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CJ tossed her phone on the bed and headed to the bathroom. She had to agree,
she was pretty excited about getting their TSL summer started, too. TSL simply
stood for Tanning, Swimming, and Love, the only things they had on their agenda
for the summer. They’d debated calling it their sixteen summer, since they both
turned sixteen last month, but that just sounded so boring and TSL was so unique.
After a quick shower, CJ went downstairs for breakfast. She practically floated into
the kitchen but stopped dead when she saw her dad sitting at the kitchen table.
Odd, CJ thought. Her dad was dressed in his usual shirt and tie, but he never stayed
home past 9:00 a.m., and right now it was—CJ looked at the clock on the microwave
and frowned—11:00 a.m.!
“Hey, Dad. What’s up? Why are you here?”
Michael Edmonds looked up from the newspaper he was reading and raised his
eyebrows. “Last time I checked, I still live here.”
CJ smiled at her dad’s quirky attempt at humor. “You know that’s not what I mean.
Shouldn’t you be at work or something?”
“Yeah, I’m going in late. I have a meeting this afternoon, but I wanted to talk to you
about something.”
CJ felt her stomach tighten. Something was not right. Her mom was nowhere around
and her dad was home and wanted to “talk to her.” This was like an after school
special when the main character is about to be told her parents are splitting up, or
one is gay, or on drugs or…dying!
“Where’s mom?” CJ practically yelled.
“She had to drop off some cleaning. She should be back in about half an hour,” her
dad said standing up. He folded the newspaper, picked up his cup, and walked over
to the coffee maker.
Whew. She grabbed a plate, dropped a cinnamon roll on it, and popped it into the
microwave. In ten seconds she would have a wonderfully gooey breakfast and then
head over to the local coffee place, The Lounge, where she and Jazz would make
plans for the next couple of days. They’d decided not to plan too far ahead in case
the “love” part of their summer took off first. Nothing was going to interfere with that.
“Listen, Caroline, there’s something I need to tell you about. I really should have
brought this up a while ago, but honestly it just slipped my mind.” Her dad turned
around to face her, leaning his hip against the counter. “Beginning tomorrow you’ll
be working down at the miniature golf course and driving range.”
CJ looked up at her dad. “Oh, you mean like last summer when I filled in for a week
when that girl broke her ankle?”
“Not exactly,” her dad said, taking a sip of coffee. “It’s for the whole summer.”
CJ looked up at her dad, her eyes wide as saucers, and opened her mouth just as
the microwave went, BEEEEEP!
she was pretty excited about getting their TSL summer started, too. TSL simply
stood for Tanning, Swimming, and Love, the only things they had on their agenda
for the summer. They’d debated calling it their sixteen summer, since they both
turned sixteen last month, but that just sounded so boring and TSL was so unique.
After a quick shower, CJ went downstairs for breakfast. She practically floated into
the kitchen but stopped dead when she saw her dad sitting at the kitchen table.
Odd, CJ thought. Her dad was dressed in his usual shirt and tie, but he never stayed
home past 9:00 a.m., and right now it was—CJ looked at the clock on the microwave
and frowned—11:00 a.m.!
“Hey, Dad. What’s up? Why are you here?”
Michael Edmonds looked up from the newspaper he was reading and raised his
eyebrows. “Last time I checked, I still live here.”
CJ smiled at her dad’s quirky attempt at humor. “You know that’s not what I mean.
Shouldn’t you be at work or something?”
“Yeah, I’m going in late. I have a meeting this afternoon, but I wanted to talk to you
about something.”
CJ felt her stomach tighten. Something was not right. Her mom was nowhere around
and her dad was home and wanted to “talk to her.” This was like an after school
special when the main character is about to be told her parents are splitting up, or
one is gay, or on drugs or…dying!
“Where’s mom?” CJ practically yelled.
“She had to drop off some cleaning. She should be back in about half an hour,” her
dad said standing up. He folded the newspaper, picked up his cup, and walked over
to the coffee maker.
Whew. She grabbed a plate, dropped a cinnamon roll on it, and popped it into the
microwave. In ten seconds she would have a wonderfully gooey breakfast and then
head over to the local coffee place, The Lounge, where she and Jazz would make
plans for the next couple of days. They’d decided not to plan too far ahead in case
the “love” part of their summer took off first. Nothing was going to interfere with that.
“Listen, Caroline, there’s something I need to tell you about. I really should have
brought this up a while ago, but honestly it just slipped my mind.” Her dad turned
around to face her, leaning his hip against the counter. “Beginning tomorrow you’ll
be working down at the miniature golf course and driving range.”
CJ looked up at her dad. “Oh, you mean like last summer when I filled in for a week
when that girl broke her ankle?”
“Not exactly,” her dad said, taking a sip of coffee. “It’s for the whole summer.”
CJ looked up at her dad, her eyes wide as saucers, and opened her mouth just as
the microwave went, BEEEEEP!
| Just Perfect |
| June Sproat |
Author