Moving from Chicago to New York as a single mother, hoping that your new business does well, is scary. But what happens when you find out your best friends new husband is the leader of something even scarier, and the only person who seems to give yo...
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"Mommy, I don't want to leave." Asteria wails falling to the ground. She continues to throw a tantrum as I make quick work in packing my suitcase.
"paschalítsa, I know you don't want to leave, but we need to." I sigh as I zip up my suitcase. I'm not packing everything because I'm not sure what's even happening right now. (Ladybug)
"Whyyyyy?" She whines.
I pull my suitcase off my bed and place it on the floor. "Staying here was never permanent, Asteria." I scoop her up off the floor and adjust her on my hip, "but right now we need a break from everyone."
I walk into her room and open up her closet, "I don't want to leave." She cries into my shoulder and it breaks my heart. I don't want to leave either, but I have to. I need to process everything that went down tonight and I need to think about my daughters safety.
I don't want to leave Mikhail, or Priya and Anna. I don't want to leave all the girls and the guys that I have become good friends with since I came here.
Being allowed to stay in this house was the last reason I needed to finally make the move to New York. And now if I leave permanently it's going to be even harder to start my business.
I open Asterias Princess suitcase and put her on her bed. I pull random shirts off the hangers and quickly fold them and place them in her suitcase. I do the same with her shorts and underwear, and put two pairs of shoes in as well.
"Grab the toys you want to bring, I'll come back for the rest of them later." She pouts and doesn't move from her spot from the bed. "Asteria, mommy doesn't want to have to be mean, so please just listen."
I'm trying to move as quickly as posssible because I know everyone will be home soon and they will be looking for me.
Asteria grunts but does as I say, and picks up her coloring supplies and her favorite doll that Charlie got her.
It's her pride and joy, and she loves it because "it reminds her of him," as she says. She always talks about how beautiful her doll is. I can thank Charlie for helping her learn all about "how to take care of the doll."
Basically he taught her and showed her videos of how African American girls do their hair and it's safe to say she has been obsessed ever since. Of course she can't actually do her dolls hair like they do it in the videos, but she doesn't care.
"Come on, my little cub." I smile sadly as I finish packing up her toiletries.
She grabs my hand and walks slowly beside me, attempting to stall our departure as much as she can.
We are halfway down the stairs when the door slams open. An angry looking Nikolai stands in the entryway, and an even angrier looking Mikhail stands behind him.
"I told you not to bring her with you tonight!" Nikolai yells at Mikhail, "I knew this was going to happen."
"Do not blame me for this." Mikhail glares at him and rolls the bottom of his pant leg up to reveal something that is hidden in his sock, he pulls the object out and tosses it onto the table in the entryway.
