The Fallen Lords had business to take care of.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Star
Mom wasn’t in “Mac the Producer” mode right now.
She was definitely inmommode.
I could tell because she was sitting too close to me and kept glancing up every time someone laughed too loud, like she was counting heads.
“If I never would have had you come work for the show,” she muttered suddenly, “this never would have happened.”
I turned my head toward her and laughed.“A little too late to change that.”
She sighed, rubbing her forehead.“Yeah.”
For a second, we just watched the TV in silence.
“Speaking of school,” Mom said, glancing at me sideways, “what are your plans when the semester starts in the fall?”
I knew what she was asking.
Not justschool, everything that came with it.
I leaned back into the couch cushions and shrugged.“Same thing I did the last three fall semesters.Go to school.”
She blinked.“Really?”
I laughed.“Yes, mother.Cole and I already talked about it.I only have one year left.It would be stupid for me to drop out now.”
Her shoulders visibly relaxed.“Thank God,” she said, exhaling.“I don’t think I could’ve tried to talk sense into you if you’d said otherwise.”
Karmen shifted beside me, holding up a bowl.“You guys want some?”
“What is it?”Mom asked warily.
“Chips,” Karmen said cheerfully.“Carnie makes them homemade.”
Mom and I exchanged a look.
Then we both reached in at the same time.
“Of course she does,” Mom muttered, crunching into one.“I’m going to gain fifty pounds by the time this season is over.”
“They’re worth it,” I said, grabbing another.
We settled back into the cushions, chewing, half-watching the TV, half just…existing.
Five minutes later, everything went black.
The TV cut off mid-sentence.
The lights snapped out.
The hum of the clubhouse died all at once.
Pitch black.
