Chapter 1: We're Moving

“Are you kidding me?!  I can’t believe you are moving me halfway across the United States in the middle of my senior year!" My mom, or Rima as I call her, just dropped a bomb on me. "Rima!  Why are you doing this to me?!" 

"Honey, just hear me out.  I have been offered a wonderful opportunity and I can't pass it up.  You know things haven't been easy since your dad passed away."  Rima spoke quickly with her green eyes pleading with me. 

We looked a lot alike accept my eyes were a startling blue, like my father's, and my hair was a light blonde and fell to my waist. My mom's was a darker blonde and fell to her shoulders.  Other than that I was my mother's mini me.  We were both tall at 5' 8" and our skin was a nice golden tan in the summer. 

I have always hated it that people think we are sisters, but maybe I will be grateful for that when I am older.  Who knows?   

I hate this. I don't want to leave my mom after the year we've had. That doesn't stop me from trying to convince her we should stay though.  "We can't leave!  We have so many memories here. Memories of dad in this house.  How can you take that away?"  

God, I am going to hell for that one. I was hitting below the belt and I knew it. Mom flinched and drew in a sharp breath, but her resolve never wavered and I knew there was nothing I could do to change her mind. 

"I am sorry, Divina.  We can't afford to keep the house anyway. If we stay here, the bank will foreclose on us."

Her words were like a kick to my gut.  I had no idea our money situation was so bad. 

"I'm sorry, Rima.  I had no idea things were so bad."  I spoke softly, but mom seemed to hear me.  She walked over to me and gave me a tight hug and we held each other for several minutes.  I was ready to release the hug long ago, but let mom hold me while my thoughts raced ahead trying to come up with some scenario that wouldn't require us to move across the country.

Finally, she stepped back wiping her silent tears.  The pain in her eyes was raw and it took my breath away.  She had acted so strong this whole time.  So strong, that I often wondered if she had even cared about my dad.  I never saw her cry.  She simply pulled herself together and kept going. 

It's been just over a year and I never knew how much pain she was in.  In that moment, her eyes gave so much away, and I felt awful that I never knew.  I had even hated her for it at times.

"Okay, mom.  When do we leave?"  My mom looked at me in surprise. I never call her mom.  Haven't since I was a little girl.

Don't get used to it, I think to myself. She took a deep breath and held it.  When she finally spoke, I felt my world fall out from under me.  "We leave in 3 weeks.  We won't be taking much with us.  My new job comes with a furnished home and they bought our house as is and will sell it once they fix it up." 

All I could do was nod.  I didn't trust my voice right then and I was determined to get through this with the same strength she had shown over the last year.  She deserved that.  I had not been the best daughter these past several months, wanting to punish her for seeming to not care that my dad was gone.  Taking a deep breath, I slowly climbed the stairs to my room and text my best friend.  

-----

Me: U home?

Tia: Y

Me: Can I come over?

Tia: Everything ok?

Me: Eh. 

Tia:  Uh, oh.  Yeah, come over.

"Rima!  I am heading over to Tia's!"  I yelled as I took the stairs two at a time and rushed for the door.  Mom's muffled response was all I heard, and I didn't stop to check if she was okay with it or not.

Tia's house is three streets over so I quickly walked over.  For once, the Oklahoma wind wasn't trying to blow me into next week, so the cooler temperatures weren't so bad.  

That's one thing I couldn't stand about my home state, the extreme temperatures. Your face is either melted off during the summer or your toes froze off in the winter.  My all-time favorite was experiencing all 4 seasons in one day.  That was the absolute best.  

I let myself into Tia's house and headed up to her room to find her laying on her bed taking a series of selfies making a pouty face.  

Gag, I have never been the type of girl to take selfies, but that has never stopped our friendship.

"You are such a dork!" I finally said, when she hadn't noticed me for several minutes. 

She flipped off her bed with a shriek, "What the hell, Divina, you scared me!"  I was laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes.  

After a moment I sober up and sigh.  "My mom just told me she got a new job.  She's moving us to northern California, to be close to her side of the family."  

Tia throws open her bedroom door and yells,  "Mom!  Divina is going to live with us for the rest of the school year!"  

Bless her.  I loved her for trying, but I already knew I was going.  I wouldn't leave my mom.  

"Girl, I love you and all, but I can't live with you.  My mom needs me."  

"So, you're just going to leave? It's our senior year! What about college?" 

I looked down at the ground not able to hold her gaze.  "I know."  I spoke softly and when I did meet her eyes they were resigned.  She knew nothing was stopping this from happening.