Chapter 9
Kay flew about her room dumping drawers into boxes, throwing clothes into garbage bags, and trying to pack her whole room in as little amount of time as possible. Noah followed her around her room as she packed, trying to convince her that it was a bad idea. "Come on, Kay. This is a horrible idea. I'm a guy, that equals pig. I'm messy, I leave wet towels on the floor, dirty dishes in the sink, I grow mold in the fridge. You don't want to do this!!" Noah begged.
Kay whirled on him. "No, Noah I do want to do this! If you had any idea of what that woman has done to me over the years, you would have asked me to move in a long time ago."
Noah smirked, "I never asked you to move in at all, sister dear." Noah put his arm around her and pulled her close. "By you saying 'that woman' I assume you mean Mom."
Kay looked at him incredulously, "Of course I mean Mom." Tears came to Kay's eyes. "Noah, if I don't get out of here, she'll kill me. I don't mean literally, but she will kill everything about me if I don't leave. So please, please let me stay with you."
Noah looked down at his sister and a little piece of his heart broke. He kissed her forehead. "Of course you can. I had no idea it was that bad. I love you, Kay. Just remember that."
They both looked up from their packing when they heard the front door slam shut. Jessica climbed the stairs two at a time to get to Kay's room. She stood at he door, out of breath and took in the scene in front of her. "Kay? I hurried home from school as fast I could, cause Janey said you left last period sick. I was worried. What are you doing?"
Kay walked over to her little sister and led her to a clear spot on the bed. "Jess. I'm moving in with Noah."
Jessica looked at her oldest sister with wide eyes. "What? You're leaving?"
Kay could hear the tremble in her sister's voice. "I'm sorry, Jess. I don't want to leave you here behind, but I can't stay here another night. She almost hit me the other night. I have to get out of here."
Jessica gasped harshly when Kay revealed that their mother had almost hit her. She stared crying softly. "Oh, Kay! I'm so sorry I wasn't there to help you! Don't worry about me. Mom's never treated me the way she always treated you. I just want you to be safe and happy." Jessica hugged her sister tightly and then laughed. "Look at me! Blubbering like an idiot!"
Kay laughed too and wiped the tears from her sister's eyes and blinked back her own.
Noah, forgotten in the background, cleared his throat. "You guys are going to make me cry too, if you don't stop it! Now let's get to packing!!"
*****
They had most of Kay's things packed when Sam and Grace returned home from shopping. Sam stood in the doorway quietly, while Grace charged into the room. Noah and Jessica snuck out to give Kay the chance to tell her mom what she really thought.
Grace looked around the barren room. "Kay? What exactly do you think you are doing?"
Kay glared at her mother, "What does it look like I'm doing, Grace? I'm moving out."
Grace raised her eyebrows, "Oh? Really? And just where do you plan on going? To live in sin with that bastard?"
Kay felt the rage build inside of her. "Josh is not a bastard!! I'm moving in with Noah, and there is nothing you can do about it."
Grace looked around the room, "Well, you'll be going there with nothing because I'm not letting you take anything from this room with you. I bought it all, it stays here!"
Kay looked at her mother with cold fury. "Wrong again, mommy dearest. I bought all this. I bought every piece of clothing I own, my TV and DVD, and all my books. You can keep the furniture. I'll get my own, but what I own is coming with me."
Grace didn't know what to come back with and finally she remembered Sam. "Sam? Aren't you going to tell your daughter that she isn't going anywhere? Put a stop to this!"
Sam looked at his wife of 20 some-odd years and said quietly, "Shut up."
Grace looked at him, open mouthed. "What?"
Sam stepped into the room, "I said, shut up. You aren't the person I thought you were. You are a cold hearted bitch, and Kay can go where ever she wants to. So shut up and leave her alone." With that Sam turned and went downstairs.
Kay looked at her mother smugly. "I'll be by tomorrow to get my stuff."
Kay said goodbye to Jessica in the hallway, and she and Noah prepared to leave. Sam stopped Kay before she walked out the door. "Kay, wait."
Kay looked at her father and saw the strain in his eyes. "Thanks for what you did, Daddy. It really means a lot to me."
Sam hugged his daughter and pressed a wad of money into her hands. "Here, if you need more let me know. I'm going to be staying at Uncle Hank's for a while. But, take care of yourself Kay. Noah, you watch out for her." Sam hugged Kay again and then Noah, they all said their goodbyes and Sam and Jessica watched them drive away. Jessica looked up at her father. "Dad? Can I come with you to Uncle Hank's?"
