A bittersweet goodbye

Emily was folding the last of my sweaters when I finally sat down on the edge of the bed. The room looked half-empty already. Boxes were stacked against the wall, taped and labeled in Em's neat handwriting. It felt strange— like we were clearing out a museum of memories instead of just moving.

"I still can't believe you're actually going," she said, not looking up. Her voice was light, but there was an edge to it, like someone trying not to cry at a wedding.

I let out a breath. "It doesn't feel real yet."

William popped his head into the room, a half-packed box in his arms. "Hey, I found your missing sock. It was in the rice cooker."

Emily looked up with a face. "Why was her sock in the rice cooker?"

"I don't know, ask your niece." He tossed the sock onto the bed and disappeared with a grin.

I rolled my eyes and turned to Em. "Don't worry, we'll see each other. We still have our Hermes bag dates, remember?"

Emily gave a snort, folding a hoodie and pressing it into the box. "If I see you show up with one actual Hermes bag, I'll faint on the spot."

"That's the plan." I smiled, but it wobbled a bit at the edges. We'd lived together for years. Laughed, cried, fallen asleep watching bad movies. And now I was leaving. It felt like I was leaving behind a part of myself.

"Lia," she said suddenly, more serious now. "I'm proud of you."

I blinked. "For what?"

"For everything. Taking care of those kids. Facing Zayne. And now this… new chapter."

I didn't answer. I just nodded and swallowed the lump in my throat.

We were joined by Zia, who tiptoed into the room like she didn't want to disturb something.

"Will you miss this place?" I asked, brushing hair from her face.

"I will," she said. Then, turning to Emily, "I'll miss Auntie."

Emily's face melted into a soft smile. She leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I'll miss you too, pumpkin. But I'll come to visit, okay?"

Zia's face lit up. "With mallows?"

"With mallows," Em promised, and they pinky-swore right there on the bedroom floor like it was a sacred ritual.

Then Zia wrinkled her nose. "I won't miss the cat lady."

I frowned. "Our neighbor?"

She nodded solemnly.

Emily raised a brow at me. I turned toward her, confused. "She never leaves the house, does she?"

Em shook her head. "Nope."

Zia stepped closer, her voice dropping like she was about to reveal a secret. "She tells Zeal and me that we have no daddy. And that you're a bad mommy. And, and… you're indishant. What does that mean, Mommy?"

My heart froze. The blood drained from my face.

Indescent.

She meant indecent.

Emily caught the change in me instantly. She placed a calming hand on my thigh and turned to Zia, her voice gentle. "It means special, baby. Now why don't you go pack those books in Mommy's room?"

"Okay!" she said, then skipped off like nothing had happened.

As soon as she was out of sight, I turned to Em. "What has that woman been telling my kids behind my back?"

"Lia—"

"I should've known, Em. How could she say that to my kids and I had no idea?"

"How could you know?" she said, firm now. "Don't beat yourself up for that. It's not your fault."

Too late. I already blamed myself.

"What else has she been telling them— what if she did something to them?"

"Relax, Lia," Em cut in. "She didn't do something to them. They're fine."

I stood abruptly, my pulse racing. "I can't sit here. I have to confront her. I have to—"

"And do what?" Em grabbed my hand. "You're leaving anyway. You'll never see that old hag again. Just be the bigger person and ignore it."

I didn't answer. Not right away.

"You're a brilliant mother, Lia. You know that."

I sighed, shoulders dropping as I sat again. She was right. There was no use stirring up unnecessary drama now. Not today.

"Thanks, Em." I smiled softly.

"Good. Now let's go pack up. You've got a whole new life to start."

---

The living room buzzed with movement and low chatter. William was wrestling with a vacuum cleaner cord while Zia and Zeal argued over who got to carry the plush bear. Emily was sealing the last box with a dramatic flourish.

"There. Like magic," she declared.

Zayne came in from the hallway, car keys dangling from one hand. "Truck's ready. Just give me the go ahead and we're good to go."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "You sure you can drive without crashing into any emotional walls?"

"I'll take my chances," he shrugged.

As the others bustled around, I stepped outside for a breath of air. The sky was pale and quiet, like it couldn't decide whether to cry or shine. I wrapped my arms around myself, not quite ready to let go of everything just yet.

Zayne came around the side of the house, wiping his hands on a cloth. "Everything's packed."

I nodded, not looking at him right away. "It's weird, isn't it? Leaving somewhere that used to feel permanent."

He leaned against the porch rail beside me. "Yeah. But sometimes permanent things change, and it's not the end. Just... a shift."

I looked at him then. "Are you nervous?"

"About driving a car full of tiny people who ask philosophical questions every two minutes?" he deadpanned. "Terrified."

I smiled. "You'll survive."

A moment of silence passed. Then he said, "This is a big deal, Lia. You moving in. Not just for the kids, but for you too. I want you to know I don't take it lightly."

Something in his voice made me pause. There was no performance to it. Just sincerity. And maybe a little fear too. The good kind.

"I know," I said quietly.

He tilted his head toward the house. "You ready?"

I let out a slow breath. "Yeah."

And for the first time that day, I actually meant it.

We all started ferrying boxes to the truck. Laughter filled the air— William cracking jokes, Emily shouting at him for stacking things weirdly, the twins chasing each other in circles. For a while, it didn't feel like a goodbye. It just felt like another day with the people I loved.

But eventually, everything was packed. The engine was running. The keys were in Zayne's hand. There was nothing left to delay it.

Emily pulled me into a hug. A tight one. The kind that said a million things we didn't have time to say.

"Take care of her, okay?" she said, turning to Zayne.

"I will," he promised sincerely.

I hugged William next. "Take care of her while I'm away."

He snorted. "You don't need to remind me."

Emily rolled her eyes and gave him a shove. "I'm an adult, you know."

"Sure you are," William said with a smirk. "Keep telling yourself that."

We all laughed, even through the ache.

Zayne held the door open for me, and I climbed into the front seat. The twins were already strapped into their new car seats in the back, chattering away about marshmallows and who saw the truck first.

"You good?" Zayne asked, glancing at me once the door shut.

I nodded. "Yeah."

As he started the engine and we pulled away from the curb, I watched Emily and William grow smaller in the side mirror. My heart squeezed.

It was really happening. We were leaving.