It was Monday morning. I was loading my car up. A suitcase of a few necessary items. I heard the front door open and looked over the trunk door.

“Hey,” said Mom. Leaning on the edge of my car.

“Mmm,” I hummed as I over-arranged my trunk again.

“I’m sorry about this,” Mom wrapped her sweater around her tighter.

“No you’re not,” I said to my luggage.

Mom froze slightly, “How would you know?”

I slammed the trunk door and saw her jump, “Cause you wouldn’t have let this happen if you cared about me.” I bypassed her on the way to the driver’s door.

She reached out and grabbed my arm. “Is that what you think? That I don’t care?”

I looked up at her, “Well you always taught us that actions speak louder than words, Mom.”

She let go of me and leaned onto the car. “I don’t want this, Gerard. [i]He[/i] wants this. Not me.”

“He also wanted to send me away to fix me. That worked out great too right?” I shrugged my shoulders sarcastically and opened the car door, taking a seat behind the wheel.

“I’m sorry, Gerard. I promise this won’t last long. The case will be over and he’ll let you come home,” she tried to smile but I could see this was hurting. I wanted to make her hurt. She should feel sorry.

But I didn’t know what to say. I hadn’t thought that far in the future. I didn’t want to think about what could happen. “We’ll see,” I said coldly, shutting the door.

Mom starred back with wide eyes, never seeing me mad at her before. She knew she had messed up this time. “I heard you guys that night.” She sputtered out.

I looked back up to her, leaning over the edge of my open window. “What?”

She blinked back at me, “I-I heard you and your brother the other night. He convinced you to go to the meeting. You did it cause you love him. And not just like a brother.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I looked away.

“I heard you,” Mom’s eyes watered up and that fear came back into her voice. “I heard you,” she repeated a little softer.

“Gerard!” You shouted running towards my car.

Mom bit her lip and watched you approach me. She backed away before running for the house.

You looked back towards her then to me. “Is she okay?”

I shook my head, “I don’t know. I’ll never understand this decision.”

You didn’t know what to say. You didn’t want to say anything bad about her. “Well… You’ll be back soon right?”

I looked down for a second, letting my thoughts coagulate on my tongue, “I… I don’t know. It’s still up in the air.”

“Well, tell Elliot I’m sorry for not being able to be at the meetings,” You put your hands in your pockets.

“I will,” I looked up at you.

“I’ll miss you. A lot.” You smiled.

“I know,” I said simply. “But maybe, you can call up Blake again. You really seemed to like him.”

Your face fell. “What do you mean?”

My hands felt at the wheel. “I don’t know. Maybe you should just… see what the world wants to offer you.”

“Are you trying to like break up with me?” you were so confused.

I didn’t know how to voice this. “I just think that maybe it will be good for you that I move out. You can have some time to explore some other options. Maybe this isn’t what you want.”

You stepped towards me and I was forced to look up. Your eyes were heavy with this look that was so sure of itself. “You know, I’ve had two years to think about this.”

I gulped. Knowing you would have a response for me. “I just want to be sure you are making the right choice. You are still young.”

“So I’m just gonna grow out of my love for you? It will soon be tired and worn like last year’s jeans? Can you please just stop doubting me?”

“I’m not doubting you, I’m just-“

“You don’t think I’m mature enough to make decisions that are gonna impact the rest of my life. I know.”

I sighed. “Can you blame me?”

You licked your lips. “If it makes you feel better, I will think about. But as I’ve told you before-“

“That’s all I needed to hear,” I stopped you.

You smiled slightly. Not happy with my request but learning that you had to pick your battles in a relationship as complicated as this one.

“I will see you soon. One month max.” you said, so sure of it.

I nodded. “We will see,” I said again with a whole different purpose.

“Goodbye,” you began to lean in.

I pulled back. “You know they are probably watching.”

You pursed your lips but pulled back too. “Fine. I’ll get you back.”

I felt my mouth break at the corners. “I’ll see you.”

I turned on the car and pulled out of the driveway. Waving to you before pulling down the street, towards Elliot’s office for work. I didn’t know if I ever wanted to see that house again. But I knew I sure needed to see that face again soon.