Kill The Lights [boyxboy]

Kill The Lights {24} END

                “Good morning,” mom said as I stumbled out to the kitchen the next morning.

                I had helped her fix the shelves and tried texting Mitch, but he had stopped texting back after about two hours. Out of fear that he was breaking his promise again, I texted Carol, but she assured me that Mitch was in the living room with Jasper and not sneaking out.

                I hadn’t been able to sleep very well last night. All I could think about was Mitch. What did he have to talk to me about today?

                “Here, I’ll make you scrambled eggs,” mom said, pulling out the stuff.

                “Thanks,” I said, running a hand through my messy hair.

                “So, what are your plans for today?” mom asked.

                “Uh…Mitch told me to come over after lunch. So, I guess I’m on my own for lunch. If only there was a pretty young lady to accompany me,” I said with a sigh.

                “Oh, stop sucking up,” she said, laughing and playfully hitting my shoulder. “I’ll make us lunch, alright?”

                “Sounds like a plan,” I said.

                I pulled out my phone and checked it, but had no new messages from Mitch. Nothing from Shane, either. I shoved my phone back in my pocket, trying to push it out of my mind.

                Mom slid eggs in front of me a few minutes later and sat down across from me at the counter with a plate for herself. We ate in comfortable silence.

                “So, since I have you until after lunch, what do you want to do to kill some time?” she asked.

                “We can play a game,” I offered. I knew my mom liked to play games with me.

                “Sure!” she said happily. “We never finished any of our Phase 10 games.”

                “Someday we will. Maybe today will be the day,” I said with a smile.

                Mom tossed our plates in the sink and pulled out the deck of cards. I set up music and mom dealt out the cards.

                “Jace, are you happy?” mom asked a little ways into the game.

                I looked up at her in confusion. “Of course I’m happy. Why would you even ask that?”

                She looked up at me and gave me a small smile. “I’m just making sure. You’ve had a lot going on lately. If you’re not happy, maybe we could take a vacation somewhere. Just get away for a little and relax.”

                “Mom, we don’t have the money to take a vacation,” I said, frowning.

                “Oh, don’t worry about the money. Happiness is more important than money. Sometimes taking a little vacation can really relieve your stress and cheer you up. We could go to some place warm and near a beach,” she said.

                “But I am happy! We don’t need to go away,” I said.

                “I’m just saying. Anytime in the future we could take a nice little vacation together,” she said, laughing a little. “We don’t have to pack up and leave right away. Just a thought to keep in mind.”