Epiphany

EP:3

Chapter 3

Tiana's Perspective

"Sometimes, we need to be brave enough to outgrow the life we've built."-Unknown

•••••

THE smell of gas fulfilled my nostrils as I exited a rural convenience store with a bottle of water and a bag of chips. I had only a couple of dollars left to my name for food, so this was going to have to work for now. With no place to rest last night, I decided my car was the best option it was safe, sufficient, and familiar. After pumping the paid gas into my car, I threw the items in my hand into the passenger seat and started driving.

This was going to be a long drive, but peace would be obtainable considering there was only the opened road and my thoughts. The past few years had really been impactful, but I had no regrets.

Leaving Oregon was going to be great for me, I just knew it. I had been there my whole life and it was time to go. Everything about that state reminded me of my mother and other memories that played throughout my mind every night. Mosier, Oregon had become a ghost town to me and I wanted nothing else to do with it.

Angie's Perspective

I knew Tiana like the back of my hand, hell I had practically raised her. Being the big sister was never easy when it came to Tia because I had to be another parent for her as well. Before my mother had passed, she was always working leaving me to take care of the household, so I had to grow up quickly and make sacrifices that were not always a choice for the sake of my sister and me. Tiana tended to act without thinking sometimes or without any rational motives at all in my opinion.

I chopped up the carrots steadily thinking about how stupid it was for Tia to move across the country because she wanted a 'better life' but as always, she was being stubborn and hardheaded. Jeremy walked into the kitchen sitting down his phone and keys before kissing me on the cheek. I didn't return the gesture.

"Hey baby it smells good in here." Jeremy rubbed his stomach giving me a warm smile.

"Mhm," I wasn't trying to be unpleasant, but at the moment I was not in any mood.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, do you want chicken or steak for lunch?" I asked trying to change the subject.

"Doesn't matter but I need a real answer from you, Angie."

"It's Tiana again." I washed my hands before opening the fridge door pulling out chicken breasts.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, I received a phone call from her yesterday, after three months of not speaking she finally calls me saying that she got evicted again."

Jeremy sighed rubbing his eyes as I sat the chicken breasts in the sink opening up the package.

"Oh, and that's not even the half of it. Apparently she's moving to Savannah today, a city she knows nothing about."

"Alright calm down Angie I'm sure she just needs time to think, maybe she's not even leaving."

"At this point, I don't even care anymore, she's a grown woman and I'm sick of her bullshit. The least she could do is talk to someone, she won't even put in the effort to do that."

I harshly washed the chicken breasts as Jeremy watched me from across the dining area.

"Baby you might not take this lightly, but I feel where she's coming from." Jeremy came over rubbing my shoulders as I gave him mean glares.