When they started packing up all my stuff—very messily, might I add—I freaked out. Yelling at them to stop whatever they were doing because it was causing me so much stress. It was then when they looked over at me and told me I was moving out.
My thoughts went to my and Levi’s fake but very confusing relationship. If it caused my sudden move, it had to stop. It wasn’t fair to my brothers for my and Levi’s relationship to start getting messy.
It would have to end before anything could even start.
But after seeing the horrified look on my face, they informed me I was moving into our childhood home, only a few blocks away from our current family house. The reasoning was because of Dad. They no longer thought it was safe for me to live in the same house as him. I could tell something else had happened, but they refused to tell me. Nothing else made sense for my sudden departure.
I trust my brothers’ judgment. They never make dramatic decisions based on their feelings. So, this must be urgent.
“She’s no daughter of mine. She’s just my source of income.”
That breaks my heart into a million pieces as I replay that in my head. Each time, it just hurts more and more.
A couple of years ago, I would’ve felt so torn, thinking I would have to move out because of my dad, but now … I’m so relieved that I’m leaving.
I’m tired of constantly looking over at my locked door to make sure he can’t come in. I’m tired of looking over my shoulder to make sure he isn’t there.
I’m so tired.
I’ll miss my brothers. I’ll miss Elijah’s random visits in my room during the day, Trinity and Leonidas playfully bickering, my mom’s comfort.
But I miss my happiness more.
It only took a couple of hours of work to pack all my stuff into boxes and haul them to my new place. I only took what was in my room since this house is still fully furnished.
“Are you sure she’ll be okay by herself?” Elijah expresses his worry when we move the last box into the house.
“Yes.” My other brother nods. “I had someone change all the locks and install security cameras, and this neighborhood is gated and populated by senior citizens. She’s safe here.”
He wraps an arm around my shoulders and kisses my temple. “I know this is a sudden change, and this might be scary for you, but you can’t live in a house anymore with a man who resents you.”
Tears fill Leonidas’s eyes, and the sight nearly makes me break down into a sob.
Nothing is worse than seeing your normally strong brother cry for you. I’ve only seen him cry twice—the first time at the hospital when he almost died and when Trinity and he had their big falling-out.
“I’m sorry this has to happen to you under these circumstances,” Trinity says, coming up to us and wrapping her arms around both of us. “We’re going to get over this hump in our life. This is just the first step.”
“I can’t cry today, guys. It gives me a headache,” Elijah adds in. “If this moment is a step toward getting better, let’s make this moment joyful and start unpacking.”
Leave it to Elijah to make a crappy moment feel happier.
Unwrapping myself from my family, I head over to a box labeledRoomand make my way through the house, full of nostalgia from my family’s past.
Seeing all our old furniture in the same place we left it, all the picture frames filled with happy moments, I smile.
Maybe this will be good for me as I try to recover from my ED, surrounded by all the great memories this house makes me remember. I’m over living in the house where all my problems started.
* * *
“This is good,” Trinity says, trying to convince herself out loud. “You’ll be happy and safe.”
I watch her as she aggressively sorts my makeup into my old vanity. “Trin?”
She looks up at her nickname.
“I know what you’re worried about,” I state, folding a bunch of my clothes and putting them away.
“What’s that?”
