Chapter 63
"I still can't believe you went through all that and you didn't tell any of us." My mom said over the phone.
"I know." I sighed, scratching the edge of my eyebrow. "I should've talked to you. But honestly, I didn't want to make you guys worry when there wasn't really much you could do over there. I didn't want you to feel powerless."
Mom let out a sigh, "You are so strong and I am so proud of you, Gracie."
I blinked back emotional tears, "Thanks, mom."
"Are you at the airport already?" She asked me.
"No, but we're about to head out." I told her, adjusting my phone between my face and my shoulder so I could zip my purse. "Our flight isn't for another two hours."
"Okay baby." She said softly. "Text me immediately you land, okay?"
"Okay mom, I will." I told her. "Bye. I love you."
"I love you too." She said before she hung up.
Placing the phone in my pocket, I looked to Dean who just stepped out of the passageway and smiled.
"Are we all set?" He asked, standing beside me.
I took in a deep breath, letting my eyes wander the apartment which served as shelter for me the entirety of my stay in Bath. An apartment which was now empty and void of anything personally belonging to me. It was now a vast space of where things used to be and paint stains from furniture or frames that were previously hung.
I would miss it.
I finally released the breath, "We are."
Dean held his hand out for me to take and we both walked hand in hand out of the apartment, each step I took away from it leaving a warm feeling in my chest.
"We'll come back to visit though, right?" I asked Dean as we walked down the hallway, strolling our suitcases along with us.
"Oh, definitely." He said, smiling down at me.
"Yay!" I squealed excitedly.
By the time we got downstairs to the garage, the driver Dean's father had arranged for us was already waiting, eager to help us with our bags, even though there were already a few other staff helping with our other things. We said hello to him before settling down in the backseat.
When our things were successfully fit into the car, the driver took his position in the driver's seat and looked to us through the mirror for confirmation that we were good to go.
"We'll make a quick stop at Spring Publishing please." Dean said to the driver.
I looked to him and gave him a small grateful smile.
With the whole ruckus of packing yesterday, I wasn't able to clear out my office so I decided to do that today. I also wanted to use it as an opportunity to say goodbye to Lydia, which I'd admit, I had been dreading because I knew I would be an emotional wreck.
It was sad to come to terms with the fact that there was really no one else I had any intentions of saying goodbye to at Spring. Every single person who I had considered a friend in one way or another were all nowhere to be found after the whole incident with Connor.
None of them believed that I was telling the truth. There wasn't a single person that viewed it from the perspective that maybe, just maybe, I wasn't making everything up. Not even an 'are you okay, Grace?' text.
It was eye-opening and boy, did it hurt.
But, I chose not to dwell on that.
By the time we arrived at Spring, Dean insisted he waited in the car to let me have my moment with Lydia. I appreciated his thoughtfulness and promised to be quick before I headed for the elevator.
