Want to support CHYOA?
Disable your Ad Blocker! Thanks :)

Chapter 11 by cphi cphi

What's next?

Jared's at the foot of the stairs.

As you descend the stairs, Jared appears at the foot. He's wearing a gray golf shirt and khaki shorts, and his hair is wet.
"Hey, dad."
"Good morning, Jared. What time did you get home?" You give him a flat look.
He can't hide the guilt on his face. "I think it was around... around 5...."
"Jared...."
He looks at his feet.
"I'm sorry..."
"You should be sorry, Jared, but it's not me you should apologize to." You grab some eggs and bacon from the fridge, and start whipping up a simple breakfast.
"Look..."
"Jared, it's fine. You're almost 20 years old. You make your own decisions. But here's one I'm making. You're out of here by August. That's another thing grown-ups do. They choose a college, or they choose a trade, and they move out." You try not to be cold about it, but it's difficult, especially given your new attachment to Tara. Perhaps there's a contradiction, or a hypocrisy in all this, but you don't feel it.
He looks stunned. "U.... USD.... I sent the response yesterday... I...I'm starting in the fall..."
You look up, surprised. "Why didn't you say anything?"
Jared's eyes are watering. "It... I was going to surprise you." You had never gotten to go to USD on your baseball scholarship, and Jared knew you had wanted to.
"Oh... buddy. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you, come here."
You give him a hug like you've done 1000 times before. "I just want you to be better than me, just like I wanted to be better than my dad."
"I know..." he pulls away. "I guess I should call Tara and break it off. She must have gone home after work, huh?"
"Actually..." you quickly give a sanitized version of the events at the Off-Kilter. Jared is shocked.
"So... she's here?"
"Yeah. When she's out of the shower, why don't you sit down with her and your mother, and have a little talk." Jenna would know the best way to iron out any problems with the new... arrangement.
"Ok."
"And then, get ready for our tee time, Jared."
"Yeah, definitely."
He sits quietly while you finish cooking, and after a few minutes, the smells coax Riley, Allison, and Karen into the common area to enjoy some extended family breakfast.

What's next?

More fun
Want to support CHYOA?
Disable your Ad Blocker! Thanks :)