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 fatherand 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.”
