Chapter 36 Games Of Control
GAMES OF CONTROL
“Are you going to be okay without me for two weeks, Mom?” Archer asked three weeks later.
“I’ll be fine,” she said, a smile tugging at her lips. “You’ve been gone before.”
“But not two weeks at a time,” Archer argued, nodding his head as if he were the authority on all things mother-son. “Am I going to see Jayce before I leave?”
She was walking around her son’s room and packing for his trip to his father’s. Two suitcases. One all set for them to fly out tomorrow morning to Disneyland and the other to stay at his father’s house for when he returned. What a pain this was, but it was what Tucker asked her to do.
To her, her son was going to need the same clothing for both weeks regardless of if he was in North Carolina or California.
“He’s on his way over now,” she said. “He wouldn’t let you leave without saying goodbye.”
“Will he stay here with you while I’m gone? To watch out for you?”
She hadn’t had Jayce spend the night again since the slumber party. It was just one of those hard things to navigate. It wasn’t as if Jayce was pressuring her to do it either. Maybe if he was, she would have taken that step.
But there he was, being patient again. Maybe she didn’t want that.
Maybe she needed to be shoved a little to get her feet moving.
Like what her son just asked.
“Would you be upset if he did?”
“No,” Archer said, shaking his head. “Because then I’ll know you’re not alone. I know you like it sometimes but not two full weeks, right?”
She stopped folding his shirts and turned to ruffle the hair on his head. “Two weeks is a long time without you. Whether or not Jayce is with me, I’m still going to miss you, but you’re going to have the time of your life. I’m glad you’re getting to go there.”
“Me too,” Archer said. “Disneyland is much better than Disney World. They’ve got new stuff and more things I like. I’m really happy Dad thought of it. Or did you?”
She hated he even had to question this. “Nope, this was all your father.”
“Really? You’re not just doing one of those little lies you said parents can do?”
She laughed. “Really.”
There was no need to mention that Tucker had lobbied for California. Bigger, flashier, grander, just like everything else her ex chased.
The best, the most expensive, the kind of things he could brag about later.
But for her, it wasn’t about any of that. It was simpler. This trip was about Archer. About seeing his smile in pictures he promised to send her from the new phone she’d bought him, giving him joy, hearing his laughter, and building memories that belonged only to her son and his father.
She just hoped to hell Tucker felt the same way and Archer came home just as happy as he was to go.
“Will it only be me and Dad?” Archer asked. “I asked him in an email, but he never answered. And you said he was happy about my report card, right?”
If she tossed his clothes into his suitcase harder than normal, she wasn’t to blame.
Typical of her ex to keep Archer in suspense on anything.
Well, she was going to let her son know what was going on. Or the little she was aware of.
“First off, your report card was exactly the same as the last one and Dad was happy you brought your science grade up, so he’d have no reason not to be happy with it this time, right?”
“True.”
“And second, Dad mentioned that there is another family that is flying with you. Not sure if they are staying the same time or not, but they’ve got two kids. One girl six and a boy ten.”
“Yes,” Archer said. “Someone to do things with. What are their names?”
“I don’t know. When you see Dad later, I’m sure he’ll fill you in. But remember, Dad’s best friend lives in California, so I’m sure you’re going to be visiting and doing things with them too. You’re there ten days, and you won’t be at Disneyland the whole time.”
“I know. What else am I doing?”
She shrugged. It’s not like Tucker shared with her everything they were going to do and she hadn’t asked. It wasn’t her business and if Tucker wanted to volunteer, it’d be up to him to do it.
She knew this was more about keeping Archer occupied for the trip more than anything else.
Once they were back in Wilmington, Tucker would return to work for the last three days that Archer was with his father and all she knew was that her son was staying with a friend of Tucker’s. No one she met, but she had to accept that Archer would be fine.
He could call her at any point or text if there was a problem.
“I don’t know. I’m sure it’s all going to be fun. And I hear a car door if you want to run down and get it. I’m sure it’s Jayce.”
Her son ran out of the room while she zipped up his first suitcase for his trip and put it on the floor.
She heard Archer talking to Jayce while she put the other clothes on the bed into the second suitcase. Tucker would have to do laundry at some point, she was sure, but there were fifteen outfits packed, along with extra sneakers and swimsuits.
Her last sweep of the bathroom got what he needed there and she pulled down the two suitcases.
“Mom, Jayce put his cell phone number into my phone. He said he wants me to send him pictures too.”
“That’s very nice,” she said. “Remember, we are working during the day and the time zone difference. We are three hours ahead of you so if we don’t reply right away, we could be busy.”
“I know,” Archer said. “I told Jayce he doesn’t have to reply to every text.”
“Good, because he might not. The same with me if I’m with patients.”
“I told Jayce he could stay with you while I’m gone too. That it’s his job to be the man of the house and watch out for you. He said he’d do it.”
She smiled sweetly and winked at her boyfriend. “I’m sure he has no problem doing it.”
“I enjoy keeping you in line,” he said, moving closer to her. “Are you sure you’re good going alone?”
“I’m only driving an hour,” she said, “and then turning around after I meet Tucker.” They always met at the same place. A restaurant parking lot. She could go in and use the bathroom if need be and turn around and be back on her way quickly enough.
“Are you staying with Mom tonight?” Archer asked.
“If she wants me too.”
She found it funny that he was playing it this way. “I’d like that. You’re good with it, Archer?”
“Yep. Mom makes the best French toast. You know. You had it the morning after my sleepover. I’m going to miss it. Dad just makes me toast or eggs. Not the good stuff.”
“You’ll be staying in a hotel for ten days. No one is cooking, so you’ll get lots of good stuff. And try not to stuff your face too much and get a bellyache.”
“Dad’s a doctor. He can fix me like you.”
He could, but he wouldn’t have the same gentle hand.
And she had to remind herself that was life.
No harm would come to her son with his father other than maybe he wouldn’t be as comfortable or mentally relaxed.
“There you go,” Jayce said. “You’re going to have a great time. I’m jealous.”
“You’ve never been to Disney before?”
“We went to Disney World once, but not Disneyland. I’ve been to California before with work for my last job. Maybe I should have checked it out.”
“Or we can go sometime,” Archer said. “The three of us. Right, Mom?”
“Let’s get through this trip first,” she said. She looked at her watch. “Sorry, we’ve got to get on the road.”
“I’ll be here when you get back. I’ll have lunch waiting for you.”
She was meeting Tucker at eleven.
“I’ll be starving too. Archer, run to the bathroom while I look over your carry-on bag. Remember, if you take anything out of this today, put it back or you won’t have it in California.”
It was one change of clothing if there were flight issues, plus her son’s electronics and his epi-nasal spray along with some Benadryl.
“I won’t take anything out, I promise. Dad doesn’t let me play games much either, but at least I can on the plane.”
“That’s right. It will help. Go to the bathroom and I’ll put your stuff in the car.”
“I’ve got it,” Jayce said. “Are you going to be okay bringing him? I can go with you so you’re not alone driving home and upset.”
“I’ll be fine. I’ve been doing this for years.”
“But not for two weeks.”
“It’s different this time,” she said quietly.
She wouldn’t be coming home to a completely empty house with echoes of her son’s laughter. She wouldn’t be watching the clock counting down the time until he’d be home because she was lonely. She wouldn’t be sitting by herself eating all her meals in silence.
Jayce would be here for most of it. Not the full two weeks, but both weekends and a few days during the week.
Maybe it’d be too much for them, but they’d had too little also.
She needed this as much as she was positive he did.
“I’m ready,” Archer yelled, coming out of the bathroom. “I just pooped too. So I’m good.”
“Thanks for sharing that,” she said.
Archer put his hand up to slap Jayce. “Did you wash extra good this time?” he asked, hesitating to slap palms.
“Yes,” Archer said sarcastically.
“How about a hug too?” Jayce asked.
Archer jumped and smacked their hands, then gave Jayce a hug. She did the same and she left through the mudroom and into the garage with Jayce pulling both suitcases. Arguing she had it would fall on deaf ears.
The hour drive to meet Tucker flew by and they arrived before her ex like always. She often wondered if he did it on purpose so he wouldn’t be the one waiting with a kid in the car.
Just one of his little games of control he’d had in the past.
She long since gave up trying to figure Tucker out or even worrying.
“Can I get a drink before Dad gets here?” Archer asked.
“I’d rather not,” she said. “You’ll just have to go to the bathroom because you slurped it down.”
“Can I ask Dad when he gets here?”
“You can,” she said. “He is the one making those decisions.”
“Here he is. That’s his car, isn’t it?”
She turned to see the BMW pull in. “Yes.”
She popped the trunk on her car and got out while Tucker pulled next to them. Archer was standing by the car too.
The minute Tucker climbed out, Archer went to hug his father. Tucker returned it, barely. She wouldn’t say a word. He just wasn’t a touchy feely type of person. He never was.
Not for any kind of emotional support.
“Hi, Dad.”
“Hey, bud. Are you excited for this trip?”
“I’m really excited. But I’m thirsty. Can I get a drink? Mom said no because she didn’t want me to have to pee on the ride to your house.”
She held back a smirk. The fact Archer said she’d already told him no, meant Tucker would go against her decision. There was part of her that hated her son might have figured that out already.
“I’ll get your bags out if your mother wants to grab you a drink inside. We won’t eat lunch for a bit as I’ve got to run some errands, so if you want something else, get that too.”
That was where communication would come in handy.
“Are you fine with him eating chicken strips and fries in your car? It’s not as messy as a burger might be.”
“Whatever he wants,” Tucker said.
That was a new one. Maybe this was going to be a great trip for her son.
“Come on, Archer, let’s cross to that parking lot next door and get your lunch. Did you want anything, Tucker?” Might as well be polite.
“If you don’t mind grabbing me a black coffee.”
“Sure.”
When they returned five minutes later, Tucker was impatiently sitting in the car. “It took you long enough.”
“Actually, we were waited on and served right away. If I knew he could eat prior I would have taken care of it since we’ve been sitting here waiting for you.”
Tucker took the coffee and didn’t address her. “Give your mom one more hug and we’ve got to hit the road.”
“Bye, Mom,” Archer said, hugging her tight.
“You have fun,” she said, battling back the tears. “You can call or text me when you want, but if Dad says you have to put the phone away, you need to do it also.”
“He’s too young for that,” Tucker said. “But you don’t listen.”
“I’m paying for it, not you.”
It probably had more to do with the fact Archer might want to have communication with his father that way and Tucker would have to navigate how much to answer or ignore a call or text over an email that was easier for him to say he wasn’t at a computer often.
Archer knew his father was on his phone all the time, but he hadn’t figured out Tucker did all his emails there also.
Those days would come that Tucker would have to explain more.
But it wouldn’t be today as she watched her son drive away.
Today she had someone to go home to so that she wasn’t quite as sad as she’d always been when dropping off her son.