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Chapter 24
Izzie
Dinner is delicious, but I just can’t eat.
I’m dreading the conversation, but I need to just get it over with. The question is how I’m I supposed to break it to Liam again that we’re leaving.
Brady and Liam are almost done, but I’ve done more pushing around my plate than consuming. I decide I need to spit it out.
“Liam,” I make my voice forcefully cheerful. “Our house is done. I spoke with them this afternoon, and we’re good to go.”
Filling my mouth with a big bite, I now wait for the fallout.
“Aww, Mom!”
That’s exactly what I was expecting from him: his face is sunken, his eyes already welling with tears. I can tell this is gonna be rough.
“Aww, Mom.”
Brady mimicking Liam’s expression and tone is super cute, and it admittedly helps level out the tension.
I actually have to fight to keep from laughing and making it worse.
There’s a part of me that feels the same way as Liam. It’s been like a vacation staying here with Brady.
Maybe it’s just because it’s been so long since I’ve had any kind of help with Liam or that I had access to so little luxury that I didn’t know it was out there.
Now I feel superficial for saying it, but I’ll miss it.
And just having someone else around, playing with Liam, helping him, is super relieving. Having that little bit of breathing room and time for myself has been amazing.
I’m a little bummed, getting settled into the idea of going back to it being just the two of us.
“I know. I know. I’m such a downer.”
Wiping my mouth with my napkin, I sit up straight and reach out to lightly rest my hand on Liam’s arm. “But Brady has been so great to let us stay here as long as he has. I, for one, am very thankful.”
“Well, I’ve been thinking about it.” Brady nudges Liam, who begins to look a little more hopeful. “What do you guys say to staying here through Halloween?”
My gut reaction is to say no immediately.
What’s the point of dragging this out?
I’ve already spent hours agonizing over discussing it.
I don’t want to have to go through this again. Halloween is going to turn into Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving will turn into Christmas.
And at that point we just live here forever, and we can’t do that.
But Brady isn’t done. “Come on, Izzie. It’s only a week away, and it would really mean a lot to me.”
Oh, brother. I should’ve discussed this with Brady without Liam around.
Liam is bouncing in his seat with excitement. “So, you’ll go trick-or-treating with me?”
“For sure, dude! I love Halloween. I used to go with all my brothers and sisters, and we were like a pack. Beware to the houses without their lights on or that didn’t answer their door to give out candy. We used to stash away eggs during the course of the year so they were nice and rotten for Halloween.”
Liam looks puzzled.
