Denying Dylan | ✔️

(22) "Who the fuck are you talking to?"

Two weeks after I'd come home from California, said goodbye to Dylan, seen Megan and recruited Allie for her help with a lifesaving mission, I felt. . . renewed. Not free of the hollow ache that kept me awake at night but it was enough to pull me out of bed and eat and smile and pretend that I have my shit together.

"So Megan has already started moving?" Allie slides the next book across the floor so that I can tape it closed. It's Friday and I'm moving in with Megan over the weekend.

However, she'd decided that we should move into something a little bigger. She figured even if I did end up moving out in the future, she'd need the space for her and her daughter. So we'd decided to rent a two bedroom apartment about seven blocks over. I didn't tell her, but it was probably the best considering what was going to be going down between Kevin and I. If I needed to hide, it'd help that he couldn't find me.

I think Megan wanted a fresh start for her own reasons. Maybe she figured it'd be better that Kevin couldn't just show up unannounced if he tried to. She knew that he wasn't pleased about her keeping the child and assumed she was going to be after child support soon enough. She might have been scared that he'd attempt to bully her into getting rid of it.

The apartment wasn't as high as the last one but it still had a decent view, an enclosed patio, a decent wall of shelves for Megan's books and one of the bedrooms had a window seat. Megan graciously allowed me to have that room and it was such a simple thing that made so much difference. I'd have a window seat again. A place for my throws and cushions. I couldn't wait to use it.

"Yeah most of Megan's stuff is at the apartment now," I blow out a breath and wipe the back of my hand across my brow. The last box was taped up. Not that I'd had a lot to pack considering I left most of it in boxes to begin with. But I'd been lugging boxes out into the hall for the movers to collect all morning. I needed a shower.

"Are you sure about this?" Allie asked as I pushed the box with my foot, out of the room and across the living room. She followed me with her own box being toed. "This is. . . a big deal. You'll be living with a pregnant woman and helping her raise a child. It's a big role."

"It's no big deal. We're just gong to be like lesbian couple who don't have sex and my wife is carrying my sister."

"As you do," Allie waits while I open the door. "I just want the best for you girl, you know that, right?"

We added the boxes to the existing pile and walked back inside, I nodded and fanned my shirt in and out. "Yeah, I know that. But this is. . . this is good. I feel good about helping and being there for her when my father is refusing to be. I couldn't— I couldn't help mom. But I can help Megan."

Allie didn't looked convinced that this was a good idea and I understood where she was coming from. I was barely functioning as it was, never mind stepping in as a support person for the woman who was carrying my little sister. Complications could arise. Set backs could happen. But I felt good about this and it was the first thing that I'd felt good about in a long time.

The first thing that didn't involve Dylan anyway.

"You know, I thought that you were moving to the beach," Allie and I wandered toward the kitchen, I needed a water.

My gaze narrowed at her as I grabbed a glass off the shelf. "Who told you that?"

"I was in contact with Dylan while you were gone. Don't be mad at him. I just wanted to know that you were okay. He mentioned the beach plan when he said you guys were heading home."

"Oh. Yeah. Well, I was going to move to the beach. But I changed my mind. I mean, I'd ask Megan to move to the beach with me, but she has her research thing here."