We Are Free

Moving In And Moving Out

Saturday I go around collecting boxes. Once I have all I need I run to the hardware store and get shipping tape and sharpie markers. Halo and her mom have the kids. Since it's Saturday my dad won't be home he is an even bigger partier on the weekends.
Zac comes with me. We pick up a trailer U-Haul and head to my dad's house. I walk in and I get nervous the house is cold and eerie. It smells of burned food and beer. I shiver, it is dark and has this creepy appeal to it. We start in the kitchen.
I put Andrew's high chair on the trailer. I set up a box and put plastic cups, sippy cups, Andrew's plates and silverware, and some of Emily's princess hand towels in a small box. I have two boxes when I'm done with the kitchen.
I go upstairs with Zac. We carry my bed out and put it on the trailer. I take my bed frame apart and we put the frame on the trailer. I put the screws in a plastic baggy and label it. I pack my pillows, blankets, and bed sheets in a box and put the screws in it. I take Emily's bed apart.
Zac puts her bed frame on the trailer. I take her mattress out. I put her pillows, blankets, and bed sheets in a box with her screws. We set all the boxes outside. I pack all Andrew's blankets and sheets in a box and Zac takes it outside. I close the pull up boxes and diaper boxes. Zac takes them outside.
I put all of Emily's toys in a tote, close it, and Zac takes it. It is 1:00 we still have plenty of time but I wanna get out of here. I pack all of Andrew's toys in a tote and close it, Zac takes it out. I pack all of Andrew's clothes in 2 huge boxes.
I pack Emily's clothes in 2 huge boxes. I pack mine in 3 huge boxes. Zac takes them out as I go. I move to the bathroom once the bedroom is completely cleaned out I don't clean the floor or walls or nothing. I just take our stuff.
I put Andrew's, mine, and Emily's bath soap in a box I put my razor and shaving cream in that box to. I put the hair brush, Emily's body spray my cologne and deodorant in the box and Zac takes it.
I put their towels and bath scrubbies in another box and their bath toys in another box. Zac takes them out to. It is 2:00. I go to the living room. I put our movies in a box and music CDs in the box and Zac takes it.
      I find a small photo album among them. I briefly look through it and smile. I put it in the box along with some home DVD's. A bunch of memories come back. Like when Emily was born. It's short but it is sweet.
      After sitting in the waiting room for 6 hours it is almost midnight. It's been a long day and I have been sitting in the waiting room sleeping on and off with my grandma. My dad is back with my mom.
     My sister is coming. After 9 long months of waiting I finally get to meet her. My grandma comes back from the cafeteria handing me a bottle of grape juice and a chocolate chip muffin. My favorite.
      "Thank you." I say to her.
      "Your welcome honey." She puts her arm around my sunburned shoulder. I have been wearing a tank top all day and I burn before I tan. It doesn't hurt though. I have taken my sweater off. I open my juice and take a shirt drink of it.
      When I finish eating my muffin my dad comes out with a smile on his face. He is tired and worn but proud.
     "Jace, your sister is here." He says a smile spreading across his face. I get up and put my sweater on my grandma puts my juice in her crochet bag and comes back with me. We walk down a couple hallways excitement bursting in my chest and a smile never going away. We enter a room that is lit up with my mom laying in a hospital bed. She is tired and worn out to. She has a small bundle of blankets in her arms and a smile on her face.
      "Can I hold her?" I ask her.
      "Of course." She smiles at me and I sit in a chair. My dad hands her to me. I look at her tiny body and fingers. Her pink hat covered head and her huge blanket that keeps her body warm. Emily, little Emily.
"That it?" He asks out of breath. Pulling me out of one of the better memories I have. My dad was the best and my mom was alive. A lot changes in 4 years. I didn't know that 4 years later I would end up dropping out of school, getting a job, raising two kids. At 15 I had no clue what I was doing. Now a year later I know better. A year later I'm out to make better memories.
"Yup." I say. Once again I pull myself out of my thoughts. I go outside, tape and label all the boxes. Zac puts them on the trailer. When all the boxes are done it's 3:30. We leave the house I'm kinda sad that was my first home where I took all my milestones.
Where they took their first steps said their first words and more. It's over now and I'm going to give them a better life where they will make more milestones. They will go to school for the first time, meet new people, make friends, bring home a date, and much more. It's not a big house but it's home.
I smile as I drive away. We get to the new house. We unload the trailer and put the bathroom stuff in the main bathroom the other bathroom is in my room. I put kitchen stuff in the kitchen, living room stuff in the living room, Emily's stuff in her room, Andrew's in his room, and mine in my room.
By now it is 4:30. Zac and I go to the furniture store. I get a kitchen table, chairs, small couch, two chairs, and call it a day because that's all we could fit. Zac and I unload it all just setting it down.
When we are done it is 6:00. I lock up the house and we go to Halo's house and get the kids then we go back to Zac's and eat dinner. I get the kids to bed after that.
Zac and I sit on the couch shirtless drinking soda.
"We did great man." I say to him. It went faster than I expected.
​ "Yes we did."
"We aren't done and we only have a week."
"We will get it done tomorrow we will go to Walmart and get stuff Monday we will get more furniture. We will get it done. If we start early and work till 5 or 6 we got it."
"I know." We wake up early the next day and drop the kids off. Zac and I go into Walmart with two carts. We get bathroom supplies, silverware, cups, plates, towels, pots, pans, baking sheets, cake pans, a toaster, a bean bag for both kids rooms, new shoes for each of them, a few new outfits for both of them, some non perishable foods, a broom, mop, mop bucket, vacuum cleaner, toilet paper, paper towel, paper plates, napkins, laundry soap, fabric softener, and much much more.
When we check out both carts our filled to the brim. We put it in the bed of the truck and what didn't fit we put it the trailer. We go to the house and bring everything inside. We unload it all and put it all away.
It is 12:00 but I'm not hungry. Neither is Zac. I put my bed together. I hang up the important clothes like dress clothes, hoodies, and work clothes I put my bed sheets on the bed and make it.
When I finish setting my room up the best I can, Zac and I move to Emily's room. We get her all set up and ready. Then we do Andrew's by now it is 2:00. We clean the living room up. We move the furniture how I want it. We eat some granola bars.
Now it is 3:00. We call it a day. We pick up the kids and head to Zac's house I bathe both of them and start dinner. They play while Zac and I cook then we all eat. Monday we drop the kids off with Halo's mom.
We go to the furniture store and get four tv stands that we put in the bed of the truck, a new bed for Andrew, a night stand for me, a coffee table, a desk, and three dressers. We drop it off at the house and go to Menards where we get a stove, fridge, washer, and dryer.
We also get a moving dolly and a microwave. We go to the house and move everything in now it is 2:00. We put everything in its place and hook it all up. Now it's 3:30 I go into my room and put my clothes away, set up my night stand, tv stand, I put all my stuff in the place I want it.
I do the same for the other two rooms. Now it is 5:00. Zac and I head out and go to Walmart again. I buy 4 flat screen TVs, four DVD players, a wii, and some games and movies. We go back to the house and put it all in. We leave and pick up the kids. We go to Zac's house.
Tuesday we drop the kids off again. Zac and I head to the house and sweep, vacuum, mop, and finish up the final touches. We call DirecTv and I have that installed so we have tv.
When everything is perfect we lock the house up and drop the U-Haul off. I pay for it and we go pick up the kids. Emily still has her sling on her arm. I put them in the car and leave.
"Is it pretty?" Emily asks showing me all of her teeth.
"Yup it is."
"Yay! I'm excited."
"Me to." Andrew says.
"I didn't know moving would be so expensive I spent nearly 60,000 grand to move." I tell Zac.
"Well you started from scratch you need to buy everything. Look at it though you get a whole new start. You get a second chance and now you can do it. You can raise them and be at peace." Zac says and I do feel a sense of relief that it's over. Physically it is over, yes. Mentally I still have a battle to fight but I have a reason to do it. I have 4 very good reasons to do it and I will.
"Yeah, that's true." We pull up to the house. I get the kids out and Andrew walks next to me so does Emily. We walk up to the porch and I unlock the door. They are jumping up and down.
"You guys ready?" I ask
"Yeah!" Emily says the smile on her face not disappearing.
"Open it!" Andrew says.
"Okay." I say. I open the door and they walk inside they gasp and look around they look in the kitchen. They look at the bathroom and the bedrooms. They have shock all over their faces the whole time. They run around looking at every room.
"You like it?" I ask them. I run my fingers through Emily's hair.
​​​​ "I love it it's perfect." She tells me still smiling.
"Ace bigger bed." Andrew says.
"I know it's a bigger bed you're becoming a big boy and big boys need big beds." I put a pink detachable rail on Emily's bed to prevent another accident and I got a red lightning McQueen bed for Andrew with a red rail so he don't fall off and get hurt. Their beds are against a wall so they won't fall out.
"So we are going to spend tonight at Zac's then tomorrow we will sleep here for the first time and we never have to move."
"Ever." Andrew says shocked.
"Never ever." I tell him and he smiles with glee.
"Yay! I'm excited." Says Emily, she smiles to.
"I bet, all right what time is it?" I ask Zac.
"2:00."
"Okay did Anna feed you guys?" I ask the kids
"Yeah." Emily tells me.
"How about we go out for ice cream how does that sound?" I ask them.
​​ "Yay! lets go." Emily says pulling on my hand.
"I'm down." Zac says.
"Let's go." I say.
"Potty." Andrew says as he crosses his arms.
"Okay."
"I will take Emily to the car." Zac says so I can take Andrew to the bathroom.
"Okay I will be out in a bit." I tell him.
"Alright." I take him to the potty and he goes pee then we leave the house. I'm so happy. We go to the ice cream shop across town and the kids get ice cream in a cup. Zac and I get smoothies. It is a huge relief that I was moved into my own house and we would never be hurt again.
"Jace I can't eat it." Emily says frustrated.
"Why not?" I ask her.
"The bowl moves and I can't get the ice cream up." I hold her bowl in place while she eats her ice cream. I have Andrew next to me eating his ice cream.
"I might just leave you tonight it's so early." I tell Zac it is really early.
"Okay, that's fine. I don't know about you but I'm tired."
"Yeah I am to but it was worth it completely."
"Yes it was. I am happy for you. It's been a long road."
"It isn't over yet either." I say to him. He nods his head. We finish our ice cream and I stop at Zac's to drop him off. I collect our stuff and leave. Before I leave I give him a hug and thank him. No matter what we will be there for each other. I head to my house and get the kids inside.
I grab the bags and unpack I put everything that is dirty in the laundry room and put everything away. Now it is 5:30 so I start dinner. I call Halo and tell her to come over I text her the address. She comes over and looks at the house.
"This is amazing." She says looking around.
"I bought everything but the dish washer from scratch the washer, dryer, fridge, stove everything."
"That's amazing I'm so happy for you, you are awesome."
"Thank you."
"Well I have to get going see you later slick." She kisses my cheek and leaves after giving the kids hugs. My stomach has butterflies now. I feel my face flush and my cheeks feel warm. I'm blushing. She does something to me that makes me crazy.
      She makes me wanna just stare into her eyes and kiss her lips all day long. I push those thoughts out of my head for now. I finish dinner and feed the kids.
"Do you like Halo?" Emily asks me making my stomach jump.
"Yeah, I like her she's my friend."
"No do you love, like her?"
"I don't know I'm trying to figure that out yet."
"Do you think you will ever date her?"
"I'm not sure maybe, only time will tell."
​​​​ "I hope you do."
"Yeah, maybe." I say sighing. We finish dinner and I get them in their pjs we have a movie night. I get them in bed. I go to bed myself and I go to sleep feeling at home and at peace.