Lynne

Chapter 4

Mom opened my door, her sad expression less prominent, but still there. "Your Dad's gonna come home from work to help you move all your stuff," she informed me.

I smiled at her, trying to cheer her up. "Okay, cool."

She stared at me for a couple seconds, then at my empty room.

"Mom-" I started, but before I could finish, she wrapped her arms around me tightly. I hugged her back softly.

"I'm happy for you, I really am," she insisted, sniffling. "But I'm selfish and I don't want to let my little Rinny leave me."

"I'm not leaving you," I corrected her. "I'm just moving out."

Mom chuckled. "Same thing," she muttered.

"It's not that far away... And you'll still have Dad," I said, but it was no use. She was going to be sad no matter what I said.

"You're Dad can't go shopping with me, or watch the new episodes of Orange is the New Black with me, or go get my nails done with me, or anything." She paused. "I mean, he can, but he'll complain the whole time."

I laughed, snuggling into her shoulder. "When they put the new season on Netflix, you can come over and we'll watch it together."

She nodded, not replying.

We heard the front door open, and my Dad's booming voice echoed through the apartment. "Rin?"

I pulled out of my Mom's hug, and ran out to the hall. Dad was standing at the door, his clothes dirtied with oil and other dark stains. Typical of a mechanic. "There's my girl!" he yelled, a grin on his face.

I ran up to him, and hugged him. "They loved my song," I told him excitedly.

He gently pushed me off him. "My clothes are gross. Probably shouldn't touch me until after I shower," he explained.

I rolled my eyes, hugging him again. "I know," I said, my face smushed up against an oil stain. "I don't care."

He laughed, pulled away from me again, and walked toward the bathroom. "Right after I get out we'll go, okay?"

"Okay!" I yelled after him, my excitement peaking again.

He kissed Mom on the cheek as he passed her, and entered the bathroom. His head peeked out the door. "Are you all packed?"

"Yup!"

"You have the directions?"

"Uh huh," I nodded my head quickly.

He grinned. "Atta girl." He closed the door.

I looked at Mom, who was still standing in front of my door.

My shoulders slumped. "Mom, you're making me feel really bad."

She shrugged. "You'll get over it. And I will too."

I nodded.

Mom motioned back into my room. "We should probably move your boxes into the car," she stated, looking down at the ground.

"Okay," I responded, my voice weak.

She nodded, and entered my room. I followed her. We each grabbed a box, and traveled down the stairs from the third floor all the way to the ground floor, and slid the boxes into the backseat of our worn-out little car. We took a second trip up and down, and by the time the boxes were loaded in the car, Dad was out of the shower. We decided to come back for the furniture later.

By then, it was nearly six p.m. I figured we should hurry, because I didn't want to wake Len up while I was moving in or anything, and I wanted to go to sleep at some decent time tonight.