Maybe I did that. Maybe I got my point across when I punched him and told him to stay away. Is it my fault that Nason’s been absent? Would he have tried to reconcile with Lie if it hadn’t been for that moment?
Somehow, I don’t think so. We crossed an ugly line, and there’s no repairing it. For good or bad, Lie’s parents are no longer involved in either of our lives.
In a way, I’m relieved at this outcome. Not because Nason’s gone, but because the nasty rumors have stopped. His vile accusations have stopped. His anger and negativity are no longer a part of our days.
Lie no longer waits for Nason to come around or worries about what Nason will say to him next. He’s not newly hurt every single day.
He hasn’t come home crying since that day.
It still hurts. It’s always going to hurt. Especially since we live next door. A constant reminder of them no longer being a part of our daily lives.
However, it’s allowing us both to find peace. To heal a little. To create a daily routine where there are more and more moments of happiness between us.
If I’m honest, I wasn’t sure how we were going to create a life together with Nason always looming in the background. A dark, painful scar that we share. Every step of our relationship has had something driving it.
The forbidden aspect, sneaking around, made it hot. Exciting. Then we were united and found a safe space of comfort when we were both dealing with Nason.
But once both elements fell away, and we were just together, would we fizzle out? Would all the pain and trauma be for nothing?
If anything, everything we’ve been through has only made us stronger. It’s made me love him more. So much more than I ever thought possible. More than I thought I was capable of.
I’m relieved. I’m in love. I’m happy.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t hard days and difficult moments. We’re always going to face them because we both lost someone monumentally important who was a huge part of both of our lives every single day. You don’t just get over something like that. You don’t miraculously heal.
I planted trees between our properties a week ago. They’re little trees, but they’ll grow. I left enough room to add a fence too, which I’ll probably do at some point. Lie used to spend a lot of time outside. He loves the fresh air and sunbathing in skimpy bathing suits.
He hasn’t been outside in months, though. With the risk of seeing his parents, he’s remained inside. I want him to feel comfortable in the yard, so I’ll do whatever I need to make that happen.
Lie comes out of the room. “She’s gone. I watched her walk down the road.”
I take him in my arms and give him a tight hug. “You ready to do this?”
He sighs. “Yep. I’m ready.”
“Okay. Plan is simple. You pack and I haul. We’ll be done in no time.”
“Quick and clean. Give no one time to notice.”
I give him a curt nod. It’s risky. I know that. There’s a high chance of confrontation if someone sends word to either Nason or Miranda that we’re there. In Nason’s case, we have a solid half an hour before he can get back here. Which means that’s our time limit. In and out in thirty minutes.
Neither of us is concerned about Miranda. She’s been a non-player in this game, which speaks volumes about her as aparent. Something I’d been wavering on since she started her supposedly accidental pricks and prods on Lie for the past… decade? Has it been that long?
Oof.
Lie takes a deep breath. “Okay, let’s go.”
The door is unlocked, which I’m internally thankful for. I had this vision that the doors would be locked, maybe changed, so our keys no longer worked.
Like I did with my doors last month.
Thankfully, we get in without incident. The house is silent. Lie takes another steadying breath, and I follow him into his bedroom.
“You take the closet hanging things,” Lie says. “I’m going to start on my drawers.”
He sets the stack of totes down and pulls one from the stack to set beside the dresser. He pulls open a drawer and starts dumping everything in without ceremony.
My stack of toes goes beside his, and I take all the hanging items in my arms, scooping them up so the hangers leave the bar. I laugh when I get stuck and Lie has to come rescue me.
