As the next morning rolled around, Cat insisted to Jade she would be okay to go home and collect her stuff. If it were up to Jade she would have just brought Cat a new wardrobe rather than make her go back, but there were a few things she needed that money couldn't replace. So, reluctantly Jade drove her girlfriend there, stopping on the way to buy a few moving boxes.
Pulling up on the driveway, Cat saw something she hadn't seen in years- the front door wide open. Her Mom walked out, hauling boxes toward a van parked on the driveway.
She took a shaky breath and forced herself out of the car, instinctively cradling her right side where her rib still ached beneath layers of compression bandages. Her mom caught her eye, giving her a small, apologetic smile. She'd clearly been crying, a lot. Her eyes were red and puffy and her face an overall red hugh. It was a tough day for both of them. Cat barely nodded in return, feeling the weight of the moment press down on her even more.
"This soon?" Cat asked, eyes watering again.
"I'm packing the essentials and driving them up tonight." Cassandra explained. "Your Dad is already in Idaho with Matty."
Cat's gaze dropped to the box, haphazardly labeled in her mother's slanted handwriting, 'Matty Clothes' it read. "I can't believe you're going so quickly,"
"We'll let you know when we find somewhere to rent- and the house is yours until we sell it-" Cassandra explained, trying to find any sort of silver lining. "You don't need to take everything today, and you can come with me if you want?" She tried.
"N.. No thank you." Cat stuttered. "Come on." She turned to Jade, beckoning her to come with. The older girl really wanted to yell again, to give Cat's Mom another piece of her mind- but it wasn't the time. As much as none of this was Cat's fault, it wasn't entirely her mother's either. Jade had barely slept last night with the amount of thinking she'd done about it all- it was a shit situation for both of them.
Inside, the house felt emptier than ever. Not because of her mother's packing, she hadn't taken much yet, but because of the lack of Matteo. You'd normally never be able to walk through the door without him guarding it, let alone make it up the stairs without seeing him. Each step closer and closer to her room was slow and painful- both emotionally and physically. The dull ache of her back spread with each step.
After pushing open her door it truly hit what she was about to do. Each inch of the room contained a piece of her life- from Christmas sweaters, forgotten trinkets, childhood toys, outfits she'd made.
She took a breath and, took one of the cardboard boxes from Jade. "We won't pack it all." Cat explained, "Just the essentials. Then I'll decide if I want to come back for the rest... just like I'm packing for College." She said, the last part more for herself. She decided thats what this was to her. She was just leaving for College- telling herself that would make the moment a lot easier.
"Okay." Jade replied shortly, she didn't want to impose on any part of this, she was there to help Cat, not make things more complicated for her.
Starting at her wardrobe, Cat started throwing her clothes into piles of 'Keep' and 'Donate, while Jade packed the keep ones into the boxes. It took about half an hour but there were so many clothes they filled most of the boxes- it's amazing how much stuff you can have without realising. Jade carried them down to the car and took them home, emptying them at her house and then drove back again.
When she returned Cat was disassembling her keyboard piano, ignoring the stabbing pain as she bent over the back of it, undoing a tight screw.
"What're you doing?"
She glanced up to see Jade standing in the doorway, concern in her eyes. Cat tried for a smile, but it came out strained. "I'm fine. Just…taking it slow."
Jade stepped forward, gently prying the screwdriver from Cat's arms. "With that rib, you shouldn't be doing that."
Cat let out a frustrated sigh, a mix of pain and pent-up emotion. "I just want to do it. It's my stuff, my memories. And now they're all getting shoved into boxes like they don't mean anything." Her voice wavered as she looked around, taking in the hollow feeling of the place she'd called home her entire life.
Jade gentle pulled Cat upright and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You don't have to do this alone. I'll help you. Let's just take it easy, okay?"
With Jade beside her, Cat took a seat on her bed, resting for a moment as they slowly began to pack. Jade handed her smaller items, letting Cat place them into boxes without straining herself. The rhythm was gentle, almost comforting, though each item tucked away felt like a small goodbye.
They continued through the room, layer by layer, collecting old keepsakes from hidden corners and forgotten spaces. They worked their way to the bottom drawer of her nightstand, the last place left to tackle. Inside lay a haphazard pile of random keepsakes she hadn't thought about in years, jumbled together like scattered memories. At the very bottom, beneath an old concert ticket, was a photo.
The image stopped her in her tracks: it was her Nonna, standing in her kitchen, hands flour-dusted and mid-gesture, her smile warm as she looked over a 4 year old Cat, who was sat on the work surface next to the pizza she'd been 'helping' roll. Cat felt a sharp pang in her chest, deeper than her bruised rib could explain. Nonna's presence filled the room instantly, as if she were right there, smiling back at her.
Jade noticed the shift in Cat's expression and moved closer, peering at the photo. "Is that your Nonna?"
Cat nodded, brushing a thumb along the edge of the picture. "Yeah. This was taken when I was little, on one of the Sundays we'd spend in her kitchen. She'd let me help her cook, even though I usually made a mess of everything."
She chuckled, though her voice wavered, and a small tear slipped down her cheek. "Nonna was… everything. She always made me feel like I belonged, no matter what was going on." She took a deep breath, the weight of the loss settling over her like a familiar ache. "I haven't seen this photo in years. I thought I'd lost it."
Jade wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. "She would be so proud of you, you know."
Cat nodded, looking at the photo with a newfound tenderness. "I miss her so so much." With a gentle touch, she slipped the photo into her back pocket, feeling as though she were tucking a piece of her Nonna safely into her heart. She stood up straighter, breathing in the warmth of her memories, and then, leaning on Jade for support, she took one of the boxes stepped out of her room for the last time.
The last thing to do was get her phone, it was still shattered on the floor downstairs, her mother mustn't have noticed it was there. It was completely beyond repair, but at least the SIM card was still intact - that was one less thing to think about.
"I'll get you a new one." Jade said quickly. "And you aren't allowed to say no." She added, shooting Cat a sharp gaze as she continued to carry the boxes to the car.
Once the car was filled up again, Cat hugged her Mom goodbye. In that moment they weren't on the best terms, but Cat refused to let her leave without a hug. Cassy promised to keep her daughter updated, and Cat reassured her she would do the same. They were just both in this horrible situation - neither was to blame so why should they try.