I'm feeling safer then I knew I could be

Chapter 4: Cry yourself to sleep

Once again, Wilbur and his father were sat eating ice cream on a Saturday afternoon. It was the week after the whole ordeal happened. Wilbur was aware something was going on. His parents didn't simply talk anymore, they were either fighting or ignoring each other. His mother had been gone even more than usual. She had never paid much attention to Wilbur, but now she was just full-on pretending he wasn't there at all. His father too had been away more. He seemed very distressed and paid way less attention to Wilbur. Whenever he would ask anything about it he would either be ignored or yelled at. He didn't understand it. Did he do something? He was just hoping that it would just be over soon and everything would go back to normal.

Suddenly, Wilbur's father spoke up. " William, I'm sorry to say this, but your mom and I are getting a divorce" Wilbur gave him a shocked look. That really came out of nowhere, like no buildup whatsoever. " Your mom cheated on me with a colleague, I'm moving out and you are coming with me." "Woah what!?" That was a lot of information for Wilbur to handle all at once. "Where are we going? Why can't I stay with mom?" "We will stay in this town. You will be able to stay in this school and everything, but we are just going to a different apartment. You will like it just as much as this one! The second question stayed unanswered.

Jeffrey had spent the last few days trying to find a new place to stay for him and his son. He had argued a lot with his wife about what happened. He didn't understand how she could just cheat on him like that. Did the last few years mean absolutely nothing to her? And how could she just give up her child like that? They didn't even argue about who would get custody over Wilbur. Carole was set on giving him to Jeffrey. He tried to reason with her, knowing he would have a way better life with her, but what she said enraged him. " I don't want him!" She had yelled. " I never wanted him! I don't want to spend the rest of my life looking after an annoying kid I feel no connection or love towards whatsoever. I don't want to deal with him!" After this Jeffrey had simply walked out of the apartment without saying anything. He had felt so disgusted about how a mother could talk about her son like that.

He loved Wilbur more than anything in his life and would do whatever it took to make him happy, but he knew how much he would struggle money-wise after they moved. He had been trying to find a job ever since they came to their new home, but never managed to find one. The divorce would cost him loads and so would the new apartment he would have to find, so he had no idea how he would take care of himself and his son.

Wilbur looked so hurt when he told him about the divorce. Jeffrey felt so bad for him. This must be a lot for a boy his age to take and understand. He had to move twice in the span of a few months, lost his friends, his home, and now his mother didn't want him anymore. It was a lot for him to take. Jeffrey really hoped that he would be able to provide a good life for him.

Just as he finished his ice cream, Jeffrey's phone rang. He checked the caller ID and saw that it was the real estate agent he had been working with. He told Wilbur to stay where he was, got up and walked toward the exit while tapping the accept call button on his phone. A deep voice on the other side spoke quickly;

"Good day Jeffrey. I'm calling to inform you that the offer on the Apartment on ***** street that you visited last Thursday has been accepted. If you are still willing to hire it, you have to sign by next Tuesday at the latest." "I- um" Jeffrey stammered. This was all going so fast. He thought about it for a second, trying to remember what apartment the man was talking about, given that he had seen many in a short amount of time. "Sorry" he said. "Could you remind me what apartment this is again? The agent sighed in annoyance. "Don't worry, I'll send you pictures to remind you. Let me know what you want to do as soon as possible. I will talk to you later" And before Jeffrey could say anything, the man hung up.