Like That

Chapter 1 - Moving

The future is completely open, we are writing it moment to moment -- Pema Chodron

Chapter 1 - Moving

Emily's POV:

2 months later-

breath in - breathe out - breathe in - breathe out....

Looking in the mirror I ask myself, "Why is this so hard?" I think to myself, "Because you are packing up your whole entire life and heading back home with my tail tucked between my legs." This is not what I had planned. After fifteen years of marriage, I am a single mom with two children. This is not how I wanted for my life. This is not how I wanted to go back home. Patrick and I planned to move home for his last assignment, and stay after his military service was finished we even bought (built) a house in the same neighborhood as my older brother C.J., Christopher James Daniels, but now he will not be coming with us. I am trying not to be angry and bitter, but today that is going to be hard to do.

"Emily? You ready to go? The movers will be here any minute," I hear my mother say from my bedroom door. "Honey, it will be ok. I'm here, your dad is here, you have two wonderful sons, you can do this," I expel a big breath and pull my shoulders up and put on my game face, it's show time. No one needs to see how hard this is.

My dad just left with the boys. He was going to spend the day with them and check into our hotel suite while the house is being packed away. My parents flew in two days ago to help me move out of this house. They were not crazy about me being the only driver on what will be an almost 24 hour drive to my new house. I'm not going to lie I was not looking forward to doing this alone. I've found it difficult sometimes to be the only parent, but being an only parent and moving was more of a challenge than I was ready for.

My mom, Hannah Daniels, is wonderful. She is a few inches taller than my 5'4" body, but you would think she was six feet tall. She is very much the take charge kind of person. Watching her the past few days has given me strength to see this through. She is spending the day with me making sure all the items are packed correctly and labeled for the new house. I'm moving from a three bedroom ranch style house to a four bedroom two story house with a full walkout basement. My kids, well mostly Mason, are looking forward to the having a lot more space. Since we will be living in the same neighborhood as my older brother and his wife and their three kids and not too far from my younger brother Michael, Patrick and I had opted for a larger home so we could entertain family.

I smile at myself in the mirror, hoping that it will convince my mom that everything is was ok. "Alright, ready mom. Let's get this done," I reply as she lets the packers into the house.

She gives a quick smile and says, "You sound like your dad." Looking at her I can see myself in 25 years. We share the same large blue eyes (but mine are not as blue as they used to be) that do not disappear when we smile. Her dark hair is just now starting to turn gray and with her high cheek bones she doesn't come close to looking as old as her 62 years. Even though I have the lighter complexion and hair color of my dad, many of my features come from the lady that stands in front of me. I hope I age as well as she has.

I watch the packers as they carefully wrap and box everything I own. I help when I can, answer questions when they arise, and direct traffic through my house. Like some synchronized dance, the packers waltz through removing all evidence that Mason, Peyton, and even Patrick or I have ever lived in this home. In less than six hours the packers were finished and out of my house.

At the hotel I changed my clothes and grabbed my camera and made my way down to the pool, where I found my dad in the middle of splash fight with Peyton and dad against Mason. "You're here early. You joining us or are you hitting the hot tub?" he asks. Peyton splashed the water hard enough to reach Mason, and a fit of giggles erupts from his little mouth. I couldn't help laughing with him. Mason tried to look upset that Peyton was able to get him wet. Then, he exited the pool and cannon balled right near my dad, and he drenched both of them.