Missing Pages

Kathleen Kippen tapped her hands on the wheel, moving slightly to the beat of the rock song humming on low volume through the speakers of her car as she eyed the house in front of her. It was getting progressively darker outside, and excited kids were starting to pour out the front door, signaling the middle school “rager” was coming to a close. Nevertheless, there were still some wild looking lights shining out from the windows and she could make out the sound of blaring pop music even from her vantage point in her car. She smirked to herself, laughing internally at her own memories of being an awkward middle schooler trying to navigate socializing and growing up. The nostalgia warmed into tenderness as she considered how old her own kiddo was becoming. Or, what happens between TJ and his mom during the car-ride home after Andi's party.