Written Option 1:


It had been a long, baking August day on the Castillon vineyard outside of Montpellier, and now the youngest cousins were splashing in the pool while their parents had cranked up the grill and started stocking the bar and the fire pit for the night's activities. Every year, the Castillon clan convened to spend the back half of June and the whole of July and August helping out around the farm. It was hard work, hardly a vacation by most metrics, but as soon as the heat passed and the Sun started toward the horizon, the mood shifted toward play. The general vibe was a determination to squeeze the every possible ounce of summer out of each day, especially now that the last of their number had (finally) joined 10 days before.
Oliver had been fighting the disappointment and frustration from S76's results for his teams since the plane had landed in Visby for the IIHF tournament. It had been a bitter fight in Round 2 of the SHL playoffs, a bitter fight in the Quarterfinals of the tournament, and his teams had gotten the short end in both. Keeping it from affecting his vacation time was a struggle, even as far away as it all was in France, in the pool, on a flamingo-shaped floaty, with a steel tumbler of wine in one hand and the other holding a Super Soaker to keep the little cousins away, working less on a tan and more on a sunburn. Until, that is, the sliding glass door opened and his mother poked her head out.
"Ollie," she called. "Phone call for you. It's McCloud."
He sighed and sat up. His sister, Maya, took the tumbler from him as he swam to the side of the pool and climbed out. His mother had stepped out to the patio, and reached out with his phone, buzzing once again with a 2nd call from the LA Panthers GM.

"Hey Mr. McCloud!" Oliver greeted with a false cheer.
"Hey Oliver, I know camp doesn't start for a few weeks, but the league just signed a new uniform deal that they want players to promote, and there's a charity event for the Panther Walk next week that we need bodies for. We've already got agreements from Adam and Derek, but we need one more person."

As he took a moment to think about it, Oliver's phone buzzed. He glanced around. His cousins and sister were still in the pool. Maya was pouring his wine into her own cup to top off. His (least favorite) aunt was smoking in the chair across from him and trying to look nonchalant as she eavesdropped.

"I just got here," he said. It came out a bit whinier than he wanted.
"You'd be compensated for the uniform promo, and it'd be a big help to have you at the Panthers' Pride gala," McCloud pressed. "I know it's not as good as family time, but we need you here."
Oliver bit back a sigh.
"Yep. Okay. When do I need to be there?"
"As quick as you can. Thanks, Oliver!"
The call ended with McCloud, and Oliver found that the buzz had been a series of messages from the Panthers' group chat.

'Boss Man on the prowl' Adam had announced a little too late with a gif of a black panther stalking toward the camera.
'I'm in Japan' Shane replied.
There was a strange, too-close picture of what might have been a giraffe from Pass.
'Just signed w BAP' *Best Penguin has left the chat*
Elena posted a selfie with a few of the Team France players at a museum in Paris.
*Polanball (Gregorz) is Typing*
'I got it, wish me luck' Oliver tapped out quickly and hit send. He put the phone down on the patio table, and threw himself back in the pool with a big splash. He'd wait until after dinner to book his tickets back to LA, and break it to his family that work duties called.

(689 Words)