He cocks a brow. “You have your dad’s fire. That will get you in trouble with the wrong person. You need to learn when to tame it.”
Rian walks away, looking until he finds the room my mom is sleeping in downstairs. He walks over to the bed, but she doesn’t notice.
“Does she do this often?”
I want to say fuck you again, but I don’t want him to be angry at her. “It’s not her fault. She’s sad.”
He sighs, and I’m scared I got her in trouble.
“You pack some clothes too. Your father will be gone for a few days. You’re going to my house. I have a son your age—Cillian. He’s in preschool.”
“I’m not leaving her.” I cross my arms, and he smiles. Why is he smiling?
“Yes, you are. She’ll be okay. Moira will help.” I don’t know who Moira is, but…I want to go with him. I want to meet Cillian. I don’t want to be alone. I’m sobored.
“She’ll make sure Mom is okay?”
“I promise,” Rian replies.
I nod, then run to my room, throw clothes in a bag, and race back downstairs before they leave me.
“She’s okay. She’s just sick,” I hear Dad tell Rian.
“The boy doesn’t need to be alone.” Rian looks up and sees me, ending the conversation. “Let’s go.” He walks toward the door.
“Be good, Rory,” Dad tells me. “Don’t ruin this for me.”
“I won’t. I promise.”
Rian is on his phone when we get outside, and he signals for us to go to the car. He joins us a moment later, then drives us to the biggest house I’ve ever seen.
“Come on, kid.” Rian gets out of the car. “You stay here,” he tells my dad before leading me into the house. As soon as I walk in, I see a pretty woman in a pink sweater. She has a kind smile. But my attention is drawn to the boy beside her. He’s taller and bigger than me, with brown hair that hangs in his face and big blue eyes. He’s wearing dressy pants and a button-up shirt. I’m in an old T-shirt with a plane on it and dirty jeans.
“Hello,” the woman says. “You must be Rory. I’m Moira, and this is my son, Cillian.”
He steps forward, the way his dad did earlier, holding his hand out for me.
“Don’t old people do that?” I ask.
He cracks a smile. I like his smile, but I don’t want him to know I like it, so I bite my cheeks to keep from doing the same.
“It’s called respect,” Rian tells me. “Your father should teach you that.”
Cillian rolls his eyes behind his dad’s back, and again, I have to try not to grin.
“I need to go,” Rian tells Moira.
“Go ahead. We’ll be fine.” She hugs him, then gives him a kiss. “I love you.”
“I love you more,” he answers, his smile overtaking his face.
Love? My mom says that to me sometimes, especially when she’s not tired and sad, but Mom and Dad never say it to each other. I know what it is. I know I love my parents, but it also feels like this weird thing that I don’t understand.
“You take care of your mom for me while I’m gone.” Rian hugs Cillian next. “I don’t trust anyone to do it except you.”
“I will, Dad!” He beams, clearly proud of being her protector.
Rian squeezes my shoulder, then leaves.
