Chapter 76 Georgia
Georgia
Cece and I schedule my Atlanta move-out for Tuesday of the following week. Moon was understanding about my quick departure,
considering the circumstances, and as luck would have it, she found a replacement roommate within a few days of my call. Timing-wise,
this day works well so the next tenant can get moved in the following day.
When Tuesday morning rolls around and we stand assembled—Cece, Junie, and me—at the Clementine, it feels like anything but
good timing.
“The doctor can see her today, so she needs to go,” I tell Cece.
They just called this morning; Junie’s latest scan is in and they have an opening for an appointment.
Cece has a U-Haul rented and sitting in the driveway, there’s another person waiting on the room, and I’ve scheduled the return of my idiotic car for today. But Junie’s pain is worse, and she’s supposed to have chemo again
on Friday, but honestly, she doesn’t look like she can withstand it. Checking in on the MRI results could help—especially
if they show the cancer is shrinking. It might make going on with the chemo feel like the right thing.
“We’ll get it all done in one day. If we leave now, we can finish and be back . . . probably just after dinner. You’re the one who said you didn’t have much,” Cece says.
She’s right. And I don’t have much stuff. It will go quickly. Quite honestly, I’m only going back to return the car and clear
the place out. I’m not particularly concerned about the items or belongings there; I never bought anything of real value,
never truly settled in. Part of me pretended it would always be temporary because that’s what I wanted it to be.
I turn to my sister. “I don’t want to leave you to go on your own.”
Junie grins from underneath the beanie that’s become her uniform. “I’ve got Tina and Dad, Peach. I’ll be far from alone. Plus,
I want you to go turn in your keys so you officially become a permanent resident here.” She shimmies her shoulders in delight, and I can’t help but feel it a little too. “I’m a big girl,” Junie
assures me.
She is. Junie, as much as I once delighted in it, does not need saving. At least not by me and not from her life. She is astounding,
as if her joy has its own heartbeat.
“I believe you,” I say. “So I guess Cece and I will go take care of this.”
Cece throws an exuberant thumbs-up. “And not to worry—if the doctor messes around at all, Tina will dump a drink on his head.”
Junie giggles. “We’ll stop for a Big Gulp on the way just in case the moment arises.”
I pull my little sister into a hug. She feels smaller in my arms, but in my mind she’s grown into a giant. It’s a strange
contradiction, but I ignore the way my mind tries to make it fit into the outline of our past. How can I do anything but delight
in the way she’s grown?
I release her. “Text me as soon as you’re done with a full update.”
“Yes, ma’am, bossy pants,” Junie says, and swats me on the rear as I turn to go.
I smile to myself as I leave the house, Cece at my side, and slip into my ball and chain of a car I can’t wait to be rid of.
Two hours later, I’m sitting at the car dealership signing the paperwork required to return the leased vehicle.
At first they lay the sale on hard, offering a discount to sign a new lease with an even swankier vehicle, but as soon as I drop the fact that I’m now unemployed, they happily move on to sorting the return paperwork.
It’s a relief to drop the heavy fob into the salesperson’s hand and meet Cece back at the U-Haul that idles in the lot. We
hit the road, and I call out directions as we go. Fortunately traffic is light, thanks to the time of day.
When we pull up, Cece’s eyes are wide. “You weren’t kidding, Peach. This place really is a crap hole.”
I laugh, and I let it flow. Looking at it now that I’m on the outside, I have so much affection for that version of me. She
really was doing what she thought was best. But choosing to live here? When the Clementine was available rent-free? She really
did get it wrong. If I could meet her on the street, I would wrap her in a tender hug and assure her she will make it home.
This time I’m quick to forgive myself. Quick to remind myself that I did the best I could at the time.
“I have to admit, my current digs are quite the upgrade,” I say.
“I’m sorry I helped push you into this,” Cece says.
I nod. “Consider it water under the bridge. So does this mean we can be friendly?”
Cece scoffs, a laugh behind it. “You don’t consider this as friendly?” She hops out of the driver’s side of the small cab.
I follow suit, and as we walk to the small building, Cece slings an arm over my shoulder and pulls me in. “If friends is what
you want, friends is what you get. But in full transparency, the Cecelia version of friends may not be as fluffy as the kind
between the rest of y’all.”
I look up at her and smile. “Well, I’m in luck, because rough around the edges is just how I wanted it.”