This is sort of a filler chapter for Megan. Just needed to set the stage for where she is going to college and who will be around.

Chapter 24: Megan Age 17

Leo (19), Allison (18)

"Hi Mom!" Megan exclaimed, going to the kitchen after school. "Do you need any help making dinner?"

Teddy looked at her funny, wondering what her particularly happy demeanor was all about. "Can you peel potatoes?"

Megan got to work, the smile on her face not fading.

"How was your day?" Teddy asked.

"Really great," Megan told her. "Guess what?"

"I have no idea," Teddy admitted. "You got an A on your math test?"

"Well, yes, but that's nothing new. Sarah got into Stanford too!"

"She did?" Teddy replied happily. "That's fantastic. Is she going to go?"

Megan nodded. "I think so. I was thinking maybe we could go on a college tour together. Do you think we could schedule that?"

Teddy agreed and set up a tour for them.

After the campus tour, Megan, Sarah, Teddy, and Tom walked around Stanford's campus on their own to see more. Megan and Sarah were walking with their arms linked together at the elbows with Tom and Teddy trailing behind them. The girls had been all smiles and laughs as they toured the campus leaving no doubt that they were both going to attend this school.

"I loved the science center," Sarah told Megan.

"I thought the dorms were a good size," Megan commented.

"I can't wait until we can decorate ours," Sarah added.

"Definitely teal and gray," Megan suggested. Sarah nodded in agreement.

Behind them, Tom and Teddy looked at each other skeptically.

"They're rooming together?" Tom whispered to Teddy.

Teddy shrugged. "I didn't know that until right now."

Tom looked like he might speak up.

"Don't," Teddy instructed. "I'll talk to her about it later."

After they returned home, Teddy went to Megan's room to talk.

"Hey, so how did you like it?" Teddy asked her.

"I loved it," Megan told her. "I'm so excited."

"And if Sarah decided she wasn't going there?" Teddy questioned.

"Well, I'd be disappointed. But, I'd still want to," Megan told her. "It doesn't matter though cause she loved it too."

"Good," Teddy replied. "Meg, we heard you two talking about sharing a dorm room."

Megan sighed, already knowing where this was headed. "Mom, we'll be adults. You can't stop us from living together. Anything that's going to happen is going to happen whether we live together or not. Not to mention-"

"Megan, sweetheart, slow down," Teddy told her, knowing she was about to give a full out speech on why they should be allowed to live together at college. "I just think it'd be a mistake for you two to live together."

"Why?"

"Because college is different from high school," Teddy told her. "I want you to make friends, and I know you and Sarah tend to keep to yourselves. I think you two would use it as an excuse to not meet other people."

"What's so bad about that?" Megan asked.

"I think you'd be missing out on so much that college has to offer," Teddy explained. "Also, if something were to happen between you two, you would be stuck living together for the rest of the year."

"You think we're going to break up?" Megan asked, slightly panicked. "I thought you liked Sarah."

"Of course, I like Sarah," Teddy promised. "I'm just saying that people grow when they go to college. And, not always in the same direction or at the same time. I don't want to see you stuck in a bad situation if it doesn't work out."

"We wouldn't grow apart," Megan insisted, not liking this conversation.

"Just think about it, okay?" Teddy encouraged. "I would be telling you not to live with her even if you two were just friends. A lot of people can't handle living with their best friend."

Megan nodded. "I'll think about it."

"What do you think of these?" Sarah asked Megan showing her a picture of some cute hanging lights. "I was thinking we could hang them above the bed."

Megan looked at them quickly then flopped her head back down on Sarah's pillows.

"You don't like them?" she asked.

"I love them," Megan replied. "I just don't know if we should dorm together."

Sarah looked disappointed and Megan put her head on Sarah's shoulder.

"Why not?" she asked.

Megan explained what her mom had said.

"Break up?" Sarah asked. "Are we planning to do that? Because I definitely will not be okay with that."

Megan smiled. "Me neither. But, I just think we'll be a lot stronger if we don't live together."

Sarah sighed. "Okay, you're right. As always."

"You still love me?"

"More than anything," Sarah promised, kissing her.

"Hey, Meg," Liam said, running into her in the hall at school.

"Hey, Liam," Megan greeted. She was happy that Liam was starting to come around to being friends again. They didn't hang out like they used to but at least they would talk to each other when they saw each other around. "What's new?"

"I chose a college," he informed her.

"You did?! Where?" Megan asked, happy for him. He had always questioned whether he was going to go to college. He wanted to, but never knew if he could afford it without loans and wasn't sure he wanted to be that far in debt.

"Notre Dame de Namur," he replied. "They gave me so much financial aid that I will only be taking out a little bit in loans each year."

"That's amazing! Congrats!" Megan said, hugging him. She stepped back realizing that he probably didn't want her hugging him. He just smiled at her slightly to let her know that he wasn't upset. "I'm going to Stanford. It's like 20 minutes down the road."

Liam nodded. "Maybe we could carpool for trips home on holidays."

"That'd be nice," Megan agreed. "Oh, but Sarah is going to Stanford too."

"You know I don't hate her, right?" Liam asked.

"You don't?"

"No," Liam insisted. "I don't hate either of you. I mean, I was sad for a while but I couldn't hate you for being honest with yourself."

"Oh," Megan said. "Well, I'm glad we can hang out again. I've missed you."

"Me too," Liam agreed.

Megan and Sarah posed for pictures in their caps and gowns. Teddy couldn't believe her last baby was graduating from high school.

"I should run through my speech one more time," Megan suggested.

"No, no more practicing," Sarah insisted.

"Yeah, sweetheart, you know that speech inside out," Tom encouraged.

Megan sighed nervously. She couldn't believe that she was being forced to give a speech just because she was valedictorian. It felt like being punished for getting the best grades.

They went to the school after pictures and Megan and Sarah went to where all the students were lining up, while the rest of the family went to the auditorium.

Tom and Teddy found Owen and Amelia who were saving their seats. Leo, Allison, and Brian had all made it to the event as well.

"Can you believe she's graduating?" Owen asked Teddy and Tom.

"I feel old," Tom told him. " I feel like it was just yesterday that your sister handed me that tiny baby in the ambulance bay."

"I have no memory of that whatsoever," Teddy said. "But, no, I can't believe all the kids are going to be out of the house."

The graduation ceremony started and they all went quiet. Megan gave her speech and after a few lines of nervousness became more comfortable with talking in front of the huge crowd. Everyone cheered for her when she finished. Then, diplomas were handed out to each student.

Afterwards, the whole family went back to the house to celebrate. Sarah and her parents came to the house as well as Evelyn, Megan, Nathan, Farouk, and Theo who had been at Theo's graduation that same morning. They had cake to celebrate the three graduates.