Even Though I'm Leaving

24

Maddy spent a lot of time talking to Jay that night and even still didn't understand why.

Hailey knew she was struggling still and went to her room just to check in and see if everything was sinking in.

"Hey Mads," she said as she knocked on the door and opened it. "You okay in here?"

"I want to trust him again but I just can't stop thinking about it. About how he just left and thought we'd be okay with it," she sighed, blowing a breath out as Hailey sat on the bed.

"I know Mads. But he's trying," she told her, facing Maddy as they both sat there.

"I know but it's hard. You can't tell me that you just trust him again right off the bat Mom,"

"I never said I did. I said he was trying. He knows that he messed up and even though we were hurt by it, so was he,"

Maddy sighed and nodded, picking Molly up from the floor. "Don't we need to go pick up the dog today,"

"Yeah. Why don't you go with him? Maybe talk on the way there," she suggested, also petting Molly.

"Don't you wanna go?" She asked, looking at her mother.

"I want you to go, and talk to your dad,"

"Fine," she nodded, standing up as she held Molly, "I gotta go feed her,"

Maddy quickly fed the puppy before going back to her room and laying down in her bed. It was the first time in almost 5 months that she actually slept in her own bed. She was used to Hailey being right there but now she was alone with her thoughts.

It was almost like Hailey knew she wasn't sleeping. At 2 AM, Hailey lightly knocked on her door and opened it.

"Why are you still awake?" She asked, sitting on the bed again as Maddy sat up.

"I don't know," she sighed, shaking her head.

"You've been sleeping with me for the last 8 ish months. You only had that one time when you rebelled and you were in your own room," she told her, "Come on, I'll stay until you fall asleep,"

"Thanks, mama," she nodded, laying down in her bed.

Hailey did as she said she would, simply laying next to Maddy and scrolling through her phone. She waited for Maddy to settle into her sleep before she slowly got up and tiptoed out of the teen's room.

Jay was awake and waiting for Hailey as soon as he noticed that she'd left their bedroom.

"Hey, thought you were sleeping too," she said as she sat back down on their bed.

"Woke up and noticed you weren't there," he said as he also sat up in the bed, "Maddy?"

"She's out now," she nodded, "I'm sorry if we've been a little weird since you've been home,"

"I understand why Hailey. I just left you guys in the dust for my own benefit," he sighed, "I can't blame Maddy or you for being upset,"

She sighed, "She's struggling with it,"

"I know," he nodded, "and I'm hoping she'll come with me to pick up Raider,"