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“Okay. What happened?”
“She told me she wants us to move to Florida.”
“Geesh. I don’t think that can happen.”
“I was excited about our new home. Mom just bought a new home, and now we’re moving. And what about you, Dad? Will you be moving too?”
“I have no plans to relocate to Florida, and I know us adults can sometimes talk before anything is certain, and I think that’s what your mother may have done. It’s okay. If I were you, I’d leave it alone, and once you’re back in Chicago next week, we can talk more about it. Right now, I want you happy and enjoying the last of these summer days in Washington.”
“Thanks, Dad. It looks like you made it back to Chicago. I don’t see those ugly green walls anymore.”
We both laugh, and I give him a brief tour of our new temporary digs.
“How long are we staying there, Dad?”
“I’ll be apartment viewing next week. We’ll probably be here until mid-September or early October.”
“See? Mom can’t take me from you! I love the idea of having two bedrooms. Yohan says he likes the bedroom at his mom’s place the most because it’s cozier, but the bedroom at his dad’s is bigger, so he likes that one too.”
“I hope you have Yohan’s contact information. If not, ask your grandparents to get it, so you two can stay in touch.”
“Great idea, Dad!”
“Well, thank you! I think so.”
“And I really love my school, too. I don’t want to move so far away to a place I don’t know anyone. Plus, hurricanes.”
“Dustin, please, I need you to be kind to yourself by not thinking about adults and their issues. Moving to a new state is an adult issue, and I think it would have been best to talk to you about these things when they are certain. I know I’ll be looking for a space for us with two bedrooms because I know I need a bedroom for my son. Okay?”
“Okay. Grandma and Grandpa told me not to worry about it right now too.”
“Great!” I am so happy to hear this. It makes me look credible in Dustin’s eyes. I need Courtney to pause all this bullshit because if I hear anything else she’s done, I’ll snap. There’s only so much I can take.
I tell Dustin I’ll call him tomorrow as I know getting food in this home is crucial before I spend too much money eating out. I did that enough in Hillpike. However, unlike Hillpike, Chicago has fantastic restaurants everywhere. But that’s not a good enough excuse to not buy groceries. I think cooking will help get my mind off all of the obvious.
But then, my phone rings, and it’s Sadie.
“Hello,” I answer.
I start pacing as I hear her breathing on the other side.
“Sadie, are you okay?”
“Yes. I’m here.”
“Where are you?”
“I’m sorry. I’m in Hillpike. I didn’t mean to get you…um, concerned or—”
“I’m so sorry, Sadie. I know we hoped we could keep it all a secret, but—”
“It wasn’t meant to be. I get it, Freddy. Listen, I have a lot I need to talk to you about.”
“First off, Sadie, are you safe?”
“Yes.”
“Do you feel you can stay safe? In Hillpike?”
