Chapter 7
But Mom kept doing this over and over.
She'd purposely catch Dad and Joseph cozying up to Nina, then act like she was trying to be understanding, and then it was with some sort of sorrow.
She'd lower her gaze, never shed a tear or cause a fuss, and that just made Dad and Joseph feel so guilty they could barely look her in the eye.
Joseph kept hooking me up with better tutors and resources.
Dad was extra eager to drive me everywhere for school.
He even kept shoving all his old savings and his military pay into Mom's hands.
He kept saying he'd stay away from Nina from now on.
But as soon as he said it, he'd forget all about it.
But for Mom and me, whatever was going on between him and Nina just didn't matter anymore.
The distance they kept from Nina was nothing compared to me cracking another set of problems.
My grades were shooting up fast.
This life around, studying was so much easier than in my previous life.
In my previous life, Mom and I were like rowing upstream against the current.
But now, it was like we were sailing with the wind at our backs.
Just a little push with the oars, and we'd glide far ahead.
The only thing Mom ever said was that her ending was already set in the story.
As I got older, I slowly started to realize that the ending she was talking about was her own death.
I kept asking her about it, but she never gave me a straight answer.
She always just said to me, "Annie, as long as you're safe and healthy, and living well, that's all I care about."
I've grown up now, not the clueless kid I used to be, and I don't burst into tears so easily anymore.
But whenever she said those words, I still couldn't stop the tears from welling up, and panic would flood my chest.
My hands shaking, I clung to her as if I'd never let go.
"No, Mom. I want you to be safe and healthy too. I need you. I can't live without you."
Mom just stroked my hair in silence.
By the time I finished ninth grade, I aced the high school entrance exams and got into the best high school in Capital City.
Mom was over the moon.
She said, "The acceptance rate for the best schools in Capital City is way higher than in most other provinces. Annie, you'll never have to spend your whole life regretting missing out on the best universities just because of a few points."
My eyes were all red as I hugged her tight.
I said, "Thank you, Mom."
Mom got Joseph to set me up with a high school tutor way ahead of time.
She even locked in a three-year contract with them before school started.
The deal was they'd stick with me until I finished SAT.
Joseph had just gone to check on the stray cat Nina brought home.
When he came back and saw Mom signing the contract, he just chuckled, acting like it was no big deal.
He said, "Mr. Grant's a good friend of mine. He promised to tutor Annie, no way he'd ditch her halfway, right?"
Mom just smiled, keeping her eyes on him as he signed, then took the contract back.
When we got home, Dad was just about to head out.
He was shrugging on a gray coat as he headed for the door.
It was the one Nina gave him for his birthday last month.
He never liked gray before, but now he wore that coat all the time.
When he suddenly saw Mom and me come in, he froze, his hand halfway through putting it on.
He was caught in the act, not sure if he should keep putting it on or take it off.
After a long pause, he finally spoke up, clearly uncomfortable.
He said, "Nina's application for volunteer teaching in the southern mountain region just got approved. Once she leaves, she won't be coming back to Capital City after this. A few old friends from our hometown are getting together for a meal."
Over the years, Nina had said she was leaving for another city and never coming back at least ten times.
But Dad always fell for it.
Mom just nodded, acting like she understood, same as always.
She said, "Go ahead. It's your last time seeing everyone, so take your time and say goodbye properly. If you're drinking, don't drive tonight. Just come back tomorrow."
Over the years, Mom had become more and more understanding with Dad.
He'd gotten used to her saying things like that, it didn't even seem weird to him anymore.
Dad nodded.
He stepped out the door, then turned back, looking at Mom with a guilty expression.
He said, "Claire, you're really not the same as you used to be. Once Nina leaves, I won't be in touch with her anymore. From now on, it'll just be the three of us, let's try to live like a real family."
But Mom and I had long stopped seeing him as family.
Mom replied softly, "Okay."
But for once, Dad didn't rush off.
He looked at Mom and me for a while, like he felt something wasn't right.
But soon enough, he just brushed it off, figuring it was all in his head.
Maybe out of guilt, he pulled all the cash from his coat pocket.
He walked over and shoved it all into Mom's hands.
He said, "I forgot to give you the allowance from the camp the other day."
As if he'd really forget.
Most likely, he was planning to use it to buy Nina a goodbye present.
But now, out of guilt, he just shoved all the cash into Mom's hands.
He didn't even keep the little bit of pocket money he used to save for himself, this time, he handed over every last dollar.
With a gentle hand, Mom swiftly took everything from him.
Dad lowered his gaze, watching her.
Suddenly, he reached out and pulled her into a hug.
He said softly, "Claire, you know, your brother and I actually liked it more when you were a little wild and spoiled. We really did prefer you that way, full of mischief and a bit stubborn."
Where Dad couldn't see her, Mom wore a mocking expression, nearly letting out a derisive laugh.
It took a long moment before Dad finally let her go, his voice tinged with unease.
He said, "I'll be back in three days at the latest. Claire, you and Annie wait for me."
Mom nodded.
Dad lingered for a long moment before finally turning and walking away.
Mom and I went inside and started counting up all the money we'd saved over the years.
The stamps and commemorative coins Mom had collected would be enough to buy us a house in a few more years.
There was also the hefty savings account my grandparents had left behind.
And the antiques my great-grandfather had left behind, along with the Peyton family's old mansion.
Plus, all the money Dad and Joseph had given us over the years.
Honestly, in this life, there's no way we'll ever run out of money.
Mom ran her fingers over my high school acceptance letter and the three-year contract I'd signed with that tutor.
All our stuff, big and small, was laid out on the coffee table.
Outside, the moonlight was gentle, the tree shadows swaying softly. Tonight just felt extra special.
Mom looked up at me, her movements slow and thoughtful.
She said, "Annie, looks like we've got enough now. Do you want to get out of here?"