𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐒𝐄. - 𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧

011. extending the vacation

"MOM, DO YOU KNOW where my grey top went? I've looked everywhere and can't find it." Tatum yells from her bedroom, looking through her drawers for the fourth time. She's been packing since she left the Cameron residence and only has a couple of hours left before she needs to take off.

"Honey, have you tried to look in the hampers in the laundry room?" Kelly's voice echoes down the hall, she's busy finishing up some computer work for her job, answering the last of her emails.

"Already checked there! I can't leave without it, Owen bought it as a Christmas gift last year." She sighs out of stress. It's no where to be found. Tatum's already putting an imagine in her head of how she's going to tell Owen she's lost the top.

Kelly clicks off of her computer, making her way from her office to her daughter's old bedroom. "Did you think to check underneath that bed of yours?" She arches an eyebrow.

When Tatum comes to that realization, she rolls her eyes for her lack of common sense. The girl bends down, adjusting her eyes to the change of lighting from down there, looking for her grey shirt. It is in fact under her bed.

She releases out another sigh, showcasing the grey top to her mother. Kelly has plastered an I-told-you-so smirk on her face, humming out her motherly instincts. "Even after all these years, you still manage to lose things under there."

"Ugh, I can't believe myself. Thank you." Tatum presses the palm of her hand over her forehead, throwing the gray top in her suitcase like the rest of her clothes.

"Are you sure you don't want to extend your stay? It feels as if you've just got here." Kelly takes a step into her bedroom, pulling her daughter into her arms.

"I made the amends I needed to make and it's time for me to get back to work and back to Owen, Mom." Tatum smiles, shaking her head as she finishes up the last of her packing.

"A couple of days won't hurt, Tate. Midsummer's coming up in a couple of days and everyone has been expecting to see you there. Please, honey?" Kelly won't let her go without a fight.

She hasn't seen her daughter in person in so long. Tatum can't just leave in such a hurry and not on Kelly's watch. However, Tatum drops what she's doing to face her. She looks right into her Mother's eyes, having a hard time deciding to do what her mother wishes or to go with her own plan.

"I don't know, Mom. Owen's expecting me at JFK in a couple of hours. I can't get his hopes up." Tatum pouts her lips out at the thought of leaving her fiancé standing with all the patient waiting he's been doing.

"With all these amazing things you've told us about Owen, sweetie, I'm sure he'll understand if you want to spend a couple of more days with your family who you haven't seen in years." Kelly makes sure her last words are heard by Tatum.

Now, there's no way she's going to say no after that. "I'll give Owen a call then." Tatum gives in, finally. Kelly smiles, exclaiming as she hugs her daughter tight.

TWO DAYS LATER

TATUM'S NOW STAYING over with the Cameron family. She figured on her last couple of days here, she can give her full attention to her second family since she already has done the same thing for her parents.

For the past two nights, she's had a sleepover in both Wheezie and Sarah's rooms. And now the three are getting ready for the annual Midsummer event of the summer. It's nearly impossible, but the three make it possible to fit all of them in Sarah's bathroom.