Sway (Landry Family 1)

She opens the door herself and slams it behind her.

Troy looks at me over his shoulder and, after one quick glance, he speeds us away from Daphne’s house.

Alison

Lola: I can go with you.

HER TEXT IS SIMPLE. AND I know she means it. She would be here in a second with her bags packed and ready to go if I wanted her to.

But this isn’t a girl’s weekend away. This is me trying to find some space to breathe without things coming at me from every direction. Between Huxley’s photographer situation, Barrett being with Daphne, Lacy finding me at work and then losing my job on top of it, I’m just simply overwhelmed.

I’m not sure what will happen if the incident at Luxor goes to the press. Will they be here, camping out on my doorstep like before? It’s not something I want to risk.

I just want to sort this all out somewhere safe and quiet and away from anyone that would have any input into my decisions. Whatever I decide has to come from me with no influence.

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Quickly, I type back a message to Lo.

Me: I know you would. It just makes more sense right now to leave . . . him? I feel like this is all boiling down and I just need to get away.

She responds right away.

Lola: Just don’t boil down with it.

I leave a voice message for my mother, letting her know I’m fine and that we’re taking a little getaway for the weekend. Trying to keep it light, I don’t tell her about anything that happened. There’s no need to worry her too. Lola went by and grabbed Huxley for me so she didn’t have to see me crying.

My phone alerts me that the battery is dying as I slide it in my pocket and lock the door. I join Huxley in the car.

“Did you get everything?” I ask, starting it up and backing down the driveway.

“Yup. I guess. I mean, I don’t know where we’re going, so it’s hard to know for sure.”

“Well, where do you want to go?” I ask, taking off down the street.

He shrugs and looks at me from beneath his Arrows cap. “Why are we leaving, Mom? Did something happen?”

I pat his leg and give him my best smile. “No, baby. I just thought, you know, me and you could get away and have some fun for a couple of days.”

“All right.”

He hums along to the radio, watching the trees go by. I try to pay attention to the road and not let my mind get carried away. My head is throbbing from being sick and crying, my throat still raw. My nerves are completely frayed as we get farther out of town.

After a half hour, Hux looks at me, his eyes serious. “Mom?”

“Yeah, baby?”

“I know you’ve been crying.”

My heart breaks at the worry in his eyes, the one thing I try desperately to never let him feel. I want him to grow up confident, knowing everything is okay. Not worrying about adult problems until he’s an adult, and if I can keep him from it then, I know I will. Huxley is my life, comes before anything in my world, and the look on his face destroys me.

“Girls cry sometimes, Hux. You know that.” I try to laugh and play it off, but he doesn’t bite.

“I know. The girls in my class cry all the time about really stupid stuff. But you’re not just a girl. You’re my mom. You’re tough. So if you cry . . . maybe I should worry.”

“No, you shouldn’t,” I say. “Because no matter what happens, as long as I have you, everything will be okay.”

He tilts his little head. “Did you have a fight with Barrett?”