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“I’m going to miss you so much,” Lily cried, hugging me tighter against her. Her backpack was filled to the brim with stuff she was taking back with her to New Jersey and almost tipped her over with the weight of it.
I held her as tight as I could and forced back the tears.
“I’m going to miss you more,” I whispered in her ear. “Promise me that you’ll call when you get there and give me an update on Sammy?”
“I promise,” she said through another burst of tears. She stepped away into the comforting arms of Charles as Alice wrapped me in a hug to say goodbye.
“Have a safe flight,” I choked out, feeling her hands rub my back in the motherly way that had always calmed me.
“We will, dear. We’re going to miss you greatly. Promise that you’ll call as soon as you hear anything about the job?”
I nodded, too emotional to get any words out. As if sensing the pain that I was in, she nodded back and wiped her thumb gently across my cheek, brushing the tear away.
Charles opened the door and helped Lily out, pulling their luggage behind them. While Alice and Charles had only brought a small duffle bag with a few changes of clothes for the short trip, they had packed up some of John and Lily’s stuff in the extra suitcases to take with them.
Everyone walked outside where the cab was waiting for them. John hung back, his face rigid with emotion.
“Are you sure you can’t come with us?” he asked, a hint of desperation in his voice.
I shook my head, not trusting my voice right now.
“Okay,” he sighed, sucking in a deep breath as he reached over and pulled me into a hug. “You take care of yourself and call me if you need anything.”
“I will.”
He stepped back, not in a rush to leave. It felt like he was stalling, trying to find a reason to stay.
“Well, then. I guess they’re waiting for me.”
I felt the tension between us as it got thicker, the air heavy to breathe in.
“Be careful out there,” I forced out, my voice cracking. “Please let me know how Lily is doing once she gets settled in.”
“I will.”
He let out the air that he had been holding and grabbed his suitcase, rolling it behind him as he walked out and shut the door behind him.
I rushed over, ready to fling it open and beg him to stay. But, instead, I turned around and slid down it, holding my head in my hands as I cried uncontrollably.
The house felt empty once they were gone, and the happiness that used to be here was instantly missing as well. I stayed sitting there on the floor, crying for the only family that I had left as they moved on, starting their new life without me.