Together Apart | ✓

|Chapter XLIII|

Never give up on things that make you smile

Chapter 43: Meet the Waltz family

It was just nearing the noon as I did a mental check on everything I packed. The weather was getting colder by the days resulting in the sweaters and jerseys in my suitcase.

Once I was sure I had everything with me I dragged my backpack and suitcase down the stairs. The house was quiet just like it was for the past weeks. Cali wasn't in the kitchen making food but rather spent her days lounging in her room. I couldn't even recall the last time we all had dinner together.

I settled on making myself a quick snack to eat before I left. It wasn't a long trip but it all depended on the traffic.

"You ready to go?" Jordan walked in the kitchen holding bags of groceries. Things were really taking a toll around here. It came to the point where Jordan and I had to step in and run things within the house.

"Yep. Do you need help?"

"No, I got it." He set the bags on the table before going back to get the rest of them.

He wasn't happy. I could tell. But why would he be happy, I was leaving him. I made a hasty decision to actually go spend Thanksgiving with my father's side of the family. Jordan and I were supposed to spend our first Thanksgiving together and I bailed on him at the last minute.

"What time is your uber gonna be here?"

"Soon." I ate my food in a hurry. The sooner I got out of here the better. If I stayed any longer he'd try to convince me to stay and he was pretty good at doing that.

He started packing the food items but before I knew it he was giving me a list of reasons why I shouldn't go.

"Are you sure about this? Don't you think you'll feel a bit more cautious around them?"

"Yeah but they are still my family." I stood up placing my empty plate in the sink.

"Family who try to break up their son's marriage, attempt to hurt his wife and child, and continue to act as if everything is well." He had a point. I should despise them or even cut off any contact with them. Though it wouldn't seem right, they were part of the only family I had left. It didn't seem right to kick them out of my life in an instant.

"I'm angry. Furious. But it isn't the best way to express how I feel. I've witnessed so much to know it isn't the way to resolve things."

"Guess that means you're not going to confront them, huh?"

I chewed the inside of my cheek still having been debating on it. I wanted to tell them but I was worried I'd be breaking the relationship I had with my grandparents. That could also affect my relationship with my cousins and other family. Then again when I thought more of it, they needed to know that I knew about their conniving doings.

"I'm still debating on how to tell them."

He raised his eyebrow questioningly. It was obvious that I wasn't keen on the idea of exposing them in a way. I know that I would chicken out any moment.

"It doesn't matter anyway." I said. "It's just a few days. Besides, it will give you a chance to spend time with your mom." Jordan looked anything but happy about that. He's told me how he's been feeling and he's yet to tell Cali. He needed to tell her in order for the them to resolve things.

"I don't even know how she looks anymore, that's how long she's been cooped up in her room."

"She comes out. You're just not there when she does."