I only want the best for Abby, I know Kane does too. We’re both proud of her for getting the part.
But I can’t help half-smiling as I take a seat next to her, ensuring I’m not sitting near her dad.
Already counting the minutes until she is gone.
And maybe, just maybe, Kane and I can pick right up where we left off last night.
“I guess I could have a little something,” Abby murmurs thoughtfully, starting to heap food into her mouth.
Knowing she’s gonna need her strength if she’s gonna hold up to her end of being the performance artist her employers are counting on.
“That’s better,” Kane affirms, pecking the top of her head.
“Now, talk me through it all again,” he says. “Flights, names, and numbers. I’m going to need you to leave me every detail if I’m going to sleep easy knowing you’re in New York on your own,” he says in a deep voice.
It’s hard to imagine his real skill with those same lips and tongue when he sounds so much like a dad.
“Already texted it to you,” Abby says triumphantly, spooning another heap of scrambled egg into her mouth. Doing a little dance in her seat as she eyes the bacon and poached eggs waiting to be smashed open on freshly buttered toast.
Abs eats like a bird until she knows she has to perform.
Then her calorie intake goes through the roof because she uses up so much energy.
Me? I could eat like this every meal of every day if we could afford it, and when Kane slips me a knowing look, I think he’s already taking notes on just what I like in my mouth first thing in the morning.
Looking like a man who’s done his part for the morning, Kane settles himself opposite us at the table and starts to eat as heartily as everyone else.
Abby stops chewing and looks from her dad to me.
Both of us freeze, and I can’t help but feel that stab of guilt mixed with fear again.
Waiting for her to ask where I got to in the middle of the night.
“Ummm. Dad?” Abby asks, and I realize I can’t swallow my mouthful of food.
Kane does his best to act natural.
“Yeah, sweetie?” he asks.
“You forgot the orange juice!” she exclaims, rolling her eyes before telling him she’s just kidding.
“I’ll get it,” she says, lifting herself up from the table and heading to the refrigerator.
Kane’s eyes meet mine, but only for a second before the sound of Abby talking forces us to focus on our food instead of each other.
“I guess this means our weekend’s cut short, huh?” I ask Abby, putting on a wounded tone for her benefit.
“I know,” she groans. “But were you serious, Dad? About coming out to see the show? I mean…taking Jen along as well?” Abby asks her dad, sipping her juice from the carton before filling a glass.
“I am,” Kane says, turning to make a face at Abby. “Honey. Really? Other people have to drink from that,” he scolds her.
But Abby only shrugs, turning her attention to me. “How about it, Jen? You up for a little New York nightlife?” she teases me.
Not knowing how much the idea appeals to me also kills me inside.
Apart from having literally no money, there’s no way my mom will let me get time off work to visit New York.
But I don’t think right now’s the best time to be talking about that.