Free Holiday Hijinks by Roxy Queen

wanted to do it. I called a fraternity brother in town and he picked me up early this morning. I’ll see you back to school after the New Year. Maybe once we’ve both cooled off, we can work this out.
    Love you,
    Carter
    I read the letter twice before crumpling it in my hand. I walk back in the kitchen and toss it in the garbage. Tara looks up at me and mouths, “What?” I shake my head. I’ll fix this. I’m going to fix it. There’s no way I’m prepared to lose Carter over something so stupid.
    “Um, Mom do you think we can have that talk real quick before Pop goes to the golf course?” I glance around the room. “Alone?”
    “Of course, dear.” Worry lines cross her forehead. I’ve said these words before. She’s wondering how big my screw up is that I let it wait until after Christmas. “Let me get your father.”
    I wait for them in my father’s study, spinning around in a leather desk chair, still in my pajamas. When they come in I see Pop is already dressed for golf in green pants and a red sweater. Mom looks ready for lunch with her friends. They sit in the two chairs across from me and wait expectantly, identical fear etched in their expressions.
    “First of all,” I say, taking a steadying breath. “School is fine. My grades are pretty good. I’ve got money. My car is running well and basically life is going great.”
    “That sounds wonderful,” Mom says, although the lines on her forehead do not fade. “We’re proud of everything you’ve accomplished.”
    My father goes straight for the point. “Ruthie, tell us what this is all about.”
    “I have a boyfriend.”
    That announcement erases my mother’s harsh forehead lines. “Oh! Well, that’s not so serious is it?” she asks. “In fact it’s wonderful news!”
    “Well, there’s more.” I wrap my arms around my knees, but then lower them because I’m not twelve and I need to get over myself. I take a deep, steadying breath and declare, “I’m dating Carter. Carter is my boyfriend.”
    “Carter?” my father asks. “Josh’s friend?”
    “ Yes. Carter is my boyfriend, not Josh’s friend.”
    Pop looks at my mother for help. “I’m confused.”
    “Carter and I have known one other for about eighteen months. We’ve been dating for most of that.”
    My parent’s expression went from concerned to befuddled. The lines are back. My mother speaks first. “Carter is so…”
    “Young. I know.”
    “I was going to say, handsome.”
    Pop nods and adds, “Motivated? He’s a very dedicated and accomplished, young man.”
    “He’s nineteen.”
    “Is he?” Pop asks. Lord. Has he gone senile?
    My mother leans forward and says, “Ruthie, Carter is a lovely person. Why did you hide this from us?”
    “He’s nine years younger than me,” I say. “I thought you wouldn’t approve.”
    Again they look dumbfounded. My father shrugs and says, “When did you ever care what we thought about things like this?”
    “Um…always?”
    “Honey, you’ve always marched to the beat of your own drum. When you set your eye on something you made it happen, even if that something wasn’t a good idea.”
    “Like Jamie,” my father says. He makes a horrible face. What? He hated Jamie? What’s going on here?
    My mother says, “He’s self-absorbed and pretentious. We were both glad that ended before the wedding and not after.”
    “Wait …what?” This is news to me. “Why didn’t you ever say something?”
    “We both knew Jamie was a disaster, but we learned a long time ago to keep our opinions to ourselves. Normally you do the complete opposite of what we suggest.”
    Oh, right. Well, yes, that was completely true. “You hated him?”
    “No, we didn’t hate Jamie, but we knew he wasn’t a good fit for you.”
    “So you don’t have a problem with me dating Carter?”
    “He’s really a lovely young man,” Mom says. My father nods in agreement. “Is he at the gym? I haven’t seen him this morning.”
    “Uh, well,” I