Wrong Way

(Intro thread, remember to make sure that after this thread you use You when referring to the POV. This is also a PRESENT TENSE story, with this thread setting the scene as a sort of flashback type thing.)

Charlie Jones hugged his mother Caitlin just outside the door to their house, ignoring the other three there for a second. "I'll call when we get there mom."

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you? I mean I can drive you down and..." Caitlin said in full on mother duck mode.

"Mom...you didn't ask to drive to Courtney to her school."

"Yes I did. Many, many times." Caitlin responded, her hand on her hips and tapping her foot.

"Oh. Well, I'll be fine. I mean I'm not exactly a small guy, you know."

"I know...it's just..." She stopped when her son pulled her into another hug.

"It's okay mom...it's your job. And I love you for it. But I have to go pick up Pamela and get on the road."

"You have enough money, right? And some spare clothes not packed away in the big bags, right?"

"We went through the checklist together mom."

Colin Jones stepped up and took his wife by the shoulders and directed her to stand aside, "We have to let go sometime, and his plan is all mapped out and he has a schedule that we're going to interfere with." He said gently to his tearing, but not really crying (yet) wife.

Kathryn Carlson smiled and held her husband's hand squeezing it, "Only ten more years and we're going to be doing that...wow. Time flies."

Bryan nodded, "You ain't kidding."

Colin held his hand out and pulled his son into a strong hug, "You be safe, and don't hesitate to call if anything happens, you hear?"

"I know. It's not a problem. I'll be really careful. I always am. Comes with having to direct a football team on the fly. I plan on winning every game..."

"Still don't know why you chose Texas, but hey, it's your choice." His father said, a graduate of Ohio State.

Charlie smiled at his father, then looked over at his, now ex, high school English teacher Kathryn Carlson and her husband Bryan. "Thanks for all you two have done for me, and my sister."

"It's what I do. I love to teach and..." Kathryn stated with a smile.

"I meant in other areas as well." Charlie stated as he got into his Saturn Sky. "I'll call when I get there, I swear." He said as he started his car and drove off, leaving the four to go get dinner.

He pulled up to his girlfriend's house fifteen minutes later and watched for a second as her mother, Marian, hugged her hard, and her father, Fred, trying to get her to let go. He wondered for a second if that's what it had looked at at his house, but he didn't let it get to him as he got out of the car and walked over to the family. He walked slowly to get a better look at Pamela in her shorts that reached to mid thigh, and her tight white shirt that showed her perky breasts off. There were times when he could just spend hours staring at her.

Finally Fred Richardson got Marian off of Pamela, "You be good, okay baby? Be safe." He said to his youngest child, he had a son from a previous relationship.

Pamela smiled at her father and nodded, "I will daddy. You know me!" She said and hugged her father.

After the hug Fred turned to look at Charlie, "You be are careful too. Can't protect my daughter if something happens to you." He said as Pamela put her arm through his and hugged her boyfriend's arm tight. Her long light blond hair covered her face for a moment in the process.

"I will, sir. You're daughter is safe with me I promise."

"I'm going to hold you to that." He said, seriously. He couldn't hate Charlie as he led the High School football team to two state championships in as many years, and the last one was without a star besides himself. It took the state by surprise that he was able to do it without Jeremy Lang, his number one receiver the year before, even though he did play Tight End. In a lot of ways he should hate Charlie Jones for essentially taking his baby girl away from him, but he couldn't. He was just too damn polite and not an ego maniac like a lot of star quarterbacks. "Good luck, son."

"Thank you, sir." Charlie said as Marian hugged him as well. Then he got Pamela's bags and put them in the back seat.

Five minutes later they were driving out of town in a southerly direction. Heading off the what will turn out to be the best week of their lives.