Ailana’s Journal / Crossroads—2026-07-19 (Patreon)

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GOOD MORNING by Ailana Geven Keller

I hope your morning is going well. Me? Mine’s going like this.

I sent Jason to the shower and I came to the kitchen for coffee. Emily was in her nightgown sitting at the table having a muffin. She watched me for a few seconds before saying anything.

“What are you wearing?” she asked.

“A shirt?”

“Looks like a pillowcase with two openings. Elastic added.”

I looked at what I’d pulled from the drawer. “It’s a swimsuit cover-up.”

She took a sip of her coffee (yeah, coffee). “Still screams pillowcase. Why do you have on shoes?”

I allowed her claim that flip-flops counted as shoes without objection. “I’m thinking of going to the patio.”

“Can I come, too?”

I smiled. “Of course. Go find a pillowcase first.”

She laughed, got up, and hurried away. “T-shirt and shorts for me… You can keep the linens for yourself.”

And that’s how my morning started.

I’ll be back later. See you then!

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AFTER CHURCH by Ailana Geven Keller

Okay… hold on! There are three stories here, so let’s go.

First, Izzy and Kent came to church with us. One of Izzy’s friends from Brooklyn, Rebecca Charm, is here in SPI to work with Evelyn, a woman Dad has done some work for. I met Rebecca when I joined the Pay It Forward Society on a project in Colorado.

That leads to story number two. Coming out of church, Sasha had a moment.

“Wow! Look at all the blondes in one place! I need a picture.”

Kaylee, Rebecca, and I posed. Sasha said it had to be the image for this chapter. Izzy, Rebecca, Kent, and Paul went to lunch and did some sightseeing.

Skip ahead to lunch at the AGI/SwimFit office for story three—the big one. Dad’s phone rang. We could all hear his side.

“Oh, Evelyn… Just finished lunch… Um…” He looked at me. “Bird photography? Close by.”

“Laguna Madre Nature Trail,” I said.

Dad repeated the name. “Yeah… Ailana’s been there.”

Very long pause. “Sure… No, I don’t mind… Not really… I’ll pick you up.”

Dad explained she didn’t want to wander around by herself for safety reasons.

“Sounds like she’s smart,” Josh replied. “No sense taking chances.”

“Sounds like Pops has a date,” Emily added.

Dad shook his head. “It’s not a date. Just playing it safe.”

Emily looked at Kel. Kel nodded.

Dad looked at me. “It’s not a date. Don’t make something out of nothing.”

Josh supported Dad. “She’s being sensible. We’ve met her at church. Makes sense to me.”

Dad nodded and looked at me. “Don’t make this weird. Like Josh said, she’s just being sensible.”

Dad fake-glared at Emily. “It’s not a date.”

He left, and Emily looked at me. “It’s a date, right?”

I shrugged. “As a writer, you know that words mean different things to different people.”

She smiled. “Semantic range, right?”

I nodded. “Exactly.”

NOT A DATE by Allen Geven

Regardless of what some of the younger members of the family think, this is not a date. Like Josh said, she’s just being sensible.

I appreciate you coming with me,” Evelyn said when we got out of my truck. “It seems like a pretty safe place, but you never know.”

It’s clear from her words that she just wanted to play it safe. She knows me from doing plumbing work and from church. To me, it just makes sense that she’d fall back on someone she knows.

“I’m happy to do it,” I said. “Ailana and everyone are going to the beach later. I would just be putzing around.”

We talked about how First Call Property Services is growing. I told her about Kent seeming interested in joining the company and how he’s working toward his Texas Master Electrician license.

We talked about the coincidence of Rebecca and her husband, Paul, knowing Izzy and Kent. Evelyn said, “Rebecca is a highly regarded programmer, and I’m counting on her to get Nick’s project back online.”

She went on to tell me more about her hobbies. Nature photography is just one of them.

She’s into a lot of things to do with the ocean. She sails some. Snorkels… Likes to do long open-water swims… She said she enjoys the beach community very much.

“I’m still hoping to find some great places to eat. Once in a while, it’s nice to bypass the microwave and have someone bring food to the table for you.”

“Well, there are some good ones.” I named a few favorites.

She nodded, then spotted a bird she thought was a Reddish Egret, which can be found in the area but isn’t especially common. She worked on getting a good shot of it as I stood back out of the way.

We spent about two hours looking for birds. I think she was happy with the outing.

We talked a lot about the restaurants and other things on the island, and then I took her back to The Sapphire condo tower.

“Thanks again. Honestly, it was a lot better with you there,” she said.

“You’re welcome,” I replied. “It’s always better to play it safe, so don’t hesitate to call.”

“I appreciate that,” she said.

She waved when she reached the entrance, and I drove home.

BECAUSE 500 FEET by Ailana Geven Keller

When you live 500 feet from the beach, spending the afternoon there isn’t a tough choice.

So let’s see if I can catch you up.

We went to church. We had lunch. Dad did NOT go on a date with Evelyn.

Jason, Emily, Kel, and I came to the beach.

Naomi called. I think that’s what you need to hear about.

First off, Kaylee and Jasmine are heading to Denver. They’ll leave Tuesday night and model on Wednesday at a premium day rate of $1,000 each. They’ll each receive a generous per diem as well. They’ll get back late Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Naomi is flying here. She’s shipped wardrobe already. So… here’s a twist… Naomi is going to be modeling with us.

“I think it would be fun,” she said. “Steve said there’s no reason not to. Your studio will feel nice and relaxed, and I’m sure I’ll get a kick out of it.”

Okay, so that’s happening! The last time she modeled regularly was in 2000, after she graduated from college. She launched Prior Talent Group in 2002.

Sasha has already called Vanessa to rally the clinic models. Like last time, they’ll come when they can get a break, but they all said they were in.

We should have a full dressing room, for sure!

Jason and Geoni will handle the cameras, Sasha will run the shot list, and I’ll do that thing where I pretend to know how everyone should stand. It’s going to be a great day, I’m sure.

That’s all for now. I have some sand to run my fingers through, and the waves seem to be trying to tell me something. I’ll be back later for a goodnight post, so see you then.

GOOD NIGHT by Ailana Geven Keller

I haven’t been here the entire afternoon. Emily and I came back because she wanted to talk.

“Do you think it’s possible Kel and I could stay together… like get married someday?”

Yeah, that’s how it started. I didn’t want to fall into clichés or platitudes. “Well, it’s not impossible. Have you and Kel talked about it?”

She said they had. “The thing is, right now, I don’t see any reason we couldn’t. Kel thinks the longer we’re around each other like we are now, the more alike we’ll become. Same experiences. Same jokes. Or he says we’ll find out we can’t stand each other. I hope that doesn’t happen.”

“You don’t have to decide right now,” I said. “But when I was a few months into dating Jason, I’m sure I wasn’t trying to find reasons to break up.”

“It’s different, though,” she said. “You and Jason had known each other for years before you made it official.”

“That’s a good point. You’ve only known each other since May 30.”

She nodded. “It sort of started because we both knew a judge would have the final say on whether we got to stay. It’s scary. We kinda connected because we were both afraid.”

I changed the subject. “Are you still afraid?”

She shrugged. “I don’t think you’re going to kick me out. And why would the judge say no?”

“So that’s a yes. You're still a little worried."

She looked at me. “Are you?”

“Honestly, I am. I’d be really upset. Josh already said all the lawyers he hired are ready to appeal and all that. I’d fight for you, Emily.”

She started crying. I started crying.

We decided to post this chapter and go home for some snacks left over from our boat outing.

Good night.

Be your best you!

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AFTERTHOUGHTS by Ailana Geven Keller

A reader called the last two month an emotional roller coaster. That’s right, except they were still building the track while I was riding it.

I found out I had a sister. Then I learned what she had lived through. Then she crossed 1,600 miles to find me because I represented safety.

Emily needed me, so I became her sister and guardian almost in the same breath. Those are not always the same job.

The sister in me wants to make up for sixteen missed years with snacks, inside jokes and ordinary memories.

The guardian has to think about doctors, school, court orders and boundaries. Am I protecting her without making her feel controlled again? Sometimes I fear she hears our mother instead of me.

Then there’s Kel.

I like him, and I see how gentle they are together. But they connected because both feared a judge might take away the homes they had just found. That bond can carry enormous weight for two sixteen-year-olds.

When Emily asked whether they might marry someday, I don’t think she was asking me to approve a wedding. I think she was asking whether something good is allowed to last.

I hope it does. I hope they grow together without believing they must promise forever to feel secure today. I hope they can laugh, disagree, learn and be teenagers. If they stay together, I hope they keep choosing each other—not holding on because of fear.

My biggest fear is that a judge could say no. My next is that Emily will mistake my worry for doubt about her. I do not doubt her. Sometimes I doubt systems, adults and myself.

But I know this: she is my sister. I am her guardian. I want to be both without letting either role swallow the other.

What I don’t know is whether knowing that makes me qualified to do any of this.

I still don’t think I know how to be a good wife. Jason is accepting me as I am, which helps. Apparently, being married to me includes hiding each other’s clothes just to be annoying and laughing our way through moments that might otherwise feel too heavy. That’s maturity, right?

Still, learning how to be married is different from knowing how to raise a teenager. I know how to love Emily. I’m less certain that I know when to set a boundary, when to let her make a mistake and when being her guardian has to come before being the sister she wants to like.

I told Dad I wasn’t sure I knew how to raise anyone.

“Well, you practically raised yourself,” he said. “So you have one success under your belt already.”

That’s a big exaggeration. Dad raised me. I was independent, not feral.

But I understand his point. I remember being Emily’s age. I remember what I needed, what frightened me and what I wished the adults around me would understand without making me explain everything perfectly.

Maybe if I treat Emily the way I think I needed to be treated at that age, it will work out. Listen before deciding. Explain instead of ordering. Take her fears seriously without letting them make every decision for her. Give her room to grow while making certain she knows where home is.

I can’t promise every outcome. I can promise she will never face one alone again.

Thank you for being here while I learn how to do this.

Be your best you!

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