Page 297 of My Sweet Dollie, You Have to Love Me
Especially now, when I feel like I’m practically waddling around the hallway.
Shane, oblivious to my stiff movements, closes his hand around the door handle that will lead into my parents’ room.
“No.” I pull my hand away. “I can’t go in there.” Especially today.
“But I want to show you something.”
I give reasons why I don’t want to enter, but outside my head, they all just sound like fast breaths and stutters.
“It’ll be fine.” Shane pushes open the door to reveal the majority of my parents’ possessions bagged up in giant sacks. “Surprise!”
My mouth falls open, and words fail me.
“I figured we’d give this shit to charity. Some of it can be sold. Your parents had expensive taste. But your mom also liked a lot of worthless shit. Kinda like you.”
Yeah, and Dad never judged her for it.
God, I miss witnessing their love.
I miss them.
“What do you think?” Shane asks.
Finally, words fall from my mouth, “I wanna keep it.”
“What? Which thing?”
“All of them. I wanna keep my parents’ stuff. Can you take it all out and put it back? Thank you.” I fail in my attempt to turn away from the sight that brings more tears to my eyes when Shane catches my hand.
“Why do you even still want this stuff? Where’s it gonna go when we sell the house?”
A deep breath comes through my mouth. This all needs to stop now.
“I don’t think that’s happening.” I rub my temple, feeling a migraine forming.
“What do you mean?” Shane’s stance changes. He stands taller, all puffed out before me. Challenge is evident in his eyes.
A thought crosses my mind.Is his therapy working?
Then another.
Did he lie about that, too?
Choosing a gentler approach, I tread carefully. “I’m just not sure I’m in a place right now where I’m able to think about weddings and moving away.”
“So, what? We’re just gonna stay here with all the bad memories?”
“I have too, but you—us, I think we need some time apart.”
“Are you saying you don’t want to be with me?” Before I can answer, and I’m about to, my mouth open and ready, he adds, “Think carefully about what you say next, Lancie.”
The threat in his tone and the nickname have me backing away.
“I think a lot has gone on.”
“Oh, for sure. But we agreed to work through that, didn’t we?”
“I did say we could see how things go.”
