Chapter 5
The movers had finally shown up.
Zoey Breslin stared at me. “You should have realized this sooner. If you want, you can just pay me, and I’ll take care of you from now on.”
I shook my head firmly.
Raymond and I ran into Zoey at the club once. Back then, a group of people was picking on her, and I stepped in to protect her.
Later, she started working for a moving company and left me her number, saying I could call if I ever needed help.
“Alright. All the stuff is moved. Call me if you need help,” she said.
“Thank you,” I replied.
Whenever I fought with Raymond and didn’t want to speak to him, he would hand me a recorder, saying I could talk into it, say all the bad things about him, and he would listen.
Every time I ran away from home, I left him a recording, hoping he’d come running to comfort me.
This time, I said, “Thank you for taking care of me all these years. I’ve decided to move out of the Devlin’s resi- dence.”
Unlike before. I didn’t tell him where I was headed.
I’ve lost track of how many years it’s been, but I remember celebrating my ninth birthday in this house. I didn’t want to spend this year’s birthday in that house again.
I went back to my old place. The tree near the front door had grown taller, though it had grown crooked. The yard was full of weeds, and I pulled them out one by one. While trimming the tree branches, I accidentally fell from the
tree.
Sometimes I think I must really be that foolish for Raymond to dislike me.
My stomach rumbled from hunger. I found some pasta but couldn’t figure out how to turn on the gas stove. Exhaust- ed, I fell asleep hungry.
When I woke up, I checked the calendar and noticed I had turned to the latest page, which marked my father’s memo- rial day.
I bought many flowers early in the morning and arranged them just like Raymond used to. I also lit candles.
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Chapter 5
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I talked to my father from morning until sunset.
Raymond never arrived late in the past. He always said my father had saved him, that my father meant a lot to him. That’s why he always came every year.
I wanted to see if he had forgotten, so I called Raymond.
I dialed his phone number, but a girl answered instead.
“I already told you. Raymond doesn’t like you. He thinks you’re disgusting.
“Why haven’t you moved out of his house yet?
“Because of your father and because of you, he’s been guilt-tripped all this time. You’re nothing but a burden.
“If I were you, I would have left long ago.
“He’s not going to marry you.
“Stop bothering him!”
After that, she hung up.
So this is how Regina thought of me.
I traced the cold letters on my father’s gravestone, my voice trembling.
“Remy has someone else now. I won’t bother him anymore.
“Don’t worry, Dad. Tell Mom too… she can finally rest in peace.
“I’ll take care of myself. I just… miss you both so much.”
Tears blurred my vision, spilling hot and endless.
And then-out of nowhere-an impatient voice cut through the silence.
“Tsk. You’re an adult, and still crying like a child?”
Slowly, I lifted my head. A tall figure stood before me, his presence sharp, almost dangerous.
He looked familiar, but I couldn’t remember where I had seen him before.
“Little one, no one’s looking after you. Do you want to come with me?”
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