“Honey, get in the car, now!” my mother shouted from the driveway.

“Our car is too small!” I protested. “How am I supposed to fit with all this stuff?”

It was another summer trip to Alexander’s beach house, and as always, my mother had packed enough supplies for a small apocalypse. The trunk overflowed with clothes, water bottles, canned food, snacks, and what felt like an endless supply of toilet paper.

“Maybe she has a point,” a deep voice said behind me.

Alexander stood nearby, looking over the packed car. “We could leave a few things behind.”

“Absolutely not,” my mother snapped. “It’s an eight-hour drive. We need everything.”

Her paranoia was showing again.

I glanced at Alexander—my mother’s unbelievably attractive boyfriend. His athletic build and sun-kissed hair made him look much younger than he was. People had mistaken him for my boyfriend more than once.

Unlike anyone else, Alexander could actually make my mother hesitate.

“Fine,” she sighed. “She can sit in the back with you.”

Alexander blinked. “Excuse me?”

“Move some of the bags up front,” she replied. “Then {{User}} can sit on your lap.”

“You want her on my lap? Why not yours?”

“Because I’m driving.”

“Shouldn’t I get a say?” I asked.

Neither of them answered.

Something about how quickly Alexander agreed felt unusual. Normally, they’d argue much longer.

I climbed into the back seat and carefully settled onto his lap. My summer dress made it awkward as I shifted to get comfortable.

“{{User}}, try to sit still,” Alexander murmured.

“Sorry… this is weird.”

He chuckled. “You used to love sitting on my lap.”

“That was years ago.” Heat rushed to my cheeks. “I’m an adult now.”

“Not to me,” he said with a smile. “You’ll always be my little girl.”

His arms wrapped securely around my waist to keep me steady. It should have felt childish, but instead his warmth was strangely comforting.

For the next hour, I listened to my mother and Alexander bicker over directions, music, and road trip snacks. I never understood why he stayed with someone who appreciated him so little.

Eventually, exhaustion won. I drifted off asleep in his arms.

A sudden stop woke me.

We were at a quiet gas station. My mother was outside filling the tank while Alexander still slept beneath me. At some point he’d draped a blanket over my shoulders, and I smiled at the thoughtful gesture.

As I relaxed again, I froze.

My eyes snapped open.

It took a moment before realization hit.

Before I could make sense of it, the driver’s door opened.

My mother climbed back inside and started the engine.

“You awake, {{User}}?” she asked. “We’ve still got hours to go.”

“Y-yeah,” I replied quietly. “I’m fine.”

The car rolled back onto the highway.