by JE Hunter
CHAPTER THREE
“You...You're what?” I stuttered; fully forming a sentence was impossible. The room flashed in and out as I blinked. “But it hasn’t even been a month yet!”
Mom shook her head. “I'm sorry, Nessa, but I just…I can’t do this—I can’t live here without him.”
“No! I grew up here. This is where we’ve always lived. I can’t leave. Not now. This is all we have left of him.”
“No. I can’t, Nessa. I can't...I...I just can't.” Mom reached up, wiping the tears from her face. Her hands shook, her breath came in short, shallow gasps.
“Where are we going to go?” I gripped the couch tightly, even though it didn't stop the room from twirling. Could she really make me leave the house? How much did houses cost these days? It couldn't be that expensive. Maybe my college fund would pay for it. I looked at her; she didn't look back at me. “You can have it. You can have all the money in my bank account if it means we get to stay here. Please. Please don't make me move.”
Mom didn't answer.
Grandma stood up. “No, Nessa, it’s not about money. There are many reason's why your mother is selling this house and money isn't one of them.” She glanced quickly at Mom who was too busy furiously rubbing tears away to notice. “As for where you'll live,” Grandma continued, “You're going to come live with me, on my island.”
My lungs emptied like I'd been tossed into space. “Your island?” I'd heard of it even though I'd never been there. “But there's nothing on the island, is there? Where will I go to school? Where's Mom going to work? What about my friends? What about volleyball?”
Grandma's eyebrows furrowed as she frowned. She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Nessa. But you have to come and stay with me. Your mother will stay here, in Surrey.”
I looked at Mom. She was still sobbing quietly by the window. “Where are you going?” She didn't reply. “Mom! Where are you going?”
She spun round to face me, her cheeks pale. “To the psych ward before I kill myself!”
No. No. She wasn't like that. She cared about me too much. She wouldn't leave me. Sure, she was so thin even size zero pants slid off her waist, and I hadn't seen her eat anything in a while but...I swallowed. A tear slid down my cheek. “No. You wouldn't do that.”
She shook her head. “I'm sorry, but...but it's a possibility.” She came toward me, holding out her hands.
“No. No, you can’t just send me away. I can help you.”
“No one can help me but a doctor, Nessa. Your grandma will take good care of you.”
I glared at the stranger standing in my living room. “How do you know that? I don’t even know her! I’ve only met her once and I haven’t even spoken to her in over five years. She wasn’t even at Dad’s funeral. She doesn’t care about me.”
Grandma stepped forward, the corners of her mouth pinched. “I regret not being able to be here for your father’s memorial. But I do care about you—more than you know.”
“Then why haven’t you been around? Why don’t you ever visit?” I was shouting now, my throat raw and tight.
“Your grandma’s a very busy person.” Mom reached out, placing her hands on my shoulders. “But she’s here now. Give her a chance. Please, Nessa, give her a chance and I'll get better. I promise. If you let your grandma take care of you, I can take care of myself, and then I'll get better.”
I numbly pushed tears off my face.
“Come on, Nessa,” Grandma said. “You'd best go get ready.”