Attention What If

Chapter 16

POV: Darleen

I haven't heard from Skylar in a few days. After Thanksgiving, we sort of stopped keeping in touch daily and changed to just checking in weekly. I wanted to distance myself from her. But, she hasn't even called to check in this week, and as I moved into the Vacation home I noticed it was quiet.

Too quiet.

"Skylar?" I called.

I walked to her room and found it mostly empty.

She left some stuff behind but not much.

I guess she's not here.

I was about to call her when I heard the front door open and loud grunting.

I peek around the corner to see Skylar carrying two large cat crates with very grumpy and chubby cats inside. One let out a loud howl of a meow.

"Alright, alright, we're here." Skylar sighed and set the crates down.

"There you are," I walk over to her.

"Ah!" she yelped and jumped in place.

I giggled.

"You scared me, I didn't see your car outside." She says.

"I parked on the curb."

"Oh, that's your car? You got a new car?"

"Yeah, just drove in. My back hurts," I complain.

"So is that a no on helping me unload all my stuff?"

The cat meows again.

"I'll help," I giggle.

We go out to her car and I see she has a lot of her stuff.

"I thought you had already moved in," I say as I help unload.

"I did..."

"What happened? I haven't heard from you in a while. How's your goal coming along?"

"Oh... yeah kind of stopped doing that. Too much going on."

"Skylar," I frown as we set the bags in her room.

"A lot has happened."

"Lay it on me," I say as we go outside to get more bags.

"Well, Vida and I were together for a bit. I was kind of not so officially living with her for a while. Then... Jade needed me, so I moved back in with her. Vida got mad at me; said I was using her as a place filler. She's not talking to me right now. Then Jade asked me to marry her."

"What!?" I trip over myself and drop the bags.

"Darleen, be careful," Skylar helps me up.

"Jade asked you to marry her!?"

"I said no, obviously. But then she said she was leaving. She moved to Canada for a job. Gave me the deed to our house. After she left yesterday... I just can't stay there right now. Too depressing. Vida was right, I still have deep and strong feelings for Jade. I just... need some time to process everything." She says sadly.

"Wow, a lot did happen," I say.

"Anyway, Vida dropped the rest of my stuff off at the house when I wasn't there, I had to take the countess to get her shots this morning. Seeing my bags already packed, I thought I might as well come back here and just take a break from it all." We set more bags in the room.

"That's what I'm here for," I assure her.

"Thanks, Darleen," she smiles at me.

I feel my heart skip a beat.