Lola:I can go with you.

Her text is simple. And I know she means it. She would be here in a second with her bags packed and ready to go if I wanted her to.

But this isn’t a girl’s weekend away. This is me trying to find some space to breathe without things coming at me from every direction. Between Huxley’s photographer situation, Barrett being with Daphne, Lacy finding me at work and then losing my job on top of it, I’m just simply overwhelmed.

I’m not sure what will happen if the incident at Luxor goes to the press. Will they be here, camping out on my doorstep like before? It’s not something I want to risk.

I just want to sort this all out somewhere safe and quiet and away from anyone that would have any input into my decisions. Whatever I decide has to come from me with no influence.

Quickly, I type back a message to Lo.

I know you would. It just makes more sense right now to leave ... him? I feel like this is all boiling down and I just need to get away.

She responds right away.

Just don’t boil down with it.

I leave a voice message for my mother, letting her know I’m fine and that we’re taking a little getaway for the weekend. Trying to keep it light, I don’t tell her about anything that happened. There’s no need to worry her too. Lola went by and grabbed Huxley for me so she didn’t have to see me crying.

My phone alerts me that the battery is dying as I slide it in my pocket and lock the door. I join Huxley in the car.

“Did you get everything?” I ask, starting it up and backing down the driveway.

“Yup. I guess. I mean, I don’t know where we’re going, so it’s hard to know for sure.”

“Well, where do you want to go?” I ask, taking off down the street.

He shrugs and looks at me from beneath his Arrows cap. “Why are we leaving, Mom? Did something happen?”

I pat his leg and give him my best smile. “No, baby. I just thought, you know, me and you could get away and have some fun for a couple of days.”

“All right.”

He hums along to the radio, watching the trees go by. I try to pay attention to the road and not let my mind get carried away. My head is throbbing from being sick and crying, my throat still raw. My nerves are completely frayed as we get farther out of town.

After a half hour, Hux looks at me, his eyes serious. “Mom?”

“Yeah, baby?”

“I know you’ve been crying.”

My heart breaks at the worry in his eyes, the one thing I try desperately to never let him feel. I want him to grow up confident, knowing everything is okay. Not worrying about adult problems until he’s an adult, and if I can keep him from it then, I know I will. Huxley is my life, comes before anything in my world, and the look on his face destroys me.

“Girls cry sometimes, Hux. You know that.” I try to laugh and play it off, but he doesn’t bite.

“I know. The girls in my class cry all the time about really stupid stuff. But you’re not just a girl. You’re my mom. You’re tough. So if you cry ... maybe I should worry.”

“No, you shouldn’t,” I say. “Because no matter what happens, as long as I have you, everything will be okay.”

He tilts his little head. “Did you have a fight with Barrett?”

“Not really. It’s not anything you need to worry about, okay?”

“You don’t have anyone else to worry about you. When I’m sick or sad, you take care of me. Who takes care of you?”

His words nearly bring fresh tears to my eyes. I fight them back, but it takes everything I have.

“I’m fine, Hux.”

“Is this about the man with the camera? Because if it is, I’m fine, Mom.”

Luckily, my phone ringing distracts the conversation. But when I pull it out of my pocket, I see Lincoln’s name.

I only have a few percent left on my phone, so I answer it, figuring I can’t get trapped into anything big. But I want to know if something has happened over the girl at Luxor, so I answer.

“Hello?”

“Where are you?” Linc asks.

“Driving. Is everything okay?”

“Where are you though? Specifically?”

“I don’t know,” I say, looking around. “Why? What’s happening?”

He sighs. “For one, I’m standing on your porch and you aren’t here.”

“I already told you that.”

“For two, Graham just got a call that you were involved in some altercation at work tonight. We wanted to make sure you were okay before we tell Barrett because he’s going to go ape-shit when he finds out.”

My spirits sink and I want to close my eyes and rest them, quiet the pounding in my skull, but I can’t.

Huxley watches me from the other seat, not missing a thing. I have to choose my words carefully so I don’t panic him.

“There was a little thing,” I admit carefully. “I hope it’s not causing you any issues.”

“Is Huxley right there? Is that why you aren’t answering me?”

“Yes.”

“But you’re okay? You aren’t physically harmed or anything, right?”

“No.”

“Did you fill out a police report?”

“No. I called Barrett to tell him, but ...”

“But what?” he asks ominously.

“Nolan answered.”

He exhales harshly and I know he too is choosing his words. “Did he fuck with you? I hate that son of a bitch.”

I don’t answer him. I can’t say it out loud in front of Huxley, and I don’t really want to hear the words ringing in the air myself again anyway.

“Ali?”

“He had things to say, yes, that I didn’t expect.”

“That fucker. That motherfucker. What did he say?”

“I .... really don’t want to talk about it,” I gulp.

“Where are you?” he asks, his voice taking on a level of authority I’ve never heard out of Lincoln. It’s so reminiscent of Barrett that it makes my heart hurt. “I’m coming after you.”

“No, you aren’t. I’m taking Hux out of town for the weekend.”

“Alison ...” he sighs. “Barrett had no idea Daphne was going to be walking with him tonight at the Gala—”

My laughter, a sad, heavy chuckle, stops him.

“That’s not even the biggest issue, Linc.”

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“It means ... it means that I’m overwhelmed and I need some space, okay?”

“No, no, it’s not,” he huffs. “Barrett left the event early because he wanted to find you, realizing what it probably looked like, especially on the heels of the baby thing earlier today. And when he finds out about the incident with you ...”

I take a deep breath and hold tight to my guns. If I go back now, I’m setting myself up for heartbreak. How do I know the thing with Lacy tonight doesn’t just make Barrett feel bad? Maybe they want to spin that to make Barrett look better in the media too?

I can’t back down. Not until I know for sure.

“Let him know I’m fine and that I’m not necessarily running from him,” I say, gauging Huxley’s response out of the corner of my eye. “I’m just overwhelmed right now, and I feel like I need to take Hux and just settle down.”

“My brother loves you. I’ve never seen him like this about anyone. He’s always been pretty hedonistic, to tell you the truth, and right now, all he’s thinking about is you.”

I fight back the tears again. “Well, if that’s true, it will work out,” I sniffle. “Just tell him I’ll be back after the election and we can talk then. My phone is dying, Linc ...”

“Ali, wait.”

The line goes dead.