Page 108 of Landon & Shay: Part One

“No offense, Mom, but please stay away from the kitchen for the remainder of your life.”

She smiled. “Fair enough.”

We got home, ordered in some food, and trashed the living room. We didn’t even turn on the television, we talked for hours.

“So, this acting thing,” Mom said, smiling from ear to ear. “You’re into it?”

“I mean, yeah. I told Dad I was thinking of picking up a theater major next fall, but he shut down that idea.”

“Your father doesn’t get to control your choices. That’s why I’ve been working so hard—to give you that freedom.”

“I don’t want to put all that stress on you. That’s too much for you to do for me.”

“Landon.” She shook her head and placed her hands on my shoulders. “Everything I do, is for you. If you want to go into the acting program at your college, then we are going to get you into the acting program at your college. No ifs, ands, or buts.”

I nodded once. “I don’t even know if I’m good enough—”

“You’re good enough,” she cut in, “you’ve always been good enough to do anything.” She tossed a French fry into her mouth. “On another topic… Is there anything there between Miss Juliet, or is that all acting?”

I laughed. “Is it that obvious?”

“Only to a mother’s eyes. The way you look at her... What’s the story there?”

Oh, if only she knew.

“It’s complicated. We’ve been doing really good. She’s been good for me, Mom, but recently I’ve found something out that could change her life forever. I’m not sure what to do with the information, either. I know it will hurt her, but I also know that keeping it from her is wrong.”

“The key to a good relationship is communication, Landon. Your father and I never really had that. We never talked, not really. Maybe about things on the surface, but never anything of true meaning. Maybe if we would’ve, our relationship would be stronger. Or perhaps it would’ve ended much sooner. All I know is that you can’t build something strong without having hard conversations every now and then. Do you care about this girl?”

“I love her,” I said with confidence.

“Love.” Mom breathed out, placing her hand over her heart. “My baby boy is in love.”

“Don’t cry about it,” I joked.

“I’ll try not to. If you love her, then be one hundred percent honest with her. That’s what I would’ve wanted. That’s what all girls want. Honesty.”

I knew she was right. It just sucked building up the nerve to tell Shay something that I knew was going to break her heart.

“Thanks, Mom.”

“Always. I love you, I love you,” she said.

“Why do you always do that?” I asked. “Why do you always say “I love you” twice?”

She smiled. “Once for your heart. Twice to leave an imprint.”

I nodded. “I love you times two.” Her eyes watered over and I laughed. “Stop crying so much, Mom.”

“I’m sorry. That was really sweet, and you have no clue how much I needed to hear that.”

“I’ll do my best to make sure I say it more.”

“Thanks, Land.”

“How are you doing, though? With everything going on with Dad?” I shifted around in my seat and took a question from Maria’s handbook. “How’s your heart?”

She started crying again, shaking her head. “Broken. It’s been broken for some time now…with everything that happened with Lance, and the miscarriage, and now this divorce, it just feels like I can’t get my footing. I can’t stop drowning,” she confessed, covering her face with her hands. “I’m sorry. This is too much for you. You don’t have to carry my burdens. I’m okay. I’m fine.”

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