19. Chapter 19
The last week has been something I never would have expected in a million years. I went to Carlee”s sister and brother-in-law’s funeral. Noah came with me to translate, and Lexi came to support Carlee. Most of Carlee”s friends from Oakside were there. Beforehand, we agreed that to her parents I”d be a friend because this wasn”t the time to get into it.
With everything in me, I hated it, but I still didn”t leave her and Liz”s side. Her parents paid her so little attention they didn”t even notice me. Even though I get they are wrapped up in their grief, it’s like they forgot they have another daughter who is now raising their granddaughter. It all just doesn”t sit right with me, but Noah says we have to give them time. They have to process it.
Every day, I”ve been over to Carlee”s place. She picks me up and Noah comes and gets me at night. Through all this, he and I have become good friends.
How is she really doing? Noah asks me as we pull into Carlee”s driveway today. He gave me a ride because he had some other things to do in town.
She is handling it better than I expected her to. But I think there is a lot on her plate as well. She and Liz have talked a lot and are trying to figure out if they are going to stay here or move into her sister”s house. If they do, then she’ll have to figure out what she will do with this place. Her sister and brother-in-law were good with their money, so she isn”t stressed on that end. It”s her parents that are making her anxious. They ignore her, then show up and try to tell her what to do.
If she needs anything, she can let us know or you let us know. We have lawyers, mediators and more all at Oakside that would be willing to help her, Noah says.
I will let her know,I tell him as I get out of the car.
Walking to the door, I knock once before opening the door. Carlee told me to just come on in, but I still like to let her know I”m here.
I find her sitting on the floor with papers spread out on the coffee table and all around her.
What”s wrong? I ask.
My mom showed up last night after you left. She questioned me over and over about if I really want to raise Liz and saying I”m too young to be trapped with the responsibility. The irony! I went off on her about how she is always pushing me to have kids, but now I”m too young to raise one. She just kept saying I have options, and no man wants to raise someone else”s kid. When I finally kicked her out, Liz came to me crying after hearing the whole thing. It took me over an hour to calm her down and remind her how much I love her and want her.
I”m angry at myself that I wasn”t there for her. I know I have to be at Oakside, but I should have been there for her too.
What does that have to do with all the papers?I ask, sitting down at the coffee table across from her.
I”m checking all my bases concerning the will and other papers from my sister. After last night, I felt unsettled, but I didn”t want Liz to find me going through all this, so I waited until she left for school.
It all starts to click. This is why she called and asked Noah to bring me over today.
Noah wants me to remind you they have lawyers and all sorts of people who can help if you need it.
She sighs, flipping through a few more papers.
I might ask him if there is a lawyer to look through this. A second opinion, I think, might calm my nerves. Then she stacks all the papers up and puts them back in a folder.
He”d be more than happy to help.I tell her as I stand and move to the couch, pulling her on to my lap.
I want to talk to you about something, but if it”s not a good time, it can wait.
No, please tell me. I need the distraction.
I’ve begun the process to transition out of Oakside.I don”t want her to know how nervous it makes me, but at the same time I”m excited because it will give me more freedom to help her as needed.
What exactly does that mean?
Well, I guess it means I”ve healed enough that they think I can take care of myself. I’m working with my doctors to transition out of Oakside into the real world. They brought in Lexi”s sister-in-law who is working to get me ready to do. I need to figure out what I”m going to do. Going back to school seems like a good option. I can do it all online. But for what I don”t know. Another thing she’ll do is help me find a place to live and get set up. I met with her today and she is getting some information together for me.
Do you have any thoughts on what you want to do?
Other than be here for you, not really. I always thought I’d be a lifer in the military, but that”s not an option, so now I”m not sure. Tonight, I have some course curriculum books to read through and hopefully, maybe something will jump out.
Liz really like having you here.
I’m not quite sure where she is going with it, but my heart races, making me wonder if she can feel it.
Just Liz? I ask, trying to get her to keep talking.
Me too. Liz is doing so well with our routine and she”s doing good in school. Her teachers are surprised how well she is coping with everything that”s happened. I think that”s because of you sitting down to do her homework with her every night. I like having you here. It makes me feel stronger, like the weight of this isn”t crushing down on me.
I swear my heart stops and starts all over again. Just hearing she wants me here and that my being here isn”t more of a burden on her is everything I could want. I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and pull her in for a kiss. Just a soft one that shows her how much that means to me. Transitioning out of Oakside is scary, but having her at my side is what is making me push through it.
Suddenly she pulls away. For a minute, I think maybe I misread it.
Someone is at the door, she says, standing.
I take a deep breath and will my cock to go down because he”s ready for her anytime she is near me. Though I haven”t made a move on her since she got the news about her sister, but he is more than ready to be inside her again with less than a moment’s notice.
When she opens the door, her mom is there and pushes her way inside. She doesn”t look the least bit happy to see me.