Learning to Swim

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

I did think about it. A lot actually. But no matter how much I think about Liam’s offer of me moving in when I turn eighteen, I still think it is completely ridiculous. We have only been dating a few weeks and maybe it is still a couple months away from my birthday, but I would be nowhere near ready to make as much of a commitment as moving in with him. I know that Liam only suggested it because he wants to make things easier for me. I seriously doubt he really wants me and my little sister moving in when he got his own apartment in the first place to be free. He is great and everything, but he is nowhere near ready to be taking care of a little kid. And he shouldn’t have to be.

Liam would definitely let me move in if I asked just because he wants me to be safe. That doesn’t mean he really wants us to be there. I mean, we are both way to young to make that decision right now and maybe I had to grow up faster than most to take care of Addie, but he doesn’t need to do the same. I want him to enjoy his time as a teenager because I wish I could do the same. So in the end, I’m not going to move in when I turn eighteen. I won’t put him in that situation and honestly I’m not ready to live with him myself. That is a serious decision to make and maybe someday, way down the road, we might chose to move in together, but at the moment I don’t think that it is the right thing for us to do. We need to know each other better before we do something as crazy as that. Although, it’s not like he is asking me to marry him or anything, but it’s still a big commitment that I think neither of us are ready for.

Just because I don’t plan on moving in with him, though, doesn’t mean that I’m not planning on moving out at all. I still plan to leave the second that I am able to get custody of Addie, but I have a feeling that it’s going to be hard. Nothing in my life has been all that easy, though, so I’m sure I can figure it out.

Even after I get custody, if I get it, I still have to find an affordable place to live. That she be hard enough in itself, considering I will still be going to school for another year and can only work part time. That is why it would almost be a relief to take Liam up on his offer because than I wouldn’t have to deal with any of that. But like Liam did by deciding not to take money from his mom to help pay for his apartment, I want to do this on my own. I know it will be hard and my money situation will be horrible, but I can only hope that one day things will get better. After school finishes, I will hopefully get a job that makes enough money to take care of Addie and live comfortably at the same time. Until then I will just have to find a way to get by.

After what happened when my mom met Liam, which I later found out he came over because I forgot some of Addie’s things in his car and he thought I might need them, he has been trying to keep me away from home as much as possible. He said that since I have to stay there for the time being he is going to do everything he can to make sure that I don’t have to deal with all of the things my mom does. His way of doing this is to keep me and Addie out as long as he can. Of course I’m not home that often anyway since I work a lot, but on the days I get off early or the weekends, Liam makes sure to provide plenty distractions. That is how I find myself on the way to who knows where on Saturday afternoon.

I was let out of work early today and Liam immediately came to get me. Marie decided to take Addie to some little kid amusement park and won’t be back until later tonight. So, that means that it is just me and Liam for once and I won’t have to worry or feel guilty about where Addie is for the whole time.

“Where are we going anyway?” I ask Liam as I flip through his radio stations.

“I figured it was time you met my mom,” he answers.

“Your serious?” I question feeling a mild sense of panic at the thought. What would I do if she doesn’t like me? I know Liam is probably closer to his mom than anyone. What would it mean for me if she decided I wasn’t good enough for him?