the truth will out

8. Moving

When me and brad decided to move into a bigger place we didn't really talk size or location, it was more: how creative can we be.
We both got to play our part, me as interior design and him as exterior design.
It took way longer than I'd expected and caused way too many small arguments but that first night was perfect and after that laughter could be heard in any place of the house normally coming from brad after he jumped out and scared me.
We made so many memories here, had alot of parties, movie nights. It was where everyone wanted to hang out.

As I sit here on the floor in the middle of the living room, looking around, it feels alot more lonely. Even though I'm leaving all of the extremely uncomfortable furniture brad wanted it still feels like an abandoned house would feel if you revisited a couple of decades later. It feels empty and ghostly, yet still familiar. Maybe its always had the lonely vibe, I mean it's a ridiculously big house for two people. But when we started building, we'd planned to fill the rooms with kids of our own.

"right this is the last box" courteneys voice makes me jump as she practically threw the cardboard box full of clothes labeled "winter clothes" infront of me.
"thankyou" I smiled weakly.
"come on jen it'll be ok" she looked down at me, offering her hand to help me stand up.
We hauled all the boxes into the moving van I hired and climbed in.
"oh wait a sec" I hopped out and ran back to the house.
I unlocked the door again and went to the kitchen counter scribbling a note to brad on a sticky note telling him I'd leave my key with courteney and she'll give it to him at some point.
He still hasn't spoken to me since I told him I was moving out.
I stuck the sticky note to the fridge and headed back to the front door.
I turned and took one last look down the entrance hall that lead to the living room.
My eyes welled up as I shook myself and turned, shutting the front door behind me for the last time.

"are you ready normy?" I asked as we arrived at the house. Grabbing his lead I led him into the home where he immediately started running around, his claws scrabbling at the shiny wood floor making me laugh.
I walk to the window overlooking the sea and smile, watching the glittering water.
The condo was only small with a living room and kitchen in the same room, a guest room downstairs then a bedroom with an en-suite upstairs. Theres also a mini room upstairs but I have no idea what to do with that.
I've considered both office and art studio but I can't really think straight yet, it hasn't even fully sunk in that this is my new home now.

Two hours later courteney and i lay on the floor in the middle of what will be the living room, sweating, surrounded by all the boxes we'd just moved from the van to the house.
"ugh I'm so tired"
"courteney we still have to go and pick up the furniture I ordered" I laugh sitting up.
"why couldn't you just keep the furniture you had"
"because you know as well as I know how uncomfortable that shit was, norman wouldn't even sit on it" I laugh, holding both her hands and dragging her too her feet.

We arrived at the warehouse after half an hour of being stuck in traffic. The guys there were nice enough to move everything into the van for us so we didn't need to get out. Once back at the condo she helped me move all the heavy boxes into the house which contained the couch, bed, kitchen stools, and just the rest of the basic house furniture I need.
"right you're on your own now, ta ra" laughed courteney once all the boxes were inside
"what? No!" I looked up at her from the floor.
"yes, I need to get back to coco, plus I don't have a clue on how to assemble furniture"
I get up, begging her not to leave but she does anyway and soon enough I'm left in the empty house alone.
"fine, we can do this can't we Norman?" I say looking over at him laying in the sun shining through the open window. He doesn't reply, just lays his head back down on his paws
"right, thanks for the enthusiasm" I sigh.
Soon enough though I have 80s tunes blasting through the house with the windows open, trying to assemble the bed.

... "and I'm hungry like the wolf" I enthusiastically sing aloud as I lay the duvet over the finally assembled bed and flop down on top.
I lay on the bed in an otherwise completely empty room upstairs, staring at the ceiling lost in my own thoughts, when I hear my stomach growl.
"oh my god" I whisper, realising all I've had today is a celery juice.

I order a pizza and sit on the outside decking, looking out to the sea, the sky a blood red/light purple colour as the sun sets, Norman trying in vain to get a bite of my food...