I grabbed the car seat from the trunk, scooped up my son, and ran for it.
This time, nothing in the world would get me back in that car with them.
The moment I sank into the taxi's backseat, the tension drained out of me in one long exhale.
I'd barely gotten Tommy settled when my phone erupted—call after call, all from Bernice and Lambert.
I hesitated, then picked up Bernice's.
Her voice was sharp with accusation. "Astrid! Where are you? Get back here, we're about to leave!"
"Don't wait for me. I already took a cab."
"Took a cab?"
Her tone flipped to fury in an instant.
"What's that supposed to mean? If you didn't want us in your car, you could've just said so instead of sneaking off like a coward! You're making it look like we forced you out! If my brother hadn't begged me, I wouldn't have set foot in that piece of junk in the first place!"
Then Lambert's voice cut in, dripping with reproach.
"Astrid, you're being ridiculous. Bernice and her family just needed a ride. Was that really so much to ask?"
"Come back. We'll all go together."
I let out a cold laugh. My voice was ice.
"Say whatever you want. I'm not coming back."