"Not right know, but we will eventually. And when we do, Madison will understand why I'm doing this. I want what's best for you, and Haverhill Academy is where you need to be. I looked up your current school online and I'm horrified you ended up there. Their academic record is one of the worst in the state. And that area where you live has one of the highest crime rates in the Chicago area."
He's just finding this out now? Why didn't he look all this up before? If he had, maybe Mom and I never would've moved here. But then I wouldn't have met Dean, or Eve, or Danny—people who have become like family to me.
"It's not that bad," I tell him. "I'm getting used to the area and I actually like my new school."
"It's sweet of you to try to alleviate my guilt but there's no need to. I deserve the guilt. I never should've let you go there. I was just so caught up in my new life and moving to California and adjusting to my marriage to Madison that I lost sight of what's important. And YOU are what's important. I love you, honey, and I want you to have the best life possible."
I should be ecstatic hearing him say all that but I'm not. He said the exact same thing last year, and I believed him, only to find out later that he didn't really mean it. He used the right words but they didn't match his actions. All those months he was going through the divorce he'd tell me how much he loved me, how he'd always take care of me, how he'd always be there for me, and then he moved away, didn't call, and left my mom and me with nothing.
"Dad, can we talk later this week? I have a test tomorrow and I really need to study."
"Of course, but first, tell me how you're feeling about this. I'm not getting the excitement I thought I would from you."
"Sorry, I'm just tired. It's been a long week."
"Well, I hope this news makes it better. We'll talk soon."
"Yeah. Bye."
I set my phone down and take my dinner to the trash. I'm not hungry. I feel sick. Why is he doing this? Why now? If he was going to do this, he should've done it weeks ago, before I got attached to my new school. Before I made friends. Before I fell in love.
I'm not going back to Haverhill but I didn't want to tell him that. I wasn't ready to argue with him about it, at least not yet. I need to talk to my mom first and find out why she didn't tell me about this, and if she's seriously considering moving back. I'm guessing she wants to. It's all she knows. Her entire adult life has been spent hanging out with her rich friends at the country club, wearing designer clothes, living in a fancy house. If we moved back, she wouldn't get the clothes or the fancy house, but she'd be with her rich friends, which would make her feel a little like she's back in her old life.
I no longer want that life. I want a life with Dean, and friends like Eve. My school isn't great but it's not bad. My AP classes are getting more challenging and I like most of my teachers. I have no desire to go back to Haverhill but telling my dad that won't be easy. As a lawyer, he treats everything like a case and he doesn't like to lose. If I want to change his mind I'll have to be my own lawyer and fight for what I want. I'll have to prepare, lay out my case, and then present it in a way he'll accept. That'll take time and it's not going to be easy.
"Hi, honey," my mom says as she walks in the door. "I thought you'd still be at the hospital."
"They wouldn't let me see him." I walk up to her as she sets her purse down. "They figured out I'm not his sister."
"Well, I'm sure he'll be moved to a regular room soon where he can have visitors." She walks to the kitchen. "Did you have dinner?"
"Yeah, I had a frozen meal."
"I think I'll have one too." She opens the freezer and takes one out.
"Mom, I need to talk to you."
"Just a minute." She puts the dinner in the microwave, then turns to face me. "What is it?"
"Dad just called."
"Oh." She forces out a smile but her face is covered in guilt. "Honey, I don't want to talk about this right now. I'm exhausted from work and have a horrible headache. I need an aspirin." She walks past me to the hall bathroom.
I wait for her to come out, watching as she goes to the kitchen sink to get a glass of water.
"Mom, I know you're tired but we have to talk about this. Why didn't you tell me Dad had enrolled me at Haverhill?"
Her brows draw together. "He already enrolled you? Without telling me?"
"He said you knew. He said he called last Sunday and told you."
"He said he was considering it. He didn't say he was going to enroll you. I told him we needed to talk it over before making a decision."
"You mean you and Dad?"
"No. You and me." She comes around the counter to me. "We have a life here. I'm not saying it's great but it's ours."
"I don't understand. I thought you hated it here. You're always saying how you miss the old house and your friends and the country club."
