Page 52 of Vegas Duology

"So, you didn't tell me what you wanted me to bring you from Las Vegas."I smiled my biggest, "everything is alright" smile.

He looked like he wanted to say something else, but little-boy greed won out and he said, "What do they have there?"

I laughed, relieved that the serious mood had dissolved."Mostly cards and dice.Can I interest you in some gambling tools?"

"Bring me candy," Ben declared.

"Candy it is."I swatted at him with a t-shirt."Now, go see if Papa is here yet.I have to finish packing or I'm going to be late."

Ben jumped up from the bed and raced out of the room, whooping and hollering, our conversation obviously forgotten with the promise of candy.I watched him go and returned my attention to the pile of clothes on my bed.Giving up, I scooped up the pile of shirts, shorts, and sundresses and threw them into the suitcase.

It was just a weekend.A weekend in Vegas with my husband.Maybe it was what we needed, what I needed, to fix things so my son wasn't worried about our future.I stopped before zipping up the suitcase.

If I was going to try to fix things with this family, it had to start with Andrew and me, and I might need a little help.I returned to the cavernous closet and the bottom drawer where I kept random articles of clothing.

It was just where I'd left it two years earlier.A black satin teddy, with lacy cups and g-string bottoms.Andrew bought it for me as a Valentine's Day gift.More of a gift for him, I'd say.At the time, I had taken one look at it and shuddered.I never did wear it.I grabbed it and tossed it in my suitcase.

Might as well.

"We'll be fine," Uncle Ray said for the hundredth time."Go.You're going to be late."

I looked at my watch.I had exactly fifty minutes to get to the airport to meet Andrew.He liked to be there at least two hours early.

"Okay, okay.Ben, come give me another kiss."

He flew off the couch and into my arms.I pulled him tight to me."Promise me you'll be good for Papa."

"Mom, I'm always good."

"It's true.He's always good," Uncle Ray said."We're going to have a lot of fun, the two of us, aren't we, buddy?"

Ben wiggled out of my arms and ran over to Uncle Ray."You know it."He gave him a high five."Guy time."

"Guy time?"I shot Uncle Ray a look.

"It's just a little something I taught him."

"Uh huh."

"You're going to be late," Uncle Ray said.

"I know, I know."I picked up my suitcase."Come give me one more hug," I said to Ben.

"Mom," he moaned.But he came over to me and squeezed me as tightly as he could.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Mom."

Ben released his grip and I blinked hard so he wouldn't see my tears.It's not like I'd never left him before."Okay," I said before I could change my mind."I'm going."

"It's about time," Uncle Ray said and then winked at me.

"Thank you," I told him.

He waved me off."Go.Have fun.We'll be fine."

I looked at them both, blew out a breath, turned and left.I was halfway down the walk when I heard Uncle Ray say to Ben, "I thought she'd never leave."