“This will break Jake.”
“He’s a resilient young man. He’ll survive.”
“He won’t believe I just left. He’ll know you did something.”
She shrugs, sliding her purse up her forearm. “And that’s no concern for you.”
My stomach turns, and my chest constricts. To stay would cause too much havoc, and no matter how hard we fight, we won’t be able to repair it. But to leave means ripping my heart out and taking away a life Bria could have with her father.
I angrily wipe at the tear that falls down my cheek, her triumphant smile making me sick. She knows she won. Pulling out a pen from her clutch, she hands it to me.
“Smart girl. Now, sign, and we’ll both be on our way.” I wipe more tears, my shaky hands fighting not to rip her to shreds, and bend down to grab the piece of paper. Each detailed demand echoes in my brain. Am I doing the right thing? Will I survive losing him a second time? My entire body feels numb as I scribble my name on the paper and throw it at her. “Wonderful.”
“How is this wonderful? How is ruining two lives wonderful? It’s evil. And callous. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
“The money will be deposited into your account within the hour. Enough time for you to gather your belongings, which I assume isn’t much, and be on your way.”
“I don’t want a dime from you,” I hiss, but she disregards me.
“A driver will wait for you and take you to the bus stop. I suggest picking someplace…off the map?” She waves her hand in the air, turns on her heel, and disappears out the door.
I collapse, banging my knees against the floor. I hold my hands over my heart as if that will stop the bleeding. The tears come in wretched waves, and I slam my fists into the marbled tile. How can life be so cruel? How can someone hold so much power over another? Panic severs my airways. I suddenly feel like I’ve made a huge mistake. I should have trusted in Jake. Had faith he would choose us no matter what. Instead, I panicked and signed our future away. But every which way I looked at it was an endless pile of destruction.
When I’ve exhausted myself, I begin to stand, realizing a man in a black suit is taking up space in the doorway.
“Can I help you?” I snap.
“I’ll be taking you to where you need to go as soon as you get your things, Miss.”
Right.
I pull myself up off the floor, gathering my bearings. I need to focus on the now. Bria. I have to grab her things. Bria. My lower lip begins to tremble. I bite down on it to keep myself from another breakdown. I pack her a bag, my cheeks still soaked when I grab the onesies Jake picked out. I pack enough food to last us a few days. No matter how hard it gets, homeless, hungry, I will never accept her money.
The man is still standing by the door when I carry out a sleeping Bria in my arms. “I need to stop by my apartment to grab some things. Unless the wicked witch forbade it.”
He steps aside, showing some human in him, and grabs my bags and the car seat. “Where exactly are you supposed to take me?” He doesn’t answer me. The car is waiting for us just outside the building. He adjusts the baby seat and allows me to settle Bria while he puts our bags in the trunk. I stop to take a look back, knowing Jake will be home soon and I won’t be there to greet him. I’ll be gone with no note or explanation. He will hate me for what I’ve done.
I rest in the seat, my mind sinking back into a childhood memory.
“Have you ever thought about running away?”
Jake pushes me on the swing behind the guest house. “Today or in general?” he laughs.
“Any day. Have you ever thought about running away from here—away from all the expectations?”
He pushes me two more times before answering. “Of course. Probably just as much as you, if not more.”
Silence washes over us until I speak. “I want to run away. I don’t want to be what they want me to be.”
“And what do you want to be?”
“Free to be me.” He stops my swing and twists me around to face him.
“You should never let anyone tell you to be anything but yourself. That person is perfect. And if you ever decide to run away, I’ll come with you. Keep you safe. We’ll disguise our identities and live in a small town that only eats pancakes and popcorn. We’ll have a gigantic pool and build a fortress so none of them can ever get to us again.”
“We can do that?” I ask, hopeful.
“I would do about anything if you asked.”
I don’t realize we’re sitting outside my apartment until the man opens my door. “Please be timely, Miss.” I climb out and unlatch Bria from her seat, but the man stops me. “She stays here. In case you try anything.”
I snap my hand away. “I’m taking my daughter with me. If you think I would trust leaving her with you—”
“That is not an option. I have orders. Grab your things or don’t, and we go straight to the bus station.” My eyes scan him, then look to my sleeping daughter. It doesn’t feel right leaving her with a stranger. The wind picks up, sending a chill down my spine. My stomach shifts uneasily, and I look back at the man.
“I’m not leaving her. She comes with me.”
He takes a menacing step toward me. “Then I’m going to ask you to get back in the car.”
I clasp and unclasp my fist, unsure of what to do. There’s only one thing I want in that apartment: my box. I can be quick. Just grab it and be back down within minutes. I start chewing on the side of my cheek. Five minutes tops.
“Fine. I’ll only be a few minutes.” I run inside, taking the stairs two at a time. The heaviness in my chest gets heavier the farther I get from Bria. My breathing becomes rapid as I make it to the last floor. My pulse slams against my temples as I unlock my door and dash into my apartment. I’m trying to count the seconds in my head as I race into my bedroom. I open my nightstand and grab my box. Underneath should be her… “Shoot, where is it?” I dig under nameless items, searching for Bria’s birth certificate. My hands shake with onset panic. “It was right here. It’s always been right here.”
A splintering boom comes from my front door, and I jump, twisting around. I grip my box to my chest, my eyes frantically searching for any type of weapon to defend myself. A large shadow slinks through the doorway, and I drop the box and grab for the lamp on my nightstand, ready to swing.
The intruder thrusts my bedroom door open, and I freeze. “Jake—”
“What do you think you’re doing?” His broad chest heaves. His face is rigid with tension. His fists clench at his sides. I take a step to run to him, needing his comfort, needing him to tell me everything will be okay and wake me up from this nightmare. I take one step but stall. “Willa, answer me. What the hell is going on?”
“I…I’m leaving.” The words are sour on my tongue. My heart pounds, and my palms sweat.
“What do you mean you’re leaving?”
You can do this, Willa. Think of his future. “I’m leaving you. This isn’t going to work.” I stop to take a short breath. My tone holds no truth, and he knows it. “I want nothing to do with you. Leave me alone.” Shit, I can’t do this. My tears give me away. I fight to suck in air. “Go live your life. Because I can’t be in it.” My brain feels like static. I’m losing focus on what I need to do. “Please, just go.”