Chapter Four:

Saturday, May 20th, 2000

When I woke up, face stiff from crying all night, the house was empty. They had left early, like promised. The only sign that they remembered I existed was $100 and a note saying my Dad should arrive Monday. Dad's cell phone number was scribbled messily on the note, so bad I couldn't read it. Great.

I was about to turn on the TV when there was a knock on the door. It was Amelia and her brother August. They were carrying two brand new boxes.

August set his box down on the floor and hightailed it back out the door. I could see Mama Sandy sitting in the driveway, idling. They pulled out when August jumped in.

"He has work," Amelia said.

She walked passed me into my bedroom and set the box down on my freshly made bed.

I took August's box and followed her. It wasn't heavy. I could see a sleeve peaking out of the top. It must be my old clothes I left behind.

Some of it was old stuff I left behind, but most of it was new clothing. Amelia said it was supposed to be a present, but Mama didn't think I would speak to her… so they packed it up for me.

"Try the stuff on and we can return anything that doesn't fit."

I was almost mad enough to say no… But I didn't. Instead, I tried on everything in the boxes, feeling a weird sense of longing filling me up. I wasn't one of the kids, but I was still family. I guess. I thought. I didn't know how to feel.

"This is way too much," I said. "Dad can get me new stuff."

"I picked it out," Amelia said. She folded everything neatly in the box. "This is for you to take with you. Since we won't be going to the same school."

There was a knock on the door. Amelia went to answer it and Mama Sandy came inside. She told me that she was here to help me pack.

Mama Sandy asked if the clothing fit. They did. But she would know that. She had been buying me clothing for years now.

We packed up everything in a few hours. The only thing left was the duffel bag they packed me for the trip to Forks, my purse, and my bedding. We had even taken the artwork off the walls.

But I knew my bedding would fit into the boxes as well, because Phil had gone overboard. Clearly, he wanted me out. Made sure I had more than enough to pack up.

Mama Sandy even helped me take everything out into the hallway, stacked neatly beside the door. Then she took us out to eat and a movie, just like she was supposed to the night I graduated.