Hotel

When they pulled over for fuel and snacks, the reality of Dee's planning set in; they wouldn't be eating any real food until they reached the hotel. "You know we can't mess with Mom's schedule," Kyle remarked as he climbed back into the U-Haul, tossing a bag of chips to his sister.

 

Gemma held the bag up, staring at it completely unimpressed. "Seriously? No barbecue flavor?"

 

"Barbecue for breakfast?" Kyle replied. "Aren't you afraid of getting heartburn? Or at the least bad breath?"

 

"This is coming from the guy who pairs chili with beer at ten in the morning?" Gemma shot back with a laugh. "And you're lecturing me about heartburn?"

 

 

"That was a one-time thing," Kyle chuckled, joining in her laughter. "I certainly learned my lesson, and I think the bathroom is still in recovery."

 

 

Their laughter faded quickly, leaving the nervous knot in Gemma’s stomach exactly where it had been. By the time they finally pulled into the hotel parking lot that evening, it was almost nine o'clock. As Don and Dee headed to a nearby drive-thru for dinner,

 

 

Kyle and Gemma waited outside for them to return.Gemma leaned back against the U-Haul and took a pull from her vape. "Why is everyone so convinced I need this? I'd be perfectly happy staying home and going to a local college."

 

 

"It's not that everyone thinks you need it; it's that you worked so hard to earn it," Kyle reminded her. "You've been telling stories since you learned you could talk. Don't you want a real shot at making something of that talent? Look, Gemmy Bear, you deserve this opportunity—it's not just some chore you have to do."

 

 

The family settled into the cramped hotel room to eat once their parents arrived with dinner, trying to talk like they always did. "So, Gemma, what's at the top of your to-do list once you're all moved in?" her father asked.

 

 

Gemma continued to pick at her food and wouldn't look him in the eye. "I'm not sure, Dad. Is sleeping until the first break an option?"

 

"That strategy served me well in high school, but I doubt the college professors will be as forgiving," Kyle joked, attempting to soothe her nerves but only managing to miss the mark.

 

Gemma stood as she threw away her trash. After pulling off her sweatshirt and changing into pajamas, she sighed, "I'm heading to bed. I might as well enjoy one final night of decent sleep before we get there."

 

"So, what's the sleeping arrangement?" Kyle asked as he slapped his hands together.

 

"I'm definitely not sharing with you," Gemma informed her brother bluntly. She hopped into bed next to her mother and added, "You can enjoy a front-row seat to Dad's snoring."

 

"That's fine," Kyle shot back. "You'll be the one dealing with Mom's restless legs and Dad's snoring." Kyle climbed into the bed beside his father. It was a hilarious sight, watching the two brawny bikers attempting to squeeze into a single double bed.

 

Don looked over at his wife with a grin on his face and asked, "Can you feel the love in this room?"

 

Kyle lay back and pulled up the blankets and then threw them back off in a hurry. "Oh my god, Dad, did you have to? You know there's a bathroom right there, right?" Kyle cried out.

 

Gemma reached over to hug her mother, trying not to laugh as she leaned against her back. "Well, Mom, you're going to be stuck dealing with the two of them all on your own for the next four years."

 

Dee laughed, giving her a playful nudge toward her side of the bed. "Oh, hush up and get some sleep, all of you."

 

While her family slept, Gemma tossed and turned until she finally admitted defeat. Slipping out of bed, she pulled Tony's sweatshirt over her head, grabbed her phone and vape, and eased open the sliding glass door to the balcony.

 

She stepped outside, pulling the door nearly shut trying not to wake anyone. While scrolling through her phone, she took a photo and sent it to Tony with a message: "First night away and I already want to come home."

 

Even though it was almost three in the morning, Tony responded to her text immediately, almost as if he had been expecting her message. He texted back: “You’re just scared right now. That doesn’t mean you’re making the wrong choice.”

 

She was getting ready to text him back when her brother stepped out onto the balcony. Leaning against the wall, he snatched the vape from her hand and took a hit. Coughing he handed it back to her. "How can you smoke that thing?" he asked.

 

"How can you smoke cigarettes when you're angry?" she countered.

 

“Cigarettes don’t taste like fruit,” he said. But then he looked at her seriously. "And does that mean you're angry about something?"

 

"No, not really," she admitted with a shrug. "Just already missing home."

 

Kyle gestured toward her phone with a knowing nod, having spotted the contact icon she used for Tony’s number. "So," he began, "what’s the actual story with you and Tony?"

 

"I don't know what you're talking about," she shot back defensively. "There is no 'me and Tony' story to tell."

 

"That's bullshit, Gemma, you and I both know it, " Kyle said. "I've seen the way he looks at you. He's always checking with me to see if you're coming into work so I can give you a ride home. The guy is looking for you every damn day." Gemma looked away, shifting her attention back down to her screen."And I've seen how you behave when he's around, too," Kyle added, his voice softening. "Don't try to tell me I'm making things up."

 

 

“You should get some sleep. Mom’s going to have everybody moving by eight sharp.” Kyle put his hand on her shoulder. “You and Tony mean the world to me. I just want you to be happy, but I also don’t want to end up having to choose between my best friend and my favorite sister.”

 

 

"I'm the only sister you have, Kyle," she pointed out.

 

 

 

He flashed a grin at her. "That doesn't change the fact that you're still my favorite, Gemmy Bear." Leaving Gemma by herself on the balcony, Kyle headed back inside the room. She took another pull from her vape before picking up her phone to message Tony: I think I’m going to go back to bed. Good night, Tony.

 

 

Good night, Shortcake, he replied back. Gemma quietly made her way back into the room, where she lay back down beside her mom and eventually fell asleep.