…..Well, it's been awhile, hasn't it? It really feels like it's been ages since I last posted, and honestly I would say it's been much too long. I'm really sorry I haven't made any updates since I went on break, but I just didn't want to get everyone's hopes up only to see that it was just another update, not a chapter.
I promise I haven't forgotten the story and all of you wonderful readers, it's just been a hell of a time these last few months. Last update in May I had just gotten out of the accident, finished my sophomore year of college, and started working full-time, as you might know.
Since I last posted, here's what all has gone down.
First, I'd just like to say I'm fine after the accident. No permanent damage, so I'm just back to my old pre-accident level of bodily damage, heh. Second of course was the work. Most days I was getting up at seven and many nights I wasn't coming home until 10, 10:30 or so, sometimes earlier depending on my hours. Mind you, I wasn't working that long every day. I was averaging about 9 hours a day at work, just on that. That isn't including all the adulting and such of the daily grind. Reason I mention that is that I was just dead tired most days, and what time I did have was chewed away by the daily necessities. Let me tell you, being on my feet all day fixed my sleeping habits right up. Okay, now for the beginning of the 'fun' part of my last few months: my father did something stupid and got himself fired from his job shortly after my last update. Me being 20, I was still a dependent on his insurance for health, dental, etc. Here's the kicker: it was provided as employee benefits when he was working. See where I'm going here? Now, how do you think he broke it to me? He casually sometime in the middle of June said, "Oh, you're going to need to get your insurance handled by the end of the month, because it's going to run out. I'll be fine no matter what happens, but you, you're probably screwed," end quote. Annoying yes, but maybe not too big a deal in most scenarios… except that my medicine which I can't survive without taking daily is only provided if I have insurance. On top of that, uni won't allow you back without insurance. Long story short, not only am I handling almost all of my own bills at twenty, I've partially estranged myself from my father and am in the process of moving myself out on my own terms for the first time. Between comments of "You were born for child labor, but I didn't think you would come out useless," and just a long-standing train of abuse and feud with me against he and his wife, I've taken my own life into my own hands. Mind you I have had other people supporting me, for which I'm grateful, so I'm not trying to sound like a victim, I'm just telling it as is. But the story gets even better. Not too long before I officially moved myself out came the kicker as to why: he tested positive for COVID but didn't tell me. In fact, he didn't notify me until the day after he got his results not by call, but by text while I was at work. Myself, my grandmother and my great-aunt had all been exposed, so my grandmother (my great aunt lives in SC) and I quarantined together within the house. Luckily, we all tested negative, but in that time I couldn't work and support myself during that time. Almost like a cosmic final shot at me by him or something. Not intentional on his part, I know, but seriously. Now, no shit our quarantine ended the day I had to move back to uni a couple weeks ago, so I barely had time to get my shit together and move up to ASU after I was let free. This semester I'm scheduled for 18 credit hours, and it's a heavy 18 at that. So now I've got school, and I'm going to be starting to work again soon. Good news: after a long ass fight with the school, I've been able to get all online classes and move back home. I was on-campus for a week, and it was hell. My roommate snored like a chainsaw, my meds nearly got closed out on me, and there was pretty much nothing we could do at uni except hide away in our rooms all day with our uncomfortable furniture and cramped rooms. It just sucked. My health took a serious nosedive in that single week alone
Okay, I apologize for talking your ears off, but I just wanted to let you all know where I'm at right now. I've had a really hard time coming up with material with what free time I've had, so I swear to you that's the reason it's been a silent three months. What I'm likely going to do is start cleaning up all of my previous chapters a little while I start working on creating new content for the future so that I'm not just doing nothing.
To close this out, I just want to let you know I'll probably take this update down after a little while, so if you want to leave a review, maybe do that under another chapter I guess? Not really sure how the whole mechanic works. Of course feel free to PM me too, if you would prefer.
I'm doing my best to get back to regular posts, but please be patient with me while I get my bearings. As always, thank you so, so much for all your support, your reviews, and for reading this fic. You have no idea how much it means to me to have you all here. I wish everyone good health and good fortune, and until next I update! Hopefully it will be with a chapter next time!
-Reaper