“I’m just teasing you, sweetie,” Bette interrupted him, in soothing tones. “I can almost see what happened, so I know you didn’t plan on things getting in the way of your sister’s date.”

“I swear, mom! I learned my lesson from the time Brad and I pulled a prank on her and Bailey last year that really upset them when they were out with the other guys ….”

“I know, I know, honey,” Bette answered in the same soothing tone. “And you know that your sister and Bailey can never bring themselves to get as upset with you and Brad as you think.”   She paused.   “Speaking of being upset, give your sister some slack when she’s being affectionate with you, ok? She’s looking forward to Oxford but she’s really dreading leaving you here. She still sees herself as your protector, you know …”

He sighed. “I can take care of myself, mom.”

“I know you can, big guy. We all can see how big and strong you’ve become, but to Angie you’re still her little brother who she almost lost …”

“I get it, mom,” this time, he interrupted her. They fell silent.

After a minute he asked softly, “Are you over it, mom?”

He heard her stifle a sniffle, and after a few coughs, she answered, “TJ, a mom never gets over something like that.”

They fell silent again.

Then Bette tried to lighten their conversation. “So, I’m afraid you’ll always have paranoid women checking on you for the rest of your life!”

“I consider myself lucky having beautiful women checking on me all the time!” he answered gallantly.

TJ! So smooth already.

He added, “By the way, mom, I’m planning something for just her and I this Sunday.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Taking her with me when Matthew sends a car over to take me to the motor club…”

“You mean for your driving lessons?” she asked curiously.

“Uh huh. But this’ll be driving lesson ride that she’ll never forget! We’ll be driving one of Matthew’s cars…”

“Hmmm…. what are you up to Thomas?” Bette’s voice adoped a slightly stricter tone.

“Everything’s safe, mom, I promise,” he answered quickly. “Matthew has been letting me practice on one of his cars. The instructor’s been with me every time. We do it after the lessons.”