Page 89 of Southern Comfort
“Yeah. Dominique and Colter didn’t give him a choice. He thought they’d spot him until he can figure it out, but they’re not gonna do that.”
“Ha! What is there to figure out?”
My son’s deep sigh escapes.
“What kind of work are you going to look for?” Landon says.
“I don’t know. I’m not trained to do much. I’m not going to flip burgers though. Maybe I can find something that pays better.”
“You would be lucky to flip burgers. Do you think that’s beneath you?” I feel my blood pressure rising.
Of course he doesn’t answer. But Landon saves his ass.
“I’ll start you off. When we get back we need to put cameras up around my place, and your house too. I don’t know if your mother told you, but I mentioned it to her before. I didn’t get to it myself, because of all the jobs I’ve had around my dad’s property. What do you think?”
“Yeah. She mentioned it last month. Sorry, Mom. As soon as we’re back. Promise.”
“Okay, honey. I’d appreciate it.”
Landon moves around a slow car in the fast lane.
“You and I can maybe add a few motion lights too. There was an animal under her window. It took out one of the small bushes. Landon looks back for a beat. “I’ll subtract what you would earn from the total.”
“How about Ring? That would be the best thing. She could see who is at the door and talk to them.”
Hunter’s suggestion brightens all three of our attitudes. My son feels his ideas are valued. Landon looks happy to know there’s more synapsis firing in Hunter’s brain than he previously thought. For me, the two people I love most in the world are beginning to really see each other.
I add my entire wealth of knowledge about Ring to the conversation.
“Holly loves theirs.”
“I know how, because I helped Beth’s dad install theirs.”
“Good. That’ll help make the job go faster.”
“What other things can we do for you, Kim? Before we go. All the windows and doors working right? Need anything done you’ve been putting off?”
“Let me think about it.”
“So what’s the deal with you two anyway?”
Hunter’s question flies in from left field and hits me on the head. It must have bounced off Landon’s too, because he is silent. Seconds seem like minutes.
“In what way?” I say.
“I mean are you going to see each other after he goes back to his real life?”
Now it’s us under the microscope.
“Of course,” Landon answers. “And thisismy real life. We have to do the long-distance thing. Lots of people do. I have a big job starting and I’ve hired a crew. I just bought a house. Your mom has her own things to consider.”
“All due respect, but you’re dug in there, dude. The house. Your career. You’re not going to be able to be here much that I can see.”
Quit telling the truth, son.
“We will do what we can to be together,” I say, looking at Landon looking at me. He squeezes my hand and gets his eyes back on the road.
“I guess if you want it bad enough, it’ll happen,” Hunter adds, looking out the window.
