Page 29 of In It for the Long Ride

“Someone who's spent so long looking over their shoulder they don’t remember how to look to the future anymore.” I tried to say it gently, but there wasn’t any delicate way to describe it.

Her face softened and she gently rubbed at the back of my neck while we stared into each other’s eyes.

“Don’t let go,” she whispered.

“Not a chance,” I returned, laying my forehead to hers.

We sat like that for a few minutes, then we gathered our things and began to load the car. Easy didn’t have much, but Daisy insisted on putting every bag she and Blaze owned into the trunk. Just as I slammed it shut, Daisy’s phone rang again, lighting up the pocket of Easy’s kutte.

“Man, I'm starting to hate that damn thing,” I scoffed.

Easy plucked the joint from between his lips, exhaled a cloud of skunky smelling smoke and answered with a nod of agreement.

“Yeah?” he simply acknowledged.

I could hear someone stammering on the other end, but their words weren’t clear.

“One second, Father.” Easy quietly bid, before taking off toward the door of the house.

He met Daisy at the porch and handed off the phone.

“Father Barnetti,” he explained, as he did so.

Daisy’s brows flinched and she quickly put the phone to her ear.

“Hello?”

I stepped past them and whispered to Easy, “Gonna grab the boy and lock up.”

He nodded. “Appreciate it.”

I stepped inside and glanced around the kitchen. Daisy had done a fine enough job of cleaning the place up. As best I could tell, we’d not forgotten anything in our packing.

I found Blaze sitting in front of the television.

“Montana, I’m bored.” His voice reflected as much.

“Vacation is almost over, buddy. We’re going to go see your momma real soon.” I smiled and grabbed at the air a few times until he stood up on the couch and jumped into my arms.

“Ready?” Easy asked from behind us.

I turned with a nod, and followed him to the car.

“Daisy needs to run back to the church,” he grunted.

“What?” I looked between them.

“Father Barnetti wouldn’t say what, but he insisted that it couldn’t wait ‘til I got back.”

“You told him where you were going?” I blurted out.

“No,” she scoffed, and rolled her eyes. “I may not be a criminal, Carl, but that doesn’t mean I was born last night, either.”

I reached out, taking her wrist in hand with the arm that wasn’t securing Blaze to my chest.

“What’s wrong?” I whispered.

She shook her head and flopped her shoulders in a shrug.

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