“I have some news that is going to change some things for us,” I said.
Reign twirled a spaghetti noodle as she looked at me with curious eyes. “What kind of news? Is it like a surprise?” she asked.
“Not a surprise exactly. Just a big change for us. You know how it’s just the two of us living here. Well, Mommy got a job offer in the town where Nana and PopPop live. We’re going to be moving in a few weeks,” I explained.
“Moving? We won’t live here anymore? I won’t be able to see Ms. Kay or play with Mel?” she asked.
“You can still see them. We can visit, or they can come visit us. The only difference is you won’t see them every day. I knowthis is a big change, but it’ll be good for us. We’ll get to be around our family,” I explained.
Reign’s face let me know she didn’t fully grasp what I said. I didn’t expect her to, but I liked to explain things to her. It was the only home Reign knew. There was no way I wouldn’t tell her. She continued to eat her food. If Reign didn’t have questions then, then there would be some later. Reign was like Jude in that regard. Whereas I processed things on the spot, Reign needed a few to allow herself to process everything. At just five, she reminded me so much of her father.
After dinner, Reign took a bath before heading to bed. I read her a story like I did every night, and once I finished the story, Reign stopped me before I left her room.
“Mommy, where will I go to school when we move?” she asked.
“My new job is a teaching position at the school. The school goes from kindergarten all the way to twelfth grade. You’ll attend school there. We’ll be in the same building every day,” I explained.
“Do you think the kids at the new school will like me?” she inquired.
“Of course, baby. I think you’ll make a lot of friends. Now, I want you to get some sleep. We can talk more about the move tomorrow. I love you, Nugget,” I said as I kissed her forehead.
“I love you too, Mommy. Goodnight,” she said.
I adjusted her cover one last time. As I walked out of the room, I closed the door behind me. Instead of heading to my bedroom, I stood outside her door. Our conversation made me question my decision to move. I didn’t want Reign to worry about making new friends. What if uprooting her wasn’t for the best?
Two Weeks Later…
“Reign, come on, baby. We have to get going. Nana and PopPop are waiting for us,” I said.
Reign looked at me with sad eyes. She had been dragging her feet since the night before. After we said our goodbyes to Kay and Mel, my baby was a mess. I could hardly sleep because I kept questioning my decision. When I told Reign we were moving, she took it pretty well, but because the move was upon us, she cried anytime I mentioned leaving.
“Bye, room. Bye, bed. Bye, Mommy’s room. Bye, kitchen,” Reign said as she went through every inch of our home. She dragged her favorite bunny from room to room, but I didn’t wantto rush her. When she reached me in the living room, I reached out my hand once again.
“Are you ready, Nugget?” I asked.
Reign wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded her head, finally taking my hand and holding her bunny even tighter. We walked out and closed the door behind us. My pace was quicker than usual. I feared that if either of us looked behind us, we wouldn’t go. The time had arrived, and it was harder than I’d imagined. Reign wasn’t the only one in tears.
Before Reign turned to look at me, I wiped my face. I walked her to the back of the car and opened the door. The gesture reminded me of the last time Jude opened the door for me. Taking a deep breath, I put her seat belt over her booster seat. Before I closed the door, I kissed her cheek. I made my way to the driver’s seat and adjusted my mirrors. After setting up the navigation, I pulled out of the spot.
Reign and I were officially on the road for our three-hour journey. When I checked the rear-view mirror, I caught a glimpse of Reign. She held her bunny close to her chest. It wouldn’t be long before she was asleep. Something about the motion of a car always knocked her out.
My conversation with Nana replayed in my mind. When I shared the news of our move and questioned myself as a parent, Nana wasn’t hearing it. In true Nana fashion, she gave me loving words. She assured me repeatedly that Reign would be fine, that she was just a kid. I understood all of that, but I felt guilty about uprooting her. All night, I kept telling myself that was what was best for us, and as I drove, I silently prayed the change would be beneficial for us.
During the ride, I took in the scenery as we drove closer to the country. The further along we went, the more trees I noticed. It had been years since I’d visited Locust Valley. The trees were an indicator of just how close I was to home. A smile crept uponmy face as happy memories of my time in Locust Valley came to mind.
A little under three hours later, we pulled into town. The green and gold signs were just as I remembered, and I made note of newer stores in town.
“Mommy, are we there yet?” Reign asked groggily.
“In about twenty minutes, we’ll be there,” I said.
“Aww, man. I went to sleep, and we’re still not there?” she mumbled.
“Just hold on a little longer for me, Nugget,” I said.
As we continued into town, we passed the school she would attend.
“Look over there. That’s your new school,” I said. From the rearview mirror, I could see her turning her head. A faint smile spread across her lips. “Pretty cool, right? Your dad and I went to this school, too. It’s where we first met,” I explained.
