How To Be The Best Third Wheel

Original Edition - Tip 50: Say Goodbye {Part 1}

Part I

"What do you mean, we're moving? Is this a joke?" James asks, standing up at the table.

"James honey, can you please take a seat," Tita Gia pleads, grabbing his right arm.

"Just tell us what the hell is happening!"

I shift uncomfortably in my seat. They're moving to London? Sure, I was expecting Tito Danny to leave again soon for some business thing, but I wasn't expecting this.

He harshly removes his arms from his mother's grip and this time, Tito Danny stands up. "I think we need to talk somewhere else."

James shakes his head in disbelief but proceeds to walk away from the table. Tito Danny and Tita Gia excuse themselves before leaving the room. They leave the rest of us, stunned and confused.

None of us speak until Seb bursts out crying, "I don't wanna leave! I wanna stay here!"

My mother tries to calm him down. She gets up from her seat and takes him in her arms. "Shh...Oh honey, it's okay. Don't cry, it's gonna be okay."

As you would expect, the poor boy continues to cry into my mother's shoulder. She and my dad take him out of the dining area, into the living room. That leaves my sisters, Gabe, and I.

The awkward tension pushes the twins out of the room, and they end up going who-knows-where. The three of us, Illa, Gabe, and I, sit in silence.

Gabe finally pipes up about this whole fiasco. "I really don't want to go. This is my home."

Illa slumps her face on her hand, which is held up by her elbow on the table. She sighs, "I don't want you guys to leave either."

"All of my friends are here and I've never lived anywhere other than this house," he shippers in a weak voice.

Illa lets a tear slip, but immediately wipes it away. "We still have to finish that science project," she mentions, but her sad laugh breaks my heart.

"We won't be able to go to the same high school." Gabe adds, repeating that same sad laugh.

"You're my best friend." she finally says, crying this time.

He walks over to the other side of the table and they share a cute hug. Nice moment, really. Actually, it's more upsetting than nice... I find that to be my cue to leave, so I exit the dining area and sit on the staircase.

The sound of muffled yelling reaches my ears and I turn to the direction of the noise. It's coming from the study room. As my nosy self is, I walk over to where the sound is coming from.

The voices get louder and louder, until I find my ear pressed against the large wooden door, leading to Tito Danny's study.

"You can't just randomly decide this for the whole family!" James bellows.

"There's no there way! Your grandfather's sick and the business is sinking!" Tito Danny yells back. I've never heard him this angry before...

"That doesn't mean that  we all have to move there permanently!"

"I can't fix all of this on my own! You need to learn the inner workings of our family business!"

"How many times do I have to tell you that I don't want to take over your stupid business!"

"Honey, it's only for now. It's just your father needs someone to help him." Tita Gia buds in. I can imagine her pulling the two hot headed men apart. Yet, I know she won't succeed.

"For now? You've been forcing this on me forever!"

"You don't even have any plans in life, James! Do you even know what you want to study in university?"