The only sound that split the otherwise silent ride was the hum of the engine. The slow rocking of the truck helped Mack realize how tired she was. It had been a long full day and she had been on her feet for most of it. She settled into the seat, leaning back as she stifled another yawn.

Trace smirked. “Past your bedtime?”

“No,” she grumbled, giving herself away. She was always really grumpy whenever she was tired. “I’m usually not tired at night. I’ve become such a night owl on tour.”

“Is that by choice?”

She scoffed. “Yeah, Trace, ‘cause I like only having four hours of sleep a night.” She yawned again and leaned over so she was resting against the door. “I bring it upon myself though, making sure the guys are where they’re supposed to be.”

“But it’s not your job.”

“It’s my job of being a friend. I can’t sleep when I don’t know where they are.” Then she immediately stopped talking and pressed her lips together. Trace glanced at her and then back at the road. Her eyes were still red and puffy from crying before. It made him want to punch the person, or people, that made her so vulnerable. It wasn’t like her to openly cry in public. She must really be hurting.

“Do the guys know you’re here?” He finally asked.

She shook her head. “I just up and left.” She let out another yawn and reached up a hand to rub her tired eyes. She noticed the look of disbelief on his face. “I left them a note,” she added, watching his face relax. “I’m not that irresponsible.”

“I never said you were.” He flicked the turning signal and pulled off the highway easily. He relaxed in his seat now that they were off of the highway and onto a smaller route. “Are they going to be mad that you left?”

“Possibly,” she replied. “Lance might understand, and maybe Joey. They’re the more rational ones. It’s Jace and Justin I’m worried about. They’ll fly off the handle, no doubt.” She pressed her lips together again and a distant look settled in her eyes. She turned her attention to look out the window, although there wasn’t much to see in the dark. Streetlamps flashed past the windows, illuminating their faces brightly seconds at a time. The moon was like a sort of nightlight, illuminating the stretch of road in front of them.

“How long do you plan on being back?” Trace questioned.

“Well, now I know I’m not welcome here,” she tried to say sarcastically but it came out slowly and void of emotion because of how tired she was.

Trace laughed. “I mean are you coming back for a small break or…?”

“Considering their tour is almost over and then they’re taking a break, I’m back for a while,” she replied. “I need a break myself. I’ll probably take off dancing for a while; God knows it’s consumed my life for the past eighteen years.”

“Something tells me your mother wouldn’t like you sitting around the house all day.”

“Oh yeah, hotshot, what do you d now that you’ve graduated?”

“I work at E. E. Jeter as maintenance for now,” Trace replied.

Mack caught the face that he made. “Not your top choice, eh?”

He shrugged. “It’s the only available thing right now. I can’t complain.” He paused. “You know, if you need a job there’s an opening at the school. A teacher’s aide, I think.”

“What grade?”

“Fourth.”

“I’ll consider it.”

“Don’t you think—“

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

Silence stretched between them. Trace rubbed his tired eyes and took a right into the next upcoming neighborhood. A smile worked its way on his face when he heard her mutter, “Hallelujah” when she realized that he was turning into their neighborhood. Even in the dark it felt warm, inviting, and safe. It’s the only reason why he hasn’t left and he assumed it was that very reason that Justin and Mack always came back.

Mack lifted an eyebrow as Trace pulled into his driveway and turned off the ignition. The truck shuddered to a stop. “Are you too cheap to use a little bit of your gas to take me six houses down?” She asked sarcastically.

Trace paused at her comment, his finger brushing against his keys which dangled in the ignition and then laughed. “Of all the things to miss about you, that sure ‘nough wasn’t one of ‘em,” he commented. “If I let you walk into your house at…” he paused and looked at his watch in the moonlight, “3 AM your momma would greet you at the door with a shotgun to the face.”

She slowly nodded. “Yeah, Mom’s kinda paranoid,” she agreed, sighing. She could practically see her mother rushing down the stairs, a wild and frantic look in her eyes all because she’d do anything to protect her family. It was endearing but sometimes Mack thinks she’d end up putting herself in harm’s way because of her ‘Mother Hen’ personality.

“My momma knows you’re here. She’ll call yours in the morning.”

“Ok.”

He pushed open the door and got out of the truck. He closed the door with a slight push and went to the back, tugging out her suitcase.

“I can get it, you know,” she pointed out.

“Yeah, but my momma would have my hide if I wasn’t enough of a gentleman to help.” She cracked a smile and lifted her other bag out of the bed of the trunk. Together they walked down the short driveway, the only sound filling the air was the rolling wheels on her suitcase. As soon as Trace put the bag down and reached for his house keys the light on the porch turned on and the screen door was flung open.

“Darling, it’s so good to see you again!” Cassidy gushed, pulling the small girl to her and gave her a big hug. “Have they been feeding you on tour? Look at you, you’re all skin and bones,” she commented, holding the girl’s face in her hands. “I can whip you up anything you’d like.”

“Ma! It’s three in the morning. I’m sure the only thing she’d like to do right now is sleep,” Trace interrupted his mother’s excitement.

“It’s been a very long day,” Mack agreed once Cassidy let her go.

“Oh, of course. I’m sorry; my excitement got the better of me. You know the neighborhood’s not the same without you two around,” Cassidy said, patting her flyaway hair down. She then ushered the two inside, closing and locking the door behind them. “Trace was positively beside himself with boredom once you two left. How long are you here for this time, dear?”

“For a while, I guess,” Mack said with a shrug. “I’m taking a much needed break for some time to myself. Figured Memphis was the best way to get it, out of the media’s eyes and all.”

“Good, good. Are you hungry? We have some food left over,” Cassidy said. Without waiting for Mack’s response she rushed into the kitchen and started pulling food items out of the ‘fridge.

“Oh, Ms. Cassidy, that’s not necessary,” Mack tried to stop her.

“Not even for a piece of pie?” She asked, pulling the dessert out of the ‘fridge.

“No, I really coul—did you say pie?” Her attention snapped as if she were a puppy. Trace chuckled and shook his head, amazed that she was still ridiculously easy to please. “What kind of pie?”

“Apple.”

“I think I can stay awake long enough for a slice.”

Her smile got so big Trace was amazed it didn’t swallow her face. “I’ll put your stuff up in the guest room,” he announced.

“You don’t want any?” She asked before shoving a forkful of apples and cinnamon crust into her mouth.

“You’d probably bite off my hand if I did.”

“Ha ha.”

Trace lifted her bag and took it up the stairs to ‘her room’. He found it funny that she always stayed in the same room whenever she stayed over, Justin was the same way. It was as if they had self-assigned rooms and didn’t like change in routines.

He dropped her bags by the bed and pulled down the covers. He paused as Mack’s and his mother’s voices seemed to float up the stairs followed by their laughter. Trace frowned. She was upset before and now she’s laughing up a storm? The other guys must be worried sick about her but she didn’t seem to care. Then Trace kicked himself. That was her, she cared about a lot of things but she didn’t let it show most of the time, he knew that. But it still didn’t sit well with him.

She’s a big girl now; she doesn’t need to run to anyone with her problems anymore, he told himself, turning on a lamp, bathing the room in a soft golden glow. A smile tugged on his lips at the memory of countless times he, Justin, his cousin Rachel, and Mack would play in the room. Making forts and playing ‘pirate’, holding ‘secret’ meetings and staying up talking about anything and everything, pretending to be asleep whenever his mother came to check on them.

Things were so simple back then. He wished life could stay that way forever.

“Whatcha doin’?” Trace turned around and Mack laughed. “Careful, don’t want you to break your neck.”

He gave a wry smile. “Right, you’d want to do that for me for all the times I’ve gotten on your nerves.”

“Would you believe me when I say I missed it? You teasing me?” She asked, poking him in the side.

“Not at all,” he deadpanned. “Considering you beat me up every time I said one little joke about your stature.”

She shrugged. “I’m sensitive about my height.”

“That’s not the only thing you’re sensitive about,” he replied, looking her in the eye.

She stiffened under his gaze. “I told you I don’t want to talk about it.”

“When will you talk about it?”

“Neh-ver,” she replied with a small eye roll for effect. “‘Cause I’m done with it. I’m done with them and I’m done with dancing. I’m staying here forever. Aren’t you happy? You wanted me back so badly.”

“Not under these circumstances,” he replied. “You were bawling on the phone, I thought someone got killed. I’ve never heard you that hysterical before. And now you just up and leave in the middle of the night? I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what happened.”

“I don’t need your help. I can handle it on my own.”

He scoffed. “You’re doing a fine job of that right now.”

“You don’t understand, Trace.”

“So help me understand.”

“Trace…”  She let out an aggravated sigh. “Just…drop it, ok?

“Yeah, fine. You know where the bathroom is. Wake me if you need anything,” he grumbled in defeat. Getting anything out of her was like trying to set a mouse trap, if you force too much she’ll snap in your face and you’d have to start over.

“Hey T.” He stopped by the door and looked back at her. Her face had softened and a half smile was on her face. “Thanks.”

He nodded. “Anytime.” He pulled the door closed behind him and went down the hall to his room. Letting out a long sigh he flopped onto his bed and covered his eyes with his hands, wondering what he got himself into this time.

It broke his heart to hear her softly crying throughout the night.