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As I made my way back to the couch, I noticed how the sound of my footsteps echoed through the empty house, reminding me once again of how alone I was.
I sat back down on the couch, staring at the ceiling. The darkness enveloped me, and for a moment, I allowed myself to get lost in it. The stillness of the night was calming, and I closed my eyes once again, hoping that sleep would come and take me away from my troubles.
But the longer I lay there, the more my mind began to race.
Later on, I found myself tossing and turning in bed, unable to find any rest. My mind was consumed by Laura's father’s words to me and his sense of responsibility towards his daughter. Despite my efforts to push the problem away, it continued to gnaw at me relentlessly.
I replayed various scenarios in my head, each one more complex and convoluted than the last. But no matter how many solutions I came up with, one thing remained a constant—I needed to protect my daughter.
It was a decision that had been brewing in my mind for some time now. I had tried to make things work, to find a way to coexist with Laura's father and his world, but it was clear that my efforts were in vain. My daughter needed a healthy environment, and I was no longer willing to sacrifice her well-being for the sake of a job or a relationship.
As the clock struck 3 a.m., I finally came to a decision. I would move away from here, take my daughter with me, and start fresh in a new state. It was a simple solution, but sometimes the most straightforward solutions are the most effective.
***
The following morning, I woke up with a heavy heart, knowing that I had made the difficult decision to uproot my life and move away from everything I had ever known. I continued to lie in bed for a few moments, feeling overwhelmed and unsure of how to proceed.
Eventually, I mustered up the energy to get out of bed and start my day. As I sipped my coffee and stared out the window, I began to make a mental list of all the practical details that needed to be sorted out before I could make my move. How would I empty the house? What would I do with all my possessions?
But even as these questions swirled around in my mind, I knew that I wasn't ready to tackle them just yet. I needed to talk to someone first, someone who could offer me some guidance and support in this difficult time.
And then it hit me—Tank would be perfect for the job. We had grown closer over the past few weeks, and I felt like I could trust him with my deepest fears and concerns. I picked up the phone and dialed his number.
"Hey, it's me," I said when he answered. "I was wondering if you had some time to talk?"
Tank's voice was warm and reassuring on the other end of the line. "Of course, man. What's going on? Do you wanna meet at Tiny's?"
As I stepped outside, the cool breeze immediately greeted me, carrying the scent of rain with it. The sky was blanketed with thick, dark clouds that seemed to have swallowed the sun whole. I could feel a sense of gloominess settle within me, and I doubted whether Tank would even show up in such weather.
However, to my surprise, Tank was already there, seated and serious, waiting for me. The wind had ruffled his hair and clothes, giving him a rugged appearance. His intense gaze made me feel like he was dissecting my thoughts before I even spoke a word.
I took a deep breath before starting to tell him about my relationship with Laura and her father and how it had all just become too complicated for me. I couldn't wrap my head around it, and to add to my worries, Laura had been entirely unresponsive these past few days. The thought of not knowing how she was doing made my heart ache. I also wondered if my daughter would be okay after all that had happened.
As I spoke, Tank remained quiet, his eyes never leaving my face. I could sense his unwavering support as he listened intently. I told him to tell Laura that I would always love her.
Chapter twenty-two
Laura
The room was dimly lit, with only a small lamp illuminating the corner where I lay on my bed. The silence was deafening, and the only sound that could be heard was the occasional rustling of the leaves outside my window. I felt like a prisoner in my own thoughts, trapped by the weight of my past and the uncertainty of my future.
The call from Tank had left me feeling empty and alone. I felt like everyone I cared about was slipping away from me, one by one. I knew that Anthony had to protect his daughter, but it still hurt to think that he couldn't be there for me as well.
I tried to hold back the tears, but they came anyway, hot and relentless. I buried my face in my pillow, muffling my sobs as I tried to regain my composure. But the more I tried to stop crying, the harder it became. My whole body shook with the force of my emotions, and I felt like I was drowning in a sea of despair.
This family that I had been born into. It was a world of violence and power struggles, where blood was thicker than water, and loyalty was everything. My mother died when I was young, leaving me to be raised by my father and my two older brothers. But later my brothers succumbed to the same fate, each one dying in a battle for control of our family's territory.
I had tried to escape that life, to make a new start for myself. But no matter where I went, the past seemed to follow me like an unrelenting shadow. And now, with Amanda's safety on the line, I knew he would do anything not to lose her.
As my father would do anything not to lose me.
The more I cried, the more I could feel the weight of my past lifting from my shoulders, even if only temporarily. The tears were a release, a way to purge me of the pain and sorrow that had been building inside me for so long. Somehow, I had just known that this relationship wouldn’t work out, especially after the incident at Amanda's school.
I picked up my phone and dialed Becca's number.
"Becca, it's over," I said bitterly.
"Where are you?" she asked immediately.
