Cassie sat across the table listening to her mother talk to her Aunt Lisa on the phone. About 20 minutes later, her mom finally hung up and turned her attention to Cassie.
"Well honey, you remember I'm going to your grandma's today and I'll be gone for 10 days right?"
"Mom, of course I remember. Tell grandma I love her and wish I could be there with you. But I have 2 volleyball matches this week and we all know I'm the star of the team. Hahahaha! Seriously though, give grandma my love and tell her my team is going to win our state championship this week. Woo hoo!!!"
"Don't worry about it Cassie. Grandma knows what a sports fanatic you are. Besides, your father will be there, so he can keep us up to date while you all are playing. Good luck sweetie, but I should be going. I told grandma I'd be there before early this afternoon and it's almost a 6 hour drive."
"Okay mom. I love you. Be careful and call me or daddy when you get there okay?"
"Of course I will Cassie. Your father should be back from the office around 10 this morning, and promised to be here with you the entire 10 days, instead of down at that stuffy old office he seems to live in. Gotta go now honey. You be good and for god sakes, try to be civil with your dad. You two are at each other's throats constantly."
Rolling her eyes, Cassie took a deep breath. "Yes mother. I'm not 9 anymore you know. I'm a grown up 18 year old now. I'll keep my cool. I promise mom."
Three hours later at a little after 9 Cassie heard the front door slam shut and knew her dad had just gotten home. Running downstairs she met him in the kitchen.
"Hi daddy. Mom left early and told me to tell you she'd call as soon as she gets to grandma's. So I guess it's just you and me for the next 10 days huh daddy? I have 2 volleyball matches this week, but no school because of of that nasty mess last week when those 9 boys got in that huge fight. That was awful."
"Yep pumpkin just you and me for 10 days. We're need to find some things to do. You got any ideas Cassie. And no arguments from either of us please. Let's make this the best time ever. You got any ideas about what you might like to do?"
Cassie's eyes were as big as saucers. "Wow daddy. You called me pumpkin. You haven't called me that for a long long time. But yeah, I do have one idea I'd like to ask you about?"