Dear Diary, it’s summer break now for the kids, but this morning, they all gathered at our house to catch the bus for a field trip to a dairy farm. Poor Sophie wanted to go, too, and kept calling out, “Mooo! Moooo!” I promised her she’d have her day. She only had to wait for her birthday at the end of the month.
It was while Gigi, Wes, and Shona were getting on board, and I was waving goodbye that my attention turned to Bae. Long ignored Bae. Since we moved here, she’s been sitting in the driveway, looking forlorn.
Okay, maybe it’s me who feels wistful and forlorn when I look at her. We had a lot of fun together in the not so distant past. Somewhere in there, I grew up and gained too many responsibilities to pay her any attention.
With a lump in my throat, I realized this was no way to treat her.
“I don’t see why you think you have to get rid of your bike,” Jade said when we finally had time to speak without her job or our kids interrupting.
“It’s hard to just see her sit there like that in the driveway. I always took such good care of her.”
She nodded, and it seemed like I saw the flicker of an idea behind her eyes.
“What if,” she said, “there was room for her in the garage?”
“But there isn’t.”
“But what if there was?”
I held my hands up like the loser of a tug-of-war. “I don’t understand this conversation.”
That’s when she dropped the bomb.
“They have offered me a promotion, but it requires us to move to Gladena.”
Ka-boom, am I right?
“Where the hell is Gladena?” I tried to keep the edge out of my voice, even though it about killed me to do so.
“Far away,” she said, lowering her eyes. After a deep breath, she continued, “My boss approached me yesterday. This is a tremendous opportunity for me. It means a pay raise, and because the cost of living is lower, we could raise the girls in a nice suburb while I continue helping kids in the city, and we could find a house that has room for your bike.”
It sounded great, however, she was neglecting the most obvious problem. I crossed my arms in front of me.
“What about Gigi’s friends? She is established in her school. What about Wes, and Shona? And our friends, too, Jade? I’m supposed to move away from my parents, cousins, and best friend? Vincent has done so much for me… I don’t know about this.”
“Maybe this isn’t the best time to make this decision. We need time to think. The only other thing I want to mention, though, is that the hours will be more normal. It means spending time with you and the children. I’m stretched so thin, Kai. It’s been difficult to say the least.”
Didn’t I know it? As it was, the girls and I barely saw Jade at all. This was a lot to wrap my head around, though. I took a deep sigh. There was my wife, standing before me with tears in her eyes because she knew what she was asking of me. The familiar tugs on my heart filled my own eyes with tears.
I took her hand, holding it against my chest as I stared into those beautiful doe eyes of hers.
“I love you more than anything, Jade. So, yes, let’s move to Gladena.”
A sigh of relief passed through her lips. “We’ll have your parents visit often. Vincent and Izabel, too.”
Biting my lower lip, I nodded. “Yeah, um, we’ll make this a fun adventure for the girls, and everything will be all right.”
“I love you, Kai. Thank you for this.”
My heart was laid open and bare. “You don’t have to thank me. I’d follow you anywhere, ya’ know.”
She smiled, then wiped a tear from her cheek with the back of her hand. “Same.”
Telling my mom was the worst. I planned on telling both my parents at the same time, but Dad was in a meeting he couldn’t get out of.
“So, you’re just moving? This seems like a rash decision.” She was shaking her head no the entire time she spoke.
I knew this would be hard, but her tone had an edge sharp enough to cut me open.
“We think this is the best decision for our family. I’m sorry, Mom.”
“Well, well, maybe you need more time to think. How will this affect the girls?”
“I’m sure they’ll be excited and sad, too. It’s not like I want to move away. We’re only trying to do what’s best. It means Jade will have weekends off to spend with us. We miss her.”
She folded her hands in her lap and would not look at me. “So there is nothing I can say, then.”
It was a statement, not a question.
“I’m afraid not,” I said, trying to swallow around the growing lump in my throat.
“I don’t know what your father is going to say about this.”
Yes you do, I thought. He’s going to ask me why I allowed my family to struggle so much that we have to move across the country.
Mom put her “nurse face” on, forcing a grim smile. “I will miss you so much.”
“I’ll miss you, too, Mom.”
During the next few weeks, Jade and I made all the necessary arrangements so that by the time Sophie’s birthday came around, everyone in our circle of family and friends knew we were moving.
The birthday party was a somber affair. You would have thought someone died.
I kept looking at Jade, only to see the smile she used when everything was a disaster, but she was still holding things together.
George was fine, but holy crap, were my parents ornery! Dad was pretty quiet while Mom made little remarks here and there that we all pretended we didn’t hear.
“You should have told me you were buying a cake. I would have made one,” Mom said, her disapproval practically melting the icing off the cake we did have.
My cousin and his boyfriend came to the so-called party. They were pretty cool, and even tried to keep my mom’s remarks from getting carried away.
“Well, this is fun,” she said under her breath as we stood awkwardly around the cake.
Vincent and I had said already spoken about the move at length, and he agreed with our decision. Even so, I was pretty torn up about leaving him behind. I’d never had a better friend.
Finally, to save the day, Vincent took Sophie from me, and got her to giggle.
“C’mon, little darling, let’s show them all how a party is supposed to go.”
Sophie’s laughter seemed to have the desired effect on my parents. Before long, they were laughing, too, at her antics.
At last, she blew out the candles…
I wonder if instead of being my velcro-baby, she’ll be my velcro-kid now?
Thank you so much for reading, liking, lurking, and commenting! I hope you enjoyed today’s chapter! Thank you, Bee, for your lovely Couple Set 2, Emotion – Male Adult Poses, Emotion – Adult Poses, and Conversation Poses which are from her site Poses by Bee.
See you next Saturday!
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Oh boy! This is going to be quite the change. Let’s hope it’s a good one. A move is never easy, and it can take time to adjust. At least Jade’s hours will be better, but I hope Kai and the kids can come to terms with their new situation.
But…oh man! What’s the deal with Kara? Yes, any mother wouldn’t want to see her kid (no matter how old they are) move far away, but at least she should’ve TRIED to put on a brave front for the sake of the grandkids and not make everyone feel like shit. I get that she’s worried about Kai, and I have empathy for her in that regard. But the bottom lime is that he’s not a little kid anymore and he has to do what he feels is best for the family he has to take care of and protect. Plus, it just seems she’s rather detached from the grandkids. Maybe that’s my imagination, but it just seems to me that there’s not much feeling for Gigi and Sophie.
Sophie is cute, and I bet she’s going to be a knockout when she grows up. 🙂
Sorry they have to move, but at least Jade will get to spend more time with her family.
Yes, that’s the important thing.
I hope the move ends up being nothing but good news for them. It’s sad that they’ll have to leave their friends and family behind though.
Thank you, Raymond. That would be great if the move ended up being something good for all of them. I wish they didn’t have to leave behind their friends and family, too.
Wonderful chapter. I love how she introduced the move–“What if there was room in the garage for the bike?”
LOL Thank you, Jacqui. 😀
Something had to change. If a different job gives Jade friendlier hours, that’s a major improvement. Of course his family doesn’t want him to move, but sometimes, these things are inevitable.
Thank you, Violincat. You’re right that something had to change. I also agree that things like this are inevitable. They have to make the best decisions for their family.
Oh boy! I know you and you are up to something. I can feel it coming…hehehehe, that was fun to say!
So mom obviously believes she still has control over her son…She folded her hands in her lap and would not look at me. “So there is nothing I can say, then.” if that isn’t a heavily laid on guilty trip……
Oh and cough, cough “whipped”, cough cough. That boy is lead by the women in his life. Always has been. She says let’s move and he’s like, okay…say what?? No “let’s check it out first”, just okay, after looking into her eyes…. I want to reach thru the monitor and smack him for that and mostly because I know you have something up your sleeve and he has no idea it’s coming! But no matter what, I am excited to see the adventure you are taking the on next.
Thank you, Bee. 🙂 That was fun to see you say. LOLOL
Yeah, Kara has been somewhat of a control freak where Kai is concerned. Guilt trips galore there!
The boy is definitely led by the women in his life. Can you even imagine him single? Me neither. lol I think the “let’s check it out first” will hit him when it’s too late.
Even if you smacked the poor guy through the monitor, I think he’d still not realize anything you wanted him to. hahaha
Thing is he might smack me back, so don’t think I could risk it! LOL
LOL! Nah, I don’t think he’d hit a girl, he worships them too much. LOLOLOL
Career moves are so hard. I hope it brings the family closer together, instead of…
Thank you, Jacquie. I hope so, too. I’m betting we’ll find out pretty soon.
Oh Kara. That was kind of selfish of her to think she could convince him to stay. And then to make them all feel bad about it? Not cool! Sophie is cute though!! I think Jade’s got this one lol.
Thank you, Jess. Kara was not cool, it’s true. I think she feels like she’s losing him, but you’re right that it’s selfish of her. I cheat-peeked at Sophie as YA and she is beautiful. 😀 I think Jade’s got this one, too.
Awww. I hope they’ll be okay especially if Jade gets to have more normal hours for a change and spend time with their family. It’s time to cut the apron strings I suppose.
Thank you, Audrey. Consider the apron strings cut! lol
Work is so stupid! I wish they could find a way to get work-life balance and a bigger garage without having to move. But oh well. I’m sure everyone will be fine.
Thank you, Cathy. Work is stupid indeed. lol Let’s hope you’re right that everything and everyone will be fine.
A new adventure awaits! I can’t wait to see what happens next week! And I swear I see Memphis in Sophie, except her warm complexion. She’s gorgeous! Happy birthday, princess!!
Thank you so much! 🙂 Yes to new adventures! I should put a pic of Memphis next to Sophie and then we’ll see how closely they resemble one another.
Ah, that is going to be a big change for the family, but it would be great for Jade to have more time with her family. Hopefully the move will be a good change. I think Sophie’s going to turn out very lovely. 🙂 This was a nice chapter, Kymber. Aah, I didn’t realise how much I’d missed your regular updates until I realised today that you must have updated and it made me so happy. 🙂 <3
Thank you so much, Louise. ❤❤ It’s so nice to be back.
You’re right about what a big change this will be. Hopefully, though, this is what Jade needs, and it will work out well. I think Kai is really going to miss Vincent.
I did cheat-peek at Sophie as YA and I must say, she is a looker. LOL 😀
I feel bad for Sophie having the damper on her birthday. It is a big change but I agree, it could be a good thing, albeit a bittersweet one, and a new chapter for them to have more time together ♥
Thank you, Caz. ♥♥ No one seemed to notice that Sophie’s birthday was less than pleasant. LOL Let’s hope the move is all it’s cracked up to be!