More Than a Contract (mxm)

Part 20: "Shoo, you stupid pigeons!"

Disclaimer: This is the next to last chapter. I'm so sad and excited to see this story wrap up. Hope you've enjoyed it so far.

I have my things ready in a couple of suitcases and I have a ticket to Florida, where my mother has lived for the last three years with her farmer boyfriend. They run a livestock farm together and my mom said I should absolutely join them for a while. Hopefully, her boyfriend's not angry about this, but I need some time off and since all I'm doing is taking the life coaching course, which happens online anyway, technically I can do it from anywhere.

It's time to look at my life and decide what I want to do next.

Sam's squeezing me tightly, crying silently. "You bitch, I hate that you're leaving me. Couldn't you just make up with your hot Daddy and stay?"

"You have to promise you won't tell him or Julian where I'm going," I tell him seriously. "Swear on your life."

He sighs dramatically. "Fine, I swear. I hope you know what you're doing."

"I know this is the right decision," I tell him. "It hurts like hell, but I know we'll be better off apart. We're just too different."

He wipes a couple of tears off. "Ugh, I hate when you're an adult and I'm still just a kid who wants to run around in the playground."

"You're not a kid," I say. "You're my very best friend. I love you."

He sobs. "Shut up, I love you too. You are going to call me, right? Because if you disappear off the face of the earth, I will kill you."

"You'll have to find me first," I tease and give him a piece of paper, where I have written my new number on. I am purging everything, only leaving the people and things that I need to keep, moving forward.

He stares at the paper. "New number? Really? Jesus."

I hug him again, squeezing him, and I shed a tear or two as well. "All right, I'm going. Please don't follow because I'll really cry if you do. I promise to call when things calm down, okay? I just... need some time."

"I get it," he says. "I hate it, but I'm proud of you."

"Bye, Sam."

"Bye, Remy. Good luck with the livestock."

I laugh and whack him.

Then I'm off to my new life, which is going to set the foundation for the next step in my life. I am so ready for good things. For better things.

And one day, I'll be ready to love again.

A week later I find myself feeding chickens. They cluck and push one another, feathers flying everywhere, and I just laugh and try to feed every one, even though it's practically impossible. The pushy ones will always be better fed and the timid ones, the injured ones will always get left behind.

That's Nature for ya.

My mother is too happy to have me here, and thankfully, he boyfriend William, or Uncle Billy, is fine with me being here. He's already better than the previous one, a flaky musician who traveled too much, never stopping in one place. William is the opposite – he has put roots here, and he's staying. He's solid.

Just what mom needs. I'm happy that she's found it.

"Come on, Lilly," I mutter and throw some food at the pushy chickens while I try to throw some food Lilly's way as well, while they fight at the other side of the bullpen. Lilly's skinny and she's sick, and I would hate it if she didn't eat as well, on top of everything. "Come on, girl, before the others get it."