Spark

Chapter 9: New Year and Break Ups

I knew good things sometimes don't last forever. It was Valentine's Day 2019 that good times had died. I was about to go home and prepare for a special evening with Eric when I got a call from him. He sounded not like himself. He sounded... Disoriented. "I'm at your parents's house." "What's wrong." "They found out."

I pull into a parking lot of an auto body shop and turned around to go in the opposite direction. My heart was beating out of my chest. I didn't know what to do. I pull into their driveway next to Eric's car. I guess my mother saw standing in the doorway. "Sweetie---" I put my hand up. "Don't. I don't need you judging me, too."

I go to where my dad usually lives his life: the study. I nervously walk in and I see my father pacing back and forth, his face was red and I could see both the vein in his head and neck popping out. "Daddy." He glared at me. "Don't. Don't you dare 'Daddy' me. How could you. I mean, Eric you watched her grow up." "You mean I raised her because you weren't there. You were always working." "So, that gives you the right to be intimate with her?!" "Robert, stop it!" My mother says. "Don't you think you're being a bit of a hypocrite?" Eric and I turn around. My father continued talking. "I'm in the midst of losing my license and here you two are screwing around!" "Robert---" "Shut the fuck up, Francesca!"

It was silent for awhile. "I'll see if I can stay with Chloe until I can get my own place." "No, I'll move." Eric says. It was the first time I heard him speak since I got here. "No, I'll do it. Excuse me, I'm going to leave."

I went to the apartment and I cried. I full on sobbed. I packed all my clothes and computer and left the other things, including the jewelry. I made a video thanking him and telling him he will always be in my heart and that I'll always love him. I sent the video and I left.

****

"So, the Eric I saw on your phone was Uncle Eric?" Chloe asked. "Look, don't judge me I need someone and my parents are the last people who will." "Why would you jump to that conclusion I'm engaged to my college professor." Zoe points out. All I could do is cry. The girls hugged me. "I don't think I'll ever get over him." "Well," Chloe says. "Stay as long as you like." "I told Justin that I'm staying for a few days as well. He's here for you, too."

It was quiet for awhile when Zoe asks. "Do you know anyone that would do this?" "Lucinda. She's been wanting Eric since I saw her on top of him at graduation, maybe even before then. Well, she won." I went to work the next day looking like a zombie. I was polite the best I could to the patients but on break I'd cry in my car. I'd eat a little to survive, but the doctors and nurses could tell that I was losing an excessive amounts of weight. At Chloe's she would try to cheer me up she's been trying to get me to move into the empty apartment down the hall, but I've been looking at other places.

"Portland? You want to move to Oregon?" "I need to move somewhere away from all of this. I need to clear my head and try to forget. Plus, my dad." "Yeah speaking of which when are you going to contact your mom?" "I'm not. I don't need her judging me." "I don't think she will. I mean she's been calling me and Zoe asking where you are. She says she had something to tell you." I shake my head. "I have an over the phone interview with a hospital in Portland. I'm going to do that and I think I found a nice little place there that I'm going to fly out and get a look at. I need this, Chloe." She hugs me, "Okay."

That night I decided to call my mother and told her to meet at Starbucks not too far from my job. "You're moving?" "All I do is think of him. I can't focus on my job o-or function through life. I walk around like a zombie. All I see in this godforsaken town is Eric."

My mother took a sip of her latte before speaking. "What made the attraction start?" "I guess with him always being there for me when I was growing up. His patience, his heart and yes I'll admit when I started seeing him romantically at the age of sixteen. The little sexy clothes I would wear was to get his attention. The reason I was so heartbroken that day was because he promised one night that he'd wait two years for me.

"When he did come back I was on top of the world. I was always content with my life, Mom but I was never genuinely happy. He made me happy. But now I feel terrible for messing up his and Dad's friendship and with this thing going on with him I feel even more shitty. I just think it's better to go." She grabs my hand from across the table. "Sweetie, do you remember when I called your father a hypocrite?" "Yeah, why did you call him that?" "Because when we met he was my stepbrother."

I had no idea what to think. Her stepbrother? "But that's different this is his best friend." I say to her. "No, it's not. Do you have any idea how badly it affected our parents. They were hurt. But eventually they gave up and realized we weren't going to stop seeing and loving each other. He'll come around. It's just hard for him right now with his job on the line."

I knew she just said that to make me feel better. He's not going to come around. I sigh as I try to bite back the tears. I text Chloe and asked if I could stay until I find a place.

"You're moving that quickly?" Chloe asked shocked. I told them I already got the job on the spot. Zoe hugged me. "You know I wouldn't have judged if you told me." "I know, but I was still too scared to say anything. Plus, I think my dad hates me so I think another state will be enough space." "We'll visit." Chloe promises. I smile. "I'll be here for the wedding." I promise. "You're a bridesmaid," Zoe responds. "You have to be." I'll admit that I'll miss hanging out with them all the time, but I need space and let this all heal.

It took a month to get a place and two weeks to get a job. It also didn't take long for me to look up Eric on social media to see that he moved on with Lucinda.