Chapter 34 Krista #2
“And she needs to be where her family is.”
“Dad, this is my decision,” I cut in. “There’s nothing here for him.”
“But there’s plenty here for you, or have you forgotten that?”
I flinched back at the accusation in his voice.
“Your sister just had a baby. She has no one around to help. Two of your brothers are married. One with kids and one on the way. Are you telling me you want to walk away from all that?”
“I’m telling you I want a shot at that, too!” I shouted.
Silence filled the room as Dad continued to glare at me. Mom’s eyes were filled with tears, and I knew I was breaking her heart, but I had to find out for myself if this was going to work.
“Mom,” I whispered, “I can’t keep living everyone else’s life. This is what I want, and I need you behind me.”
She patted my hand, smiling up at me. “I know.”
“You can’t be serious,” Dad scoffed. “You’re supporting this?”
“It’s her choice, Ben. She’s a grown woman. She’s a married woman. This has to be her decision, or she’ll resent us for the rest of our lives.”
I hugged my mom, grateful she was on my side, but when I looked at my dad, he glared at me.
“Sir, I swear, I will take care of your daughter,” Rob said, holding out his hand to my dad.
I held my breath, hoping Dad would get past his anger and take the olive branch. But the longer he stared at Rob’s outstretched hand, the more I realized Dad would never support me in anything I did. It just wasn’t in him.
Huffing, he turned and stormed out of the house, letting the door slam behind him.
I winced, wondering if I should go after him, but Mom just patted my hand.
“He’ll come around. Just give him time.”
I hugged my Mom and prayed she was right. Because if I moved to Pennsylvania and ended up falling in love with the place, I might never see my father again. He would never forgive me for abandoning him.
“How much stuff does one woman need?” Rob grumbled, grabbing yet another suitcase from the growing stack.
“You shouldn’t be doing that. You’re not healed yet!”
Rushing over, I tried to yank it from him, but he held on tight.
“If you tell me one more time I’m not allowed to do something, I’ll leave you right here while I drive back to Pennsylvania by myself.”
“You wouldn’t!” I accused.
He lifted his shirt, showing the healing skin. “It’s been a week. I’ve rested. I’ve let you wait on me hand and foot. And I’ve eaten every meal your mother cooked for me. I’m fine.”
I chewed my lip, still unsure if it was okay for us to take the long trip back across the country. Sitting in a vehicle for that long couldn’t be good for him. I’d tried to find a way to prevent him from renting a vehicle, but with his excellent references, I hadn’t been successful.
“Would you relax?” he sighed, tugging me into his arms. “I promise you, I’m fine.”
“But what if you pass out on the road? Or if you pop a stitch? You know, I have no idea how to sew, and I really don’t like blood.”
“That’s what hospitals are for, but I’m telling you, I’ll be fine. Besides, it could be worse. We could be driving back with Derek and Claire.”
I grimaced at the thought. As much as I liked Claire, they were weird. I didn’t need to know anything more about her fetishes in the bedroom.
“Fine, but if you get tired, I’m taking over.”
“I will let you know the moment I feel a yawn coming on. Now, can we finish loading the truck?”
I let him take the suitcase and got back to packing. I wasn’t sure what I needed or how long I’d be gone. Part of me wanted to pack everything, that way I didn’t have an easy exit. But the rational part of me said that this was a trial, and it was smart to pace myself.
“Can I come in?” Lizzy asked from the doorway, grinning as she carried my niece.
“Hey. I’m sorry I haven’t been to visit.”
“It’s fine. I know you’ve got a lot going on. I wanted to stop in and see you before I headed to work.”
I didn’t ask permission as I took the little peanut from her arms. She was so tiny and cute, and I was going to miss out on so much. I really hated that.
Tears clogged my eyes as I stared at my niece and thought of all the firsts I would miss. Rolling over, crawling, smiling…And through all of that, Lizzy would be alone.
“Hey, this is a good thing. No tears,” Lizzy said, wiping her own tears from her face.
I huffed out a laugh, sniffing loudly. “This is so stupid. What am I doing?”
“You’re following your heart. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“I’m leaving you all behind. I’m going to miss so much.”
“But you’ll be with your husband,” she reminded me. “You have to do what’s best for you.”
I sighed in frustration. I hated not knowing what to do. “You have to promise me something.”
“Of course.”
“I need you to look after my investment.”
“You know I will, but Jeff will be fine.”
“I know, but I feel horrible. I’m just leaving it all in Jeff’s hands. I didn’t even talk to him about it first.”
“Well, he was handling everything anyway. You were really more of a silent partner.”
“I know, but I still feel horrible about it.”
Lizzy sat down on the bed, tugging me with her. “Krista, are you sure about this?”
God, how many times would people ask me that? “Not you, too.”
“I’m fine with whatever you want to do, but I just want to be sure this is what you want. You seem like…like you’re wobbling.”
“Because I am,” I laughed, running my finger along Willa’s cheek as she slept. She was such a good baby. “Am I making the right decision?”
“Only you can know that.”
I sighed, burying my face in Willa’s stomach and inhaling her scent. “He can’t be out here. His job is important to him. I can’t ask him to stay here.”
“Yes, you can. Your family is just as important. And I’m not saying that to pressure you one way or the other. I’m just reminding you that you have a say in things.”
“It wouldn’t be fair. I mean, first we need to know if we can even make it without guns and bombs and…weird friends in Superman costumes.”
She shot me a funny look.
“Trust me, you don’t want to know. He needs his work, and I need to know if this is something that will last. It makes more sense for me to move than for him to give up his job. I can always come home, but he might not be able to go back to his job if he leaves.”
“Do you really think that? He said they’re his family.”
“I really don’t, but this is the right move.”
“Then why do you look so depressed?”
Because I was. Because I didn’t want to leave any of this behind.
Adventure was always something I wanted, but after experiencing it with Rob, the last thing I wanted was to move further into that life.
Things may not be perfect here, but at least I wasn’t worried about getting shot or my husband going out on a dangerous job.
“Hey, anything else?” Rob asked, popping his head in the door.
“Yeah, one more suitcase. I think I might take her with me,” I grinned at Lizzy.
“Sorry, but this is one item you can’t take with you. I’d miss her too much, even when she keeps me up at night.” She took Willa back from me, snuggling her against her chest.
“You’re a good momma,” I whispered, hugging my sister.
She held me tight, sniffing back the tears. Then she stood and put a bright smile on her face. “I have to get to work. Be safe on the drive. And whatever you do, don’t get all crazy and hurt the poor man. He did just save your life.”
“I make no promises.”
She rolled her eyes and hugged Rob before walking out.
“Well, that’s one goodbye done. Only half the town left to go,” I teased.
“At this rate, we’ll never get on the road.”
“I suppose we could just hire a skywriter.”
“No thanks. One milkshake to the face is enough.”
I zipped the last bag and handed it over, chuckling when he winced at how heavy it was. “Bricks in this one?”
“Hair supplies.”
“I should have known.”
“I’ll just lock up and be out.”
He nodded and headed for the door while I turned around and looked at my empty room one last time. Smoothing out the covers, I tried to think of all the fun I was going to have, but as I walked out of my house, I felt like I was leaving a piece of myself behind.