Chase whistled happily when he let himself in through the garage entrance. His mother was in the kitchen, sticking straws into juice boxes for Ethan and Evan.
“Chase!”
The boys tackled him in a hug - one around each leg.
“Hi, guys. Hi, Mom.”
Kelly smiled tightly at him, but he didn’t acknowledge it. She held long grudges — it was just the way she was. She’d get over it sooner or later so he decided not to let it him annoy him. “Did you have a good time at the show?”
Wow, she spoke to him without a reason. The groundhog must have predicted an early thaw, he thought with a smirk. “Yeah, it was really cool. Bailey is nuts about these guys from a California company and got to meet them, take pictures, get their autographs. And,” he braced himself for her eruption, “I got some ideas for school.”
“Oh?” She handed the twins their juice boxes and they ran off, leaving a cascade of red droplets in their wake.
“Yeah. I was thinking about maybe combining studies - a business degree and computer science. This way, I can help you guys out until I find what it is I’m meant to do.”
“Meant to do.” She repeated softly. “Maybe you’re meant to be with your family.”
He shut his eyes and sighed loudly. “Mom.”
“Chase, I’m not arguing. I’m not. I just hate losing you. This came for you today.” She handed him an envelope from Manhattan College.
Shit. His mouth dried up as he tore it open, scanned the letter.
“Oh, my God, Mom!” He beamed and waved the letter. “Twenty thousand a year! Twenty grand!” He did a little dance. His eyes popped open when she grabbed him in a bone-crushing hug.
“Congratulations. I know this is what you want, but you’re my first baby and I can’t believe you’re all grown up and want to leave.” She sobbed into his neck.
His mouth fell open but his arms came around to hug back. “Um. Yeah. Eighteen years old. I’m not leaving forever, you know. I just want to find out who I am and what I like — the way you guys did.”
She pulled away from him, eyed him critically. “I’m sorry. I’m just over-emotional. Okay.”
Yeah, right. He cocked his head, waited for the ‘but.’ “Okay? That’s it?”
“Yep. Okay.”
His smile widened to face-splitting grin. “Okay.” He replied and hugged her again.
YOU ARE READING
TMI-Deleted Scenes
Teen FictionWhen I wrote TMI, I alternated points of view among three central characters -- Megan Farrell, Bailey Grant, and Chase Gallagher. But I wanted the story to focus on the girls' friendship, so my editor and I decided to remove Chase's POV from the pub...
