Choice
"Mom!" I said.
"What? I thought I was here to bring you home, to help raise Claire. Why else would I be here?"
"Well, I didn't know you were going to come, I thought we would just write to each other and maybe come visit you at the house," I explained.
"Jo, I want you to come home," she said.
"Mom, I--" I didn't finish my sentence. I just gave up and walked out of the room. I picked up Claire and I went out into the kitchen. Darren was already there and his head was to the counter.
"Darren--"
"Your leaving, aren't you?"
"Darren, I don--"
"Please! Just, are you going or not?!" His voice was stronger. He stood up straight, his face and eyes were serious yet nervous and angry all at once.
"I don't want to go, Darren," I said finally. I held Claire close to me. I noticed that Martha and Kity were standing right there, too, next to the front door. My mom stood behind me, hearing her walk out of the room.
"Please, Jo," she said again.
I shut my eyes and tried to hold back the yelling I strained to let out. I swallowed and turned to Kity. I gave Claire to her and I was out of the door. I didn't take anything with me, no jacket, no shoes. I walked about twenty to twenty-five feet away from the house when I heard the door of the house open again.
Then, I heard running. Darren. From the sound that his feet made when he was running, he was too barefoot. "Jo!" He yelled to me.
I kept walking, not looking back to him. "Jo!" He called again.
I couldn't hold back the tears anymore. I wanted to be with my mom and take care of her but technically, I had a family now, and I couldn't leave them behind. I didn't want to go with her but she knows my father's techniques too well.
Darren finally got to me. He took my shoulders and turned me around. He looked at my eyes and the tears that were falling down my cheeks. He took me in an embrace. his arms going around me and one of his hands on the back of my head. I held him, too.
"I can't leave you," I said, trying to hold my broken voice back.
"Then don't," he whispered, then kissing my forehead.
