Chapter 440: Tree Hill Hall
Monday, February 13th, Evening
The sounds of a car coming into the drive piqued her attention. Looking up, she listened and nodded; it was the car she expected it to be. Next, she turned to a wall clock and confirmed it by the time on the face of the clock.
"PJ, Key, come bring the plates to the table," Chase called out.
Two of her daughters came into the kitchen and collected two plates each. "Make sure you wash your hands," Chase said.
"Yes, Momma," PJ said.
"Yes, Momma," Key said.
Chase nodded, "BB, Col, wash your hands; it's dinner time," she called out.
Two more sets of feet came pounding into the kitchen. They both disappeared into the nearby water closet. Chase smiled and looked at the backdoor as it opened, and Brett stepped into the kitchen.
"Just in time, dinners on the table," Chase said and held out a plate.
Brett nodded, dropped her bags, and took the plate from Chase. "You didn't have to hold dinner," she said.
"Nonsense, the horde could wait for a half-hour," Chase said, took her plate, and headed towards the dining room.
Once in the dining room, Chase took her seat at the end of the table. The four young kids took their places. Brett came in and took her seat in-between Key and PJ.
"How was practice?" PJ asked.
"Yeah, Brett, how was practice?" Key asked.
"It's good; we're getting ready for conference," Brett said.
"Who are you playing in the first game?" Brett asked.
"Laney, again," Brett said.
"That's what, the third time this year?" Chase asked.
"Fourth," Brett said.
"That's going to be a tough game," Chase said.
Brett nodded, "Yeah, I'm expecting it to be a tough fight," she said.
"Yeah, I remember watching your dad and mom go through it all our senior year," Chase said.
Brett nodded, "Yeah," she said.
"Eat, y'all still have chores, homework, and baths to take before bed," Chase said.
"Momma," PJ said.
"Yes, Peeg?" Chase asked.
"I take a shower," PJ said.
"So, do I," Key said.
"Neither of you needs to be wiseasses," Chase said.
"Momma, you used a bad word," BB said.
"Don't worry about it, BB; Y'all will probably be using it a lot when you get older," Chase said.
"Oh!" BB said.
Chase looked to Brett, "I heard your dad is taking you out for some deer therapy," she said.
"Daddy is bringing you into the woods?" PJ asked.
"Why isn't Daddy bringing us?" Key asked.
"PJ, Key, your Daddy brings y'all out plenty of times; it's Brett's turn," Chase said.
"Why are you going out into the woods?" PJ asked.
"I need to talk to Daddy; it's his idea," Brett said.
Chase nodded and ate a bit of her dinner. "The question is do we get the meat, or are we donating it?" she asked.
"I don't know; we didn't discuss it," Brett said.
Chase nodded, "What about another trophy?" she asked.
"Momma Chase, if I get one, and only if, it wouldn't be my first. Unless it had one hell of a rack, I wouldn't be mounting it," she said.
Chase chuckled and took a sip of her water. After that, she took another bite of her dinner.
"What was that, Momma?" PJ asked.
"Just something that I was told once," Chase said.
"What was it, Momma?" PJ asked.
"Have to have one hell of a rack, or I won't mount it," Chase said.
"Was that Daddy Huck?" Brett asked, teasing.
"No," Chase said.
"Why would Daddy say that?" Key asked.
"Because he was talking about the deer antlers," PJ said.
"Oh, that's what he's talking about," Key said.
"Let's go with that," Brett said.
"Go with what?" Col asked.
"They're talking about the deer horns," BB said.
"Just for the record, it wasn't your Daddy that told me that," Chase said.
"I don't need to know more," Brett said.
"Why not, Brett?" Col asked.
"I just don't," Brett said.
Chase shook her head, "So, Brett, how was work?" she asked.
"Busy, crazy today, there was a camera crew in The Scott Building today," Brett said.
"Oh, yeah, what was that about?" Chase asked.
"Mags said there is a film crew making a film about Brian Scott," Brett said.
"So, someone is making a movie about your wayward uncle," Chase said.
"Yeah, and he was never an uncle to me," Brett said, her voice stern.
"Well, he's not a lot of things to a lot of people," Chase said.
"Daddy James is such a good person; why isn't Brian?" Brett asked.
Chase sighed, "That's like asking why the sun rises in the east and sets in the west," she said.
"The Earth's rotation, Momma," PJ said.
"Of course, PJ, but why in that direction," Chase said.
"Oh," PJ said.
"Anyway, I was on the phone with Anya Wolfle for like five minutes," Brett said.
"Oh cool, Anya Wolfle, what did she say, Brett?" PJ asked.
"I love Anya Wolfle," Key said.
"What did she want?" Chase asked, disinterested.
"I guess she wanted to fix some vocal tracks and wanted to book a studio and an engineer," Brett said, with a shrug, "I don't know I transferred her to Mags."
"Anya Wolfle is coming here?" Key asked, excited.
"OMG! Brett, you have to take us to meet her," PJ said.
"That's a big ask, PJ," Chase said.
"I don't know if she's even coming here," Brett said.
"Also, please don't put your sister on the spot like that," Chase said.
"Yes, Momma," PJ said.
"Yes, Momma," Key said.
"Well, anyway, there was a band in one of the studios today," Brett said.
"Anyone good?" Chase asked.
"I don't know, Mirror of Wit; I checked out on them," Brett said.
"Well, finish your dinner, y'all. Y'all have chores, homework, and baths to take before bed," Chase said, "And yes, PJ, Key, I know you take showers."
Chase ended the table talk and let the family finish dinner. Afterward, they did their nightly routine.
AN: Due to some behind-the-scenes family issues I will be taking the rest of the year off. Will see you back here in January
