They left not long after. The drive was silent, but comfortable. Wes spent most of the trip back staring out his open window, while his free hand held Nicky’s over the middle console. They rolled into Wes’s neighborhood, but Nicky did not pull into the driveway. He parked just outside, keeping the motor running. Wes eyed his house. The TV light was on, meaning his mother was either awake or had fallen asleep with the help of a Xanax. Wes tightened his hand on Nicky’s, his eyes glued to the front porch.
“Hey.” Nicky’s soft voice pulled Wesley’s attention. “You want to stay the night?” Wes nodded, and Nicky drove off to his house. They arrived and Nicky parked in front of the garage. Walking in, Wes was pleased to see that the living room had been kept relatively clean. Even though he’d sti
