Blurred Lines

16-

Erin was ushered back into the house by the suits. After closing the door they rushed to Chris making sure he was okay. It was clear his nose was broken. Erin stood in the corner as they all tended to her husband. Then she slipped upstairs. Emmy was laying in her bed watching TV. Erin took her boots off and laid down with Emmy holding her tight.

"What's wrong mommy?" Emmy asked innocently.

"Nothing sweet girl." Erin let quiet tears stream down her face. She was exhausted and hurt. Chance had left and Chris had just assumed Chance was taking advantage of her. When she should have protested, when she should have stood up for Chance, she stood by quietly. She stood by and watched the man she loved be kicked off the property by her husband.

Erin pushes the thoughts from her mind and closed her eyes.

Emmy nudged her with her elbow. "Mommy daddy is calling you." Emmy said to her.

Erin took a deep breath and walked down the stairs. The investors were all standing around in the living room with glasses of scotch.

"There you are honey. I'm sorry for what that boy did to you. Are you okay?" Chris asked putting on a show.

"What he did to me?" Erin asked appalled.

"I saw the way he had you pinned against the column. I knew he was nothing but trouble and to go after my wife. Kid's got some goddamn nerve. But you don't have to worry he won't ever show his face here again. If he does he'll be arrested." Chris took the last sip of the brown liquor in his glass.

"Get out." Erin said flatly.

"What?" Chris asked. Some of the suits looked in their direction ready for round two.

"Get out! Everyone. Get out now!" Erin raised her voice to the suits and pointed towards the door.

Chris held his hand up to her trying to silence her and looked to the suits, "I'm sorry for my wife's outburst we'll just step in my study for a moment," He said grabbing Erin's arm.

She yanked away from him and looked towards the suits again. "Get the fuck out of this house right now."

The investors all sat their glasses down and left through the front door. When the door closed Chris started to yell. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?! You may have just ruined my chance at milking millions out of them."

Erin laughed coldly. "You're a greedy fucking asshole. I'm done."

"Good. Go to bed and tomorrow I highly suggest you have your attitude under control.

"There is no tomorrow Chris. I'm done. I'm done with you. I'm done with this marriage. I'm done with all of it." She said throwing her hands up.

"What do you mean your done? My kid takes advantage of you and suddenly you're what leaving?"

"God you don't even see it. He didn't take advantage of me. I'm in love with him! You're too much of greedy prick to even see that I'm not happy here with you."

"You're in love with your stepson. My god do you hear yourself Erin? You aren't happy? You're a freeloader here. I provide you with everything you need."

"This isn't about objects Chris. Chance makes me feel free. He makes me happier than I've ever been. A stolen kiss here and there makes my heart feel like it's going to burst while being with you only makes my stomach turn. I don't know when you turned into this monster. Maybe you've been one all along and I was too naive to see it but I'm done. Emmy and I will be gone within an hour." Erin said ending their conversation.

"The hell you are you dumb cunt! You want a boy over a real man? Fine you won't get a drop of my money and neither will the worthless piece of shit!" Erin heard the door slam and Chris' truck crank up. She didn't know where he was going but only hoped Chance was already gone.

Erin went into their bedroom and packed her belongings. All she had was necessities. Nothing in this home was hers besides her clothing and toiletries. How sad to live somewhere where nothing is your own. Emmy was already asleep so Erin packed up her clothes and her favorite toys and loaded them into her SUV. She had left out a change of clothes and ran back upstairs changing.

She took a final look around the room. She had packed up her entire life for the last few years into two suitcases and a book bag. She picked Emmy up as to not wake her and carried her down the stairs. She loaded Emmy into the car. She took one last look at her home and realized it was never that. It was a house she lived in, this was never her home. The only time it had felt that way was the night Chance made love to her in front of the fireplace, the day they swam in the spring, and the day the road through valleys and laughed together. This place wasn't her home. Chance was.