Page 26 of Worth the Trip

“That’s because it will.”

I raised one hand. “I hear both of y’all.”

“I’m not fussing. You’re grown.”

“Appreciate the acknowledgment.”

“You’re still my baby.”

“And there it went.”

Lennox laughed.

Mama smiled, but her eyes stayed on me. “I’m serious, Landon. I’m proud of you. We all are. But you’ve been working like somebody told you rest was irresponsible.”

I looked down at my plate. Pops had already made the point, and I wasn’t interested in another twenty-minute presentation on the same subject. Apparently, Mama wasn’t either, because she took a sip of tea and changed tactics.

“So go to Willow Run next weekend.”

My head came up. “What?”

Pops coughed into his fist.

I looked at him. “You knew?”

“I heard discussion.”

“That sounds like yes.”

Mama ignored us. “Your aunt Denise told me about a cabin near the water. It’s available.”

“You already checked?”

“No.” Pops looked at her. Mama sighed. “Fine. I checked.”

I laughed. “Of course you did.”

“The waterfront festival runs through next weekend. You can go into town if you want something to do, stay by the water if you don’t, eat somewhere that ain’t your own kitchen, and be somewhere nobody knows to ask you for anything.”

“I thought the point was rest.”

“Rest don’t mean incarceration.”

Lennox nodded. “Facts.”

“Nobody asked you.”

“I support Mama’s proposal.”

“You don’t even know where Willow Run is.”

“Near water.”

“Outstanding geographic analysis.”

“Thank you.”

Mama shook her head. “Go Thursday after practice. Come back Monday morning. You already said y’all don’t have anything Sunday evening.”