Page 5 of Backup Plan

I glance at the clock on my phone when he excuses himself to the restroom, and I didn’t realize how late it was.

I decide to text my mom.

Me: I ran into Everleigh’s younger brother, and we’re catching up. I also might have had an extra glass of wine, but we’re wrapping things up.

Mom: Don’t drive home. You needed a night like this. Have fun. The kids can stay with me. They’re practically falling asleep watching SpongeBob anyway. I’ll get them to school in the morning.

She’s right. I needed a night like this.

A night out where I can just talk openly, have a few drinks, eat some sliders, and forget about the drama.

Everleigh has been a good friend, my best friend since we met, starting at Langford Marketing together fresh out of college, but she’s also planning her wedding. She doesn’t want to hear about Brent’s latest continuance, or that Benji had an accident at school because he’s worried about Daddy, or that Sammy cried at his baseball game because Daddy didn’t show up.

But it feels like these are things I can tell Liam, and he won’t judge me. I’m not sure why I feel that way tonight. It’s probably the wine. But he offered to let me stay with him. He’s sweet, and he wants to help. Proximity aside, there’s the added benefit that my kids would get to live with a pro football player, which sort of feels like a punch to the face of Brent Calloway.

I never ask anybody for anything. I never have—probably something Brent ingrained in me from early on when I didn’t even realize he was doing it. I always just get it all done…but tonight, the wine is making me not want to get it all done. I should have a husband I can rely on, someone who can pick up the slack, but I never have any slack because I always just do it all. And frankly, I’m exhausted.

And so I’ll take my mom up on this favor tonight.

And maybe, just maybe, another glass of wine might convince me to take Liam up on his offer, too.

I will do literally anything to get out of that house with my soon-to-be ex-husband…even if it means shacking up with my best friend’s little brother.

Correction: my best friend’s cute little brother. My best friend’s pro football player little brother, who really isn’t so little, and has he always been so attractive, and I just didn’t notice because I wasn’t looking?

Jesus, Penny. Pull yourself together. He’s like seven years younger than you and definitely not interested in a divorcée with two little boys.

Me: Are you sure?

Mom: Absolutely. And I know your divorce isn’t final yet, but there’s nothing wrong with getting horizontal with a younger man. ;)

My face turns bright red. Aside from Everleigh, my mom is one of my closest friends. We talk daily—hourly, sometimes—and the older she gets, the bolder she gets. She cracks me up, especially when she says things you’d never expect to hear out of your own mother’s mouth.

Me: MOTHER!

Mom: [tears of laughter emoji]

I decide to call her real quick.

“Hey, Lucky Penny,” she answers. “Want to say goodnight to the boys?”

“How’d you know that’s why I called?” I demand.

“Because I’m your mother and I know everything. Boys! Mommy is on the phone!”

“Mama!” my older one squeals. “Grammy let me have Mountain Dew!”

“And now she gets to live with those consequences. I just called to say night-night. Grammy said you boys could sleep over, and she’ll take you to school tomorrow. I’ll be there right after to pick you up, okay?”

“But who will sing to me?” Benji asks.

“Want your song right now?” I ask.

“Yes yes yes yes yes,” Benji says, and I break out into my best rendition of off-key “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.”

Just as I’m finishing, Liam returns to the table, and I should probably be embarrassed that he caught me, but hey...it’s mom life.

I tell my kids I love them and have to go, and I hang up.