The Cline Family

Part 6

"Shit." I had a feeling this was going to happen. I've snuck out plenty of times and never been caught. I knew it was coming soon.

"Oooooh Landon has a potty mouthhhh" Jenny says. Yeah she's too drunk.

"Hey. I need you to be quiet for a minute. I have to call my mom she can't know you're in the car. Okay?"

"Okay, I'll be quiet" she says making a bubble in her mouth and putting a finger in front.

I click her name to call her back and it rings.

Just as quickly as she answers she starts, "Landon Jace, where the hell are you?!"

"Mama, I..."

"Honey who is that" I hear my dad ask in the background.

"Your son" she responds. "Landon, what in the world are you doin' out this late? Where are you? Why do you.."

I cut her off and start to say "Mom, I'm..."

"You know what Landon just come home. I can't talk about this right now and it's ridiculous that..."

"Gosh your mom's goin' off on you" Jenny says. I slowly look over at her. My mom is silent on the phone. I rest my head on the steering wheel knowing she didn't mean to. She's drunk, she can't help it.

"Landon. Jace. Cline. I'm not even going to ask who that was. All I know is you are bringing your ass home right now."

"Yes ma'am."

"Okay bye. Love you."

"Bye Mama."

I look over. "What the fuck Jenny. You said like two minutes ago you'd be quiet."

"I'm sorry." Her eyes are glistening with building teardrops.

"Sorry don't fix it. My dad's gonna beat my ass because you couldn't keep your mouth shut." I stare at her waiting for a response but she doesn't give one, only looks away.

I put the truck in drive and we start on the way back to her house.

"Who is that" I ask as I pull into her driveway and see a car that wasn't there when we left.

"Ummm, I don't know who that is. Nobody in my family drives a Tahoe." All the lights in the house were still off, but her welcome mat was on the driveway.

"No friends or anything? Extended family?"

"No Landon! I don't know who that is!"

"Stop yelling at me Jenny. Are you sure your parents weren't coming home and bringing a new car? You weren't expecting anybody." I look at her and she looks terrified and is shaking her head no. I put my hand on her thigh, "do you feel safe staying here tonight? I don't want you scared or unsafe."

"No Landon I'm scared." I take my hand off her thigh and rub her back a little while I think.

"Okay" I say with a sigh as I put the car in drive and head back towards my house. "I'm gonna call my mom.  Don't say anything unless I pass the phone to you, okay?"

"Okay" she agrees, still visibly shaking.

I pull out my phone and try to find her name in my contacts without wrecking. I click call and it starts to ring.

"Hey Landon, are you okay" she asks with worry in her voice. I'm sure she wasn't expecting me to call unless I was in a car accident and dying.

"Yeah Mom, I'm okay. But I need your help." I look at Jenny and correct myself "We need your help."