Page 70 of The Luck of Finding You
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NOAH
Annie doesn’t cry as we pack up her things and get them out of her and Mitch’s apartment. Which is weird, because out of the two of us, she’s always been the weepier one.
We make quick work of grabbing her things. It takes a little over an hour to fill her two large suitcases with her clothes, cookbooks, and the handful of novels she brought with her to New York a few years ago.
“Everything else is his problem now,” she says as we slowly carry the suitcases down the stairs and load them into the back of Sam’s truck, which we borrowed after finding a set of keys in his bedroom. “He bought most of the furniture anyway, and anything I bought I can easily replace.”
I want to tell her that she shouldn’t have to do that, that she should be able to take whatever is hers. But when I mentioned it when we first got to the apartment, she shut me down quickly, so this time I keep my opinions to myself.
We unload everything into Sam’s apartment, in the spare room where his parents stay when they come to visit.
“I kind of want to burn all of my clothes, but I don’t really have enough money for an entirely new wardrobe.” Annie sighs as we look at her clothes hanging in the closet.
“I could loan you some cash.”
“Nope,” Annie says, just like she always does when I offer. “I do not want your pity money.”
“Is it really pity money if I’m offering it as a gift?” That question earns me a smack in the arm, which makes me miss Tally. I sent her a text before I fell asleep this morning to let her know I’m in New York. I also sent her a message as Mo, but she never replied to that one.
“I don’t need your money,” Annie repeats.
“Okay, fine. I’m just trying to help.”
“I know, but you’ve done more than enough, flying out here right after I called. Thank you. You really are amazing.” Annie pulls me into a hug. Her praise fills me with guilt because I’m really not amazing.
“When are you going to go to Colorado?” I ask her. I’ll figure out a way to get her some extra money. I know she makes a decent amount as a chef, but she lives in New York City. Not exactly the cheapest place in the world.
Annie is silent for a moment. “I don’t know if I want to quit my job yet. Even if it means seeing him a few times a month. Because I love working at the restaurant.”
“You shouldn’t have to deal with that,” I argue.
“He shouldn’t have the kind of power over me that forces me to quit my job and move across the country.” Annie’s fierceness reminds me of Tally in this moment, and there’s an ache in my heart.
I want to call her, but I don’t know what I’d say.
“I think I’ll stay here until I figure out my next step. Sam already said I could stay here for a few months while I get things figured out. He won’t be back till March or April anyway, so there really isn’t a problem.”
“Okay,” I resign. Annie is too stubborn and I’m too tired to try and convince her to do something else. “And you’re sure you don’t want to file a report on Mitch?”
I gesture to her black eye. She’s been wincing all day whenever she turns too suddenly, and I would bet money that her ribs are bruised as well.
“I already filed a report,” Annie tells me, scowling. “The lovely cops at the station told me that they would write it up and keep a record of it, but that they couldn’t do anything else right now.”
“They said what?” I growl.
“Noah.” Annie steps away from me and gives me a look that's so much like our mother when she’s about to say something serious that I have to remind myself I’m actually looking at Annie. “They did what they could. Which isn’t enough, obviously, but I’m exhausted and I just want it all to be done, so I’m dropping it. I’m not going back there.”
“But—“
“No. Noah.” She plops onto the queen bed, surrounded by her books that we haven’t put away yet. Then she sits up. “Wait. How did telling Tally who you are go?”
I groan. I was hoping to avoid this conversation for longer.
“It didn’t.” I sit on the bed next to her and tell her what happened. From our road trip to my personal series of unfortunate events about getting stuck in the bathroom and then finding Tally gone when I got back.
Annie jumps up, searching for my phone amid all her stuff. “You need to call her. Call her right now.”
