Wild Little Dreams

21

—FIVE YEARS LATER-2018—

Kamryn was now 12 and starting 7th grade at a new school. She was finally able to start playing sports and had taken an interest in volleyball.

Jay and Hailey had started taking her outside and passing a volleyball around for her. She was enjoying every second of it and her parents were immediately giving her harder passes to see if she would dive for them.

Tryouts were going to happen within the week and they immediately signed Kamryn up and hoped that she would do well and make the team for her school. If she didn't, they were prepared to find a city league for her to join.

"You ready to go, Kam! You're gonna miss the bus!" Hailey called up the steps as she looked at the time. Her bus would be pulling up any minute and that was usually when Jay and Hailey also headed out.

"Coming!" She called back, grabbing her pink backpack before she ran down the steps.

"Alright. Call me when you get home and tell me all about tryouts. Jackie's mom is going to bring you home," she said as she pulled out the 5 dollar bill for Kamryn's lunch.

"Thanks, mama," she smiled, taking the 5-dollar bill and kissing her cheek. "Where's dad?"

"He left early. He came in and said goodbye around 6," She chuckled, "he said you talked to him but you were probably half asleep,"

"Yeah probably," she smiled as the bus pulled up and honked.

"I'll see you later honey," Hailey said as she gave Kamryn one last hug before sending her to the bus.

After the bus left, Hailey headed to the same district Jay was at as they were working on a case together. For the first time since they'd been together.

"Hey. We gotta talk real quick," she told him as soon as she came up the steps.

"Kam okay?" He asked as they walked to the break room.

"Yeah, she's fine. I just think we need to get her a phone,"

"Where is this coming from hail? You've never once brought up her having a phone. I didn't think you wanted her to have one," he said as he crossed his arms over his chest and looked at his wife.

"I've been against them but if she does make the volleyball team, I want her to text us when she gets home. So she's not calling our jobs," she explained, looking up at her tall husband.

"I'm fine with her having one as long as we monitor it,"

"Okay, but I know what you mean by that and I don't want you checking her phone every 5 seconds. Overbearing parents create sneaky kids," she told him, making it known that they would check their daughter's phone but also leave kam some privacy on it.

"Fine. I'll be good. Once a week. Random so she can't delete anything before a given day,"

"Fine with me," she nodded, "I'll go pick it up after work,"

"Fine with me," he nodded, both of them heading back out to the bullpen and getting their work done.

Hours later, Jay was home with Kamryn, and Hailey was running a little behind as she was getting a new phone for Kamryn.

She soon pulled up to Jay and Kamryn passing the volleyball back and forth in their backyard.

"How'd tryouts go?" She asked as she left the bag from the store in the car.

"Good I think, there were a lot of girls there," she shrugged. "A lot of them seemed better than me so I don't know if I'll make it,"

"Hey. We don't talk like that in this family Kam. I'm sure you did amazing," Hailey told her as she caught the volleyball, "Go inside and get ready for dinner you 2,"

Kamryn smiled and ran inside, Jay staying behind so he could talk with Hailey for a moment.

"Did you get it?"

"Yeah, it's in the car. We can give it to her at dinner. I'm thinking chicken?" She asked as they opened the screen door to go inside.

"Fine with me. I just can't wait to see her face when she opens it," Jay chuckled, knowing Kam would be excited.

Hailey made dinner while Kam took a shower and Jay cleaned up the house a little bit.

"Kam let's go! Dinners ready!" Jay said as he knocked on the bathroom door.

"Coming!" She called back, getting out of the shower and getting ready for dinner.

As soon as she was downstairs, they all sat at the table and Hailey gave them their plates.

"Alright, Kam. We have to talk about something," Jay told her as all 3 of them started eating.

"What?" She asked before she had her first bite of the chicken Hailey had made.

"So you're gonna start a new sport and we thought it was time to get you a phone," Hailey told her, pulling the iPhone XR in coral out from under the table.

"Really?" She asked, looking between Jay and Hailey as they both smiled and nodded, "Thank you thank you thank you!"

"You're welcome honey but there are ground rules. We're checking your phone once a week on a random day, so you better be responsible," Hailey told her, "You will not sleep with it. It has to be on your desk and on the charger by 9,"

"Can I use it as an alarm?" She asked, looking between both of her parents for an answer.

"Yes as long as it stays on your desk," Jay told her but couldn't help smiling at his super excited daughter.

"Okay!"

"We're trusting you Kamryn. Be responsible. And if your grades start slipping, that's the first thing that's gonna go. Understand?"

"Yes sir," she smiled, finishing her dinner before she sat in the living room with her parents and played on her new phone.

It felt like a right of passage and like she was growing up. She was glad her parents were going to trust her and give her the chance to show them how responsible she actually was.