It was official the Palmer's were divorced. They had tried hard and given their all to save the union but it was over. They had worked it out where they would trade off Victoria every other month. She would spend equal time with each parent. Another agreement was that they would sell their home and purchase two houses in the same neighborhood or at least within a very short distance. That way Tori would not face conflict when the time came for her to start school.
The divorce was amicable but that did not make it any easier on either party. Both had shed tears when they signed the papers in the lawyer's office. Divorce was the last thing they had wanted but it was the best choice. Both had issues that could not be resolved.
Once upon a time they had been madly in love but that was before. That was before their two year old son was diagnosed with cancer. That was before they spent four of his six years fighting for his life. The course of events had changed them. To the point where they did not even recognize themselves anymore. They had truly lost since of who they were.
Jimmy leaned against the door frame that led to the now barren master bedroom. The bed furniture had been removed and divided up. Aside from the bed which had been sold. The same could be said about every room of the house. Furniture was divided up and other pieces were sold. Tori's crib had been among the things sold. Two toddler beds had been purchased for for both bedrooms.
"Jimmy. We have to go. The Realtor has a showing at four." Breena announced.
"Coming" Jimmy replied.
Breena took one final look at her home. She remembered buying that house just before Eddie's first birthday. They had one perfect year before cancer ravaged their family. She fondly remembered young and healthy Eddie toddling around the yard. She remembered how one day Eddie stopped walking and started screaming all the time. At first they were not too concerned. It was not long after Breena decided to return to work and they thought it was just a regression due to stress. Then the other symptoms came. The ones they passed off to be a typical illness. Then the pediatrician said the word cancer and nothing was ever the same. The home was no longer happy. Eddie was sick and in pain. Breena was falling apart and Jimmy was fighting to smile.
Jimmy took his final look, at his former home. He recalled the excitement of being able to purchase a home so young. Back then he felt like an old man at twenty-five but he was just a child. At thirty years old he still felt like an old man. He had been through more in the past five years than most endured in a lifetime. Watching his only son face a life threatening illness and then die a horrible death. All the while their daughter was left by the wayside. Even today Tori was in the care of her grandfathers while her parents sold her home. He wondered if she understood. He wondered if she would miss her home or if she even knew it was home. She had spent most of her life in the Ronald McDonald House while her brother fought cancer. Just another example of how unfair and cruel life was.
Until she found a new home Breena would be staying with her father. Finding a home would not be easy on her budget. The family had only kept their home thanks to the kindness of co-workers and strangers. They had sold their first home to a Realtor for a decent price but not enough to finances.
"I have decided to move to an apartment." Ed announced.
"Why?" Breena questioned.
"It's too much house for an old man." Ed commented patting his hip.
"It's just two bedrooms." Breena pointed out.
"And I am one person. I want you and Tori to live here. There is a similar house about three blocks away and I think Jimmy could swing the cost." Ed explained.
"Dad you can't do that. I will work something out. I can get an apartment." Breena insisted.
"Please Breena I only bought this place after you graduated. Back when I still had friends who may want to visit. Now everybody is as old as I am. It seems they are all dead or sick. No sense to have a big house. Just a little apartment." Ed explained.
"Why don't you sell and get money for you?" Breena questioned.
"For what? I am an old man. My future is secured and money can't buy me the only thing that I want anymore." Ed explained.
"Same here" Breena sighed.
Jimmy went back to Ducky's home. Tori was waiting for him when he returned. Today was his last day with her before she was sent to Breena's for a whole month. Jimmy wondered how he would survive an entire month without his baby girl. He wished that they did not have this agreement. He wished that they were still a family. He wished that he could have his old life back. Being happily married to Breena with a healthy son. He wished that Tori could have known that life. Two parents who were happily married and a healthy older brother. He hated what his life had become.
"Is everything taken care of?" Ducky questioned.
"As of two everything is settled. We signed the papers this morning and the moving trucks had left by two." Jimmy explained.
"How did it go?" Ducky asked.
"It was rough." Jimmy sighed.
"Want to talk about it?" Ducky asked.
"Not right now. Not much to talk about. The house is cleared and everything is over. Everything is over." Jimmy sobbed.
"Everything is certainly not over. You are simply at a new beginning. You have survived worse. You will survive this no doubt." Ducky assured.
A/N: How will the Palmer's settle into their new lives? New chapter will be up soon. Thanks for reading and please review.