Page 97 of Rooster

“Okay. Will do.”

I felt a mix of excitement and apprehension as I rushed to my room and started packing. It was crazy. I knew it was too soon, but for reasons I couldn’t explain, it felt right. It felt more right than anything had in years. I started throwing things into my bag and was trying to make sure I didn’t forget anything when Samantha stepped into the room.

“What about my blanket and favorite pillow?”

“You can take whatever you want, sweetie.”

“What about my TV and the lamp beside my bed?”

“There’s already a TV in your room.”

“I know, but it’s not my TV.”

“Ah, I see.” I knelt down in front of her as I said, “I know this is a little scary, but we’re doing this together. And when you feel overwhelmed or a little homesick, Nathan and I will be there to help you through. And you’ll do the same for us.”

“What if we don’t like being there?”

“Then, we’ll figure it out. Just like we always do.”

Concern marked my daughter’s sweet face as she asked, “And what about Dad?”

“Nothing’s going to change with that.” I understood her concern. This was all happening so fast, and it was a lot for her to take in. It was a lot for all of us to take in. I tried to reassure her the best I could. “Your father has his life with Crissy, and you’ll still go and see them every other weekend, just like always. Does that sound okay?”

“Hm-hmm.” She nodded, then reached up and wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tightly. “I love you, Momma.”

“I love you, sweet girl.”

“I’m gonna go finish packing.”

“Okay. Just give me a shout if you need any help.”

`“I will.”

We both went back to packing and, in a blink, we were in the truck headed to Ronin’s house. The kids were quiet but in a good way. Like me, they seemed excited and hopeful, but I knew better than to think they didn’t have their concerns. I knew they did, and I had them, too. But when I turned and looked at Ronin, my heart felt full, and I just knew I had to take a chance—not just for me, but for all of us.

When we got to Ronin’s house, he helped us get our things out of the back of the truck and carry them inside. Ronin went with Nathan and helped him get his room situated while I did the same with Samantha, and after an hour or so of utter chaos, things started to come together.

The kids’ rooms actually looked like their rooms, and the kids seemed pleased with how they’d turned out. In fact, they were carrying on just like they did when we were back at our house. Nathan was on the phone with one of his buddies and playing on his PlayStation, and Samantha was watching a movie while she organized her art supplies. Since they were all settled in, I decided to go back downstairs and finish putting my things away.

Ronin had moved things around in his closet and even cleaned out an entire dresser for me, so it didn’t take long for me to put my things away. I headed to the bathroom and was busy arranging my toiletries when Ronin came up behind me. “Need any help?”

“I think I’ve got it.” I put my shampoo in the shower as I told him, “Thanks for helping Nathan with his room.”

“No problem. He seems good with it.”

“Yeah, I was actually a little surprised by how good he was with it.”

“What do you mean?”

“He really loved his room. It’s kind of his safety net, and it seems strange how quick he was to walk away from it.”

“Maybe you should go up and talk to him?”

“I will in a bit.” I turned to face him. “I want to give him a few minutes to adjust.”

“What about you?” He placed his hands on my hips. “How are you adjusting?”

“Pretty good, actually.”

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