“Awww, how cute.”
I grinned. “Yeah, well. Better than getting tossed around.”
His face fell. “Dude, I totally didn't mean it like that.”
I snickered. “You’re gonna have to learn to take those jokes. That’s how I process things, you know.”
“Really, though. You two doing okay?”
We walked to his car. “You know what? I think we are. I mean, it’s not easy. But we’re good at budgets and pinching pennies. Ma’s teaching me things about saving money here and there I didn’t know about.”
“What your father did to her is bullshit, you know.”
I shrugged. “From an unbiased perspective, it makes sense.”
“Still fucked up.”
“Never said it wasn’t.”
I piled my things into his trunk, then climbed into the backseat. I knew Ally would want to sit with him. And I sure as hell wanted to cuddle with Rae as we drove into the city. He pulled away from the apartment complex and made his way out, readying us to go get the girls.
And as I gazed out the window, Mike cleared his throat.
“So, how are things with you and Rae?”
I nodded. “Good, actually. Really good lately. I think we’re a bit apprehensive about how much things will change in the fall, but we’ll work it out.”
“Trust me, Ally’s worried about the same thing.”
“She is?”
Mike nodded. “Yep. We’ve talked about it a few times, but I can tell it worries her. How far away she and Rae will be. Whether or not classes will get in the way of us. Things like that.”
“And plus, we’ve all been through a lot of hell together. A lot tougher things than starting college, right?”
He snickered. “You’re damn right we have. You and Rae, especially.”
“Side note, you should really step on it. The girls are gonna ride our asses about being late.”
“I’m not the one who had to kiss my momma on the lips.”
I rolled my eyes. “Pick at me all you want, but I couldn’t imagine my life without Ma in it.”
“Does she like you calling her that?”
I smiled. “Yeah. She does.”
“Good. That’s really good.”
“So how are you and Allison?”
He snickered. “You want me to talk? Or get to the girls on time?”
“You can’t do both?”
He chuckled. “Takes concentration to time when I can zoom through the yellow lights and when I can’t.”
“Ah, if we’re a few minutes late, I’m sure they won’t mind. And if they ride us? We’ll stop for snacks. Snacks always hush Rae’s mouth.”