Broken

• Chapter 154 •

"Thank you guys for the birthday lunch, it was really nice," I smile gratefully as I take a seat beside mom and dad on the couch after clearing the dishes.

"Of course, now for your gift," dad waggles his eyebrows and digs into his pocket. He pulls out a small gift box and hands it to me.

I unwrap it to reveal car keys. MY DAD'S CAR KEYS.

"YOU'RE GIVING ME SHELBY?" I shriek with wide eyes.

He grins and nods, "I know how much you love that car. I want you to have her when you go off to New York."

I wrap my arms around them, "THANK YOU SO MUCH!"

Mom sighs in my arms, "How did you get old so fast?" she whispers, "My baby is going off to university... You're going to leave me."

I smile softly, "Hey, no... Mom, I'm not leaving forever? Besides, we haven't lived together for years. You'll see me just as much as you have these past few years."

I press my lips together as pain flashes in her eyes. That sounded reassuring and nice in my head. Not so much in person. I shake my head, "I didn't mean it like that. I just mean you don't have to miss me too much... I'll visit, and you can come visit anytime. Besides, I haven't even graduated yet!"

"You will in a few days!" she snaps.

Dad looks down at his ringing phone. "Please don't cry on the day," I whine.

"Psht. You're the one who's going to be crying. I would cry if I had to leave me behind, too," she shrugs.

I laugh and roll my eyes at her, "We'll see."

"Shit."

Our attention is averted to dad, who's frowning down at his phone.

"What's wrong?" mom asks him.

He shakes his head, "Axel texted me. There's some kind of emergency, they're being detained at the JFK airport for some reason. They're being held for questioning. Ugh, I told them to take their private jet, I don't understand why they're idiots."

I frown, "That's shit. So they won't be coming tonight, huh?"

"I don't know. I guess not," he says as he stares down at his phone. "Great. They need me to fly down there and resolve this."

"Right now?"

"Yeah... Should I go?"

Mom frowns with concern, "Can't they just get a lawyer or something to get them out? Why do you have to go?"

He shrugs at her, "I'm their manager, I should go. I can't leave them detained at the airport..."

Mom winces, "But it's Minty's birthday—"

"So? She'll be spending it with her friends, anyway," dad argues.

I nod in agreement, "That's true. It's fine, you should go before they start throwing a tantrum."

Mom shakes her head, "But what if I go into labor? Or there's an emergency?"

Dad laughs and holds her face in his hands, "Babe, you'll be fine. I'll only be gone tonight, but I won't go if you really don't want me to. I can send Benji or something."

Mom sighs and shakes her head, "No... No, it's fine. I'm just being paranoid again, and we said I'd stop doing that. Go ahead."

Dad studies her, then nods slowly before coming over to me and hugging me, "Okay... I'll see you both tomorrow, then. Have a great birthday, sweetie. You guys text me if anything happens. Don't drink, don't smoke, don't touch boys, don't—"