September 7  - 7:30 AM

         The Dean’s van pulled up the Sommerfield’s long driveway and Becca stepped out with a saucy bounce in her stride.  Her irrationality  from the previous evening may have faded a bit, but her anguish had not.  She was still feeling the sting of humiliation and was not quite ready to engage in much communication with anyone.  Her father, unaware of the entire incident, was not pleased with Becca’s recent change in temperament.
         "You had better start toning down that attitude young lady.  I don’t want to find out when I get back from LA that you were being difficult and moody the whole time the Sommerfield’s were kind enough to look after you."
 Becca half nodded her head at her father, as she pulled her suitcase and pillow out of the back of the van.  She paused slightly on her way up the front walk to kiss her mother on her cheek, and then walked in the front door as Jenna and Matt walked out.  Becca never once glanced at Beth, or made any indication she was even aware of her existence.
         "Well looks like you are all ready to go.  Excited?"  Jenna smiled brightly at Anne, and clasped her hands with a gentle squeeze of encouragement.
         Anne returned her smile faintly, wishing she felt more of the excitement that she should be feeling at this moment.
         "I’m excited for Beth, and know that I need to be there for her on this.  But....... I’m worried about Rebecca.  She has hardly spoken an audible word to any of us since last night just after dinner.  I can tell she’s been crying, but she won’t talk to me about it.  I think it has something to do with Beth, but she won’t tell me anything either.  This is so unlike the girls, especially if they’re arguing with each other.  We’ve never had a problem talking before, and this has me very concerned.  It’s all just such bad timing."
         "Oh Anne, I think you’re making too much out of it.  I’m sure the girls just had a little fight and will forget about it by the time you all get back from LA.  And remember, when you and I were their age, we didn’t always feel like talking to our mothers about everything all the time either.  Don’t worry about it, things will work themselves out."
         Michael walked up behind Anne and placed his hands on her shoulders.
         "C’mon honey, we need to get going if we’re going to catch our flight.  Thanks again, Jenna, for looking after Beck.  Just a word of warning though, she’s in a rather pouty mood.  Let me know if she’s a problem."
         "Don’t worry Michael.   I’m sure she’ll be fine and no trouble at all.  She never is." Jenna assured him.
         "Call us when you get to the hotel so we know your trip was safe."
         The Deans and Sommerfields said their last goodbyes, and the Deans embarked on their trip. Jenna stood watching the van until she was no longer able to see it from the yard.
 

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September 7 - 6:30 PM

         Dinner that night at the Sommerfield’s was a solemn occasion, a natural conclusion to a brooding afternoon.  Becca had been quiet all day, keeping mostly to herself, while the rest of the family had been watching Sunday afternoon football.
         Mica made a few feeble attempts to draw Becca out, but was becoming increasingly preocuppied with preparing for a movie date that evening.  She had told her mother she was going out with Jack McKinley, a sophomore, and that they would be double dating with his older brother Nick, a senior.  There was some truth in Mica’s story.  However, the details were a little inaccurate.  Mica would actually be going on a date with Nick, and pairing up with Jack and his girlfriend Cara Simon, another sophomore.  Jenna would never have let her daughter date a senior.  So, Mica concocted what she believed to be the perfect plan.  Even so, her slight anxiety over being discovered, coupled with her desire to look her best for Nick was enough to keep her from devoting anything more than a passing interest in Becca.
         Suprisingly, Mason kept to himself, giving Becca no cause for an encore performance of her wildcat self defense mechanisms.  He simply observed her from a safe distance, making mental notes for future reference.
         "Matt, have you heard anything from Michael or Anne since they left this morning?"
         Matthew glanced across the table to Jenna, and hesitated as he pondered her question.
         "No, I haven’t heard from them.  Although, it’s only 6:30.  They can’t have been in LA for more than an hour or two.  I’m sure we’ll hear something later this evening after they get settled in."
         Jenna thought a little while longer about the Deans, then changed the subject.
         "Colin, what time do you need to leave in the morning?"
         "Well, I don’t have a class untill 1:00 tomorrow.  My 10:00 o’clock Stat course was cancelled for the day.  So I’ll probably take off about 9."
         Brookedale was about 2 1/2 hrs from Georgetown, making it easy for Colin to come home whenever he wanted.  He usually didn’t wait until Monday morning to head back, preferring to get into Georgetown early Sunday afternoon so he could gear up for the week ahead.  However, this weekend, he wasn’t in much of a hurry.
 
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