Disclaimer - I have no idea the relative merits of CCA over USC. I own not one hair on the characters' heads.

Ryan was sitting at the table, eating his breakfast. Seth stumbled into the kitchen, still wearing his robe. He sat down opposite Ryan, looking at him bleary-eyed. "Hey man, did Grandpa give you the days off?"

"No," he answered, taking another bite of his cereal. Ryan didn't bother qualifying his answer with the fact that he hadn't actually asked Caleb for the time.

Seth opened his eyes a little wider and looked at Ryan. "You didn't ask him." It was more of a statement than a question.

"What's the point, Seth?"

"The point, my friend, is a road trip. You and me, some quality Seth-Ryan time before we have to start classes next month."

"We're going to be living together in an apartment, attending USC together. Which is why a trip to San Francisco to check out the College of the Arts campus is pointless. I'm not going."

"You applied for a reason, Ryan. You must have wanted to go there at least a little."

"It was your mom's idea. I knew I wouldn't get in and I was right."

"No, you got wait-listed and now there's a spot open." Seth switched tactics. "Come on, man," he whined. "I'm bored. I've been hanging around Newport all summer. I need to get away!"

"If you had a job instead of sitting around doing nothing, you wouldn't be so bored," Ryan told him pointedly.

Seth was indignant. "I have a job."

Ryan shook his head. "Teaching Chester and his sister to sail a couple of times a week isn't a job."

Kirsten breezed into the kitchen in a business suit. She went straight for the coffee and poured herself a large mug full. "Ryan, are you almost ready to leave?"

Ryan swallowed the rest of his orange juice and stood up to clear his dishes. "Yeah, I just need to grab my bag from the pool house."

"Mom, do you think Ryan could get a few days off next week?" Seth asked. Ryan shot daggers at Seth.

"That's really up to Grandpa, Seth. Ryan's in his division. But I don't see it being a problem." She looked over at Ryan. "You just have to ask, Ryan."

"Yeah, I know. I just haven't decided if I need the time or not."

Kirsten's interest was piqued. "Why? What do you two have planned?"

Ryan shot a warning look to Seth, asking him not to say anything. Seth either didn't understand the look, or chose to ignore it. "Ryan got a letter from the California College of Arts in San Francisco. They have a spot for him if he wants to go."

Ryan quickly replied, "Which I don't. I'm going to USC. So there's no point in going to San Francisco."

"CCA?" Kirsten asked. "Oh, Ryan, you have to at least go look. They have such a great architecture program, and the classes are small. I think you'd do well at a small college."

Ryan looked defeated. "I know. That's how you convinced me to apply in the first place. But USC has a good architecture program too." Ryan looked at Seth and Kirsten's hopeful eyes. Seth's were hopeful because he wanted a road trip; Kirsten's were hopeful because she really liked the idea of CCA. "All right. We'll go look. I'll talk to Caleb today."

Seth started doing a happy dance and singing, "We're going on a road trip; we're going on a road trip."

Ryan shook his head at Seth. "We won't be if you keep acting like that." Then he added, almost to himself, "I can't believe I just agreed to spend over six hours with you in a car."
Ryan knocked on the doorjamb of Caleb's open office door. "Mr Nichol, can I talk with you?"

Caleb looked up and smiled. "Ryan, come in. And I told you, call me Caleb. You're practically my grandson."

Ryan walked into the office. "I know, and I do at the house, but everyone else here calls you Mr Nichol, and I don't want them to think I get preferential treatment." He looked abashed as he sat down opposite Caleb. "It's bad enough they know how I got the job in the first place."

Caleb smiled to himself. He wished he had gotten to know the boy sooner. The more Ryan said, which wasn't much, the more impressed Caleb became. And he had proven to be a fast learner and a hard worker. Caleb never saw Ryan slacking off with the other interns; he always had his head down, getting things done. Even when the thing that needed to be done was just getting coffee. "What can I do for you, Ryan?"

"I was wondering if I could get a couple of days off next week."

"I thought you just said you didn't want preferential treatment," Caleb said gruffly, though he was actually teasing.

Ryan started to stand up. "No, you're right. Forget it. Never mind."

Caleb backed off. "Ryan, sit down. Tell me why you need the time."

"Seth wants to go to San Francisco."

"You can go on the weekend and you can tell Seth that most people have jobs and can't take off anytime they please."

"I did tell him that," Ryan muttered. A little louder he added, "We have to go during the week to check out a college campus."

"I thought you boys were both going to USC."

"We are. But California College of the Arts sent a letter, offering me a place there if I want it. Which I don't. But Seth wants a road trip and Kirsten thinks I should at least look."

"CCA? They have a great architecture school."

"So does USC. I already had this conversation with Kirsten." Ryan was starting to wonder why everyone thought he should go to San Francisco.

"Well, it won't hurt to go up and look around. When would you be going?"

Ryan had to think about it. He hadn't planned on going so he hadn't thought this far ahead. "The letter said the advisor would be available Tuesday to meet, so I'd need Monday to drive up and Wednesday to drive back?"

Caleb was surprised. "You don't want any extra time there? I'll give you Thursday too, in case you decide to stay an extra day, or need a day to recover from the trip."

Ryan started to protest, but Caleb held up his hand to stop him. Ryan acquiesced. "OK. But if I'm back and want to come in, I can?"

Caleb had to admire the boy's work ethic. "Fine. But I don't want you here if you look like you're falling asleep."

Ryan nodded and stood up to leave. As he was walking away, Caleb said, "I hear you're helping Mike on the Stanfield project."

Ryan turned back toward Caleb, who continued, "He said you've been a big help and have a good eye."

"Thanks," Ryan replied. Then he turned and left.

Caleb almost told him to get back to work and stop slacking off, but stopped himself just in time. He figured the boy would take him seriously and work through lunch to make up for the time he had just spent.
Kirsten met Caleb over lunch for their weekly meeting. After the business was dispensed with and they got down to the actual eating, Caleb said, "Ryan came by my office today. He got in to CCA?"

"He was wait-listed in the spring. They sent him an acceptance letter a few days ago."

"His portfolio must be impressive."

"I wouldn't know. He didn't show it to us. Seth might have seen some of it, though. His art teacher was impressed, and she showed us some of his work from school but I don't know what he included from that." Kirsten liked that her father was finally taking an interest in Ryan. She knew that if he spent time with Ryan, he would win Caleb over. "So did you let him go?"

"Of course. You know what Seth wants, Seth gets."

"Dad, that's not fair."

"I'm joking, Kiki. It's a great opportunity and I don't want anyone claiming I was holding him back. CCA's the top architecture school in California. Though he doesn't seem excited about it."

"I know. I'm hoping once he goes up and sees the campus and the facilities that he'll be won over."

"Do you really want him to move that far away?"

"No, Dad. If it were up to me, he and Seth would both live at home forever and never leave us. But that's not entirely realistic. I'm comforted by the knowledge that he'll come back. I wasn't always sure, but I am now."

"Mike wasn't happy to hear he was losing Ryan for a few days. He's got Ryan helping him on the Stanfield project and doing more than he probably should. He's got a report due next week that he was hoping Ryan could help with. I told him to use one of the other interns – that went over like a lead balloon."

Kirsten was pleased. Mike was well known for his perfectionism and his tight control over his projects. She was proud that Ryan was fitting in so well, especially since it's what he wanted to do as a career.
Mike walked up to Ryan, who was working at his desk. "What are you doing to me, kid? The report is due next week and you're going to leave me high and dry?"

"I'm sorry, Mike. Something came up unexpectedly and I have to do it. But I'll get as much done as I can before I go?"

"The data should be in later today. If you can get the analysis run before you leave tomorrow, that'd be great."

"I promise I'll get it done before I go away. How's that?"

"You're a lifesaver." Mike smiled at him. "CCA, huh? That's pretty impressive."

Ryan blushed. He hated having people know stuff about him, knowing that people were talking about him. "Yeah, it's..." he shrugged. "I'm not planning on going. Everyone wants me to check it out, but I'm pretty settled on USC. It's a good school too, you know." Ryan knew Mike had graduated from USC and wasn't going to disparage his alma mater.

"You're right. It is. You could do worse. But you're still going to leave me alone with this report?"

"I'll run the analysis for you before I go." Ryan smirked at Mike, "You can always get Robert to help you out."

Mike had no use for Robert, and Ryan knew it. "Thanks but no thanks. But if you can give the analysis to Lisa when you finish, I'll probably pull her in to help out. And that'll leave you running coffee again when you get back. That'll teach you," Mike laughed as he walked away.

Ryan watched Mike walk away. He really hated leaving him when the report was due, but Mike didn't seem genuinely upset by it. He looked around for something to do until the data arrived.
Ryan and Kirsten had just arrived home from work and were getting the take- out ready with Seth when Sandy arrived home.

"Hello, family!" he said enthusiastically.

"Yeah, hey Dad," Seth said absently as he sat down at the table. "So Ryan, are we all set to go next week?"

Sandy took off his jacket and sat down too. "Go where?" he asked Seth.

"San Francisco," Seth told him.

"Oh," replied Sandy as though it made perfect sense to him.

"Yeah," Ryan said as he sat down, "Caleb said it was no problem. I have until Wednesday or Thursday."

Sandy had processed the first bit of information and was confused again. "Why are you going to San Francisco?"

"To tour the CCA campus, Dad," Seth told him.

"Oh," Sandy replied again.

"So when are we leaving?" Seth wondered. "I was thinking Saturday..."

Ryan shook his head. "I'm not going for that long, Seth. I thought we'd go up Monday and come back Wednesday."

"Aren't we going to spend some time there?" Seth whined. "That just gives us time for your meeting."

"I thought the road trip part was the point of the trip."

Sandy broke in again, clearly confused. "Why are you touring the CCA campus?"

Kirsten decided to clear up Sandy's confusion as she brought the last take- out container to the table. "Ryan received a letter of acceptance from CCA the other day. They want him to go up and see the campus. Ryan doesn't want to, but Seth wants the time away and Dad and I think it wouldn't hurt Ryan to consider it."

"Caleb knows what's going on in this family before I do?"

Ryan jumped in. "No one knew until today and I had to ask Caleb for the time off." He looked chagrined. "I was going to tell you guys. Really."

"It's OK, Ryan. No one's blaming you." Kirsten shot a look at Sandy before focusing back on Ryan. "Why don't you boys leave on Sunday? That way you don't have to rush to get there and it'll give you a day in the city before you have to find the campus."

"I can live with Sunday. How 'bout it, Ryan? Sunday work for you?"

Ryan shook his head resignedly. "Why not? I've had no control over this whole thing from the beginning. I don't know why it should change now."

Seth smiled. "Good. Hey, you know what, Ryan?"

Ryan looked wearily at Seth.

Seth started dancing in his chair and singing, "We're going on a road trip; we're going on a road trip."

Ryan smiled in spite of himself. "You really have been spending too much time alone this summer, haven't you?"

Seth nodded his head and grinned. "I really have, Ryan. I really have."

TBC