I shove another T-shirt into my duffle bag and run through my checklist one more time. Toothbrush, insulin, lube (just in case)—check, check, check. The bag’s still half-empty, and I keep pacing my room like I’ve forgotten something.
Truth is, I haven’t spent a night out of town since I moved back home, and the thought alone makes my stomach knot.
On my way down the hall, I pause outside Maddie’s bedroom. She’s been… quieter lately. More withdrawn. I keep wondering if it has something to do with Stephen showing up at court. I haven’t asked, figuring she probably needs space to deal with it in her own way.
I knock gently and peek my head inside. “Hey, Mads. Can I come in?”
She’s sprawled across her bed with her earbuds in, watching a slime-making video on her phone. Her room smells like strawberry lip balm and cotton candy body spray. She pulls one earbud out and shrugs. “Sure.”
I step inside, leaning against the doorframe to keep from hovering too much. “So… I’m heading to Detroit this weekend. Hunter’s parents are throwing a birthday thing for him and his twin brother.”
She raises an eyebrow. “You’re going with him?”
“Yeah,” I say, shifting the strap of the duffle bag on my shoulder. “But you’ll be at Leah’s sleepover, right? Just text me if you need anything. I’ll keep my phone on me.”
Maddie squints at me, suspicious. “Are you two… like, dating or something?”
The bluntness of her question makes my throat tighten. “It’s… complicated. We’re hanging out this summer,” I say vaguely, rubbing the back of my neck.
She tilts her head at me, eyes narrowing like she’s connecting the dots. “So does that mean you’re…?”
My chest feels heavy, but I force myself to meet her eyes. “Yeah. I’m gay.”
Her face softens, no hesitation. “Cool.” She says it like I just told her a mundane fact, not an earth-shattering confession. “I like Hunter. He seems nice.”
A laugh slips out of me unexpectedly. “Yeah. He is.”
“Well, I hope you have fun with yourboyfriend,” she says, drawing out the word with a teasing grin.
I roll my eyes. “He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that.”
I cross the room and ruffle her hair just to annoy her, earning a dramatic slap at my hand. “Ugh, stop that!”
“Then stop making fun of me,” I shoot back, scowling half-heartedly as I back toward the door. “I should get going. Long drive to Detroit. Have fun with Leah.”
“Hey, Mase?”
Her voice makes me pause. “Yeah?”
She’s sitting up now, looking smaller than usual in her oversized hoodie. “Thanks for telling me. About Hunter. You know I love you no matter what, right?”
I smile at her, something loosening in my chest. “Yeah, I know. I love you, too.”
I shut Maddie’s door and step into the living room. Mom’s curled up on the couch with a blanket pulled up to her chin, the TV humming softly in the background. She looks pale, tired, but she manages a small smile when she sees the duffle bag slung over my shoulder.
Ever since she started a new medication, she hasn’t been drinking—the alcohol upsets her stomach. It feels like some cruel cosmic joke: she finally sobers up, finally acts like the loving mom I used to know, only for her body to betray her. After years of resentment, I’ve just started to enjoy her company again.
“Heading out?” she asks, her voice raspy.
“Yeah,” I say, hovering by the arm of the couch. “Are you sure you’ll be okay here by yourself?”
“Yes, I’m a grown woman. I’ll be fine,” she assures, then studies me for a moment. “Mason?”
“Mm?”
Her smile warms, faint but genuine. “I’m proud of you.”
