Joneses – 8.2 The Plan

When the children arrived home from school on Monday, Susie dragged Tim to the park behind their house for a private chat.

“Here’s the deal,” she said. “You’re not leaving me here with her! We’re going to go in there and convince mom that we should have our birthdays on the same day. Dad will love that she’s ‘trying to save money,’ heh. Then the next day, you move into your house and take me with you!”

Tim was confused…and shocked. Then he looked discouraged.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t even know if I want to leave,” he said. “I don’t know anything about living on my own.”

“Exactly! This is why you need me! I’m sorry, but you’ll burn the place down by yourself.”

“But you don’t know anything about living on your own either.”

“True! But, together we can figure it out. Besides, we can get a housekeeper or something with all your money. Whaddaya say?”

He exhaled deeply as his shoulders slumped. “I dunno. Do I have to go so soon?”

“Seriously, Tim? You want to stay? You want to let her run your life forever?”

“But…she’s been better.”

“Tim! Listen to yourself! Mom never changes!

“Do you want to live your own life or what?”

He thought about how it would be nice to hangout with his new friends without trying to avoid an interrogation. He was never one to care about clothes and happily wore whatever Mary told him to wear, but it would be nice to not wear a belt and a tucked in shirt all the time.

“Ok,” he said.

“Ok…ok?”

“Ok!”

“YES!”