Before the Ever Green (BTEG #1) ✔️

Chapter 32

Brit lets out a small laugh.

"What?" Jaeger asks

"Nothing, I am just reading one of Mom's rants...before I was born. She was mad at you!" she says in a voice, which pulls out each letter to make the word longer. I give a little chuckle. They can be so childish!

It's kind of amusing; how much they act like they are 2. They are always accusing one another of this or that. It kind of makes me wonder if their brains ever grew as their bodies grew.

Jaeger tackles his sister, and pins her to the ground, "I bet Mo has a lot to say about you, too!"

Brit kicks him, and he topples over, "I bet she does, too; about how amazing I was as a baby. How peaceful I slept."

"Yeah, right." he says standing up. I have gone back to looking at a journal, a journal from when she was 19. I'm not quite sure when she left with Mr. Lawson, but I'm betting it wasn't before she was 20.

—

 A lot has happened in the past few days. Derek and I have grown to like each other more, and not drive Mom and Dad crazy. I guess it's because Mom is so sick, but I am glad. Secretly, I've always hated our fighting. I guess I've just never had the guts to tell Derek to stop with the nitpicking.

 I am sitting in the sitting room, waiting for Dad to come. He says he and Mom have big news to tell me. I've never enjoyed secrets; especially when they are being kept from me. I am not sure if it will be good or bad news...I can usually tell by Dad's expressions, but when he told me he had 'big news', he had no expression. His face was totally blank.

 I hope everything is okay. I really hope Dad isn't sick too. If her is, I think I might die. I am 19...and even being at that age, I don't wish to be orphaned.

 Dad is coming...

 Dad has finished speaking with me. I'm not sure where to start. And, I am not sure if the news is good or bad. For many years, the new rulers have let everyone live in peace, and provided money to the people, but...they are making a change. Dad tells me we have become poor, and our family needs money, not only to help heal Mom, but to simply eat and live.

 Dad made a deal with one of the new rulers families, so that I will be leaving to go live in Sacramento. I will live with Mr. and Mrs. Lawson and when I turn 20...I will marry there son, Davis.

  'I have to leave to help Mom', is what I keep telling myself, but...it isn't helping. I have one year to get to know a man, and then I have to marry him. It's so wrong. I can't believe I wanted to be friendly with Derek! He gets to stay, and live a normal life. He has a normal life. He'll probably end up marrying some pretty girl, and completely forget about the family, and never care for Mom. I can't believe this!

 I am crying.

 I can't stop the crying, because Dad doesn't care enough about me to let me live an normal life. He doesn't care that I might be nothing but a toy to Davis Lawson. My own father doesn't care about me...or anyone but himself. He'll probably use the new money to buy beer, not try and heal Mom. And...there's nothing I can do about it, because I am being sold to the new rulers family.

—

Wow.

I can't even describe what I am feeling after reading that. I am not sure I have feeling towards it. But, it's so...sad.

I continue reading the next page.

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