Moving On

Chapter 3 - Part 1

"You're really doing this?" Evelyn asked as Kate placed her sketchbook, stationery, and several folders into a box.

"No, I'm just packing up for fun."

"That line of sarcasm doesn't work for you; you do pack up for fun," Evelyn stated matter-of-factly. "Isn't it kind of rushed? Expecting you to move all your stuff in less than a day? And that Tyler, you said he was awful." Evelyn picked up the clothes that Kate had placed on the bed and dumped them into the suitcase.

Kate glowered at Evelyn. She pulled out the clothes, folded them, then arranged them neatly in the suitcase.

"Kate, I know you can't say no to helping people. But seriously, have you thought this through? You barely know the guy, and Mr. Hayes hadn't seen him in twenty years. He could be the Zodiac or some crazy guy."

They should stop watching such thrillers.

"One, I didn't say he was awful. I said he wasn't exactly a bundle of joy."

Evelyn rolled her eyes. "It's the same thing."

"Two, I don't have to pack everything. I just need some of my clothes and my work stuff. And, I'm not going to be there alone; Marianne will be there, too."

"Yeah, his loyal housekeeper. No one will be on your side."

"God will be on my side."

Evelyn rolled her eyes again as she shook her head.

Evelyn never condemned or made fun of Kate's faith, but she never believed in God. In fact, she didn't believe in ghosts, angels, or anything spiritual.

Kate stopped what she was doing and looked up at her best friend. She wished Evelyn would open her heart and trust that despite what she'd gone through, there was a God who loved her. But she never condemned Evelyn for her lack of faith either.

"Why would I need someone on my side? I'm not fighting a war," she said. "I know what I'm doing. I'll make sure to lock my door and windows at night. Happy?"

"Not at all. You're too trusting. You don't know the evils of the world."

If anyone else had spoken those words to her, Kate would've laughed. But Evelyn had been through the worst of the foster system and seen more than her share of evils, so Kate only nodded as though she were a child listening to a mother's lecture.

While she continued packing, Evelyn continued in her bid to get Kate to change her mind. Evelyn hovered around her, following her wherever she went, but not lifting a finger to help.

Kate didn't mind the lack of help. Evelyn's style of packing was to sweep everything into a suitcase, then hope that it would close—a complete opposite of Kate's style. But she hated having someone shadowing and getting in her way while she moved around the room.

No matter what Evelyn said, Kate was adamant about going through with her decision.

Leaving aside her promise, she couldn't allow Tyler to lose his house because of her, not when she knew what had happened to him.

Even as she got into her car, Evelyn was still going on and on about how dangerous it could be and how it wasn't her style to do something so ridiculous.

"Kate, I know you grew up taking care of people around you, but this isn't your battle. Please, just think it through again."

"I have. I need to do this," Kate stated before pulling the door close. She smiled brightly at Evelyn through the windshield and waved, ignoring the scowl on her face.

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