After 28 Lockouts, I Finally Locked Him Out Chapter 07

After 28 Lockouts, I Finally Locked Him Out Chapter 07

“Mom,” Maya asked quietly, “when are we leaving? I don’t like this house. I don’t like Dad anymore, either.”

I crouched down and hugged her.

“Tomorrow,” I said. “We’ll leave tomorrow, okay?”

She nodded, burying her face against my shoulder.

I took out my phone and called my father.

It rang only once before he answered.

“Clara. It’s late.”

I opened my mouth, but only one sentence came out.

“Dad, I’m getting a divorce.”

The line was quiet for two seconds.

Then my father said, “Understood.”

Just that one word, and the tears came.

All the slights I had swallowed for five years, all the things I had never said, finally had somewhere to go.

“Did he bully you?” my father asked.

“I’m just tired,” I said. “Dad, you were right. I was never going to be a part of that family.”

“Then come home.” There was no hesitation in his voice. “It’s just a divorce. It’s not the end of the world. I’ll have the pilot make the arrangements. The jet will be at Logan at ten tomorrow morning to pick you and Maya up.”

I held the phone, tears streaming down my face.

After hanging up, I wiped my eyes and pulled two silver suitcases down from the top of the closet in the dressing room.

“Mom, I’ll help.”

Maya immediately ran to her little closet, pulled out her sketchbooks and iPad, and carefully placed them in one of the suitcases.

Looking at her, the last trace of hesitation in my heart vanished.