Mandy

Chapter 22

I don't want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul.
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It was almost an hour later when Mandy finally left the bedroom and walked down the winding staircase.

She looked around the large house, trying not to cry. The kids didn't need to know she was upset, they were doing good and she didn't want to upset them too.

"Mommy!" Amilee yelled when she spotted her, then ran to grab her coat. "Can we go? Please? Daddy said we could go as soon as you got downstairs."

Mandy couldn't help the smile that crept onto her lips. "Yes, we can go now." She replied, grabbing her oversized sweater and putting it on.

Amilee ran ahead of Mandy and opened the door to the garage, where Ethan and Caleb were sitting and playing on a blanket.

"Mommy said we can go!" Amilee announced gleefully as she dashed over to the car.

Caleb met Mandy's gaze, and she nodded. He grinned and picked up Ethan. "You ready for a road trip?" He asked him.

It didn't take more than a couple hours for the kids to fall asleep as they drove, leaving Mandy and Caleb seemingly alone.

"Are you ok?" Caleb asked.

Mandy smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"I think it will be nice to live in a smaller space again. The house just felt too..." He trailed off.

"Lonely." Mandy finished for him. "You can say it. We both feel it, even if I don't want to admit it."

Caleb nodded, keeping his eyes on the road.

"There isn't a day that goes by without me remembering them. Even when we were packing last night, I was going to go ask Allie where that extra mattress went."

   Caleb's hands tightened around the steering wheel.

   "Caleb-" Mandy cut herself off. "Never mind." She said, turning to look out the window.

   He frowned. "Mandy."

   She ignored him as she watched the landscape go by, the rain blurring some of the scenery.

   In the backseat, Amilee watched her parents carefully. She wasn't sure what they were talking about, but her Mama was involved.

   Amilee closed her eyes again as she tried to fall back asleep. Her brother was still sleeping, but he was smaller than her and needed more sleep, so that was ok.

   Mandy fought the tears that came to her eyes as she thought about her siblings, who she missed very much.

   She knew Caleb's memories of their siblings were fewer and less vivid then hers, he hadn't been around for more than a couple weeks each year.

   But now, he was with her and the kids. To stay. The last time she had lived with her brother was when they were still in military school, years and years ago. So this would be strange for both of them.

   Mandy was excited, but at the same time, she yearned for the past, wishing it were her husband in the seat beside her instead of her brother.

   With that thought in mind, Mandy gradually fell asleep, listening to the sound of the rain on the car windows.