We'll Fly Away by Bryan Bliss

Author:Bryan Bliss
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2018-03-20T00:00:00+00:00

15

ANNIE was asleep on the couch, still cradling Jack-Jack, when Luke finally gave up on sleeping. He stood up and quietly walked onto the landing, flexing his throbbing hand.

He’d spent the whole night staring out the window, watching for Toby. But the truth was, Luke knew he wasn’t coming back long before the sun came out. He understood why Toby had run away from the apartment, even if he didn’t agree with it. If Toby had gotten over his betrayal in a single night, Luke would’ve counted himself lucky. Still, he couldn’t stop himself from watching the road.

He was lost in his thoughts when Annie came up behind him.

“Good morning,” she said, ducking her head under Luke’s arm and wrapping her arms around his chest. A wave of warmth washed over him. Her hair tickled him as she looked up into his eyes.

“What are you doing out here?”

Luke smiled. “Just, you know, looking at the parking lot.”

“That’s weird,” Annie said, yawning as she leaned her head against his chest. Soon the boys would be up, needing clothes and breakfast. Luke took a few deep breaths, but it felt like he was breathing through a wet towel.

“Do you think he went to the plane?”

Luke didn’t answer. The chance that Toby had left Annie’s apartment, grabbed a sleeping bag, and gone back to the plane was pretty good. He might be there right now, cussing at the cold morning air. But it was clear: Toby was making a point. Knowing didn’t help Luke, though.

“Is it weird?” Luke asked.

Annie gave him a confused look.

“Me being worried like this.”

Luke didn’t tell her that he’d been up all night, or that he couldn’t stop himself from imagining all the terrible things that might happen to Toby. It seemed like such an easy solution, to just get over it. But he’d tried a hundred times last night, and it never stuck.

Annie squeezed his chest. “I think it’s possibly the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen. You love him, even if he’s a complete idiot.”

Luke took a breath, and then another one. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to cuss Toby, or apologize to him.

Behind them, Luke heard Petey come into the living room, followed by the thud of Jack-Jack being pushed off the couch. As they started fighting, Annie pulled herself away from Luke.

“I’ve got a surprise for them,” she said, disappearing down the stairs to her apartment.

She came back with a box of pancake mix, eggs, and a small carton of milk. As Luke got the boys dressed, Annie made them pancakes shaped like Mickey Mouse, a trick that Petey and Jack-Jack treated with the sort of reverence most people didn’t show for the dead, let alone breakfast food. The entire time, Luke kept an ear open, hoping he’d hear Elvis pumping through the speakers of Toby’s car.

They dropped the boys off at the bus stop and, without asking, Annie drove Luke to the plane. He hopped out and ran to it, already drumming up an explanation for bringing Annie back a second time.

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