client’s shot list had an interesting line: “Vibe: Boss mode—she owns the room.”

That set the tone for the shoot. I believe we pulled it off!

I did the photography today. I guess you’d say I was the art director, too.

We hired a makeup artist to help push the models’ looks toward that boss-mode vibe. Her name is Kara Sanchez, and she claims to have been doing makeup for forty years. Absolutely no complaints.

“Tell the girls to bring everything they like. I’ll make it work for the shoot.”

And so she did.

Min had an interesting observation. “So… this company… I take it they don’t make blouses?”

I suppose we could Google it, but based on the pieces we were asked to model, the answer is no. Fashion tape was invented for occasions just like this!

I’m calling this day a huge success. And, naturally, I have meandering thoughts about it.

The success here was much easier to achieve because we have the studio. The studio came about as the result of a Christmas wish Micah shared when we were in St. Croix.

“I’ll go,” Micah said. “I wish AGI had a real modeling studio. After the jeans thing, I just know there’s going to be more business, and if we had something like in the movies or magazines, we could do more shoots and do them better, right?”

The wish led to discussions. The discussions led to a goal. The goal led to a plan. The plan led to an opportunity, which led to a decision, which led to the wish being fulfilled.

So, from a wish to a reality… Not easy. Not trivial. But expressing an idea that “this” can make “that” better is how innovation and improvement begin.

That’s all for now. See you soon.

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ON THE SAME PAGE by Ailana Geven Keller

Busy mornings for everyone, but Josh, Geoni, Kel, Emily, Jason, and I gathered in the AGI/SwimFit office for lunch and to start working on ground rules for when Emily and Kel have to ask before doing things. Seriously, being a guardian—or whatever name Texas has for it—takes up a lot of brainpower.

Josh started off. “Kel, so far everything has been fine.”

Kel reminded us he’s asked every time, then Emily said that maybe some things would be generally allowed and they wouldn’t have to bother us.

We wanted both of them to have basically the same rules. Equity for them and simplicity for us…

Geoni laid out the first non-negotiable. “Always take your phones.”

Kel looked at Emily. “I think that one’s for you.”

She laughed.

Emily offered an example. “Brooks’s parents forbid her from going into someone’s house if an adult isn’t around.”

I said I liked that.

Geoni countered. “What if you have to go to the bathroom and it’s an emergency?”

Emily smiled. “Okay, yeah.”

Jason laughed and looked at Geoni. “Okay, we have rules, then a list of exceptions?”

Geoni smiled. “Put yourself in her place! What should she do?”

“True, but…” Jason looked around. “This is going to be complicated.”

We eventually got to a starting place. We agreed it would have problems and there would be exceptions, but that calling was always the best choice.

It wasn’t really a bad process. And I think we learned a lot going through it.

The rest of this chapter is exclusive to Patreon.

“Let’s start with some definite noes,” I said.

“Such as?” Josh asked.

“Going into houses of people the adults don’t know. Getting into cars with strangers. Taking candy from creepy dudes in white vans with no windows.”

Geoni looked at me. “Okay, that escalated.”

I kept going. “Always have your phone. Always have your personal alarm device.”

Kel raised his hand like he was in school. “Alarm device?”

Emily pulled hers out of her pocket. “This. Sasha gave it to me.”

Josh looked at Geoni. “Add that to our to-do list.”

Jason summarized. “Basic, common-sense safety. Always. Wear the seatbelts.”

Josh broke in. “About the seatbelts… You can’t all pile into one car. Texas has a graduated drivers license law. A driver under the age of 18 is not allowed to carry more than one passenger under the age of 21 who is not a family member.”

I looked at him in awe.

He smiled and held up his phone. “So Mateo can only drive one person at a time, unless they are over 21.”

Kel looked at Josh. “What about golfcarts?”

Josh nodded. “Ah… stand by.”

He went back to his phone.

Jason shared an idea. “How about we start with this… It’s dumb but it’s easy. If you are outside and still connected to the condo Wi-Fi, you don’t have to ask.

I looked at Jason. “That’s not very far.”

Jason nodded. “I know but they want a starting point. We’re going to have to grow into this whole thing, right?”

Kel looked at me. “He’s right. Like, say we wanted to take Island Metro to Port Isabel… Obviously, we’d ask.”

Josh, by then, had a golf cart answer. “Gemini says a 16-year-old can drive a golf cart and transport non-family members in South Padre Island. The Texas golf cart laws apply, of course. Valid driver’s license and only on roads posted 35 mph or less.”

Geoni looked at Josh. “When Kel gets a license, we should get a golf cart.”

Kel looked at Geoni. “I’m getting a license?”

Geoni shrugged. “I’d assume so.”

Emily looked at me and I shrugged. We really can’t do anything like that until the custody issue is resolved, and that will be a week from today when we go back to court.

Josh put down his phone. “Have we come up with anything concrete yet?”

Kel answered. “Stay safe. Stay close. When you’re not sure, ask. Which is kinda where we were when we started.”

Jason took a deep breath. “Ailana, when we were that age, what? We told our parents we were going to Buckley… be back in a couple of hours…”

I nodded. “Dad was usually at work, though. You were the one checking in…”

Jason looked at Emily. “And you’ve been coming and going pretty much as you wanted for the last two years, until Melinda got crazy.”

Emily looked at him, nodded, and said, “…er. Crazier.”

Geoni looked at her. “Rules like this are going to be a big adjustment for you.”

Emily shrugged. “Well, at least you care about me.”

Yeah… I had to wipe away tears.

Jason looked at Josh and Geoni. “How about this? Follow the basic safety rules, and if they are going to be out of sight for more than an hour, they ask ahead of time. Or if they get somewhere and plans change, call and let us know where and ask if the new plan is okay.”

Kel looked at Josh and Geoni hopefully.

Jason looked at me for approval.

That’s sort of where we started. It feels doable. We went back to the point of having the phones at all times so Life360 can do its thing and they can call if they need anything.

I feel good about it.

It means that if Gabe shows up and wants to haul them down to Whataburger or McDonald’s, they have 59 minutes before they have to call and let us know where they are.

A walk around the neighborhood can happen spontaneously without a family meeting.

I ended by saying, “If it makes sense to let us know where you’re going ahead of time, that would be great. But if you’re out for a walk and you decide to get ice cream, fine… just mind the time.”

Josh started to wrap up the meeting. “This will get easier as we all get more comfortable.”

Kel looked over at him. “I’ll tell you right now, you can trust me. I believe things will come up where you’re like, ‘You should have asked first,’ but I’m not going out trying to get into trouble.”

Emily nodded. “Same.”

I had the last word. “We’ll work as hard at being the adults as you have to work at doing the right things.”

That seemed to be a good stopping place. Segue to lunch…

HOW IT LOOKS by Sofia Torres

Work at the factory this week was pretty great. Everyone works hard, and we’re putting out great quality.

SwimFit is gaining traction as a brand. Amazon sales are going well, and many of the beach shops are placing larger, second and third orders.

In fact, this week was really great, up until I clocked out and was locking up with Micah. We got to the parking lot before I did something utterly terrible.

I didn’t think…

“All locked up?” he asked.

He’d taken care of the loading dock. I’d done the other entrances.

“All done,” I said. “Are you and Jasmine doing anything fun tonight?”

“Probably hang out with some of the people at the condos. She’s napping now. She started work at, like, 3:00 a.m. this morning. I’m going to grab something on the way home and eat in the car.”

I pointed at Dairy Queen. “We could grab a burger… I’ve got nothing planned until church Sunday.”

Micah looked down the street, got serious, and then looked at me. “I appreciate the invite, and I do think of you as a good workplace friend, but I just don’t think it would be a good idea for a married man to spend time socially alone with a woman who’s not his wife.”

I thought I was about to die. “Oh… yeah, totally… I didn’t think of it as social…”

Micah smiled and hit the nail square on the head. “I know you probably didn’t mean anything by it, but sometimes it isn’t what it means that matters. It’s what people think it means. I’m sure you understand.”

I did, and I was nodding. “I understand. It’s only Dairy Queen, but it’s after work on Friday… I wasn’t thinking about how it would look.”

Micah smiled again. “No biggie. We just have to watch out.”

“Yeah…” I was wishing the pavement would swallow me.

Then Micah offered me some grace. “Next time, if Jasmine’s up to it, you can follow me somewhere and all three of us can hang out. Should have suggested that sooner… See you Monday.”

He got in his car while I retreated to mine. I felt like I had escaped a huge disaster and somehow ended up with the hint that there could be a next time with him and Jasmine.

I’ve got a lot to think about. I guess I’ll share more soon.

GOOD NIGHT by Ailana Geven Keller

I’m exhausted. After lunch, Kel and Emily decided to try out the new rules. They didn’t plan to swim, but they went to the beach—shorts and T-shirts, wading…

At some point they decided to sit in the waves. Full disclosure: I’d have loved growing up here instead of in the middle of cornfields! They came home with half the beach in their pockets and all over them.

Josh invoked a new rule—something about a garden hose and the driveway.

Before dinner, Naomi called about the photo shoot. She said the client was very happy.

“Jasmine and Kaylee look amazing! Where did you find the other two models? Wow!”

“The coffee shop next door to the studio. You remember Min from the scarves, right?”

There was a pause, then Naomi replied, “I do now! So, they’re not professionals?”

I smiled. “They are now. The other one is Vanessa. Jasmine has the contracts and all that.”

Naomi paused. “Okay, fast-tracking the modeling boot camp idea.”

“Boot camp?”

“You teaching the ropes to new models… Modeling 101…”

“You said you’d send new models here for their first sessions.”

“That, too, but also this… This will be big money. I’ll send you a deal proposal. I’m thinking I get 30% for setting up and booking it. You get 70% to run it. Maybe late this summer…”

We chatted a bit more, but that was basically it.

I just don’t know, though. I feel stretched thin as it is.

I talked to Jason and he said, “So no harm in looking it over. We can give it a try, and if it is too much, we’ll know. I’m with you on this, all the way.”

So, you know… I cried. How can I be so lucky?

Hold that thought… Emily just texted: “No one set the alarm yet. I’ll wait to take a shower until someone sets it.”

I told her Jason was on his way up. She’s amazing. She’s so afraid she’s going to mess things up. More likely, that will be me.

May you find a way to do the things that make life better for those around you.

Good night.

HOW IT SHOULD BE by Sofia Torres

I’ve spent every moment since leaving work rethinking how I ended up—for all practical purposes—asking a married man who is also sort of my boss to go out to dinner after work on a Friday night.  Not just once. Several times.

When I got home, I went through it all again.

I said before that my first year in America was about surviving. I made enough to get to the next paycheck. I worked odd hours and took as many shifts as I could get. This bed was a place I passed through in five, six—rarely more—hour segments.

Getting hired at Southeast Texas Apparel has meant steady hours and more money.

And more time at home. Alone.

The deeper I looked into my own motives, the more sure I am that I wasn’t inviting Micah to start cheating on Jasmine. I don’t mean physically. I wasn’t trying to take any of his emotional energy or time away from his wife.

I guess I just wanted a little human connection that wasn’t entirely tied to making swimsuits.

He was right. It’s not what I meant. It’s what others might have thought.

I’m not saying we live our lives to please others. But his reaction was about protecting what he has with Jasmine, not pleasing strangers.

When I realized what I had done, I was stricken. He could make it into an HR thing. I could lose my job. Or get in trouble.

Instead, he said maybe next time—with Jasmine.

I talk to her several times each week. Sometimes Sasha, but more often Jasmine.

After an hour of sitting here, I decided what I wanted to do.

I picked up my phone and made a call.“Jasmine? Sofia… Do you have a few minutes?”“Sure, what’s up?”“I want to talk to you. I need to clear the air about a mistake I made…”

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