At some point, I tore myself away from my parents and left the cemetery feeling renewed and happy. On my way back home, I made a detour to the florist. I couldn’t leave their graves looking empty and neglected like that, like we didn’t care. Quite the contrary. I even bought nice headstones and put portraits on their plots. Too bad I didn’t have a big enough picture for grandpa Winston. I’d really love to meet him one day, but I think he may have crossed over already. At least I have tiny pictures at home to look at and see where some of my features come from.
Alessia called, saying she wanted to talk. That meant she needed to get out of the house, so I sent Sophia a text saying I would be back later that night. At first, I thought we’d grab dinner, but Less and I hadn’t gone out together in ages. We needed to make it count, so I suggested we go to a bar for old time’s sake. We met at The Solar Flare in Oasis Springs, and she began telling me about this man she’d been talking to.
His name is Brent Peters, and he rents a trailer in Oasis Springs. He likes horses, is obsessed with vampires, loves a good argument, and hates smart asses. He also hates comedy, idealists, troublemakers, knitting, and rock climbing. So far, he sounded like a very interesting character, and I wanted to know more. She said in his younger days he had a bit of trouble of his own, often getting in trouble for stealing. He’s been in recovery for quite some time, but every day is a struggle to resist that urge. They bonded over their love for athleticism. It seemed like such a silly thing, but she really loved and appreciated he didn’t seem to mind that she was a homebody. Whatever she wanted to do, he was into it, and she loved that. I couldn’t imagine Alessia ever changing herself to please someone, but I knew exactly how it felt to be loved and accepted by someone despite your flaws and shortcomings, and I was glad she had that. She said he’s loyal to her, and they are taking things slow. As much as I loved to hear that, I still had concerns.
“He sounds wonderful for you, but… Like, how do you know he’s not after your money?”
“Luca… I know you’re concerned because of what happened last time, but this isn’t that. Me and Jase bonded over stupid, meaningless stuff. Brent and I talk about real things. And I’m older and wiser now. But you, of all people, should understand how putting yourself out there involves risks. You moved in with Sophia after one date, and you didn’t even want to be in a relationship. But you took the risk. The point here is I’m ready to take risks again. I don’t know if Brent is after my money, or if he will kill me in my sleep, or if he’ll run off with another woman. I’m still getting to know him, but I don’t think he will. I’ll never know unless I try.”
I say this every time I’m around her, but she has grown so much, and I love to see it. I still had concerns, but there was nothing left to say.
“Also, I’m moving out tomorrow.”
“What?? Why?”
“I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. And I love how fiercely you protect me. But I need to handle things on my own now. All my life, I’ve had a safety net. Even when I moved out, I was living with that family. Someone has always taken care of me, and I feel like I owe it to myself, and my children, to be truly independent. I can’t teach them what I’ve never done, so I need to go. I don’t want you to make a big deal and throw a party or something. Just let us go quietly, please.”
This is just like Mt. Komorebi all over again. She arrives at conclusions super fast and is compelled to action them even faster.
“But… What about the kids? Desi loves playing with them. And I love hanging out with them, too.”
“That can still happen! It just won’t be as easy.”
“Where are you going, anyway?”
“San Myshuno, for now.”
That was the last place I pictured her living. Seems like the hustle and bustle would send her paranoia up the roof. But, renting an apartment is a good situation for her. Even though she wants to be independent, homeownership is a whole ‘nother beast; it’s not for the faint of heart.
“I’m gonna miss you, sis. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know this adult version of you. Can we make sure to do better at keeping in touch?”
“You better, big head.”
