Stay with Me |Bwwm

Evelyn

One Month Later

My father met a woman named Grace at a bar, and his life took a significant turn after that meeting. It's astonishing how people connect in such unexpected places. I felt happy for him—finding a nice woman in a bar was quite the feat. I had to give him credit for that. Moving on from my mother so quickly was impressive, yet I always found it a bit questionable. Dad must have known her for a while.

Regardless, Grace stepped into the role of a mother for me, but I wasn't entirely comfortable with that. There was something about her that unsettled me. Jane, my sister, seemed to like Grace and viewed her as a major improvement, especially since that meant no more suffering. I appreciated my sister's optimism.

"We have some exciting news to share," Grace announced, standing in the kitchen with an enthusiastic attitude. Her son Luke, who was my age, sat at the table engaging in a game of checkers with Jane.

I was seated next to them, scribbling notes for an essay. This sudden announcement was more than enough to pull my focus away, which is precisely why I dreaded her family gatherings.

"We're going to be moving to Chicago soon. Your father and I discussed this a while back. Are you all excited?" So, they had this planned for some time, huh? Very suspicious.

"What?! Excuse me?" I pressed my finger into my ear, asking her to repeat herself. This couldn't be a silly dream.

Luke frowned slightly. "I think that sounds great, Mom. Why didn't you tell us sooner?" He moved a red checker piece diagonally and captured Jane's piece.

"I wanted to surprise you both."

Luke ran his hand across his shaved head. He had a light brown complexion paired with dark brown eyes, mirroring his mother's features. Grace had her hair in braids and wore a fuller figure well. "That sounds awesome, Mom. I'm totally on board."

"I'll miss my friends. You can't do this to me," I said, glancing at Dad. "Please, Dad, you can't let this happen." I pleaded multiple times, but he seemed unaffected.

"Evelyn, calm down. It might not be that bad."

"Right?" Luke and Jane chimed in unison.

"I'll find a place to live. I'm grown up enough to not stay with you guys." Laughter was now around me. Quiet down, everyone. I was serious.

Grace cleared her throat and chided me. "Sweetheart, you need to listen to us. You're not an adult yet." I had to suppress an eye roll—this woman had no authority over my life.

"Our flight is booked for next Thursday," Dad stated. I cursed them silently in my mind. Screw this and screw that.

"I hate all of you."

"You need to obey our orders, sweetheart," Dad yelled, pointing a finger at me.

"B-but Dad. This is insane." Tears streamed down my face. "But why? Why?" It hurt so much.

"No ifs, darling."

"What?"

"Pack your bags, kids. We're going to Chicago," he announced, dancing around the house with unexpected moves that surprised me.

I shook my head in anger and stomped to my room. I knocked over a few things in my path. Stupid, stupid, stupid. "I do not want to go to Chicago," I yelled. "I hate my life."

I shoved the little clothes I owned into two suitcases. This was absurd, really absurd. How could they do this to me? I despised my life, I did. Life was unbearable.

Grace had a good job as an accountant, so this move was somewhat anticipated. How could they organize everything so quickly? I wished they had never gotten together. Maybe...

I grabbed my pink glittery flip phone and called my friend's number. We ended up in a three-way call. Fuming, I spent an hour discussing everything I would miss once I left.

Anne was incredibly emotional on the line. She kept bringing up graduation. Theresa had to comfort her.

Like I said, life was miserable at that moment.

A week later, we were at the airport. Ugh, I was far from happy. Jane and Luke were bubbling with excitement. I figured they were thrilled for a fresh start.

"Why are you so down, girl?" Luke asked, sporting a leather jacket on his slim frame.

"I'll miss Florida, that's all." A young couple stepped in front of us and kissed. Gross! Silly relationships. I bet he wouldn't stay with her for long. Turning my head, I spotted another couple sharing a kiss. Was today some kind of kissing day? Ugh. Or was the universe just trying to make me jealous after losing Richard?

"Don't stress too much. Good things will come your way," Luke reassured me. No way. I wasn't a lucky person, so I didn't see that happening.

"I guess."

Mom left us, our dad found a girlfriend, and now we were flying to Chicago. So many changes happening in such a short span. I winced as I glanced at a message from Richard.

Richard: I'm sorry for what I did. Will you forgive me?

Me: Leave me alone.

Richard: Good luck over there. I hope you find someone who will appreciate you.

Me: Whatever, you P.O.S.

Richard: But you were sweet.

Me: Don't text me again.

"Guys, I need to use the bathroom quickly," I said. I felt like crying hard.

"Okay, sweetie. Our flight is in thirty minutes," Grace reminded me.

I took a deep breath and mulled over this ridiculous move. If I skipped the flight to stay with Anne, I wondered if her mom would agree to it. This was silly, so I pushed those thoughts aside and headed to the restroom.