Chapter 6
Lucy
I’ve never been so grateful for a flight delay. Mom’s flight was two hours late, which gave me just enough time to make the apartment look like I’ve at least unpacked. I was even able to take a shower to make sure that I don’t still smell like Daddy.
When the knock comes at the door, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be to show my mom my first apartment. An apartment I’ve only spent a couple of nights in even though I’ve been here for weeks.
I open the door to find Mom standing in the hall with a too-bright smile on her face. I try to smile back, but I can already tell that she doesn’t like this place. Maybe she’ll be relieved when I tell her I’m moving out already.
“Hey stranger,” Dan calls out as he steps out of what’s probably his apartment.
I give him a tight-lipped smile.
“Haven’t seen you around,” he says.
I shrug even as my heart races in my chest. “I’ve been unpacking and getting familiar with the area. I’m sorry,” I tell him. “I forgot your name.”
“I’m Dan,” he says with a smile for both me and Mom.
“Lucy,” I tell him.
“I remember.” He sounds a little superior, but I let that go. “Is this your roommate?”
Mom giggles. Actually, giggles. I’m a little mortified, but I don’t say anything.
“My offer to be a tour guide still stands,” Dan says. “I could show you both around.”
“That might be fun,” Mom says.
I look at her as if she’s been body-swapped with an alien. Maybe she has. “I thought this was a girl’s weekend,” I remind her.
She hasn’t even had the chance to pick apart my new place.
She hasn’t even complained about how full the parking lot is.
I’m torn. If we let Dan show us around, Mom will be on her best behavior.
But Daddy will be pissed. He doesn’t like Dan.
To be honest, I wouldn’t have given Dan my number even if Daddy hadn’t intervened.
“I did promise to see her new place. Maybe later,” Mom says.
When she steps into my apartment, I close the door behind her. “Were you flirting with my neighbor?” I ask her.
“What? No, of course not,” Mom scoffs. “But it is nice to be flirted with.”
Even if it’s by someone who will apparently move so easily from one woman to another? I don’t say that, but I think it. I also wonder how my father would feel about her flirting with someone young enough to be her son.
“Is everything okay?” I ask Mom.
“Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”
Mom sounds defensive. The last thing I need is her in a sour mood, so I redirect. “What do you think of my apartment?”
“It’s about half the size of the hotel room I just checked into. Where will you sleep?”
I frown at her. “Dad bought me a Murphy bed and had it installed. Didn’t he tell you?”
Mom’s lips push forward into an angry frown. Great. Now she’s pissed. My father and I will both hear about it.
To distract her, I offer to show her around campus.
Maybe I should have let Dan distract her.
Luckily for me, he’s in the parking lot when we head down to get into Mom’s rental.
I don’t complain when he invites himself along or when Mom accepts.
I don’t know what kind of mood Mom’s in, but I just need to get through this weekend.
I text Daddy to let him know what’s going on.
So, Mom took Dan up on his offer to play tour guide.
WTF? Where are you going with that asshole?
Mom invited him to show us around.
I’m coming to get you.
No. Then Mom will know.
If she’s setting you up with that little shit, then I want her to know you have something better.
She seems to be more interested in him for herself. They’re talking as if I’m not here.
Where are you?
We’re driving around campus right now, then I think we’re all going to lunch.
Where?
Daddy, I don’t know. I’m currently being ignored, and I’m not about to insert myself into the conversation.
Share your location.
Daddy, no.
Share your location so I know where you are.
Since we’re moving around so much, I give in and share my location. When Mom parks in the same parking structure that Daddy did that first day, I leave my phone in the car. I don’t want a showdown between my mother and my father’s best friend.
But as we sit down to lunch, I get more and more worried about Daddy being angry. What if he gets so angry that he leaves and then doesn’t return my calls? What if he realizes that I’m not worth all this work?
“Mom,” I say, interrupting their banter.
Her eyes widen. I was careful not to call her Mom because it seemed she liked being thought of as my friend.
“You’re too young to be Lucy’s mom,” Dan says right on cue.
Mom laughs.
I throw up in my mouth a little. “I left my phone in the car. Can I have the keys?”
“It’ll be fine in the car,” she says.
“I wouldn’t want someone to break into your rental car because they see a phone on the seat,” I tell her, even though I was careful to tuck my phone out of sight.
Mom sighs. “Fine,” she says and hands me her keys.
Daddy’s beside the car when I get there.
“You’ve been a naughty girl, Lucy.”
“I know. I’m sorry, Daddy. Don’t be mad.”
“Your mother’s going to have to find out sooner or later. Wouldn’t it be better if we tell her together?”
“She’s acting weird,” I tell him.
Daddy frowns as he pulls me closer. “You look scared. Is your mom’s behavior scaring you?”
I shake my head. “I was worried that you’d,” I swallow. “That you’d realize that I’m not worth it, that you’d leave.”
He smirks at me. “I know what a good thing we have, Lucy. I’m not leaving. If I were going to leave, I’d let you delay telling your mom as long as you wanted. But I do have a way you can make it up to me.”