In the second book of the It's Only series, drama unfolds as Tobias moves to Michigan to get the education he needs to support his future family. Tris stays in Chicago to keep her mother sane and acts selfless by not following her soulmate. A long d...
I've never been so hurt more than now and I've been spending time between living back with my mother and then sleeping on the couch of Christina and Will's apartment. When Tobias announced that he was coming home for the summer, I expected us to have endless nights in each other's arms, eating food until we're stuffed, and just comforting each other—not arguing.
People tell me all the time that it's not a relationship if you don't argue but that doesn't stop it from hurting when it does happen. It's almost like having a warning about getting a shot, that doesn't stop it from hurting when the needle pricks your skin.
My puffy eyes stare at the television, watching the action movie unfold in front of me but I don't have any strength to actually pay attention. My mind is going a mile-a-minute thinking about all that happens, thinking about the future, and most importantly thinking about Tobias. All I've been doing is eating, showering, and crying. I told myself that I wouldn't cry but we all go against our own rules sometimes.
I hear my mother's loud feet stomping up the stairs and I pretend to act sleep because I don't really want to listen to her telling me that dinner is ready and how I need to get out of bed and talk to Tobias. I'm trying my best to not be here because it's nearing Susan's due date and my mom is going to need to have so much attention towards them that she can't worry about me being upset over relationship problems.
"Beatrice, get up, I know you aren't asleep." She pushes open my door and then opens my curtains that cover my windows, letting in the bright sunlight that makes me want to cower under my sheets, "Meeting downstairs, hurry up." She doesn't even bother shutting the door before she goes down the steps and I groan.
I throw the warm covers off of my rigid body and on my way downstairs I take the empty pizza boxes and wrappers from candy with me. I walk to the living room to see my brother sitting on the sofa, looking on his laptop with his heavily pregnant girlfriend beside him, looking over his shoulder, "Hello, Susan." I give her a smile that doesn't quite reach my eyes, her tired eyes reach mines and she smiles back and waves. I sit on the couch with my feet tucked under my butt and rest my head on the back of the couch.
It seems just like yesterday when we helped announce that Susan was pregnant, during that time Tobias and I were going through our problems. . . once again. I was almost offended when he asked me if I was pregnant with such an attitude that I wouldn't know what he would have done if I did tell him I was pregnant.
"Family meeting." Mom claps her hands together when she returns from the kitchen with a heating pad that she gives to Susan and she places it on the small of her back. She does well with being pregnant and not complaining all the time. Maybe she does it to Caleb, but then again he's the one who didn't wear the condom. I can't even imagine my brother having sex, I shudder at the thought of the two goody-two-shoes, "Today is going to be a big day. We're going to look at a few apartment options and a couple of last minute shopping things for the baby that is going to make his or her appearance in less than a month. Even Tana and Tyler are coming, they're going to meet us at the first apartment. All of you have 20 minutes to get dressed and meet me in the car."
I watch as Caleb helps Susan off of the couch and up the steps, I remain on the couch and my mother gives me a pointed look, "Let's go, Beatrice." She narrows her eyes at me.
"No, I don't want to go. Why can't I stay here?"
"Because not only do I need you to get out of the house and stop wallowing, you need to be there with me and help me. Tana and Tyler are pretty touchy and already mad that my son got her pregnant, and I don't have your father with me, you're really the reason why I haven't gone back to my pills," She smiles, "So, please just come with me and I promise you that one night we will order so much pizza and you and I will just talk and eat."
I nod my head and leave the living room to go upstairs. Yeah, I might be a young adult now but I really need to be there for my mom and help her. Honestly, it feels good to put my problems on the back burner and help my mother instead of worrying about Tobias and his anger issues. It was about time I got out there. I get dressed in a pair of high waist shorts, a t-shirt, and a cardigan with my Adidas sneakers. I don't put much effort into my make up, I just put on some eyeliner and lip balm and I pull my curly hair into a large bun.
We drive to various apartments with the Blacks and I find it a relief to see that Robert isn't there, I can't be fake right now because so many things are going through my head. The last apartment isn't as bad as the first four, "This is a nice studio apartment that is different from most, instead of having the bedroom directly in the middle of the room, it is confined up here." He taps a wooden door and pulls out a set of wooden steps I would have never guessed would have been there, honestly I think all of this decoration, "It's not a lot, and needs a few repairs but good for a new couple with an expecting child. Rent is low and it comes with a dishwasher and washing machine and dryer is downstairs, some of the utilities are paid for and overall this place is new."
Despite the large stain on the ceiling from leaking water, and a few random spots on the dull wooden floors, even the dirty bathroom. . . and cleaning up all the dust and windows, it's workable, "I like this one." Susan walks to the window and frowns, "It's enough for now." The view isn't the best with a tall abandoned building with a train station for work only, but it's something, "I'm sure the guys can come over and help us move in." She places her hands over her loose sundress, rubbing her belly.
"Yeah, this is nice." My mom says looking at all of the compartments where they can place stuff. They have more storage than room.
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"Do you really want something like this?" Tana looks around, spotting the spots that I haven't even paid attention to.
Susan nods her head, obviously getting annoyed with her parents. Hell, I am, "Yes, this is better than the other apartments. The last few neighborhoods were rough and we might be looking for a small apartment, but this neighborhood isn't that bad and we're going to try and get the best for our unborn baby." She spits, placing her head on the forehead. Caleb gives her a nod and they turn towards the landlord, "This is it, we're going to get this place."
+++
Wood lawn Terrace is about 30 minutes away from The Loop, where Tobias is, and about 20 minutes away from Mom's place. 785 was the down payment and by July 25, they will be able to move into their apartment. . . in exactly 15 days. We went baby shopping for just a small amount of clothes and then got food with her parents before we retreated back to the house.
What really stunned me throughout the whole day was seeing Tobias sit on the steps of our home, with a saddened look on his face.
