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I know Jesse is feeling it too. He’s gone from having me and Nate constantly around to nothing, but Jesse is too filled with testosterone to admit it.
I get down to the main floor of my home and start searching out mom. She’s usually in the kitchen but when I cut through there and don’t find her, my brows come down. I grab an apple as I pass and take a big bite out of it before checking the den. Maybe she’s going to force me to take a break.
Nope. Den’s empty. No break for me.
“Where are you?” I call out, hoping she can hear me from wherever she is in this big house.
“Formal living room,” is called back.
Formal living room? What the hell? The last time we were in there was when dad wanted to chat and believe me, that did not go well.
I weave through the maze which is our home until I round the corner of the formal living room, only to find both mom and dad sitting side by side on the good couch, waiting expectantly for me, both sitting up straight with fake smiles across their faces.
Definitely suspicious.
I cautiously walk into the room, keeping my eyes on both of them as my mind takes me over every possible scenario, though I can’t for the life of me work out what the hell this is about. I’ve been the perfect daughter. Nate has been a good boy. I haven’t gotten in trouble and I’ve been studying every spare moment I’ve had. I’m literally the perfect child right now, so why the hell does it feel like I’m about to hear something I really don’t want to hear?
“Why don’t you take a seat, sweetie?” mom suggests as dad leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees and looking as though he’s deep in thought.
“What’s this about?” I question, sliding around the front of the couch which sits directly in front of theirs. I slowly sit down, right at the very edge, making it easier if I need to make a quick escape.
Dad clears his throat. “Calm down,” he says, though it comes out more like an order. “Your mother and I just have some news, is all.”
My stomach drops as my heart begins to shatter. My whole body slumps down with devastation and I find I can’t even look at them. “You’re getting divorced, aren’t you?”
“What?” mom shrieks, horrified by my assumption. “No, never.”
My eyes snap up to hers before looking between the two. “Really?”
“Of course,” dad laughs. “What would ever give you that impression? I know your mother drives me insane, but I could never divorce her. Could you imagine me trying to feed myself each night? It would never happen.”
“Oh,” I laugh, trying to force my heart to squish itself back inside my chest. “I, um… It’s just… we’re in the formal living room. Nothing good ever happens in here.”
“Oh, sweetie,” mom says, getting up and crossing to my couch to sit beside me. She takes my hand in her and places them down on her lap. “I wish we had good news for you, but we don’t.” She pauses for a beat. “Your father is being sent back to the London office.”
My heart falls straight back out.
I flick my eyes back up at dad. “You’re going away again?” I whisper into the room that seems way too quiet.
“Yes, Tora,” he sighs, giving me an encouraging smile. “But that’s not all.”
Mom squeezes my hand, drawing my attention back to her. “With you being so busy with college, I’ve decided to go with him.”
“What?” I gasp. “You’re both leaving?”
Mom’s eyes begin to water. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I can’t just sit here twiddling my thumbs, waiting for you to come home every day. I’d be bored out of my mind and I missed your daddy too much last time.”
My eyes drop to my lap as millions of thoughts begin swirling through my mind. “But… what about me?” I question as dad gets up and crosses to us. He perches himself down on the armrest and places his hand down on my shoulder.
“Honey,” dad says. “You have Nate and Brooke to keep you company, not to mention, so much school work, you wouldn’t even realize we were gone.”
“And when I come home at the end of the day to an empty house?”
“What if you didn’t come home to an empty house?” dad suggests.
“What?” I grunt in confusion. “You’re sending me to live with the boys again?”
“Hardly,” dad scoffs. “How would you feel about having a house or maybe an apartment closer to campus? You mentioned to mom that Brooke isn’t liking living in the dorm rooms. She could move in with you.”
I roll my eyes across to dad, trying my damn hardest not to get excited about the idea. “It sounds like you’re trying to butter me up.”
